DARN...No time for the Extended Denali Tour

[DentoAlaska]

We are booked for July, 2015 on the Princess Cruisetour LB7. After reading all of the information on this forum (thank you all who contribute!!!) I have booked excursions and reviewed and reviewed our itinerary.

 

Everyone has stated that the Princess - Denali Natural History Tour is useless and to upgrade to the other tour. DARN!!! Due to our arrival and departure times at Denali this extended tour is not an option for us.

 

The reason I am posting this is so that others will consider this when booking this particular cruisetour. If the extended Denali tour is real important, you may want to look at other options.

 

In the scheme of things this is not a huge deal because the rest of the tour is exactly what we wanted but sorry to miss more of Denali.

 

Oh well..next trip...right?

[mapleleaves]

Are you arriving to Denali by bus or train? Seems like you might have time for the shuttle to Toklat, which is 6 1/2 hrs.

The late departures are at 3pm and 5pm.

 

https://reservedenali.ahlsmsworld.com/ReserveDenali/Plan-Your-Trip/Tour-And-Activity-Search/Results

Edited January 14, 2015 by mapleleaves

[sammiedawg]

There are late afternoon departures on the Tundra Wilderness tour. Someone on our bus missed their morning departure but got rescheduled for late afternoon, I think 3pm. Definitely make some phone calls to Princess and or your travel agent. . Check your cruise personalizer which will show your arrival and departure time to the Denali lodge.

[DentoAlaska]

We arrive at Denali lodge at 1:00 pm and then depart at 2:00 pm the next day. When I look at my cruise personalizer and excursions the time for the Tundra tour do not coincide with arrival and departure times.

 

I just posted this so that others will pay close attention to their schedules in case this tour is high on their priority. There are so many other things that we wanted to see that our cruisetour covers that I knew I would have to sacrifice something. But I am dissapointed that this tour was the thing that we would have to miss.

[mapleleaves]

You may not have time for the Tundra Wilderness Tour but if you arrive to Denali at 1pm, you DO have enough time for the 3pm Toklat shuttle !

 

The Toklat shuttle goes to Mile 53, the SAME destination as the Tundra Wilderness Tour! It's on the same road, makes the same restroom stops, and stops for all wildlife sightings. And it will get you to the edge of the bear viewing area.

 

You can get a refund for the History Tour, $80 and buy a shuttle ticket for $37.

 

http://www.reservedenali.com/play/shuttle-buses/toklat.aspx

Edited January 15, 2015 by mapleleaves

[agabbymama]

Check out the shuttle (as mapleleaves suggests), think you will find you have time to go further into the park than you think. It's going to stay light until

10:30 or 11:00 a night.

 

We arrived to Denali train station around noon, and HAL had us scheduled on the Tundra Wilderness Tour at 2:30. We arrived back at the lodge at 11:00 and to our room at 11:30. Then did Husky Homestead the next morning at 8:30 then back to the lodge and on to the train at 12:30. So we were only at the Park approximately 24 hours.

 

So don't give up. There are options available for you.

[sammiedawg]

We arrive at Denali lodge at 1:00 pm and then depart at 2:00 pm the next day. When I look at my cruise personalizer and excursions the time for the Tundra tour do not coincide with arrival and departure times.

 

I just posted this so that others will pay close attention to their schedules in case this tour is high on their priority. There are so many other things that we wanted to see that our cruisetour covers that I knew I would have to sacrifice something. But I am dissapointed that this tour was the thing that we would have to miss.

 

Check the Denali national park web site, check it by date and see what times are available for the tundra tour. I find it hard to believe there won't be a late afternoon tundra tour picking up at the Princess lodge. Call Princess. The main building of the lodge is like Grand Central station, you will be amazed at the park buses coming and going picking people up, dropping people off from early morning well into the evening.

[DentoAlaska]

WOW!!! This is why I LOVE you guys! I checked out the Toklat Shuttle and have reserved it for the 5:00 pm trip! Once again, thank you so very much for the GREAT information!!!:D

[4cats,1dog]

We did the RCCL cruise tour last May. We arrived in Denali at 1:00. We had lunch at the visitors center cafe. The Natural a History tour came with the Cruisetour package. They gave us an option for $60pp more to upgrade to the Tundra tour. RCCL had a private bus for our group and took us straight to the hotel when it was over. We arrived back at 8:30 pm. Still lots of daylight. We saw lots of animals.

You probably have time for the husky homestead the next morning before you leave.

When you are on a cruise tour, you can book private things on your own, but they offer lots of options for about the same money and they provide transportation.

 

Have a great time!

[Budget Queen]

WOW!!! This is why I LOVE you guys! I checked out the Toklat Shuttle and have reserved it for the 5:00 pm trip! Once again, thank you so very much for the GREAT information!!!:D

 

Be sure to arrange how you are going to get to the Access Center, and how you are going to get back. There hasn't been any late Princess shuttles in the past. You can walk, which is about a mile+.

[DentoAlaska]

Thanks, I did think to verify with the representative I spoke too at reserve Denali about the shuttle running both ways and she assured me it would. I guess if I was told wrong we could have a late evening walk in store for us!! ;)

[Budget Queen]

Thanks, I did think to verify with the representative I spoke too at reserve Denali about the shuttle running both ways and she assured me it would. I guess if I was told wrong we could have a late evening walk in store for us!! ;)

 

Reserve Denali is about the Denali Shuttle buses, NOT the hotel shuttle buses. As I mentioned, the Princess lodge shuttle, in the past, has stopped running before you get back to the Access Center. The Access Center is almost 2 miles away from the Princess Lodge by road, the shortcut is a trail through the woods, that you may not want to take later evening, due to wildlife.

[mapleleaves]

Thanks, I did think to verify with the representative I spoke too at reserve Denali about the shuttle running both ways and she assured me it would. I guess if I was told wrong we could have a late evening walk in store for us!! ;)

 

The Denali Salmon Bake runs a shuttle until about 3am. it will drop you across the street from your lodge for a few bucks.

http://denaliparksalmonbake.com/shuttle-schedule.pdf

 

You can also ask people on the Park bus to see if someone will drop you off at the lodge. Most folks have cars and the Lodge is less than 2 miles away to hardly an effort.

 

If you walk, use the Jonesville Trail as a shortcut and it will only be 1 1/2 miles to the Lodge, about 40 minutes. Just talk loudly as you walk; scares the wildlife. (moose can be in this area).For the most part you're along the hwy on a well worn flat path. In July it won't be completely dark, just dusk. The entrance area map on pg 8 in this link shows you the WAC (bus depot), Park road, Jonesville trail, hwy.

 

http://www.nps.gov/dena/parknews/upload/Alpenglow2014_int.pdf

 

In the past a few people have reported that Princess ran a later shuttle, so it would be worth inquiring about.

 

Do you arrive by train or bus to Denali?

[DentoAlaska]

Looks like I have made a major "rookie" mistake. :( I will look into the other options you have suggested. This is why I scheduled a cruisetour to try to avoid as many of these mistakes as possible.

 

Thank you for your insight and suggestions.

[Budget Queen]

 

If you walk, use the Jonesville Trail as a shortcut and it will only be 1 1/2 miles to the Lodge, about 40 minutes. Just talk loudly as you walk; scares the wildlife. (moose can be in this area).For the most part you're along the hwy on a well worn flat path. In July it won't be completely dark, just dusk. The entrance area map on pg 8 in this link shows you the WAC (bus depot), Park road, Jonesville trail, hwy.

 

 

I disagree, most of this trail is not along the highway. "loudly talking" is not as effective with moose as it is with bears, of whom I have a lot more respect for. :) I again, used this trail several times this past year, and it is a lot darker than the non wooded areas. I was also there second into third week of July.

[AKStafford]

You could use these guys to get back to your hotel:

http://www.denalitaxishuttle.com/

[DentoAlaska]

Thank you so much! I will check into them. I KNEW there had to be another option.

[mapleleaves]

I disagree, most of this trail is not along the highway. "loudly talking" is not as effective with moose as it is with bears, of whom I have a lot more respect for. :) I again, used this trail several times this past year, and it is a lot darker than the non wooded areas. I was also there second into third week of July.

 

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree .....except for the Jonesville Trail, you're walking beside the road, and the Trail section only takes 7-8 minutes. That was my experience.

[Budget Queen]

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree .....except for the Jonesville Trail, you're walking beside the road, and the Trail section only takes 7-8 minutes. That was my experience.

 

The point is the "trail". I am not referring to getting to the trail. It took us longer to walk it and we weren't that slow. :) We used it 4 times last year.

[DentoAlaska]

Thanks for the information AKSTAFFORD! I talked to them today and was informed that they are the ONLY option available for late night transportation. At least I know we won't have to walk back. ;)

Edited January 21, 2015 by DentoAlaska

[rockdoctor]

Be sure to arrange how you are going to get to the Access Center, and how you are going to get back. There hasn't been any late Princess shuttles in the past. You can walk, which is about a mile+.

 

Great advice! On our last trip we returned late from Kantishna and the coach commander took us all the way to the Hotel and not the WAC. You might want to see if that is an option.