Concerned about hotels used on Alaska Cruisetours

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I've read a lot of mixed reviews about the hotel properties Celebrity are using on the land portion of the Alaska Cruisetours. It seems there is no way to know exactly where you will be staying until the docs are ready to be printed. Does anyone have some feedback that might encourage me a little? Specifically related to Fairbanks, Denali and Talkeetna.

 

I was planning on doing a Princess Alaska Cruisetour for august 2018, but like one of the options Celebrity offers as it has more rail segments.

[lulurobby]

We have booked a 13 night land and cruise tour starting in Fairbanks August 5 2017, the hotel for the first two nights is Sophie station, (that's what our tour op found out). The land tour is called Great Frontiers, we hope that this does not change as we are currently planning our air arrangements.

[IBsaved]

We did a Princess cruisetour 2x and the accommodations were very nice. They were all owned by Princess and I have no complaints. We haven't done the Celebrity cruisetour.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

We have booked a 13 night land and cruise tour starting in Fairbanks August 5 2017, the hotel for the first two nights is Sophie station, (that's what our tour op found out). The land tour is called Great Frontiers, we hope that this does not change as we are currently planning our air arrangements.

 

Sophie Station gets decent comments on Trip Advisor but it looks pretty 3 star, dated 1980s to me. The Denali Park Village is the one I see the most negative comments on about outdated and poor quality accommodation, rooms not cleaned well, poor service, mediocre food, etc.

 

I much prefer Celebrity Ships over Princess ships so am considering booking the land portion through Princess Tours to get the exact itinerary I want (2nts Fairbanks, 2nts Denali, 2nts Talkeetna, 1nt Anchorage, all land travel via rail) and then book the Millennium Southbound cruise separately and buy the cruise train transfer from Anchorage through Celebrity. That way I also get the Princess Lodges, which on average seem to get better marks overall and with Princess I can pre-book any excursions I want to do on the land portion. Price is comparable to the #8B tour with Celebrity I was looking at

Edited December 31, 2016 by AtlantaCruiser72

[bobndee]

When we did Alaska 5 years ago we arranged our own cruise tour using an Alaskan TA. Our Denali hotel was the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. Not bad at all.

[Mr. Click]

When we did our Alaska cruise last July we made out own land tour arrangements and really enjoyed the freedom to do what we wanted when we wanted. 907 Tours arranged to pick us up in Seward and do a day long tour of the Kenai Penisula that include the Portage Glacier and other stops along Glacier Ally and a stop at the wildlife refuge before we headed into Anchorage. We spent the night at the Crown Plaza and picked up our rental car the next morning using the hotel's free shuttle to the airport. From there, out to Denali/Talkeetna with a stop at Thunderbird Falls. We spent two nights at the McKinley Wilderness Lodge about 40 miles south of the Denali NP entrance. It was ok, once they moved us from a sun baked second floor room with no AC. We really enjoyed being on our own and following our own schedule, stopping to see things that caught our eye along the way. 907 Tours was great.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Thanks for the suggestions - we are not "car trip" people, my Mom and I both detest driving - LOL - hence why I work from home :D

 

The main reason we were looking at the Celebrity land tour was that it had more travel via rail than any of the Princess offerings, however I have since discovered Princess sells a land tour only that starts in Fairbanks and ends in Anchorage with all land travel via rail, which is what we wanted. I also feel like Princess will provide the better land experience for our needs. Therefore we will be booking the land portion through Princess and cruise through Celebrity and book the Celebrity rail transfer from Anchorage to Seward to connect the two

 

Thanks again for the input and suggestions

[Lastdance]

Thanks for the suggestions - we are not "car trip" people, my Mom and I both detest driving - LOL - hence why I work from home :D

 

The main reason we were looking at the Celebrity land tour was that it had more travel via rail than any of the Princess offerings, however I have since discovered Princess sells a land tour only that starts in Fairbanks and ends in Anchorage with all land travel via rail, which is what we wanted. I also feel like Princess will provide the better land experience for our needs. Therefore we will be booking the land portion through Princess and cruise through Celebrity and book the Celebrity rail transfer from Anchorage to Seward to connect the two

 

Thanks again for the input and suggestions

 

We did a cruise/tour last May. I didn't really enjoy the tour, but the hotels we stayed at were great accommodations for just an okay tour!

[AtlantaCruiser72]

We did a cruise/tour last May. I didn't really enjoy the tour, but the hotels we stayed at were great accommodations for just an okay tour!

 

Do you mind me asking which hotels they had you in and also what you did not like about the other components of the tour?

Edited January 1, 2017 by AtlantaCruiser72

[chuckroast1]

We stayed at Sophie Station and Denali Park Village as part of our Millennium Cruise tour last August.

 

Sophie Station had a nice two room suite (bedroom separate from Living Room/ Kitchenette). The finishes were a little dated but very comfortable. We didn't care for the restaurant on property. The location isn't close to anything so they provide a bus on a regular loop schedule that will take you to various attractions in Fairbanks.

 

Denali Park Village was the least favorite of our hotels. The room was kind of noisy (we ran a fan all night to try and mask the sounds) and the WIFI was really bad. It was a small room, a dated bathroom and no AC (you could open the window, it was cool at night but that added to the noise). You are also kind of stuck on the property, there isn't anything close by (can take a cab into town).

 

Hope this helps some.

[M&M Hayden]

When we did the Alaska cruise tour we were at Sophie Station in Fairbanks. Decent accommodations and friendly staff. Close to a couple of places to grab a bite to eat and at the time they had a shuttle that took you 'downtown.

Don't recall the name of the place in Denali, but it was along a river. Room was nice, not huge. Easy to get shuttle to 'town' and had great food in the bar/restaurant.

In Talkeetna we were at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. HUGE room. Gorgeous views, nice restaurant.

In Anchorage we were at the Marriott. Nice hotel and centrally located.

Keep in mind the 'standards' in Alaska are probably slightly less opulent than in the 'lower 48'.....but each hotel was great and people and scenery were terrific!

Train ride was awesome.

[ROYALBOY]

We are on the Millennium southbound on June 2 but we start the tour portion from Fairbanks on May 27. I know we will be at Sophie's Station since I asked Captains Club. We had to make a separate reservation for 2 night because we arrive from Ft Lauderdale at 2AM on the 26th, and we both will be looking for a bed[emoji572][emoji572][emoji572]

 

 

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[AtlantaCruiser72]

Thanks for the responses - the more I read the more I am convinced that my idea to book the land portion through Princess and the cruise through Celebrity may end up being the right choice for us!

 

Hope everyone is having a Happy New Year!

Edited January 1, 2017 by AtlantaCruiser72

[Von & John]

I've read a lot of mixed reviews about the hotel properties Celebrity are using on the land portion of the Alaska Cruisetours. It seems there is no way to know exactly where you will be staying until the docs are ready to be printed. Does anyone have some feedback that might encourage me a little? Specifically related to Fairbanks, Denali and Talkeetna.

 

I was planning on doing a Princess Alaska Cruisetour for august 2018, but like one of the options Celebrity offers as it has more rail segments.

 

Atlanta Cruiser -- We live in Alaska & would be happy to answer questions regarding hotel rooms. We currently split our time between Talkeetna & Anchorage. We've also live in FBX & Denali. If you provide the hotel names - we can give you some feedback.

[Lastdance]

Do you mind me asking which hotels they had you in and also what you did not like about the other components of the tour?

 

We stayed in the newer section in Denali and Talkeetna. Both accommodations were very good, clean and newish. We were right on the river in a corner room in Denali, along with a corner room in Talkeetna.

 

To be honest, I enjoy planning my own trips, mostly in Europe and extended with a cruise. I do not enjoy riding crowded busses with lots of others. On our tour, the same people were late all the time. The last day when we were to embark on the ship it was pouring rain. Most of us just wanted to board the ship, but our guide insisted that we tour the wildlife sanctuary. It was all muddy, cool and not the type of thing to do when it rains. Also, we were told that our luggage would be there way before us...that didn't happen and it was quite late when we finally received it. Just remember that I love the planning part and can do it so much better than Celebrity, as they contract everything out to others and really don't oversee anything. The train ride was nice, but all of the things could be done on your own. We promised my dad that we would stay in the states, so this was our second cruise to Alaska. We were on the Millie and love the S class ships. if you are with family members and don't want the hassle or enjoy planning, then it most likely would be better for your situation. We had an awful year and just decided to wing it. Never again! :)

Edited January 2, 2017 by Lastdance

[sweetp0618]

We're on the southbound Millennium June 2 sailing. We planned our land tour ourselves to give us flexibility. We're using dome trains the entire time and we're doing an overnight car rental in Denali to get to and from the park and to give us options for restaurants. We're spending most of our time in Denali and Seward and were able to save over $1K per person and get to do what we want. We're staying in a B&B (Dome Home) in Denali and a brand new condo in Seward that we rented through VRBO.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Atlanta Cruiser -- We live in Alaska & would be happy to answer questions regarding hotel rooms. We currently split our time between Talkeetna & Anchorage. We've also live in FBX & Denali. If you provide the hotel names - we can give you some feedback.

 

It appears Celebrity use the "Denali Park Village" and "Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge". How would you say those compare to the Princess lodges? My general research leans in favor of the Princess run properties overall for quality of service and cleanliness/upkeep.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

We stayed in the newer section in Denali and Talkeetna. Both accommodations were very good, clean and newish. We were right on the river in a corner room in Denali, along with a corner room in Talkeetna.

 

To be honest, I enjoy planning my own trips, mostly in Europe and extended with a cruise. I do not enjoy riding crowded busses with lots of others. On our tour, the same people were late all the time. The last day when we were to embark on the ship it was pouring rain. Most of us just wanted to board the ship, but our guide insisted that we tour the wildlife sanctuary. It was all muddy, cool and not the type of thing to do when it rains. Also, we were told that our luggage would be there way before us...that didn't happen and it was quite late when we finally received it. Just remember that I love the planning part and can do it so much better than Celebrity, as they contract everything out to others and really don't oversee anything. The train ride was nice, but all of the things could be done on your own. We promised my dad that we would stay in the states, so this was our second cruise to Alaska. We were on the Millie and love the S class ships. if you are with family members and don't want the hassle or enjoy planning, then it most likely would be better for your situation. We had an awful year and just decided to wing it. Never again! :)

 

Neither mum nor I like traveling by car or bus, hence why we wanted an all rail option and something that was "stress free" in her eyes with all hotel-rail transfers and bag handling included, as well as coordinated hotel check-ins etc. I think we have found a perfect soultion in a Princess land package that is all rail and has 2 nights each Fairbanks, Denali and Talkeetna and 1 night Anchorage. We will then do the cruise portion through Celebrity and book a rail transfer from Anchorage to Seward.

 

Neither Princess or Celebrity offered just the "right fit" on the land portion (either not he right mix of stops/length or too much motorcoach travel) and if we are going to book components individually I like the Millennium far better than any of the Princess offerings. I like Princess, but it's not Celebrity :D

[Lastdance]

Neither mum nor I like traveling by car or bus, hence why we wanted an all rail option and something that was "stress free" in her eyes with all hotel-rail transfers and bag handling included, as well as coordinated hotel check-ins etc. I think we have found a perfect soultion in a Princess land package that is all rail and has 2 nights each Fairbanks, Denali and Talkeetna and 1 night Anchorage. We will then do the cruise portion through Celebrity and book a rail transfer from Anchorage to Seward.

 

 

 

Neither Princess or Celebrity offered just the "right fit" on the land portion (either not he right mix of stops/length or too much motorcoach travel) and if we are going to book components individually I like the Millennium far better than any of the Princess offerings. I like Princess, but it's not Celebrity :D

 

 

That sounds great; so glad you came up with a decision that suites your traveling needs and agenda!

 

 

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Edited January 3, 2017 by Lastdance

[Von & John]

It appears Celebrity use the "Denali Park Village" and "Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge". How would you say those compare to the Princess lodges? My general research leans in favor of the Princess run properties overall for quality of service and cleanliness/upkeep.

 

Denali Park Village is on the Nenana River. This past summer I stayed there w/ a friend. They have built a new Main Lodge building since the last time we were there. This summer we stayed in one of the Lodge buildings - the room was updated, clean & comfortable. I stayed in the Cabins years ago & they were rather rustic - my guess is they have also been updated since then :) This property is managed by Aramark.

 

As we live in Talkeetna, I have never stayed at the Lodge - so I can't speak to the rooms specifically. The Talkeetna Great Alaskan Lodge has one of the best views of Denali. We like to enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on the deck or enjoy a meal in the restaurant. On a sunny, clear day - the view of Denali from the deck is amazing. People we've met have always spoken very positively about the rooms.

 

The only Princess Lodge we have stayed in was in Fairbanks - it was nice and clean. The Denali Princess Lodge is one of the newer hotels in the Denali area. The room we stayed in this summer in the Denali Park Village (Lodge Room) was definitely equal to &/or better than the FBX Princess Room we stayed in. The McKinley Princess is about 45 miles North of Talkeetna, is the Princess hotel for Talkeetna & also has a nice view of Denali.

 

Hopefully this helps - let us know if you have further questions.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Denali Park Village is on the Nenana River. This past summer I stayed there w/ a friend. They have built a new Main Lodge building since the last time we were there. This summer we stayed in one of the Lodge buildings - the room was updated, clean & comfortable. I stayed in the Cabins years ago & they were rather rustic - my guess is they have also been updated since then :) This property is managed by Aramark.

 

As we live in Talkeetna, I have never stayed at the Lodge - so I can't speak to the rooms specifically. The Talkeetna Great Alaskan Lodge has one of the best views of Denali. We like to enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on the deck or enjoy a meal in the restaurant. On a sunny, clear day - the view of Denali from the deck is amazing. People we've met have always spoken very positively about the rooms.

 

The only Princess Lodge we have stayed in was in Fairbanks - it was nice and clean. The Denali Princess Lodge is one of the newer hotels in the Denali area. The room we stayed in this summer in the Denali Park Village (Lodge Room) was definitely equal to &/or better than the FBX Princess Room we stayed in. The McKinley Princess is about 45 miles North of Talkeetna, is the Princess hotel for Talkeetna & also has a nice view of Denali.

 

Hopefully this helps - let us know if you have further questions.

 

Thanks for the great insight! Even though I will be booking the Princess Lodges this will be invaluable when helping clients booking Royal & Celebrity cruisetours.

Edited January 3, 2017 by AtlantaCruiser72

[greydog]

Thanks for the suggestions - we are not "car trip" people, my Mom and I both detest driving - LOL - hence why I work from home :D

 

The main reason we were looking at the Celebrity land tour was that it had more travel via rail than any of the Princess offerings, however I have since discovered Princess sells a land tour only that starts in Fairbanks and ends in Anchorage with all land travel via rail, which is what we wanted. I also feel like Princess will provide the better land experience for our needs. Therefore we will be booking the land portion through Princess and cruise through Celebrity and book the Celebrity rail transfer from Anchorage to Seward to connect the two

 

Thanks again for the input and suggestions

 

Your preference for rail connections is the right idea. Our 5-day tour to Fairbanks had rail but mostly motor coach connections. Rail is like 1st class airline seating, sceni-cars, separate sit-down dining, full-size restrooms. Bus was a bus, stopped at gift shops with porta-potties, chasing after women to finish gift shopping so we could continue.

 

Done both - the rail from Seward-ANC is much preferable scenic-wise over the bus transfer. Springhill Suites in downtown Fairbanks was very nice (opened 6-7? yrs ago)

 

At the cruiseline's hotels, I would try in the future to ask about what the $ upfee would be for a 'premium' room. HAPPY CRUISING

Edited January 3, 2017 by greydog