Fairbanks or not?

[LoveCruising001]

Hello. I am planning our cruise to Alaska - never been to AK and probably will never go again (too many places to visit in the world). We are 2 adults & 9 yr old daughter. Usually, we travel and make all arrangements everywhere. I have been doing a lot of research and will continue till the day we travel. This time we have decided to do the cruise tour with Princess for 11 nights starting in AK and ending in Vancouver. Am trying to decide between 2 options for the land part - 1 that starts in Fairbanks (SB4) and covers Denali and Mt.mcKinley. The other starts in Anchorage and does Denali and MtM but no Fairbanks. The main attraction for the 2nd option is that we get an extra day in Denali. The first option allows us to see "more" especially if we may never go back again. Please advise - pros & cons of each option. Also, Princess seems to have some good sales although some of the travel sites like Travelocity and others are offering on board credit etc with minimal difference in actual costs of the package - is it better to book directly with Princess or use a travel site if the cost is almost the same. Thank you for your help in advance.

[mapleleaves]

How many days and nights at Denali for each tour ?

If it's a one-nite stay at Denali, will you have time to get INTO the park? Some of those tours arrive mid afternoon on Day 1 and leave at noon Day 2, so you don't have time for anything except the Natural History Tour.

 

I enjoy Fairbanks but I woulnd't give up seeing Denali for it.

 

I would also consider going DIY by rental car. Especially with a kid. Or book the train or bus. There's only one hwy that runs from Anchorage to Fairbanks so pretty hard to get lost!

[Kamloops50]

Driving is a good option. The only problem distances in Alaska are fairly great and the driver won't get to see the scenery as you travel. I would stick with the tour without Fairbanks.

Personally I would book with Princess directly because you'll have more control over your booking. With a TA they have to contact Princess on questions instead of you directly.

[LoveCruising001]

Still undecided - driving is not an option for many reasons. After reading so many reviews, looks like we should have at least one whole day (2 nights) in Denali to really go into the park. In my 2 current options, the one that does not do Fairbanks but has a whole day in Denali is "do it on your own" which means we arrange our own activities and Princess provides lodging and transportation from one point to another which means extra cost for activities. There is one other cruise tour that does Fairbanks for 2 nights (including the first "check in to the hotel") and 2 nights in Denali so has one whole day in Denali but does not go to Mt. McKinley. So, the question is, keeping 2 nights in Denali a requirement, which option is better: (1) Anchorage+Mt.McKinley+Denali (the do it your own option from earlier OR 2) Fairbanks+Denali (the new option).

 

The availability is limited so options are limited and decisions need to be made urgently under pressure - not fun! Appreciate your help in making this basic choice.

 

Thank you!

[mapleleaves]

When you say it doesn't go to Mt McKinley, does that mean Talkeetna? So your choice is between Talkeetna and Fairbanks? If so, which location is more appealing to YOU based on sights and activities? Personally I didn't care for Talkeetna ... just a very little town that has fligthtseeing. Others really enjoy it. So you need to figure out which is best for you.

 

 

BTW, if driving isn't an option you can still go DIY by using the Alaska Railroad and/or Park Connection Bus. The train has 1 departure per day and the bus has 2 so it gives you a little more flexibility for planning. The Railroad has several 'holiday' packages that might work for you. Check out their web site.

Edited March 11, 2014 by mapleleaves
AKRR holidays

[oaktreerb]

You need two nights in Denali and you do not need to go to the Mt. McKinley Princess Lodge in Talkeetna. Denali is the National Park and you will want to sign up for either the Tundra Wilderness Tour or take the shuttle further into the park (which is cheaper). You may enjoy Fairbanks more than McKinley (Talkeetna) if you can do the Sternwheeler Riverboat Cruise. I do not quite understand the on your own option that Princess offers. If they offer the cruise tour it should include activities in Denali and Fairbanks. The Natural History Tour is usually included but should be exchanged by you to a tour that goes further into the park.

[Northern Aurora]

I am assuming that when the OP mentions "McKinley" they mean the McKinley Princess.

 

The McKinley Princess is essentially a holding tank. It is a forty to forty-five minute drive to Talkeetna, which years ago was a funky community but now just oozes "tourist trap." If you don't have your own transportation then you will be taking the Princess shuttle into Talkeetna.

[tennisbets]

We just signed up for the 11 night Princess Cruise/Land Tour and chose "on your own".......here's why. All the lodging and transport is included. For $200 something more the package with activities included a stop at a wildlife center on the way to McKinley, the Natural History Tour in Denali and the Sternwheeler cruise in Fairbanks. To upgrade the tour in Denali (with Princess) was an additional $60 per person minimum. After researching here, I found that we could take the Denali park shuttle bus for only $35 per person all the way to Eielsson, which is further into Denali than any of the Princess tours go. I've already booked tickets for this through the park web-site. Most people agree that the Natural History Tour that is included is a complete waste, it doesn't even enter the official Park border. If we decide to do the Sternwheeler thing in Fairbanks, we can still book it through Princess and it is only $75, although there are some other things there I am more interested in. Our land trip does include McKinley Lodge, which doesn't offer a lot to do other than flightseeing, but since we arrive there after a six hour bus ride (not to mention a week long cruise) we will probably use that afternoon to relax and recover before hitting the land portion of Alaska.

[LoveCruising001]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. We decided the "on your own" with Princess that goes from Anchorage to McKinley lodge for 1 night, then to Denali lodge for 2 nights, and then to Whittier to get on the ship for the 7 days cruise to Vancouver. We are arriving in Anchorage 2 nights before the tour officially starts after spending 2 nights in Seattle. Keeping the 2 nights in Denali as a requirement, it came down to budget in making the final choice in missing Fairbanks.

 

Now on to planning the various excursions!

 

Thank you!

[Budget Queen]

Only an alternative, not sure people even involve Princess? It is simple to also just use the Alaska RR. This would allow the add on of a Prince William Sound boat tour which is spectacular. Biggest bonus is the SAVINGS using purchased coupon books, which Alaska RR participates in.

 

The questions, frankly, don't give a lot of information especially the comments about "McKinley"? Is this where you want to be? Have you looked into what activities you are occupying your time with. Are you going to be in the place they are and for enough time?

 

Most often these short cruisetours have a lot of time in transit and too limited time at destinations.

 

Especially with this family, are they informed all about Denali Park?

[Budget Queen]

We just signed up for the 11 night Princess Cruise/Land Tour and chose "on your own".......here's why. All the lodging and transport is included. For $200 something more the package with activities included a stop at a wildlife center on the way to McKinley, the Natural History Tour in Denali and the Sternwheeler cruise in Fairbanks. To upgrade the tour in Denali (with Princess) was an additional $60 per person minimum. After researching here, I found that we could take the Denali park shuttle bus for only $35 per person all the way to Eielsson, which is further into Denali than any of the Princess tours go. I've already booked tickets for this through the park web-site. Most people agree that the Natural History Tour that is included is a complete waste, it doesn't even enter the official Park border. .

 

Some additional information. Princess in the past, refunded the Denali Park tours which is my only suggestion. With the shuttle buses, it DOES require and additional effort that a lot of people do not want to bother with, which involves transportation to the shuttle bus access.