First Timer Question

[CaribQween]

My husband and I will be doing our first Alaska cruise in 2012. After trying to look at all of our priorities, we've decided to do a land portion and then follow it up with a Southbound cruise. We originally were going to do the northbound because we've seen so many people say that you should do it that way because of the scenery getting more incredible as you go north. But I have some health issues and we feel that we should do the land portion first because it will probably be a bit more physically taxing and then there will be more time for me to rest throughout the cruise and I won't be completely wiped out by the time we get back home. And we would also be getting the long flight out of the way upfront.

 

So, we are planning to fly into Fairbanks where we will rent a car. We will drive to Denali where we'll spend at least a couple of days. We will head on down towards Seward, spending time at Talkeetna, Exit Glacier, the Wildlife Conservation Center,etc. We will go through Whittier where we had considered doing a cruise of Prince William Sound. We will then head to Seward where we plan on doing a Kenai Fjords cruise also. Depending on the amount of time we have, we're hoping to head over to Homer too. We will be taking the Southbound Radiance of the Seas out of Seward to Vancouver. The cruise has one glacier (Hubbard Glacier) with four ports which all have good times (Juneau-12 hrs, Skagway-13.5 hrs, Icy Strait Point-9 hrs, and Ketchikan-9 hrs).

 

I think our biggest priority is seeing wildlife and marinelife. In Skagway we will probably do the Whilte Pass & Yukon Railway. Juneau will probably be the helicopter walk to Mendenhall Glacier. We still haven't made a decision on Ketchikan and Icy Striat Point.

 

When we originally started planning, we were set on doing a cruise that included Glacier Bay. However, we then found the Radiance of the Seas cruise with the extra port (Icy Strait Point) which also offers some other options that are very important to us. We're wondering though if what we have planned will give us a sufficient chance to view glaciers and marinelife without doing Glacier Bay. If anyone could tell us if what we have planned will include a good amount of tidewater glacier viewing or are we going to really miss out by not doing an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay. When I look at any of the cruiseline websites and click on Alaska, I see a ship sitting out in the middle of what I assume are tidewater glaciers and I just don't know if we will see anything like that without Glacier Bay on the itinerary. I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts on this.

[Budget Queen]

With a glacier priority, then be certain to put a Prince William Sound boat tour on the list. In fact, IF I felt like you do, I would do this twice. I'm assuming you are going to use purchased coupon books?

 

I do, however, question your Fairbanks choice. IF you are there, then in my opinion, that is worth a couple days as well. Otherwise, I would instead, suggest you fly into Anchorage, which have a LOT more flight options and significant cuts down on your car rental costs. You still would have to make one turn in on your final pass through Anchorage to a Hertz rental for the one way to Seward.

 

For more glaciers, And TIME, add Valdez. Especially if you can snag a Columbia Glacier boat tour- there is NO other tour I have been on, which has the ice that that one does. Iceburgs the size of buildings. You do not sail the area for the glacier, it's for the ice. :) Along the way, you would have the opportunity for a drive up stop at Worthington, and Matanuska- with trekking an easy access and doable by most.

 

In Seward- Exit Glacier and glacier viewing from a Kenai Fjords boat tour.

 

For wildlife- Denali Park is the must- they do have buy 2 get 3 with the shuttle buses (in the past). I would look at 3 days there. The other wildlife hot spot is Kenai Fjords. For me, I now go out twice. This year, it will be three trips, since I'm making two trips to/from Seward. Out of Hoonah, this is your opportunity for salmon diet brown bears. Be CERTAIN to verify the optimal timeframe, if this is a priority.

 

On the surface, hopefully you are looking at adding 7-10 days, if you are including Homer.

 

Consider carefully on Fairbanks. It's an area, I always get to and greatly enjoy, but not for everyone, and I see negatives in some trip planning, that some people consider.

[CaribQween]

With a glacier priority, then be certain to put a Prince William Sound boat tour on the list. In fact, IF I felt like you do, I would do this twice. I'm assuming you are going to use purchased coupon books?

 

I do, however, question your Fairbanks choice. IF you are there, then in my opinion, that is worth a couple days as well. Otherwise, I would instead, suggest you fly into Anchorage, which have a LOT more flight options and significant cuts down on your car rental costs. You still would have to make one turn in on your final pass through Anchorage to a Hertz rental for the one way to Seward.

 

For more glaciers, And TIME, add Valdez. Especially if you can snag a Columbia Glacier boat tour- there is NO other tour I have been on, which has the ice that that one does. Iceburgs the size of buildings. You do not sail the area for the glacier, it's for the ice. :) Along the way, you would have the opportunity for a drive up stop at Worthington, and Matanuska- with trekking an easy access and doable by most.

 

In Seward- Exit Glacier and glacier viewing from a Kenai Fjords boat tour.

 

For wildlife- Denali Park is the must- they do have buy 2 get 3 with the shuttle buses (in the past). I would look at 3 days there. The other wildlife hot spot is Kenai Fjords. For me, I now go out twice. This year, it will be three trips, since I'm making two trips to/from Seward. Out of Hoonah, this is your opportunity for salmon diet brown bears. Be CERTAIN to verify the optimal timeframe, if this is a priority.

 

On the surface, hopefully you are looking at adding 7-10 days, if you are including Homer.

 

Consider carefully on Fairbanks. It's an area, I always get to and greatly enjoy, but not for everyone, and I see negatives in some trip planning, that some people consider.

 

Budget Queen, thank you so much. From what you've suggested, I really think we'll have enough glacier viewing in other places so that we won't feel like we've missed out by taking a cruise that does not include Glacier Bay. Columbia Glacier looks awesome. We're looking forward to visiting Hoonah when we visit Icy Strait Point. We're definitely going to do more research into Fairbanks as you've suggested also.

 

We have a question for you which you probably answer every single day :o. Could you give us an idea of the best time to see wildlife especially at Denali which I'm sure rests on how far up you can go? I've seen before where you've said about taking the Eielson tour which takes you up 66 miles out of 90. We're really flexible about which month we take our cruise/land tour. Also, could you tell us where we can get the coupon book you referred to? I'm not familiar with it.

 

Again, thank you so much for all of the information you provide.

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen, thank you so much. From what you've suggested, I really think we'll have enough glacier viewing in other places so that we won't feel like we've missed out by taking a cruise that does not include Glacier Bay. Columbia Glacier looks awesome. We're looking forward to visiting Hoonah when we visit Icy Strait Point. We're definitely going to do more research into Fairbanks as you've suggested also.

 

We have a question for you which you probably answer every single day :o. Could you give us an idea of the best time to see wildlife especially at Denali which I'm sure rests on how far up you can go? I've seen before where you've said about taking the Eielson tour which takes you up 66 miles out of 90. We're really flexible about which month we take our cruise/land tour. Also, could you tell us where we can get the coupon book you referred to? I'm not familiar with it.

 

Again, thank you so much for all of the information you provide.

 

Denali Park is great for wildlife anytime you get there. BUT, mid summer can be hot and the bug problems if you want to consider Wonder Lake, have me, not there until mid August.

 

As you note- my min. distance in is the Eielson Shuttle bus (this is not a "tour"). I also do this via the first bus in. I like seeing Denali Park "wake up". It does mean an early morning, but then I have all day. I prefer taking the bus out to Eielson, then getting off on the way back, where ever I feel like it. :) I'm now, going out twice per trip to at least Eielson at Denali, and always drive to Savage River a couple times as well.

 

It is Toursaver and Northern Lights coupon books. Available online.

[the2006Junket]

Carib,

 

BQueen is doing her usual fantastic job directing you on your land portion, but I wanted to reassure you that the southbound trip on Radiance is wonderful. Coming from the East Coast, we liked getting our longer flight out of the way at the beginning AND we did like having our land portion first and having our relaxing cruise and it's bit of pampering to look forward to after all the "roughing" it in the interior.

 

We did a week of land touring prior to boarding in Seward. Flew into Anchorage and drove directly up to Denali and spent 2 nights. I'd reco 3 but we were tight on time due to other priorities. We flew into Denali all the way to Kantishna, did a hike and then took the bus out stopping at Wonder Lake, Eielson etc. We saw all wildlife we hoped for except for the allusive wolf!

 

We then spent time in the Kenai peninsula fishing, mountain biking, kayaking and exploring before boarding the Radiance.

 

Between Exit Glacier, seeing glaciers from the air in Denali, the magnificent Hubbard onboard and then a helicopter/glacier trek in Juneau -- we felt like we saw plenty of glaciers! And we loved our day in Icy Strait -- we went whale watching and it was excellent!

 

As for timing of the cruise, I can report that we were doing our land tour the first week of August and our cruise the second week. The weather was great with very little rain anywhere along the way and pleasant temps. Bug were not an issue in Denali at all. Since we were planning to do so much outside, we wanted to cruise when it was most likely to be warmer and less rainy.

 

Happy planning!

 

Lynne

[CaribQween]

Denali Park is great for wildlife anytime you get there. BUT, mid summer can be hot and the bug problems if you want to consider Wonder Lake, have me, not there until mid August.

 

As you note- my min. distance in is the Eielson Shuttle bus (this is not a "tour"). I also do this via the first bus in. I like seeing Denali Park "wake up". It does mean an early morning, but then I have all day. I prefer taking the bus out to Eielson, then getting off on the way back, where ever I feel like it. :) I'm now, going out twice per trip to at least Eielson at Denali, and always drive to Savage River a couple times as well.

 

It is Toursaver and Northern Lights coupon books. Available online.

 

Thank you again. As always you've given us additional things to consider before making any concrete plans :).

[CaribQween]

Carib,

 

BQueen is doing her usual fantastic job directing you on your land portion, but I wanted to reassure you that the southbound trip on Radiance is wonderful. Coming from the East Coast, we liked getting our longer flight out of the way at the beginning AND we did like having our land portion first and having our relaxing cruise and it's bit of pampering to look forward to after all the "roughing" it in the interior.

 

We did a week of land touring prior to boarding in Seward. Flew into Anchorage and drove directly up to Denali and spent 2 nights. I'd reco 3 but we were tight on time due to other priorities. We flew into Denali all the way to Kantishna, did a hike and then took the bus out stopping at Wonder Lake, Eielson etc. We saw all wildlife we hoped for except for the allusive wolf!

 

We then spent time in the Kenai peninsula fishing, mountain biking, kayaking and exploring before boarding the Radiance.

 

Between Exit Glacier, seeing glaciers from the air in Denali, the magnificent Hubbard onboard and then a helicopter/glacier trek in Juneau -- we felt like we saw plenty of glaciers! And we loved our day in Icy Strait -- we went whale watching and it was excellent!

 

As for timing of the cruise, I can report that we were doing our land tour the first week of August and our cruise the second week. The weather was great with very little rain anywhere along the way and pleasant temps. Bug were not an issue in Denali at all. Since we were planning to do so much outside, we wanted to cruise when it was most likely to be warmer and less rainy.

 

Happy planning!

 

Lynne

 

Thank you so much. Hearing how great your trip was makes me less nervous about the plans I'm making. I know no matter what we do or when we do it, we're going to have a marvelous time just because it is Alaska. But for some crazy reason, I'm getting myself all worked up over whether this or that is the best decision. I used to think that when we did our Alaska trip, it would be a once in a lifetime experience, but I also thought that when we took our first cruise. Now this will be our 6th :D. I have a feeling that this will be just the first of many Alaska trips for us.

[oldmama]

The more you research, the more you will find you want to see. My once in a lifetime trip, will now be my third this summer, with just a land trip. The itinerary is all set, & I still am finding more places & tours I would like to do, but will not have time. This forum, as well as trip advisor, will give you so much information from helpful people such as BQ, Yukon, & Putterdude. I don't mean to leave others out, these just come to mind. Go to the websites of the coupon books to view what coupons are available before you buy, you can save a lot of $.

Since you will not be going until 2012, start watching the prices for rental cars now. I booked last summer for July 2011, 8 days for $320, which is now over $1500. No deposit is required so you have nothing to lose. Hotel prices vary greatly, too. Try not to stress because Alaska is beautiful & you will have a wonderful time. You will return.:)

[Budget Queen]

The more you research, the more you will find you want to see. My once in a lifetime trip, will now be my third this summer, with just a land trip. QUOTE]

 

How true. I always recommend people may want to consider rethinking several times- on paper, and fine tuning for that well organized itinerary- before they get jumping into reservations. It is a great disadvantage to get gung ho, and book segments, when you end up with odd stuff, that doesn't quite fit. :) Anyway, just trying to save someone work. :)

 

My "one time" trip was supposed to be in 1994, before the internet and easy planning. It was fantastic, due to several factors, that happened to be on the itinerary. :) Well it's now trip 29 in May/June this year, for a month, with me, finally getting to Prudhoe Bay. A wonderful accomplishment in my touring.