Alaska Connoisseur tour SB8 HELP!!!

[puli]

I have on hold a 2018 cruise tour : SB8 which will take us to Fairbanks, Denali, Copper River, and Kenai (2 days in each place) ending with a 7 day cruise to Vancouver. it seems it could be the best of the best but there are 9 hour coach transfers from Denali to Copper River and again from Copper River to Kenai.

 

Has anyone ever taken this cruise tour? I fear the lengthy coach trips will be boring and tiring....There is only one rail trip and that is from Fairbanks to Denali which is not prime viewing.

 

It is the end of May and a great sale rate and benefits so I need to seriously consider this. To me it seems great way to see the most and also the better lodges IMHO...(no McKinley)

[Thrak]

Hard to say. 9 hours is a very long time...

 

We did a 6 day land tour before the cruise but didn't have travel times like that. We had a 3 hour, a 2.25 hour, and a 1 hour bus trips and then a 5 hour train ride. We didn't do Kenai and Copper River. We did Fairbanks, Denali Lodge, and McKinley Lodge. Much more manageable bus rides but they seemed plenty long to us. Having a pair of 9 hour bus rides sound to me like I'd be worn out and crabby from so long on the bus.

 

 

I just checked the Alaska boards and there is a thread where someone is asking about this same tour. There may be other threads of use to you there as well. Sorry I don't have more useful info but maybe you will find some on the referenced board. Best of luck with your decision.

[puli]

thanks Thrak, i found one review of the exact tour from 2012 and besides 9 hour coach rides they were up at 5:30 AM before each journey...so not being an early riser and having a 6'3" husband who hates any seating longer than 2 hours I think we will go for a tour similar to yours!

[meredemer]

Don't give up on that tour, yet. We took it 3 yrs ago and it was terrific. The 2 long coach drives are broken up, so not as bad as it sounds. Between Copper River and Kenai, you spend a couple of hours in Anchorage. Coach stops at the Captain Cook Hotel, so easy walking to the downtown attractions. There are also a few stops between to get out, stretch one's legs and to see attractions (like the Matanuska Glacier overlook) and use the "facilities". Between Copper River and Denali is, indeed, a long haul but it too has several stops, as well as a stop for lunch at a "road house" out in the middle of nowhere..but beautiful setting. Really is a road...unpaved but smooth. The scenery is absolutely magnificent..like nothing you've seen before. Please reconsider!

[puli]

meredemer, even if there are stops that still leaves the 5:30 AM mornings.....personally I am worried about making the 7AM tundra wilderness tour ! we plan to only have soft sided rolling bags just a wee bit larger than the suggested 17x14X 4 size // so really hope to take them with us.. don't the coaches have over head storage? if that would work we could sleep another hour at least! hum something to ponder.

[meredemer]

Hi PulI..honestly, other than the Tundra Wilderness tour, I don't recall any other early,early mornings. Our tour was opposite...began from northbound cruise..first to Kenai and ending in Fairbanks. We had leisurely mornings in Kenai..didn't sign up for any early excursions. Went fishing on the Kenai in the afternoon (and limited out, so time of day isn't a factor fishing up there). Copper River..I take back my previous statement..we did get up early the first morning..to go fishing (limited again!) but the second am (for the long haul to Denali) I don't recall having to be up that early. We did the Denali TW tour on the first morning but we were able to sleep in the second morning . I don't recall any really early calls for Fairbanks. You do cover a huge amount of territory and there's almost sensory overload with the scenery! But the Princess lodges are very nice and very relaxing...especially Kenai River Lodge and Copper River Lodge..they're both rather remote and very relaxing. We spent seemingly hours just sitting and staring in front of the huge picture window in Copper River Lodge. I would easily take that tour again. If you need any hints or have any questions, just ask. My daughter and I took this tour together and we used to live up there, but wanted to play "tourist".. we were very impressed with the tour, in fact pleasantly suprised.so nice having someone else worry about details! You can stow a bag in the overhead..like a day pack, because it's narrow but anything else..like your clothing suitcases are stowed in the compartment under the bus but they will open it up at stops if you ask. At each lodge our suitcases were delivered directly to our rooms and picked up in the am. Easy peasy.