John Hall's Alaska Cruises and Tours

[thinfool]

We have friends who took the VIA rail across Canada to Vancouver. They totally loved it (not cheap).

 

As far as your DIY....remember that Alaska is part of the US. They speak english and use the USD$. (Sorry)....Anyway, respectfully, would you hire a tour company to bus you through Montana and/or Wyoming to see the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, or would you fly/drive and do the tour yourself?

 

Alaska, IMO, is no different.

 

When we went on our cruisetour there were many non-english people from all over the world (Asia, Europe, etc). Once we were done with the cruisetour we rented a minivan and did our own thing. The difference in the crowds of visitors that we encountered was amazing. Once we were on our own we met tons of families, 99% from the US and Canada. All were touring Alaska on their own. They were not cruise people....just folks from the lower 48 or Canada who wanted to visit AK.

 

Yes, we did the cruisetour (Princess)....it was just wonderful, but when we go again we will DIY for sure.

 

As far as taking the cruise portion.....you cannot (practically) see the SE portion of AK any other way. And it is truly spectacular. Whale watching alone is indescribable. We did our watching out of Juneau....tons of humpies....then from the ship as we exited our day in Glacier Bay there were many, many juveniles breaching and playing around in the shallows as we sailed by. It was wonderful.

 

Do lots of research...it will pay off. :)

[thepoint]

We have friends who took the VIA rail across Canada to Vancouver. They totally loved it (not cheap).

 

As far as your DIY....remember that Alaska is part of the US. They speak english and use the USD$. (Sorry)....Anyway, respectfully, would you hire a tour company to bus you through Montana and/or Wyoming to see the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, or would you fly/drive and do the tour yourself?

Do lots of research...it will pay off. :)

 

 

LOL,LOL. Yup, I went to school when you actually had to know how to read, write, know all the states and their capitals. I remember when you actually had to prove that you learned what was being taught before you could move up to the next grade.

 

Seriously, I do appreciate your coments and I know what you meant. I went to AAA today and picked up various tour material and an Alaska book. I have lots of other reading material. Not quite sure yet what we will do. I think I like the planning process as much as the trip. I do find talking to others so beneficial. Nothing beats actual experience.

 

Thank you so much for your help.

[olemissreb]

The more I look into this, the more I am thinking that DYI might be the best way to go. Reason: I am very interested in seeing the wildlife, nature, history, etc. I would like to stay in the lodges inside the parks. Plus I want to be able to spend as much time as I want in each place. I am not sure we need the cruise portion. Am I wrong? We are even thinking a fun way to get to Vancouver might be to take the train from Montreal. I am thinking that we could make this a three week trip. Any thoughts?

 

We made our trip a 2 week trip including the week on the cruise. I would recommend the cruise as someone else said, because you can't really see those ports without coming in via air or sea. I suppose if you wanted to fly to some of the places, you could, but that would get expensive. Plus, after a week of going, going, going, it was really nice to kick back and let someone else pamper me.

 

Alaska is HUGE! I mean I always knew that it was big, but I never really fathomed how big until tour guides start telling you how big a park is when compared to a state! For instance, Misty Fjords National Monument is about the size of Connecticut! It really blows your mind and you won't even see most of it.

 

The scenery of Alaska changes depending on where you go - all of it is just breath taking though. For instance, when we were in the Denali area, it's more "brown" (for lack of a better word) - the mountains are sort of bare except for the snow on top. When we got to the Matanuska area, everything turned "green" - the mountains had trees growing on them and they all appeared densely packed. It's kind of hard to explain, but there is a distinct difference.

 

I can't wait to go back some day. I think we'll concentrate on the Turnagain Arm before cruising. Next cruise will include Glacier Bay only because we did get to Hubbard Glacier this last time and want a new experience.

[donaldsc]

Alaska is HUGE! I mean I always knew that it was big, but I never really fathomed how big until tour guides start telling you how big a park is when compared to a state! For instance, Misty Fjords National Monument is about the size of Connecticut! It really blows your mind and you won't even see most of it.

 

 

 

.

 

So true. What most people do not realize is that the vast majority of Alaska is either completely inaccessible or accessible only by small plane. I read somewhere that 1 of every 97 Alaskans have a private pilot license. We stayed at a B&B that was set on a lake and almost every home had a float plane parked in front of it.

 

DON

[mapleleaves]

If you're interested in a DIY land trip, visit the tripadvisor web site. Under the Top Questions, you'll find a RESOURCE thread with lots of helpful information and links. Also under Top Questions you;ll find a link to trip reports which are quite detailed and helpful.

And if you're planning to drive, buy The Milepost. You can buy an older edition on amazon for under $10. For each Alaska hwy it provides the milepost for gas stations, hotels, scenic views, parks, activities, etc.

Have fun planning!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28923-i349-Alaska.html

[Northern Aurora]

The more I look into this, the more I am thinking that DYI might be the best way to go. Reason: I am very interested in seeing the wildlife, nature, history, etc. I would like to stay in the lodges inside the parks. Plus I want to be able to spend as much time as I want in each place. I am not sure we need the cruise portion. Am I wrong? We are even thinking a fun way to get to Vancouver might be to take the train from Montreal. I am thinking that we could make this a three week trip. Any thoughts?

 

I really wish that someone who had actually taken a John Hall land tour would have commented on their experience. I see their motor coaches around Fairbanks, and the coaches appear to be a full sized and the same size as those used by Princess and so forth. Also, their clients wear a blue jacket so when you see a group of them it seems as if you are looking at a herd of tourists. While I like the fact that their land tours go down the Richardson Hwy. from Fairbanks to Valdez as this route has some lovely scenery, if someone is looking for a small tour group experience, a John Hall land tour may not offer what they are seeking.

 

As has already been mentioned, Alaska is gigantic with very varied scenery. A cruise would offer an easy way to visit a part of the state which is not on the limited road system.

[Vagabond.rt]

We are also thinking about doing a John Hall tour this year (2014). I've researched a lot of the companies and I like their itineraries better. Tours are limited to 42 and it looks like you get more personalized service. They aren't cheap but it looks like you get more value for the money.

 

Agree that I'd like to hear from someone that has actually been on the tour.

[huskyguy]

Tours are limited to 42 and it looks like you get more personalized service.

 

That means that almost every seat on the bus is full (I think theirs are 44 passenger). I don't know who does now, but there used to be companies that limited it to about 25 people on a bus so most people get a window seat. A full bus means that even photo stops take forever.

[frugaltravel]

That means that almost every seat on the bus is full (I think theirs are 44 passenger). I don't know who does now, but there used to be companies that limited it to about 25 people on a bus so most people get a window seat. A full bus means that even photo stops take forever.

 

Well, that is true for scenic photo stops. Wildlife photo stops will be VERY short - the animals will be scared away by the horde of people and the noise.

[bearbait]

I see the people from the John Hall tour often during the summer at the Saturday Market in Anchorage. They just don't look happy. Most seem like they've just been hearded off of a cattle car. One thing they all have in common is a name tag and matching windbreakers. That makes them stand out like sore thumbs. I'd never take one of these tours. Independent is the only way to go.

[Northern Aurora]

I see the people from the John Hall tour often during the summer at the Saturday Market in Anchorage. They just don't look happy. Most seem like they've just been hearded off of a cattle car. One thing they all have in common is a name tag and matching windbreakers. That makes them stand out like sore thumbs. I'd never take one of these tours. Independent is the only way to go.

 

I agree -- those windbreakers certainly do make them look like a herd!

[donaldsc]

Other times we have ended up in shopping areas much longer than we would like. That being said, when we do the sea portion of the Alaska trip, (wether it be HAL, Royal Carribean or Celebrity) we will definitely take ship sponsored tours because I don't want to take the chance of missing the ship. We were told by a ship's officer on the Noordam that more people miss the ship in Alaska and Capri then in any other ports. He told us that Alaska and Capri are not a places to do private tours because of the weather and sea conditions. Angela

 

Totally untrue that people miss the ship on AK private tours. The ship's officer was lying to you to drum up business for the ship sponsored tours.

 

However, even if the extremely unlikely event occurs and you do miss the ship, just hop on a plane and fly to the next port. Alaska is very air travel oriented and there are lots of flights from anywhere to everywhere. Most important, since you are flying within the US, you do not have to deal w passport issues. Some of the tour companies are so certain that they will not miss the ship that they even guarantee to fly you to the next port if you do miss it.

 

DON