Glacier Viewing on Tours vs Cruise

[darkpelagic]

Hi all,

 

I am doing a 7 night Inside passage cruise with Millenium from Seward to Vancouver. We will be stopping at Hubbard Glacier.

 

In the past, I have Heli-hiked on glaciers in NZ.

 

Given that information, I am asking, will I see enough glaciers on this cruise to forego trips to and cruises around glaciers? Or is there some glacier based trip that is so worth doing I must do it? For example, is Exit Glacier or Mendenhall so amazing compared to other glaciers that there is a real visual impact in seeing them?

 

I am trying to plan pre-cruise stages of my trip and am being torn between further cruising excursions and excursions in the inner Alaska. My primary struggle is between an Arctic Circle day tour from Fairbanks driving up the Dalton Hwy and back, and the Kenai Fjords cruise from Seward.

 

Please help! :confused:

[Blendermagician]

I haven't seen Hubbard, but our cruise did Glacier Bay NP. We did do the 26 Glacier Tour in Whittier. We also went to both Exit and Mendenhall Glaciers. The biggest advantage of those was being up close to the glaciers, but if you've heli-hiked on glaciers previously, I would opt to do something else. We didn't do the Kenai Fjords trip, so I can't comment on it.

 

I hope I understood correctly that you would be taking a TOUR on the Dalton Highway. We took a last minute deal on a cruise and didn't have time to do our homework. We had hoped to drive it ourselves, but found out you need a 4 wheel drive and several spare tires.

[darkpelagic]

Yep, I mean a tour for the Dalton. I also thought about driving some of it myself, but it sounds a bit too hairy.

[MercedMike]

Hubbard is quite a spectacular sight -- IF your ship is able to get close. We got really close, but there are numerous reports of ships being a mile or more away.

 

Mendenhall is a bit different experience, but it is quite nice.

 

The glacier landings thrilled my wife. Personally it is not my cup of tea.

 

I made up a page of Alaska glacier experiences at

http://www.bully4.us/alaskaglaciers.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[Budget Queen]

Yep, I mean a tour for the Dalton. I also thought about driving some of it myself, but it sounds a bit too hairy.

 

You are way under estimating this. First off, none of the major car rentals will allow this drive. IT also, is a POOR day trip choice, IF you are only looking at a ground day trip. WAY superior and still 10 -12 hours are the one way fly/van tours, which are my ONLY recommendation.

 

How much TIME are you looking at adding for interior Alaska? I would only consider doing the Arctic Circle, if you are going to be the extended.

[darkpelagic]

Yep I have been coming to that conclusion myself about the fly/van tours. Still a long trip but at least you aren't doing it twice. Just has a much higher cancellation risk.

 

I have such a small amount of time it isn't funny - 5 nights and wanting to see everything. :( Briefly :( :(

 

BUT, I am travelling alone and am unlikely to go hiking by myself in beary moosey wolfy elky country so it's a bit more of a city/train/bus/plane type trip for me than usual.

[wolfie11]

Alaska Airlines does one-day and overnight trips to Barrow, which IMO, is much better than driving up the Haul Road (which I have done in a small subcompact). I would opt for the overnight if possible. There is a small chance of seeing polar bears depending on when you go, and you will get a much better "Arctic" experience in Barrow.

[Budget Queen]

5 days is hardly time to fit in Denali Park and Seward. I don't see how you are going to include Fairbanks (worth two nights) AND your transfer "time"???

 

What is your itinerary plan so far?? You are leaving from Fairbanks, I hope? With that, you have severely limited your car rental options, (compare now, what is available and verify costs) you don't have time for the train, in my opinion.

[Budget Queen]

. Still a long trip but at least you aren't doing it twice. Just has a much higher cancellation risk.

 

QUOTE]

 

The "cancelation" risk is minimal here, compared to other areas. Concern is more of your extremely limited time.

[darkpelagic]

From what I can work out, the vast majority of travellers to alaska do not get to do more than blink at things and move on, so how would 5 nights be different? I'm going on a 7 night cruise with less than 24 hour stops at various towns/cities and as far as I'm concerned I'm not going to see a thing, but it's not like I can hang around Alaska for 6 months and it's also maybe the only time I am ever going to be in Alaska, so all I can really do is try and fit as many of my priorities in as possible.

 

Priority 1 was: Cruise the inside passage.

Priority 2 was: Take the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks

Priority 3 was: See wildlife

Priority 4 was: See culture and historical things

 

The Artic Circle sort of slipped in later because it involved crossing the Arctic Circle (YAY) and because it also crossed the Yukon. I'd also be happy to do another tour that goes to the Yukon river if you know of any.

 

My itinerary at the moment is shaping up like this:

 

day 1) Anchorage. Fly in early am. Spend all day doing as much as possible of museums, art galleries, zoos, coastal trails, seway tour ... whatever. Sleep the night

day 2) Train to Denali. 8 hours of views. Maybe take a short trip into the park for the afternoon after checking in. Sleep at Denali.

day 3) Take a Denali bus into the park as far as the first or second stop and return for the afternoon train. (Would like to do tundra wilderness tour but not sure if they get back in time). Catch train to Fairbanks but go on to Chena Hot Springs to stay the night.

day 4) Day in Fairbanks, doing paddle steamer, uni museum, salmon bake/show stay in Fairbanks

Day 5) Do Arctic Circle fly/drive return to Fairbanks and fly to Anchorage/eat in great restaurant/ sleep anchorage

Day 6) Take Coastal Classic to Seward and do a Resurrection Bay tour. Then get on Cruise ship.

 

The possible changes to that itinerary would involve dropping the Arctic Circle tour and going to Seward for the 8 hour Kenai Fjord tour, or simply flying straight to Seward and dropping the Coastal Classic.

 

I kind of think about dropping Denali but everyone seems to think it is foolish to miss it?

 

I know it's a tough itinerary (except for all that sitting down) but when I travel alone I really enjoy a lot of different sights and sounds. I'm not travelling to relax, I'm travelling to see stuff and go 'wow'. LOL

 

Besides, after all that I will be on a cruise for 7 days so that gives me some time to sit still and take it all in. Kind of.

 

I don't know - maybe it's an impossible itinerary. I'm all ears.

[Budget Queen]

From what I can work out, the vast majority of travellers to alaska do not get to do more than blink at things and move on, so how would 5 nights be different? I'm going on a 7 night cruise with less than 24 hour stops at various towns/cities and as far as I'm concerned I'm not going to see a thing, but it's not like I can hang around Alaska for 6 months and it's also maybe the only time I am ever going to be in Alaska, so all I can really do is try and fit as many of my priorities in as possible.

 

Priority 1 was: Cruise the inside passage.

Priority 2 was: Take the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks

Priority 3 was: See wildlife

Priority 4 was: See culture and historical things

 

The Artic Circle sort of slipped in later because it involved crossing the Arctic Circle (YAY) and because it also crossed the Yukon. I'd also be happy to do another tour that goes to the Yukon river if you know of any.

 

My itinerary at the moment is shaping up like this:

 

day 1) Anchorage. Fly in early am. Spend all day doing as much as possible of museums, art galleries, zoos, coastal trails, seway tour ... whatever. Sleep the night

day 2) Train to Denali. 8 hours of views. Maybe take a short trip into the park for the afternoon after checking in. Sleep at Denali.

day 3) Take a Denali bus into the park as far as the first or second stop and return for the afternoon train. (Would like to do tundra wilderness tour but not sure if they get back in time). Catch train to Fairbanks but go on to Chena Hot Springs to stay the night.

day 4) Day in Fairbanks, doing paddle steamer, uni museum, salmon bake/show stay in Fairbanks

Day 5) Do Arctic Circle fly/drive return to Fairbanks and fly to Anchorage/eat in great restaurant/ sleep anchorage

Day 6) Take Coastal Classic to Seward and do a Resurrection Bay tour. Then get on Cruise ship.

 

The possible changes to that itinerary would involve dropping the Arctic Circle tour and going to Seward for the 8 hour Kenai Fjord tour, or simply flying straight to Seward and dropping the Coastal Classic.

 

I kind of think about dropping Denali but everyone seems to think it is foolish to miss it?

 

I know it's a tough itinerary (except for all that sitting down) but when I travel alone I really enjoy a lot of different sights and sounds. I'm not travelling to relax, I'm travelling to see stuff and go 'wow'. LOL

 

Besides, after all that I will be on a cruise for 7 days so that gives me some time to sit still and take it all in. Kind of.

 

I don't know - maybe it's an impossible itinerary. I'm all ears.

 

Sorry, you don't know. There is NO comparism to being dropped right off within minutes of actives in the ports, and transiting for HOURS and HOURS and having NO time for any activities interior Alaska. I am not sure WHY the Alaska RR is a priority?? Frankly, it is a very poor choice with your too short time. The Anchorage/Fairbanks segment, is so so at best, with way too many trees, in my opinion. :) It is rare for a McKinley view. AND this just about parallels the Parks Highway, so no "scenic" advantage either. The biggest problem is the TIME, of which you would be FAR better off with a rental car, and getting some decent time in Denali Park. At the least, it is worthwhile and a "must" with "your" wildlife priority to get INTO the park to Eielson.

 

Anchorage/Fairbanks needs a 8++ hour time block with brief stops, by road. I ONLY suggest you, at this point consider the Anchorage/Seward train only. By far it is the most scenic. And forget the bay boat tours, not worth the time or money. Little if any wildlife. "Necessary" is a boat tour, of at least 6 hours on the water, nothing less, in my opinion.

 

You continue to underestimate time and distances. I think the Barrow suggestion is a good one and can be done out of Anchorage. Not sure about your Chena Hot Springs priority either. This is a WINTER highlight area, and in my opinion, was slightly run down. It's at least an hour from Fairbanks, again, time you really do not have, with getting into Fairbanks, after 8pm?

 

There are no flights to Seward, except charters.

 

I will continue to state, 5 days is Denali Park and Seward, about it. AND with you HAVING to get to Seward, it is really not an option to even bother "cutting" back here.

[darkpelagic]

Okay, so tell me what to do in Denali other than ride on the bus. I'm not interested in hiking by myself for very far, so what else is there to do?

[PennyAgain]

Listen to BudgetQueen, please! Alaska is huge and transportation options are not always what you might wish to have.

 

Driving the Dalton is about as interesting as driving across the OutBack but fighting huge trucks who frankly own that road. The road was built for trucks to haul goods and materials up to the oil exploration and drilling areas and is no darn place for a tourist in a rental car (if you can find a rental company that would let you do it.) Those trucks will blow past you and cover your car and your windows in heavy dust.

 

There are also no emergency services and only one place to stop for a meal.

 

Enjoy your trip, but please be wise.

[Mary Ellen1]

re: Denali... This may be heresy to some here, but I was a little underwhelmed. I expected it to be green & lush, but (DUH!) it's tundra. We were there for an overnight -- about 22 hours -- last August, and I thought it was just enough time. We took the 8-hour Tundra Wilderness Tour, and since Denali peak was "out" the tour was extended to a viewing area where we could get great pictures of it. We saw tons of wildlife (my husband seemed to be doing most of the wildlife spotting for the bus, he has an amazing eye for deer, bear, etc., way off in the distance). We were on a Princess cruisetour, and based on what I'd read here I thought I really screwed up by selecting a tour that had only 1 night in Denali, but I thought it was fine. Like you, we didn't want to hike, and felt we saw a lot of the park & lots of wildlife on the TWT tour, and enjoyed our day there.

 

jmho... ymmv...

 

You will love Alaska!

[darkpelagic]

Listen to BudgetQueen, please! Alaska is huge and transportation options are not always what you might wish to have.

 

Driving the Dalton is about as interesting as driving across the OutBack but fighting huge trucks who frankly own that road. The road was built for trucks to haul goods and materials up to the oil exploration and drilling areas and is no darn place for a tourist in a rental car (if you can find a rental company that would let you do it.) Those trucks will blow past you and cover your car and your windows in heavy dust.

 

There are also no emergency services and only one place to stop for a meal.

 

Enjoy your trip, but please be wise.

 

I was planning on going on a fly/drive or all driving tour as I read up about road conditions and realised I didn't particularly want to drive it myself. Driving across the outback IS boring.

 

With the Barrow option, is it the town that makes it worth going to, or the sea or the flight inbetween? It looks kind of flat and white in pictures and those whalebones sticking out seem like the only prominent feature. Not that I'm against going there but it seems a long way to fly (I don't really like flying in small planes).

[Chenega]

I was planning on going on a fly/drive or all driving tour as I read up about road conditions and realised I didn't particularly want to drive it myself. Driving across the outback IS boring.

 

With the Barrow option, is it the town that makes it worth going to, or the sea or the flight inbetween? It looks kind of flat and white in pictures and those whalebones sticking out seem like the only prominent feature. Not that I'm against going there but it seems a long way to fly (I don't really like flying in small planes).

 

I've lived here for over 37 years and traveled all over the state. Having said that, I really don't think the trip to Barrow is worth the time and the money unless you want to say you've been there. I did a Barrow/Prudhoe Bay tour many years ago and flew up in a commercial jet; it was interesting but for the same amount of money, I could have flown to Hawaii. I can always say I've been to Barrow as a conversation starter but it doesn't go much beyond that.

 

Given your time frame, the Denali trip and the Kenai Fjord tours are much better options. Budget Queen is right - the Alaska Railroad trip from Anchorage to Seward is far more scenic than the Anchorage-Denali-Fairbanks run. You might also consider a Prince William Sound trip, a visit to Hatcher Pass and the Independence Mine, river rafting on the Matanuska River, or visiting the town of Homer on the Kenai Peninsula.

[darkpelagic]

So, if the Arctic Circle and tundra isn't worth seeing and the train trip isn't worth doing, I don't really see the point of going to Fairbanks at all? It's sort of just out of the way. And that kind of puts Denali out of the way too. God Alaska is a tough destination.

 

I like the advice about the Kenai Fjords tour and the Anchorage to Seward train ride. Though I have heard that going by car along that road is similar. There seems to be a pretty cool train journey that goes to Whittier and further though.

 

I was thinking about Homer to go and see the bears from there, but the bears don't seem to be around as much in late August. Would it be worth doing a bear viewing tour?

[darkpelagic]

You know, I am becoming convinced that the Arctic Circle tour is the thing to drop. That makes some other stuff easier. I am planning to go to Canada one day so I will look at the Yukon and the Klondike then.

 

What about the Northern Lights though .... aren't they more visible from Fairbanks? Will they be there at like, 2 am around August 24?

[Chenega]

Wife and I have always enjoyed going to Homer. It's about a five hour drive south of Anchorage and sits on Kachemak Bay with a backdrop of mountains and a few glaciers.

You can get more by going to http://www.homeralaska.org which is the website for the Homer Chamber of Commerce. Several companies do run sightseeing trips via small plane from Homer and they're listed at the website.

 

Yes, you have to make choices when you visit Alaska but that's part of the fun. I love Denali but I'm a bigger fan of Kenai Fjords National Park just for the marine wildlife and glaciers alone. However, nothing beats a large grizzly bear lumbering by your shuttle bus at Denali unless it's watching a pod of orca glide by your tour boat.

 

Again, it's about choices but that's part of the fun.

 

P.S. don't expect Northern Lights in August - it's too light.

[mytime53]

The last week of August, you might have more of a chance of seeing the Northern Lights from Anchorage area, as there's a longer time of total darkness. However, is the 24th the full moon? So not so dark after all.

[Budget Queen]

You know, I am becoming convinced that the Arctic Circle tour is the thing to drop. That makes some other stuff easier. I am planning to go to Canada one day so I will look at the Yukon and the Klondike then.

 

What about the Northern Lights though .... aren't they more visible from Fairbanks? Will they be there at like, 2 am around August 24?

 

ALL of Alaska certainly will offer you excellent sightseeing opportunities, YOUR problem is TIME. Plain and simple. So, you can go ahead with your current plan, and see how it goes, you can make adjustments, and shorten it, you can do MORE homework and find out more about these areas, (some things you say, show this, in my opinion), you can add more time- what you are posting, is looking at 10 days.

 

You have extremely little chance of seeing any northern lights. IF a priority, I only recommend parking your self in the areas for at least a week. Again, it comes down to time you do not have.

 

Not sure of your "Canada" reference, but you do NOT go there via Fairbanks, again not without another week, at least. You CAN get into Canada-easily- from Skagway.

[Budget Queen]

So, if the Arctic Circle and tundra isn't worth seeing and the train trip isn't worth doing, I don't really see the point of going to Fairbanks at all? It's sort of just out of the way. And that kind of puts Denali out of the way too. God Alaska is a tough destination.

 

I like the advice about the Kenai Fjords tour and the Anchorage to Seward train ride. Though I have heard that going by car along that road is similar. There seems to be a pretty cool train journey that goes to Whittier and further though.

 

I was thinking about Homer to go and see the bears from there, but the bears don't seem to be around as much in late August. Would it be worth doing a bear viewing tour?

 

You are inaccurate in your Anchorage/Seward train comment. It is VERY different from the Seward Highway. Take a look at a map. The only "common" segment is Anchorage/Whittier.

 

Homer requires at least 2 overnights, if you are going on bear tours. And frankly, 2 nights for anytime you go, so to have TIME for the excellent sightseeing options there.

 

Another itinerary option, to consider, do a ONE WAY- costly Anchorage rental car, head to Homer for 2-3 days (could sightsee Anchorage/Whittier one day, depending on interests), then drive direct to Seward for 2 nights. That is about all you have time for with 5 days.