Triple Denali - Y1 20 day cruise tour

[Shiraz49]

Hi Mariners,

We're doing the Y1 20 day cruise tour departing Vancouver 12th July, doing the 'land' portion first.

As we're keen to plan our 'bucket list' trip just wondering if and when Holland America release a detail itinerary of this tour.

We know where we'll be each day and there are a few 'included' tours BUT would be helpful if we knew actual (or even approx.) tour times so that we can plan/book other excursions for those days/times when no included options are planned.

Anyone done this 20 day trip (land portion first) or know of a Holland America link that could provide this info (Their site looks a bit light on for contact details).

Appreciate any help,

Thanks, Ton & Maureen

[agabbymama]

I don't know about your specific cruisetour, we did an 11 day to the Yukon, but there was never a detailed itinerary with times. It would say "evening arrival" or "morning departure". Times were given by our Tour Director once we were on the coach or train each morning and each night.

 

I finally looked at HAL website to see what excursions were offered at each stop. They won't let you book a trip if there isn't time for you to actually do the excursion. That should give you an idea on what you might want to book independently, and if you have time to do it.

 

The only excursion we booked was to Husky Homestead at Denali. I had told my group I was going to meet Jeff King, if I had to walk, but HAL offered it as an excursion, so I didn't have to walk. The rest of the time, we were satisfied with what HAL had included, or we just walked around the towns.

 

HAL does a good job, try to relax and go with the flow. You will have an awesome trip to Alaska!

[shrimpboat123]

Hi Mariners,

We're doing the Y1 20 day cruise tour departing Vancouver 12th July, doing the 'land' portion first.

As we're keen to plan our 'bucket list' trip just wondering if and when Holland America release a detail itinerary of this tour.

We know where we'll be each day and there are a few 'included' tours BUT would be helpful if we knew actual (or even approx.) tour times so that we can plan/book other excursions for those days/times when no included options are planned.

Anyone done this 20 day trip (land portion first) or know of a Holland America link that could provide this info (Their site looks a bit light on for contact details).

Appreciate any help,

Thanks, Ton & Maureen

 

We did this one back in 2013, except we didn't have an extra day in Anchorage and we took a bus between Dawson and Fairbanks over the "Top of the World" highway rather than fly. You won't get any detailed times until you land in Whitehorse. Each day you'll receive a detailed time line for the next days travels.

 

As mentioned earlier, you can look at the excursions HAL offers in each location and that will tell you the earliest and latest you can plan excursions for that particular day.

 

The included excursions seem to be the same as the ones on our trip. There is a Trip Report for ours in my signature so you can get an idea of what to expect.

 

It's a very nice adventure. You're going to have a great time.

[Browser495]

We did this trip last July and loved it. Once you start digging into the excursion details, you'll see there's a lot more info on the HAL website than you realize at first. A previous responder is correct in saying that the listed excursions are the only ones that you can take, so that by process of default, you can ascertain when you are travelling or on HAL included excursions. I suppose things change from year-to-year, but I've tried to outline how it worked for us in July/15. We are Canadian and it was really interesting for us to see parts of the Yukon in addition to Alaska. It was wonderful to be able to combine a 2 week land trip with the cruise experience.

 

Arrive Vancouver - we added extra time downtown and enjoyed the waterfront and walking around Stanley Park.

 

Fly to Whitehorse - Yukon Air regularly schedule flight. The Tour Director joined us in Whitehorse. The hotel at the Vancouver Airport is right in the terminal building, so all you have to do is go down the escalator and walk all the way to the end of the terminal building where Yukon Air has it's desk/gate. We checked it out the day we arrived at the Airport/hotel.

 

Arrive Whitehorse - no included excursions. It's easy to wander around Whitehorse. We wandered down to the Tourist office and watched a short film there and then down the main street.

 

Next day in Whitehorse - no included excursions. We took the Whitehorse City tour and Salmon Fish ladder and visit to the First Nation's new cultural center. We enjoyed this overview of the town and learning about the First Nation's heritage/history. That evening we had dinner on our own at the hotel and then went to the vaudeville show, which we enjoyed.

 

The next day it's on to Dawson City by bus. We were fortunate to have a fabulous Tour Director who managed to keep us occupied and amused for the long bus ride. The highway is virtually deserted. There were two rest stops and a lunch stop. The lunch stop was hosted by a First Nation's group and you could grab you lunch and sit at a picnic table near the river. There are quite a few buses stopping there.

 

Arrive in Dawson City - no included tours. The Tour Director gives you your room key so you can go straight to your room without the hassle of a long check in wait/routine. Very efficient. We chummed up with a few others and booked Diamond Tooth Gertie's with the Tour Director, who went with us. It was dinner and making friends with fellow travellers in a fun environment.

 

Next Day Dawson City - morning on your own. We booked the Gold Bottom Mining. We learned a lot about life panning for gold at this active mine. It was rustic and real. Afternoon was the included excursion on the Klondike Spirit. It was enjoyable!

 

Next Day - Flight to Fairbanks. You will pass Customs in the US in Fairbanks. Upon arrival at your hotel, there are no included excursions on this date. We booked the Salmon Bake and Show. It was fun with a several other couples from our tour group.

 

Next Day in Fairbanks was an all day included excursion. We started off at the Alaska pipeline then went by a narrated little train down to Gold Dredge 8 then on to lunch and then onto the Sternwheeler for a cruise down the river. There's a lot of neat stuff here, but I don't want to spoil it by going into the details. The excursion was really good and I hope the one/s that HAL includes this year will be as good! If you do the optional Gold mining excursion in Dawson City you will see that it is a very different experience from that in Fairbanks.

 

Next day on the bus to Denali. Upon arrival no included excursions.

 

Next day Denali - Included excursion - Tundra Wilderness Tour. The only authorized drive in the park is by school buses with especially trained driver/narrators. They have special close-circuit cameras that they use to video wildlife and show it on small screens inside the bus. We saw a lot of wildlife and amazing scenery. Unfortunately for us the bus was already half loaded when it picked up our group at the hotel so we were all jammed in near the back of the bus.

 

Next Day - Denali - on your own. We took the Denali Highway Jeep Excursion in the morning. We liked this excursion...which is not the same drive as the school buses take inside the Park.

 

Next Day - domed rail car to Anchorage. Great ride. Arrival in Anchorage - no included excursions.

 

Next Day Anchorage - No included excursions

 

Next Day - transfer to Seward - we booked the upgraded transfer. This opts out of the train ride. You take the bus to Seward and then cruise the Kenai Fjords Peninsula. We had amazing weather for this trip and saw puffins, orcas, sea lions, bald eagles, seals, humpback whales. This was a real highlight for us.

 

So that pretty much sums it up. I hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did. HAL did an amazing job of co-ordinating us, routing our luggage around....totally worry free travel. We still talk about it today. Enjoy!

Edited February 19, 2016 by Browser495

[Shiraz49]

Thanks Eleanor/Glen.

Yes we expect we'll have a great trip .... so very different to dry, flat, hot conditions we have in Australia.

I've found a 'Customer Service' link but based on what you've advised I doubt we'll get much info, I live in hope.

Have the opportunity to get to meet a local gold prospector based at Trapper Creek and trying to work out what times/days may be free while we're at Denali.

Will review that trip report.

Cheers Tom Maureen

[Shiraz49]

Thanks Browser,

The free day at Denali may allow us to catch up with my contact in Trapper Creek (based on his availability) Just a matter of working out how to get there.

Thanks, looks like we'll have a ball and know that HAL usually do a great job.

Cheers T&M

[dakrewser]

By far the best excursion we've ever done, in any port on any cruise was from Denali -

 

Denali Flightseeing with Glacier Landing by Airplane

Get up close and personal with Denali , "The Great One," and get a chance to stand on its flanks during a mesmerizing flight-seeing tour no true adventurer should miss! Board a Turbine DeHavilland Beaver, ski-equipped airplane, and let the wonder unfold as you soar over more mountains, glaciers and eye-popping scenery than you could ever imagine. View the taiga forests, alpine meadows, ...

 

 

 

It's pricey, but well worth it. You can see pictures about 2/3s of the way down this page on Flickr.

[LN50]

We are also on this trip we are from UK. I was also looking for details of times to try to organise some independent trips but have not been able to get much detail. It will be our first trip to Canada and Alaska we are so looking forward to it all.

Do let me know if you manage to get any details.

Linda and Chris

[oaktreerb]

I find HAL's shore excursion site rather difficult to use but here's what you can do. Sign on to the HAL site and pull up your booking number and pretend that you are going to purchase excursions. Try looking at Denali first as there will be plenty of free time for excursions. You can see what time the excursions are offered. Those excursion times will give you a good idea of your free time.

Or pull up Whitehorse and see if there are any excursions offered there. If they offer an excursion you can be sure that you will be free at that time to take the excursion or plan something else.

 

This is a wonderful cruisetour and it gives you enough time at each location to enjoy your time in each location.

[Shiraz49]

We are also on this trip we are from UK. I was also looking for details of times to try to organise some independent trips but have not been able to get much detail. It will be our first trip to Canada and Alaska we are so looking forward to it all.

Do let me know if you manage to get any details.

Linda and Chris

 

That's great to hear, are you doing the full Y1 tour?

Trying to get a "roll Call" going but no starters as yet, listed under the Zaandam cruise portion as I'm not sure about listing a combined Land/cruise option.

Will share as/when I get more info,

Cheers Tom & Maureen

[scrap47]

We are doing a land/sea journey in July and On our guest booking confirmation it lists departure times and arrivals. (It does not list bag out times or actual time we need to be on the bus but gives us a pretty good idea) I also downloaded the entire excursion booklet to my computer and can look at available excursions to get another idea for timing at each stop. I have received a confirmation for our flight from Fairbanks to Dawson City with times listed.

So I have a detailed plan for each stop - looking at the HAL excursions and then going online to research on my own. I have found nearby restaurants (and have reviewed menus online and even printed some), along with other things to do. I love doing this research!

[Shiraz49]

Hi Scrap47,

We must be doing it in the opposite direction, assume you're doing the cruise 1st.

HAL have confirmed flights Vancouver to Whitehorse, Dep 11am Arr 1:25pm and then Dawson City, Dep 10am arriving in Fairbanks 10am.

Cheers Tom

[scrap47]

No, Tom...we are doing a different tour - y5l - we start in Anchorage, then to Denali, Fairbanks, Dawson City, Whitehorse, and then On to our cruise in Skagway, ending in Vancouver. It was hard to decide which land/cruise to do but I'm excited about the one we finally chose.