HAL Land and Sea Journey to Alaska July 2021

[motravelerken]

Me, my wife, and 2 adult sons (ages 53,52,23, 21) are all going on an Alaskan Land And Sea HAL cruise in July of 2021. Doing the triple Denali before boarding the Nieuw Amsterdam for the July 11 cruise from Whittier to Vancouver. Many questions but the first big one is about the Land portion. The Tundra Wilderness Tour seems to be part of the Land Package included in the price. We have already booked the Land and Sea Package but could obviously cancel if a better opportunity came along. However this package seems to fit what we want. We will be taking the TWT on July 9 and have a day to explore Denali on  our own on July 10. My main questions right now (I will have many and I know the trip is far away but love planning) are:

1. Can I trade out the Tundra Wilderness Tour for a bus trip that will go to Eielson Visitor Center or somehow extend the TWT to Eielson Visitor Center?? I am ok with the TWT but have read that is does not go all the way to the Eielson Visitor Center. I guess I could cancel the TWT and get on the 8 hour shuttle busses that go to Eielson Visitor Center just kind of wanting to take advantage of the TWT that is included in the Land Package. 

2. What are good excursions to do on our July 10th day at Denali?? I am guessing I could contract excursions out through Alaska Tour & Travel or a similar company to do some excursions on that day. Just wanting to take advantage of our 2 full days at Denali before we get on the cruise and do and see as much as we can at Denali based on our limited time there. 

[AKStafford]

Instead being herded along on the pre-packaged cruise tour, would you be open to putting together your own trip using a rental car? That gives you the flexibility to pick where you want to go, what activities you want to do, where you want to stay & where you want to dine.

[motravelerken]

I would definitely be open to planning my own. I have planned many trips in the US and Europe on my own. However, I am limited by time constraints due to people in my parties work schedules. I am on an "arrive Wednesday and leave the next Sunday" schedule. We basically have to fit everything into a 12 day window including the airplane there and back so essentially 10 days. We are definitely doing the Holland Cruise. I want to do Denali and figured I would only have time to do Denali. I could do it on my own but the packaging of HAL will make it easier. I would only have time to do what they are offering anyway so might as well let them package it up for me. Would I love to spend more time in Alaska?? Most certainly, but it is just not going to be an option. My hope is that we get a taste of things and that eventually I can make it back and do more. But unfortunately for this trip, I have to do the best I can with it. Hoping to maximize things in the time I have. Would love suggestions of what excursions to do in Denali and advice on the Tundra Wilderness Tour or its alternatives. 

[dfilpus]

The Tundra Wilderness Tour is a separate tour from the shuttle to Eielson Visitor Center. They use separate buses and separate tickets.  Both use upgraded school bus frames and are different colors.

The TWT bus will pick you up at your hotel, drive the Park Road to Stony Overlook and return you to your hotel. Shuttle buses leave from the Transportation Center in the park. You can hop on/hop off on the way to Eielson and return.

TWT buses have video screens which show telephoto video of wildlife. TWT provides a snack box. 

I believe you can cancel the TWT from your cruise tour and get a credit. Talk to your TA. Then you can buy tickets for the shuttle via the park website. You can use the hotel park shuttle to get to/from the Transportation Center. We walked to/from the McKinley Chalet several times during our visit. It is not a long walk to the park. We saw a moose and a snowshoe hare near the Transportation Center.

[motravelerken]

Thank you!! This is exactly the type of information I was looking for. Just have to decide if I want to stick with the Tundra Wilderness Tour OR cancel the TWT and get a park shuttle to Eielson VC OR just do both on consecutive days. I have over 400 days to decide. Thanks!!!

[oaktreerb]

With the triple Denali you will have three nights in Denali.  You can do the TWT as scheduled and have another day to take a park bus out to Eielson, Wonder Lake, or Kantishna and/or do some hiking.  There are flight seeing opportunities, rafting, Husky Homestead, etc.  There is a visitor’s center, a tour to see the sled dog demo, shorter ranger hikes in the area, plenty to do.  Look at what HAL offers as far as excursions for 2020, they will be the same for 2021.  Go online at nps.gov and look at the schedules and activities.   In July you will have almost constant daylight so there will be a lot of time to enjoy the park..  You may also find HAL offering midnight golf!  I have never heard of HAL offering a credit or exchange for the TWT but it never hurts to ask.  

Edited March 1, 2020 by oaktreerb

[Northern Aurora]

9 hours ago, motravelerken said:

I would definitely be open to planning my own. I have planned many trips in the US and Europe on my own. However, I am limited by time constraints due to people in my parties work schedules. I am on an "arrive Wednesday and leave the next Sunday" schedule.  ......

 

 

For me your limited time is an argument to do the trip to Denali on your own.  A significant amount of time on the cruise tours is spent waiting for buses and shuttles to fill.  And I wonder how two adult sons in their twenties will enjoy a HAL cruise tour.  So easy to fly into Anchorage, rent a vehicle and head north.  Gives you so much more flexibility and makes it so much easier to navigate the park area.

 

Regarding the tours in Denali you are considering, as someone who lives in interior Alaska, I think that folks who don't go into the park as far as Eielson Visitor's Center shortchange themselves.  The EVC location is spectacular on a clear day, there are a number of interpretative displays and programs such as ranger led hikes.  

 

Reading the trip reports, organized by year, at the top of the forum index page may be the most efficient use of your planning time.  Doesn't require much time as you have decided on HA as your cruise line so you don't care what the person thought about how the buffet was organized, food quality and so forth of the other lines.

[Crew News]

Here is a link to my HAL triple-Danli last year that includes train ride, McKinley resort info/maps/menus, and park photos:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/denali

 

Spending 8 hours on the TWT was about the limit my backside could endure on a school bus.  Adding additional hours to go all the way to the end of the line is not a backside option for me.

 

I highly recommend Fly Denali, booked through HAL, for your free day with its circling of the big mountain and a landing in the snow.