Alaskan Cruisetour Advice

[Rocknie]

July 2014, DW and I are taking our first Alaskan cruise and have included the Princess land tour option as well. The land tour we have selected will allow us one full day in Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks. We'd like your ideas and suggestions for the one tour/excursion you wouldn't miss or tours/excursions you would avoid for each of those locations. Thank you, your help and comments are greatly appreciated!

[epixx]

When you say that you have one full day in Denali, I hope you're saying that you have 2 nights there. If so, make sure to ditch the Natural History Tour or Tundra Wilderness Tour, whichever one is included, and get yourselves onto the NPS Shuttle to Eielson so that that you can really see the park (and pay substantially less!).

[welly world]

While in Fairbanks, try to do the Salmon Bake. It was the best! ;) Also, the Husky Homestead Tour while in Denali is something great to see!

[hpeabody]

If The Natural History is included in your price, you may be able to upgrade to the Tundra wilderness tour. But time may be an issue depending on when your train is scheduled. If you chose to do something else on your own make sure your can get credit back.

 

I definitely agree in Fairbanks go to the Salmon Bake. The Discovery Chena river boat is typically included as well and is very nice.

[MaChere]

July 2014, DW and I are taking our first Alaskan cruise and have included the Princess land tour option as well. The land tour we have selected will allow us one full day in Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks. We'd like your ideas and suggestions for the one tour/excursion you wouldn't miss or tours/excursions you would avoid for each of those locations. Thank you, your help and comments are greatly appreciated!

Denali, took a whitewater raft trip through Nenana River Gorge. Great fun! Fairbanks, the Salmon Bake and accompanying show were delightful. Enjoyed every single minute of our Alaska cruise tour.

[Abbott28]

July 2014, DW and I are taking our first Alaskan cruise and have included the Princess land tour option as well. The land tour we have selected will allow us one full day in Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks. We'd like your ideas and suggestions for the one tour/excursion you wouldn't miss or tours/excursions you would avoid for each of those locations. Thank you, your help and comments are greatly appreciated!

Rocknie, we are booked on a Connoisseur CruiseTour in July 14 and have found the replies most helpful. We note on our program that we arrive in Denali at 4.40pm and are scheduled for the "Music of Denali Dinner Theater" at 5.30pm. is this enough time to check in to the rooms and get organised? We suspect that the time is dictated by the possibility an early dinner show is less expensive.

[Budget Queen]

Rocknie, we are booked on a Connoisseur CruiseTour in July 14 and have found the replies most helpful. We note on our program that we arrive in Denali at 4.40pm and are scheduled for the "Music of Denali Dinner Theater" at 5.30pm. is this enough time to check in to the rooms and get organised? We suspect that the time is dictated by the possibility an early dinner show is less expensive.

 

Yes you have time.

[Budget Queen]

July 2014, DW and I are taking our first Alaskan cruise and have included the Princess land tour option as well. The land tour we have selected will allow us one full day in Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks. We'd like your ideas and suggestions for the one tour/excursion you wouldn't miss or tours/excursions you would avoid for each of those locations. Thank you, your help and comments are greatly appreciated!

 

Talkeetna is about flightseeing, be sure to read descriptions. As for Denali, all of the above posts are valid. You do NOT want an inclusion of the Natural History tour. Frankly a waste of time, and you missing out on the highlight of Alaska. It is unclear what you have booked? IF you want more information, copy your cruise tour- specifically with the details of days and transits.

 

There are hundreds of activities to consider. Way more "must dos" than will fit into a single trip. You need to look over excursion lists and narrow down your interests. The above "recommendations" are tours they took, there are many many more, and few that aren't worthwhile, if you have the interest.

 

The salmon bake mentioned above is at Pioneer Park. There should be a shuttle service there. I also recommend the Palace Theater, excellent show at the same park. Also several exhibits. Have you added days in Fairbanks? If not, cruisetours usually don't allow a lot of time to see it.

[5326jan]

We did this tour a few years ago. See if you can skip Talkeetna and add the extra night in Denali. We also agree to upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness Trail.

 

Abbott, Don't waste your time on the "Music of Denali Dinner Theater". It was awful! (IMHO) You sit on wooden picnic tables, eat greasy ribs and chicken and the singing and show is like a high school production. (The singing actors are also your waitstaff.) We were really sorry that we did it.

 

We did love the cruisetour and the guides were great. On the morning we took the train to Whittier, we went to the Subway across the street from Denali Lodge and bought a picnic lunch to take on the train. It was nice to find a quiet place on the train to eat and have a change of scenery. You'll have a guide in your train car that will tell you what you're seeing. It was a nice trip.

[donaldsc]

July 2014, DW and I are taking our first Alaskan cruise and have included the Princess land tour option as well. The land tour we have selected will allow us one full day in Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks. We'd like your ideas and suggestions for the one tour/excursion you wouldn't miss or tours/excursions you would avoid for each of those locations. Thank you, your help and comments are greatly appreciated!

 

Do you really mean 1 day in Talkeetna, one day in Denali and one in Fairbanks? Does the 1 day include the time spent getting from one stop to the next stop. Is the total time of your land option 3 days?

 

If that is so, you really have 1 day in Talkeetna which is way too much unless you are going to do the Denali flight out of Talkeetna; 1/2 day in Denali (you need 2 - 3 days in Denali to make it even worth going there; and 1 day in Fairbanks.

 

If it is not too late, cancel the land option and pick one place and see it well instead of not seeing 3 places at all. If you need to see two places, drop Talkeetna and rent a car when you get to Fairbanks. Spend 1 day in Fairbanks and then drive to Denali for 2 days. Finally, drive to your cruise embark location.

 

Just my opinion but spending 3 days on an Alaskan land tour where distances are great and you spend much of your time getting from place-to-place is a total waste of money.

 

DON

[Abbott28]

Rocknie, we are booked on a Connoisseur CruiseTour in July 14 and have found the replies most helpful. We note on our program that we arrive in Denali at 4.40pm and are scheduled for the "Music of Denali Dinner Theater" at 5.30pm. is this enough time to check in to the rooms and get organised? We suspect that the time is dictated by the possibility an early dinner show is less expensive.

Don,

 

Thanks for your advice regarding skipping the "Dinner Theatre Show", we suspected this might be the case. We had thought we might try and play Golf the night the theatre is on. The next day we have the "Tundra Wilderness Tour'. It would be a great experience playing on such a unique course during then extended daylight hours. We have two nights at each of Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks.

Many Thanks,

Rob.

[donaldsc]

Don,

 

Thanks for your advice regarding skipping the "Dinner Theatre Show", we suspected this might be the case. We had thought we might try and play Golf the night the theatre is on. The next day we have the "Tundra Wilderness Tour'. It would be a great experience playing on such a unique course during then extended daylight hours. We have two nights at each of Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks.

Many Thanks,

Rob.

 

Talkeetna is a small town that exists because of it funkiness, a very good local Chamber of Commerce publicity machine, air tours to Denali and little else. Unless you are planning to do the air tour and want to allow a 2nd day just in case there are weather problems in the first day, I am not sure you are going to do in Talkeetna for 2 days.

 

DON

[Mike2131]

In Talkeetna it has to be flightseeing over Mt. McKinley. Spectacular and something you will never forget. We were on oxygen due to the altitude and I got to keep the mask! I'll add that if small planes bother you, this excursion is definitely not for you.

[5326jan]

The day we were at Talkeetna there was a moose cow and foal in the yard most of the day and we were warned not to walk around outside in sight of them. :( Although it was a beautiful sight! There is a wonderful deck overlooking Mt Denali, if the weather is clear. The food is decent, but it really didn't warrant one full day, let alone two. (Unless you are interested in flight seeing or going down to the river in town.) I think the town was the inspiration for the show "Northern Exposure", but you can't walk to town from the lodge.

Edited February 18, 2014 by 5326jan

[Abbott28]

The day we were at Talkeetna there was a moose cow and foal in the yard most of the day and we were warned not to walk around outside in sight of them. :( Although it was a beautiful sight! There is a wonderful deck overlooking Mt Denali, if the weather is clear. The food is decent, but it really didn't warrant one full day, let alone two. (Unless you are interested in flight seeing or going down to the river in town.) I think the town was the inspiration for the show "Northern Exposure", but you can't walk to town from the lodge.

 

Thanks for the advice. We are at "The Princess Wilderness Lodge", as part of our booked CruiseTour and at this stage have booked "The Three Rivers Tour". The flight sounds interesting, I was flying light aircraft for a number of years and have no problem but not so sure about Pamela's feelings. We had a pretty rough flight over Kakadu in Northern Australia.

[SPacificbound]

Show her this. :)

http://www.talkeetnaair.com/

[Rocknie]

My wife and I wanted to thank everyone for their recommendations and suggestions. We have finished up selecting our tours and while we realized we planned a lot of activities we also know this could well be our one and only trip to Alaska. Again, with thanks to everyone here is what we planned:

 

Whitter / Talkeetna (Arrival Day) Evening Three Rivers Tour

Talkeetna (Full Day) - TAT Grand Denali Flightseeing w/ Glacier Landing

Talkeetna / Denali (Arrival Day) Evening Denali Jeep Backcountry Safari

Denali - (Full Day) Kantishna Experience

Denali / Fairbanks (Arrival Day) Alaskan Salmon Bake & Palace Theater Show

Fairbanks (Full Day) AM Gold Dredge 8 & Afternoon Riverboat Cruise

Fairbanks (Departure Day) Transfer to FAI

[Mike2131]

My wife and I wanted to thank everyone for their recommendations and suggestions. We have finished up selecting our tours and while we realized we planned a lot of activities we also know this could well be our one and only trip to Alaska. Again, with thanks to everyone here is what we planned:

 

Whitter / Talkeetna (Arrival Day) Evening Three Rivers Tour

Talkeetna (Full Day) - TAT Grand Denali Flightseeing w/ Glacier Landing

Talkeetna / Denali (Arrival Day) Evening Denali Jeep Backcountry Safari

Denali - (Full Day) Kantishna Experience

Denali / Fairbanks (Arrival Day) Alaskan Salmon Bake & Palace Theater Show

Fairbanks (Full Day) AM Gold Dredge 8 & Afternoon Riverboat Cruise

Fairbanks (Departure Day) Transfer to FAI

Have a wonderful trip. Alaska is a great destination.

[sweetsleep]

I booked the Connoisseur tour for May/early June 2015. This event is included in our itinerary.

Can anyone tell me if I can do an alternative meal instead of this?

I live in Nashville and am quite spoiled with amazing musical talent of all kinds here. From visiting opera stars like Renee Fleming at our symphony hall to everything else from Bluegrass to Zydecoe I don't have any interest in seeing bad musical theater!

From what I have been reading this sounds pretty bad!

Is it possible to eat and then leave before the "entertainment" starts?