Alaska/Canadian Rockies

We are looking at doing an Alaskan cruise next year, just wondering if anyone as done both the Rocky Mountains and the Denali area, as our budget does not allow for both, wondering if we would be happy with Alaskan cruise and Anchorage/Denali, and not worry about the Rocky Mountains (Rocky Mountaineer) as that part is really expensive any feedback greatly appreciated.:rolleyes:

Ideas to save money in the Rockies....

• Have you compared prices by bus instead of train?
  http://keywesttravelandtours.com/bus-tours/
  
• Instead of flying into Vancouver.... what about flying into Calgary and bus your way to Vancouver one way via the Rockies?
  
• instead of staying at hotels near the cruise terminal, what about hotels a few blocks away? You'll find savings for additional Vancouver nights or other travel needs.
  

Good to know the options xixo! Thanks!

Something to keep in mind.....

We did Alaskan cruise a couple of years ago, mid May from Vancouver. On arrival to Whittier (port for Anchorage), we were informed that Denali was not open for the season, due to the heavy snows that winter. Tours that week could only go to the very outskirts of the National Park.

If you decide not to do the Rockies, then at least spend a day in Whistler, just out from Vancouver. Loads of cheap tours available from Vanc. Such a scenic part of the world, not to be missed.

We did an Alaska cruise last year.

We originally booked both a precruise tour in Alaska and a post cruisetour of the Rockies.

After much soul searching and researching the cc boards we decided to cancel both cruisetours and hired a car instead and decided that you cant do both areas justice in one trip.

We will do the Rockies in 2 years time as a separate trip.

Having said that i have just finished doing an itinerary for friends who depart tomorrow for Alaska (self drive), cruise out of Whittier, post cruisetour that covers Vancouver and the Rockies but they drive from Jasper to Calgary. Then they flt to Toronto and Niagara before returning via Hawaii.

Our self drive in Alaska was fantastic and we did a great circle drive from Anchorage, via glenallen, Fairbanks, and Denali to Seward. Hire car cost was $500 (booked very early) plus fuel at $1 per litre. We stayed at B&Bs and cabins which worked out at about $100 per night instead of the ridiculous Alaskan hotel prices.

Others that did the precruise tour enjoyed it but had no flexibility.

You need at least 2-3 days around Denali for both sightseeing and river rafting. Also go husky dog sledding near Anchorage at Knik River Lodge - outstanding as a feature big spend. Another must do in Akaska is an all day wildlife and glacier cruise out of Seward.

Alaska Cruise prices are always high regardless of which ship. Princess cruises concentrate on more glaciers but we decided to go with Royal from Seward as we felt we would be glaciered out by the time of the cruise, which we were as we saw and climbed many in our drive. You can even do local Glacier cruises at Whittier on Prince William Sound.

Any questions just ask.

Hugh

Hi we just got back from a week in the Rockies and a round trip cruise from Vancouver. There is so much to do in the Rockies, we self drove after flying in to Calgary and spent time in Banff and lake Louise. You would also want to drive on to Jasper. Vancouver was worth a couple of days and we stayed away from the harbour which saved quite a bit. The cruise was awesome. However you only go a limited way to Alaska. If I go again I would spend time in Alaska/Denali and cruise one way to Vancouver. It was all worthwhile and enjoyable and I don't think you can really go wrong. Have fun!!

Last year (Aug) we did a 8N self-drive Canadian Rockies tour as a prequel to our Alaska/Hawaii/Pacific islands B2B2B on Rhapsody of the Seas.

Our party of 4 flew Syd-Vancouver- Calagary & picked up rental there. The rental & the hotels were arranged thru a Canadian TA & they did a great job. We stayed in Banff (2N), Lake Loiuse, Jasper (2N), Kamloops, Whistler & Vancouver, before taking the Amtrak Cascades train to Seattle to catch the ship.

We consider we had pretty much the perfect itinerary, the self-drive aspect gave us the chance to 'see-it-all' & at a price we thought was great.

People we have spoken to consider their Rocky Mountaineer train experience to be very expensive for what it was, and they mostly saw trees.

Anyone wanting any further info, ask away.

Thank you to everyone you are helping me out so much, Mr. Walker what was the weather like in August as that is when we are thinking of going?

Cassamanda when did you go to Alaska, in regards to Glaciers this is probably a silly question and give you a laugh but is there a lot of differences in glaciers, we are thinking of doing the Princess northbound cruise that does 2 glaciers?

Mr. Walker what was the weather like in August as that is when we are thinking of going?

We arrived in Calgary Aug 20. It was much warmer for that week in the Rockies than at home in Western Sydney! We were worried about packing as we were doing also Alaska & then Hawaii & Pacific Islands, so very different clothing needs.

We took thermal undershirts, jackets, gloves and beanies. The only day we really got use for them was the day we actually stood on the Athabasca glacier - don't miss that experience!!

Most days just an undershirt, shirt and windjacket was fine. We actually had really good weather - only the 1st day in Banff was overcast & raining. We couldn't ride the Banff gondola as poor visibility. We rode the Jasper gondola instead a few days later & could see for miles.

Thinking back just now reminds me of such a great week in the Rockies! And if you want to see Glaciers, the Rockies are the place for you

Thank you to everyone you are helping me out so much, Mr. Walker what was the weather like in August as that is when we are thinking of going?

 

Cassamanda when did you go to Alaska, in regards to Glaciers this is probably a silly question and give you a laugh but is there a lot of differences in glaciers, we are thinking of doing the Princess northbound cruise that does 2 glaciers?

We also went in August but about 10 days earlier arriving Anchorage by air from Hawaii on the 10th. We had fine weather until the last few days. Nothing colder than a typical Sydney winter except of course when walking on or close to a Glacier etc or on the water. Was also wet and cold on Prince William Sound the day we were at Whittier.

We missed seeing Mt McInley (Denali) by one day. Tour group behind us saw it (roll call members and bragged about all cruise).

The area the ships cruise up along the Alaskan coast is a wet rainforest region so expect some rain in August.

By going a few weeks earlier say late July/early August it is drier and you also get more snow and less chance of dog sledding cancellations due to lack of snow, if that is one of your items to do. Also the wildlife cruises at Seward tend to wind down late August due to poorer weather conditions.

Check out the current Alaskan threads on Cc and read some reports for this period.

Princess has rights to Glacier Bay which gets all the positive ravings, hence the extra Glacier. I think they also do Hubbard Glacier which sometimes is difficult get close to but you do sail through ice flows which interesting.

Personnaly i would do the southbound as it gives me time relax after driving around Alaska. Mind you the cruise is port intensive too.

Can give you several recommendations for places to stay if you like.

There are several different types of glaciers and without getting technical they are either ones that feed a river system that you can generally walk on, or the more common ones you see from a ship that empty into a bay and chunks of ice break off into the bay (calving). Other glaciers are high up in the mountains like the one Mr Walker mentioned and many tour operators in Alaska set up Husky dog sledding camps on them. Access is by light plane or helicopter. A typical dog sledding trip is about $US500 pp. these glaciers are spectacular and as i said the trip out of Knik River (near Palmer just north of Anchorage is tops).

It is very easy to drive in Alaska and i know Mr Walker likewise had no problems driving around Canada in the Rockies.

If you have the time do both otherwise do justice to either one and go back again. You cant cover all of Alaska in one hit.

Hugh

We leave on Thursday for Celebrity Alaska cruise with before and after tours of Canadian Rockies and Denali.

BTW what't the go with tipping in Canada? Is it anything like the US?

BTW what't the go with tipping in Canada? Is it anything like the US?

Our experience is that it is just like USA, certainly in restaurants & similar where approx 15% was the going rate, only in $CAN so a bit less

Hi everyone, Mt wife and I are travelling in 3 weeks. The way we kept costs down is to fly to Calgary via LAX rent a small car for 9 days one way to Vancouver. Book hotels that are a bit cheaper and booked a hotel in Vancouver 3 or4 blocks from shipping terminal. Also booked our ship excursions privately, saved a bit there. When we get to Whittier we r catching a bus to Anchorage and renting a car from there, a lot cheaper than renting from Whittier. Then 6 days driving around Alaska. Booked cheaper accommodation than what Princess wanted to charge!

We are Flying back to Aus via San Francisco.... That is one expensive town for accommodation. But our airfares are very reasonable as far as our research showed.

I was told by my Canadian friend that when tipping in Canada, you tip 15% in restaurants.. It's easy to calculate as your receipt has 5% gst tax on the bottom of it, so just multiply by 3!

Regards Peter

We are currently travelling around the U.S for just under 8 weeks. We board the Celebrity Solsctice on the 11th September from Seattle to Vancouver for 11 nights We are spending 5 nights in Vancover post cruise and doing a day trip to Whistler. We looked at doing the Rocky Mountaineer but it was very expensive. We picked up our rental car here at LAX and will drop in back in San Francisco. There is no one way rental fee. We had booked a hotel at Union Square in San Francico but I've changed it to Saucilito which is cheaper and just a ferry ride to San Francisco.

Hi everyone, Mt wife and I are travelling in 3 weeks. The way we kept costs down is to fly to Calgary via LAX rent a small car for 9 days one way to Vancouver. Book hotels that are a bit cheaper and booked a hotel in Vancouver 3 or4 blocks from shipping terminal. Also booked our ship excursions privately, saved a bit there. When we get to Whittier we r catching a bus to Anchorage and renting a car from there, a lot cheaper than renting from Whittier. Then 6 days driving around Alaska. Booked cheaper accommodation than what Princess wanted to charge!

We are Flying back to Aus via San Francisco.... That is one expensive town for accommodation. But our airfares are very reasonable as far as our research showed.

 

I was told by my Canadian friend that when tipping in Canada, you tip 15% in restaurants.. It's easy to calculate as your receipt has 5% gst tax on the bottom of it, so just multiply by 3!

 

Regards Peter

Also keep an eye out for gratuities already added at the bottom of the receipt - dont want you to double dip.

The Rocky Mountaineer is overly priced and overly hyped to you folks "down under". Suggest you check out the Rocky Mountain forum on Trip Advisor to get great advice on doing a DIY trip from Calgary through the mountains to catch your cruise in Vancouver.

We leave on Thursday for Celebrity Alaska cruise with before and after tours of Canadian Rockies and Denali.

BTW what't the go with tipping in Canada? Is it anything like the US?

Hi Lyndarra, look forward to hearing your thoughts on Canadian Rockies an Denali, which ship are you going on too?

The Rocky Mountaineer is overly priced and overly hyped to you folks "down under". Suggest you check out the Rocky Mountain forum on Trip Advisor to get great advice on doing a DIY trip from Calgary through the mountains to catch your cruise in Vancouver.

Thank you, yes Rocky Mountaineer is very expensive and my husband does not like buses, so if we decide to do the Rocky Mountains will hire a car, time does not allow us to do both Denali and Rocky Mountains just have to work out which one we will do.

Many thanks for all your responses Hugh will be good to get some tips on where you stayed. I am trying to work out how much the trip will cost, cruise, airfares, hire car whether it be Rocky Mountains or Peninsula, with a couple of nights in Vancouver will stay a few blocks back from ship as does not bother us to be right by where ship leaves. I don't want to really go over $5000 per person, am I being ambitious or is it doable please.

subaru, to give you an idea I put some of our numbers here for you, but I guess we are all different.

- flight SYD - Calgary via VAN - C$1235pp ( this was one-way as we cruised all the way back)

- 9N accomodation (pre-booked & paid) C$1159 pp twin share (incl 5 b/fasts)

- 8day car hire (Dodge Caravan) Calgary - Vancouver C$720 shared between 4 so C$180pp

- fuel (shared between 4) approx C$150 so say C$40pp

- Amtrak train Vanouver to Seattle US$30pp

- Alaskan cruise RhapsodyOTS Seattle- Vancouver A$1025 pp (incl T&G)

On land, we allow ~$US75 per day pp for meals, drinks etc, so for 9 days say A$800 pp. We maybe spent a further $A500 pp for tours, attractions etc, during the 9 days on land & the 3 ports on the cruise.

So pretty close to $A5000pp :eek:

Hi we are 2 sisters going to Alaska in May next year, cruising on Crown Princess Vancouver to Alaska return then taking a Rocky Mountaineer circle tour afterwards, yes it is expensive but this will be our dream holiday and we want to enjoy sitting back and watching the world go by. All up trip will be near 6 weeks, but we do have free accomodation in Vancouver so have saved there.

Hi Lyndarra, look forward to hearing your thoughts on Canadian Rockies an Denali, which ship are you going on too?

Celebrity Millenium

As a Calgarian and a Canadian I enjoyed reading all the positive comments posted, I would like to say that you'd get more for your money doing the udrive vs the Rocky Mountainer Train option, with a bit of research there is so much probably too much to see between Calgary and Vancouver. Stop at the Tourism booth right in the airport for extra help!

By the way just like the Blue Mnts near Sydney, we too have a "Three Sisters" in the Rockies!

Belinda

Our friends have arrived in Alaska to warm weather. Fairbanks will be 23 deg C on the 9th.

Believe the same temps can happen in Jasper as well.

Our friends have arrived in Alaska to warm weather. Fairbanks will be 23 deg C on the 9th.

Believe the same temps can happen in Jasper as well.

Sure your friends have departed by now but the temps in Alberta/Jasper area today are in the low 30's, but just a word of warning, it could just as easily be closer to 15C and even lower overnight. In this end of the woods you need to be prepared with some layers of clothing just in case!