Alaska Cruise Tour Meals- How much money to Budget

[FPJC03]

My wife and I are booked on a 4-day land tour next July to Alaska, then a 7-day southbound on Diamond Princess. Wondered how much to allocate for meals for the 4-days on land. Can anyone offer an estimate? We like to mix in buffets and casual with a few finer dining options. Starting in Anchorage, then 1 nite in Mckinley Princess Lodge and 2 nites in Denali Princess lodge.

[Loonbeam]

Not sure about Anchorage, but there are probably plenty of options there..

 

At Denali, you have a lot of choices. There's a finer dining place (assume $40 per), Pizza ($10-$15 per), a subway across the street, clam bake across the street (not sure of pricing), quick service in the new building (a-la-carte), coffee, ice cream, etc. No Buffet that I can think of.

 

McKinley is more limited, unless you take the shuttle into town (we didn't), there are only two real options, the casual dining grill and the mountain view (nicer). Menus from those, with prices, are available from the Princess site if you click on the lodge and then amenities. Also no buffet.

 

On average, I found most items in AK to be about $1-$2 above what I would expect to pay for similar items in the suburbs of a mahor city.

 

Note that depending on your travel, food is also served on the train, and its a little more pricey (but good!)

 

You'll love the trip, as always to wet your appetite I provide a link to the photos from our trip...

 

http://loonbeam.smugmug.com/Travel/Alaska-2009/13372271_S5ZH3#972434108_jJsJd

 

ETA: If you do eat at the grill at McKinley, try the Alaskan Salmon with Fireweed Glaze! Delicious.

 

My wife and I are booked on a 4-day land tour next July to Alaska, then a 7-day southbound on Diamond Princess. Wondered how much to allocate for meals for the 4-days on land. Can anyone offer an estimate? We like to mix in buffets and casual with a few finer dining options. Starting in Anchorage, then 1 nite in Mckinley Princess Lodge and 2 nites in Denali Princess lodge.

[FPJC03]

Thanks for the link to your photo album! Looks like a wonderful trip! What excursions did you take in Denali? Have read that some folks recommend upgrading from the Natural History tour to the Dogsled Ride. We are going from Anchorage up to Mckinley, then 2 nites in Denali. Looks like you started in fairbanks. How long was your land portion? We are doing 4 nites total, including 1st nite in Anchorage to relax.

 

Wondering if we should book the denali portion of the excursions now or wait until we get there and book independently of Princess. Any suggestions?

[Islander500]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing them. My DH and I are doing same itinerary/cruise in May. What month was your trip?

[katisdale]

Definitely upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness tour. It is excellent. You can pay to do a dog sled tour through the lodge or you can take the free shuttle to the park entrance lodge where they offer a free dog sled demonstration. Our grandchildren thought that was wonderful. The park rangers do a great demonstration and actually use the dogs as the patrol the park in winter. Very interesting.

[Loonbeam]

September 2009, we were the last southbound on the Coral..

 

Great pics! Thanks for sharing them. My DH and I are doing same itinerary/cruise in May. What month was your trip?

[Gregory67]

I do not know about the lodges, but I do know about the train.

Are you taking the Princess train anywhere or going by bus? There are meals offered on the train. Breakfast is between Anchorage and the McKinley stop, lunch between McKinley and Denali, and dinner is offered between Denali and Fairbanks. Consider riding the train if you are not, it is a really great way to go than a bus where you have to sit down all the time.

[Woobstr112G]

Not sure about Anchorage, but there are probably plenty of options there..

 

At Denali, you have a lot of choices. There's a finer dining place (assume $40 per), Pizza ($10-$15 per), a subway across the street, clam bake across the street (not sure of pricing), quick service in the new building (a-la-carte), coffee, ice cream, etc. No Buffet that I can think of.

 

McKinley is more limited, unless you take the shuttle into town (we didn't), there are only two real options, the casual dining grill and the mountain view (nicer). Menus from those, with prices, are available from the Princess site if you click on the lodge and then amenities. Also no buffet.

 

On average, I found most items in AK to be about $1-$2 above what I would expect to pay for similar items in the suburbs of a mahor city.

 

Note that depending on your travel, food is also served on the train, and its a little more pricey (but good!)

 

You'll love the trip, as always to wet your appetite I provide a link to the photos from our trip...

 

http://loonbeam.smugmug.com/Travel/Alaska-2009/13372271_S5ZH3#972434108_jJsJd

 

ETA: If you do eat at the grill at McKinley, try the Alaskan Salmon with Fireweed Glaze! Delicious.

 

Your pictures were fantastic. Thanks so much for posting them.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Loonbeam]

We did 5 nights (2 fairbanks. 2 denali, 1 mckinley)

 

Definately upgrade in Denali to the Tundra Wilderness Tour. It goes much further in. The Nat Hist tour barely leaves the park entrance and features things like a talk from a local Native American Tribe. Interesting but can't compare to a bald eagle in flight or a view of Denali. Since the nat hist tour is included, you need to upgrade through them. That will be a full day in Denali, the other day will be partial for transit, you probably won't book anything else.

 

We did the dogsled camp in Skagway, I recommend it, that was a 2 excursion day (we also did a van trip called to the summint - same route as the train, a little further, faster and 1/3 the cost.

 

Thanks for the link to your photo album! Looks like a wonderful trip! What excursions did you take in Denali? Have read that some folks recommend upgrading from the Natural History tour to the Dogsled Ride. We are going from Anchorage up to Mckinley, then 2 nites in Denali. Looks like you started in fairbanks. How long was your land portion? We are doing 4 nites total, including 1st nite in Anchorage to relax.

 

Wondering if we should book the denali portion of the excursions now or wait until we get there and book independently of Princess. Any suggestions?