Island Princess Alaska Land/Sea Part I-Long review

My apologies for the length, but I got so much info for this trip from this site and I wanted to return the favor.

Island Princess Alaska-May 15-27, 2013

This was my second time to Alaska but the first time doing a Land Tour. My friend Jan had never been to Alaska before and wanted to see everything. We booked this DIY land/cruise tour in July, 2012 for May, 2013 and decided to fly info Anchorage a day early to maximize our time. Our TA chose Alaska Airlines because it flew directly into Anchorage from Chicago-O'Hare. Unfortunately it did not have a direct flight from Vancouver. More on that later. At our gate we met 3 ladies from Philly who were all retired teachers and were on the same tour as us. They had booked the extra day with Princess so had a Princess transfer waiting for them. We ran into them several times on land and the ship.

Arrived on time about 1:00 PM in Anchorage on Alaska time which was 3 hours behind Chicago. Lucky for us, it wasn't so late that we felt we had wasted the day. Caught a cab ($22 including tip) to the Captain Cook Hotel where our room was ready for us. Because we had booked this extra day independent from Princess we were informed that we had to re-check in the next morning to start our Princess tour package. Our "meal" options on the plane had been a selection of snack boxes which we skipped in favor of our own food.

Given a map of Anchorage at the front desk, we explored our options for late lunch/early dinner. The Glacier Brewhouse was a mere block from the hotel (depending which door you exited). The menu had several good choices. We were prepared for the prices and the food was good too! The ladies from Philly were in there also taking their time as their rooms hadn't been ready yet. Jan and I started wandering down the street to check the out different stores before we retired back to our room which had a great view of the Chugach mountains. I forgot to take a picture of them and was sorry as the next 2 mornings were overcast. We were settled in for the night after trying to decide if 9:30 was too early to go to sleep! But with a 4 AM alarm that day, exhaustion won out and we slept in pretty well to the next morning.

Checking our map we elected to try the Snow City Cafe which was 2 blocks from the hotel. Great breakfast place but we never had a chance to check it out for lunch also. It was much colder with intermittent rain that day and we ran back to the hotel to grab our umbrellas. First on the agenda was the Anchorage City Trolley Tour. It was $20 and worth every cent. Our driver was a teacher and she was a natural story teller and guide. She started with the 1964 earthquake and the changes that affected the downtown and surrounding areas.

The Captain Cook was a perfect location as it was central to the downtown area and convenient to everything we wanted to see. The hotel had a vintage feel but with all modern amenities. It was a lovely property. We didn't book any excursions for that day as we weren't sure if we would have a travel delay. Took our time and checked out the local shops. I did not want anything made in China! The Anchorage Museum was a close walk so we spent a few hours in there being educated about the area. Asked a local found man to recommend a place for a late lunch and he suggested the F Avenue pub and grill which was just down the street from the trolley. Excellent food in a casual atmosphere.

When we returned to the Captain Cook we "checked out" of our room and paid for the night $160+tax. The desk clerk asked how I had gotten this rate and I told her our TA had reserved it for us. She told me that summer rates had started on 5/13 and the rate should have been $260/night! Checked back in for the start of our Princess Tour. There was a desk set up in another area of the hotel for the Princess Tour passengers so we checked in with them and picked up our packet for the next day. There were luggage tags and instructions for our transfer to McKinley Lodge the next day. Our bus was #3. The tags were designated as "Join me on board ship" and "Join me Tonight". There was also one with MPL on it for McKinley Princess. I knew about this from cruise critic and Jan and I were prepared with 1 bag packed for each destination.

Decided about 7 PM to go for dinner and we picked Sack's. Unfortunately, we found out we were still full from lunch. Sack's was a fine dining place and the menu looked scrumptious but alas, we settled for soup and an appetizer. I actually filled up on the soup and just picked at the baked brie. Took it with me for a snack the next day.

Luggage had to be ready at 6:30 AM for pickup so it was another early alarm. Thought we would check out the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Turned out to be a great choice since about 20 minutes later the place was full and we could see a long line of people waiting. Went back up to the room for some last minute clean up and since our bags were still there, we could put our toiletries in the case for McKinley lodge. The instructions were to meet in the lobby at 7:45 so we strolled down there at 7:40 to find the place packed and a lady calling for bus M-3. We weren't sure this was us and said something to some people who said they were looking for us and our bus was ready to leave! Needless to say, we hustled outside and announced our arrival. As the last ones on board they were ready to depart immediately.

Our arrival at McKinley Princess Lodge was scheduled for noon. There were no stops. Our driver was also our guide and he kept up a nice level of information on everything we passed. The weather had turned colder and it was rain mixed with snow when we arrived. An envelope with our room info and our transfer materials for the next day was handed to us as we exited the bus.

We were in building #2, Room 110 which was close to the lodge. There was a shuttle for the more distant buildings and people with ambulatory issues. I was astonished at the slush on the stairs as the roads were clear. We stayed only long enough to dump our stuff and went back to the lodge for lunch. Jan and I had originally wanted to schedule a flight-seeing tour at this location but changed our minds when we found out the cost. It turned out all flights were cancelled due to weather.

On the whole land portion of this trip, we did not see one deciduous tree with leaves. The news was telling us this was the longest snow season in history and we were in it. When I had done the cruise in 2003, we had temps from 50-70's with sunny skies the whole week. I guess I was hoping for the same thing but Jan had brought her down coat and boots. I did make use of my silk long underwear and the great heavy sweatshirt with hood my daughter had given me for Mother's Day. Was I glad I had brought it along. The Lodge had several racks of lightweight parkas with a fleece lining for sale in the gift shop and they sold out several times! Jan bought one since she didn't have a lighter jacket with her. We saw those parkas on people throughout the entire trip.

Jan wanted to see Talkeetna so we found the shuttle for the hour ride into town. The shuttle ran every hour from the same location. It was a rain/snow mix and I had packed my umbrella in my suitcase. Luckily, my raincoat had a hood and I was dressed warm enough. To say Talkeetna was a disappointment is an understatement. I was picturing a quaint little town with wooden sidewalks and was shocked to find a bunch of run-down log cabins with a mostly motley collection of souvenirs. One shop had some quality items. The best was the cafe were we had hot chocolate and homemade cookies. Their menu looked really good and our bus driver said that a lot of the staff from the lodge ate there frequently. Had we known, we could have skipped the mediocre and pricey lunch at the lodge. We were definitely back on the bus for the next shuttle.

Back at the lodge, we went downstairs for the Ranger's talk on bears which was very interesting. The weather was still miserable so we were not able to enjoy the beautiful deck and mountain view. Went back to our room to find the luggage waiting for us. Cleaned up a bit and decided that dinner was a good option at this point so headed back to the Lodge. I should mention that this was only the second week the lodge was open and they seemed to be having some trouble with their Coke dispenser. I kept getting my Diet Coke flat without the bubbles. Another so-so dinner and we went back to the room to prepare for another early morning call to put our bags out for the transfer to Denali Princess Lodge.

Breakfast the next morning was quite bad. My scrambled eggs were dried out and cold. I ate the biscuit and bacon with my tea and figured just accept it since I am not one to make a fuss. But the restaurant manager happened by and asked if everything was ok so I told him I was unhappy with my food. He wanted to replace the meal but we had to meet our bus. He comped my meal and apologized. I did tip the server since it wasn't his fault and we left with a better feeling about the place.

This next part of our trip was by train. We had to be in the lodge by 9:15 to board the bus for a 9:30 departure which we almost missed again! (Foolish us, we expected someone to announce it.) Since 9:30 came and went, I thought something was fishy so I went up to the desk and asked about it. The young lady looked panicked and called the driver on her device so they could come back for us. As it happened, they were still waiting since there were supposed to be 24 of us and some were missing. As we ran out, we told the Princess rep who was boarding people that we expected some kind of announcement. She went into the lodge and called out the info about the bus to Talkeetna depot and picked up another couple who was also waiting.

Finally we were off on a sunny day back to Talkeetna Depot and were surprised by all the new snow that we saw. The train wasn't due for about 1/2 hour so we stayed on the bus as it was quite chilly outside. The Alaska Railroad train arrived pulling cars for Holland America, Royal Caribbean and Princess. I wasn't prepared for the train seating arrangement. The dining car was on the first level and the passengers sat upstairs sharing a table for four. I was expecting standard seating next to the panoramic windows. Jan and I were seated with a couple from Florida who were also going to be on the ship. We had a great time visiting with them and went down to lunch together so the time passed quickly.

Arriving at Denali there were the requisite large coaches waiting for us. It was a short ride to the Denali Wilderness Lodge where we found bedlam in the lobby. Because of the cold weather, the pipes in the original lodge which was now Building A were frozen and a large number of people had to be moved. Our room info was given to us on the train so we knew our room number in building J. It was pretty cold to wander about and the last thing I wanted to do was shop.

We had reserved the 8 PM dinner show for Music of Denali. The building was directly kitty-corner from ours so it was definitely a short walk. Since we had 4 hours until then, we elected to have a light snack. My train lunch had been light so I was ready for something else. The place was packed but service was good and so was the food. Back to the room and we had turned up the heat as far as it would go since the place was really cold. It didn't help that the room opened directly to the outside like an old-fashioned motel. (At the McKinley lodge which is newer, the buildings had a central, heated corridor for the rooms. This also made it more secure, a plus for two ladies traveling alone.)

Strolled across the lane to the "theater". I think this cost us $89 each. Your servers are the actors. I would never recommend this activity to anyone. The show was beyond corny and the food just average. Giving the actors their due, they put their hearts into it but nothing could save this show. I could write a better show. There was plenty of food and it was served family style. If you wanted more of anything, they brought it out.

Leaving the theater we were surprised by how light it was outside. I had made sure I dressed much warmer for this day since I didn't know when the luggage would arrive. A smart move on my part since it was 10:45 PM before the bags finally made it. No idea what held them up but the front desk was deluged with complaints. We wanted to go to bed but had to wait for the luggage with our nightclothes. Since we didn't have to be up at 5 AM, we finally crashed about 11:30 and had to pull the drapes to shut out the light.

Got up and went for breakfast at the Salmon Bake restaurant which was quite good with a great view. Another sunny, cold day. We had booked the Husky Homestead Tour through Princess and the bus for that was about 9:45 AM. It took about 15 minutes to get to the dog farm. This was the establishment of Jeff King who has won the Iditarod race 7 times. First off, we got to hold the puppies! Took lots of pictures and then the talk started. Very informative and the dogs did not look like the usual Siberian Huskies that they always show. Great tour and I highly recommend it.

Back to the Lodge for a light lunch before our Tundra Wilderness Tour at 1:30. I had booked this through reservedenali.com as the Princess tours were sold out. Originally we were told we had to walk to the McKinley Chalet resort up the road at 5:30 AM to be picked up for the tour. This had caused some anxiety in us as we had no idea where or how far away it was. Checking all my info before we left, I realized I had booked it for the wrong date! Called them and they were very accommodating to change it for me and we ended up with the 1:30 time on 5/19. The website advised that they would pick us up at the Lodge. One bad piece of info was that we had to go into the park to the Wilderness Center to pick up our tickets the day before. Since Princess had a free shuttle, we thought we could do this. I had mentioned this on the train and a lady sitting near us overheard me and said that she had also booked this tour and was told the tickets would be at the tour desk at the lodge. Sure enough, that is exactly what happened. Another problem worked out in our favor!

The TWT was scheduled for 5 hours. Our driver/guide Jen was very good and only one of several people who we met who lived in basic cabins for the summer just to spend the season in Alaska. It was quite enlightening. Since the weather was outstanding with sunshine and bright blue sky we anticipated seeing Mt. McKinley. Alas, the only clouds we saw were covering the mountain. We saw some wildlife but mostly it was boring. Some people would say we didn't go far enough into the park but we were limited by the snowfall and the fact the roads still weren't fully cleared. But our guide informed us of the number of moose, caribou, wolves and bears in the park and they are quite small for the amount of territory. It is so barren that there just isn't a lot of food available to support large herds.

It was our last night in Denali and we decided to get pizza and salad for dinner. Time to pack the bags and have them out at 7 AM. Again to the Salmon Bake for breakfast which we enjoyed. Went up to the lodge to wait for our bus for the 8 hour drive to Whittier and the ship. We were once again on bus #3 with a very good driver/guide. Another clear, sunny day and the temps were up to the 50's. On the road our driver pointed out that you could see Mt. McKinley very well. Sure enough, we were able to see both peaks clearly. Finally I was able to get some great pictures even if we were moving. We did have a rest stop where we could see the North Peak clearly. The park tour had informed us that only 30% of people see some of the mountain and only 10% actually see both peaks. We were batting 1.000.

A one hour lunch stop in Anchorage gave us the opportunity to try Humpy's. As much publicity as this place gets I expected a lot more. Half the menu was mostly salmon (as was every other restaurant we tried) and we had a salad which was tasteless. The Glacier Brewhouse was 100% better. We made it to Whittier and went through the famous tunnel to emerge and see our ship! Got into line and it moved quickly to check in at 5 PM.

I told Jan that I felt we were finally on vacation! I didn't realize how much I disliked moving from place to place every day and living out of a suitcase. Deciding to do the land tour first was the best idea we had. I felt like I took a big breath when I got onboard the Island Princess.

To Be Continued....

Am I to understand that you were on a bus for 8 hrs. from Denali to Anchorage. We were considering this tour but 8 hrs. on a bus seems to be a nightmare! Did it have a bathroom? Were there any stops? Was there a train alternative? Thanks for your review. Just what I wanted to learn about.

for people who are in Talkeetna, and not staying at the Lodge which is really outside of the town, stop in at the wildflower Cafe. It has excellent food, and the chef is a former white house chef under the Bush Administration....Good cook, nice place, good food....PS Jeff won Iditarod only 4 times...He wishes he had won 7...No one has ever won 7 times....:)

Am I to understand that you were on a bus for 8 hrs. from Denali to Anchorage. We were considering this tour but 8 hrs. on a bus seems to be a nightmare! Did it have a bathroom? Were there any stops? Was there a train alternative? Thanks for your review. Just what I wanted to learn about.

They quote 8-8.5 hours but that includes the one hour Anchorage stop for lunch. There was one rest stop after 2-2.5 hours for a bathroom (outhouse) break. It was there we saw Mt. McKinley's North peak quite clearly.

We left about 9:45 AM and arrived at the port about 4:30 PM. I do know that we were checked in and walking on the ship @ 5 PM because I looked at my watch.

The bus does have a bathroom but it is a chemical toilet like on a train.

When you book the cruise-tour through Princess, they decide which section of your travel is on the train. Since we started in Anchorage, some people were on the bus (like us) to McKinley Lodge and others on the train.

Leaving McKinley Lodge to Denali we were on the train while the majority were on the bus.

It seemed that there was a larger contingent of people on the train but it took 10.5 hours to arrive to the ship! There was an avalanche risk and the train could only travel at 35 miles/hour.

We had no choice (as far as I know) in which segment of the trip included the train.

Sue

for people who are in Talkeetna, and not staying at the Lodge which is really outside of the town, stop in at the wildflower Cafe. It has excellent food, and the chef is a former white house chef under the Bush Administration....Good cook, nice place, good food....PS Jeff won Iditarod only 4 times...He wishes he had won 7...No one has ever won 7 times....:)

Sure wish we had known about the Cafe before we ate lunch at the Lodge. LOL.

I was sure they had said he won 7 times but being hard of hearing, I'm sure I mis-heard. ;-)

Sue

Glad you enjoyed your visit to our state.

And a simple point of clarification -- I don't believe anyone has won the Iditarod seven times. Rick Swenson won five times, and that is the maximum for one person. Jeff King won in 1993, 1996, 1998 and 2006.

Look forward to the next part.

Keith

Thanks for your review shofer.

Can you give me a ball park figure for the price of breakfast at the Salmon Bake? Thanks!

Enjoyed your detailed review.

Thanks for your review shofer.

 

Can you give me a ball park figure for the price of breakfast at the Salmon Bake? Thanks!

Prices are about double what you would pay in the lower 48. Depending what you order it is $10-15/pp.

I did not spend as much as I thought I would for 5 days of meals, but I was only paying for one!

Sue

Thank you Sue!

Music of Denali, is that also known as Cabin Nite Dinner Theater at the Mt McKinley Chalet? We were considering that if they were offering the 2 for 1 in the Tour Saver but they aren't this year so not sure if it is worth the $67pp?

Music of Denali Theater is at the Wilderness Lodge @ Denali. I don't know anything about a show at McKinley Lodge. If it's anything like the former, don't waste your money.

Sue

I am eagerly awaiting the rest of your review! do you have any pictures to share? I will be on the Coral Princess in June.

"Jan wanted to see Talkeetna so we found the shuttle for the hour ride into town. The shuttle ran every hour from the same location."

Thanks for your review. We are doing this trip in August, and are wondering about the shuttle service between Talkeetna and McKinley Lodge. When you arrived, did you have to go directly to the lodge, or were there shuttles running so that you could stay and do an excursion in Talkeetna when you arrived, rather than having to backtrack from the lodge the next day?

When you arrived, did you have to go directly to the lodge, or were there shuttles running so that you could stay and do an excursion in Talkeetna when you arrived, rather than having to backtrack from the lodge the next day?

Good plan ... no sense in backtracking.

Last yrs schedule : from Talkeetna leaving hourly starting at 7am. From the lodge leaves on the half hour ( last one is 8:30pm)

Thanks, Mapleleaves! Exactly the info we needed.

"Jan wanted to see Talkeetna so we found the shuttle for the hour ride into town. The shuttle ran every hour from the same location."

 

Thanks for your review. We are doing this trip in August, and are wondering about the shuttle service between Talkeetna and McKinley Lodge. When you arrived, did you have to go directly to the lodge, or were there shuttles running so that you could stay and do an excursion in Talkeetna when you arrived, rather than having to backtrack from the lodge the next day?

The bus from Anchorage brought us directly to the Lodge where we checked out our room and had a bad lunch. That restaurant is really bad. The shuttle for Talkeetna was waiting for us and if we had known then what we know now we would have eaten lunch there.

Ask the shuttle driver for recommendation as there are a couple of places in Talkeetna. It's the only reason to go there as there is nothing but souvenir shops and nothing is very nice except for one shop.

Sue