Planning considerations

[prish]

We’re doing a South bound from Seward next July and plan on a 7-8 day land tour pre-cruise. We’ll fly into Anchorage and want to visit Denali and the Kenai peninsula, have just started looking into options, etc. We’ll be an extended family of 5 on the land tour, my nephew joins us at the end for the cruise. 

 

I also plan all our tours well in advance, this time round I’m rather behind due to work constraints and have only just started researching what we’d like to do.

This will be my third Alaska cruise and second land tour.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions, these boards have helped me so much over the years. Budget Queen, have heard so much about you over the last several years and am surely going to come to you for help planning our trip...😊

Edited November 15, 2018 by prish

[new_cruiser]

Sunbird, not necessarily better, but another option would be to take the Alaska Railroad Glacier Discovery to Whittier in the morning (leaves after 9 AM and gets in to Whittier about noon). 

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/schedules

That should allow time for a boat tour in Whittier (glaciers and wildlife) before boarding the ship.

[stacyh270]

On 11/14/2018 at 11:29 AM, sunbird51 said:

We are DIY for pre-cruise Golden Princess (Southbound July 6, 2019). The idea was to rent a car and tour Kenai for a week. The hitch turned out to be turning the car back in. Whittier is not an easy place! The solution that I've come up with is return to Anchorage on Friday, turn the car in and grab the Princess shuttle/transfer to Whittier on Saturday. Is there a better way? 

 

We will (hopefully!) be on that same sailing and we are doing our land tour pre-cruise as well 🙂 

[sunbird51]

21 hours ago, stacyh270 said:

 

We will (hopefully!) be on that same sailing and we are doing our land tour pre-cruise as well 🙂 

I have an update to this post. If you book with Avis in Anchorage, you can turn your car in at Whittier. 

[Akaicb]

24 minutes ago, sunbird51 said:

I have an update to this post. If you book with Avis in Anchorage, you can turn your car in at Whittier. 

While this is true, the cost of doing a one-way rental is crazy.

 

I priced it out and it was almost $1000 to rent a car in Anchorage use it for 3 days and return in Whittier.  When I priced a rental with pickup and drop off in Anchorage and then taking a shuttle to Whittier is was cost to $400.

 

I guess it would depend on if people were comfortable paying that amount for convince. 

[sunbird51]

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 11:23 AM, Akaicb said:

While this is true, the cost of doing a one-way rental is crazy.

 

I priced it out and it was almost $1000 to rent a car in Anchorage use it for 3 days and return in Whittier.  When I priced a rental with pickup and drop off in Anchorage and then taking a shuttle to Whittier is was cost to $400.

 

I guess it would depend on if people were comfortable paying that amount for convince. 

Hmmm...since we will be using the car in Homer for three nights and Seward for 3 nights, the thought of driving back to Anchorage to catch a shuttle, the $1153.78 seemed pretty good! It fits us much better! Depends on what you're going to use it for!

[Budget Queen]

Hello everyone.  I’m glad this post has benefited others.   My point of view.   Sometimes it’s a big mistake to just consider dismissing an option due to price.  Especially with limited time spending that money on a one way rental offers superior use of valuable limited time.    For me my time is way more valuable than money.  And I have the luxury of visiting Alaska frequently and extended 

 

Another snag I see- to avoid.  Is jumping into reservations too early. I always suggest having ALL your plans and itinerary known before getting involved with nonrefundable bookings.   Again it’s a big mistake to waste time in my opinion with a poor plan.   

 

A final mention.  Yes it’s a benefit to book way ahead.  But I frequently late book and have no problem with my plans.   So don’t be discouraged everyone can get a great trip.