First Time To Alaska in 2023 or 2024 Need Help With Cruise/Land Tour

[SNJCruisers]

What are the pros and cons of doing the land portion before the cruise instead of after?  How long of a land portion, was thinking of either 4 or 5 days.  What are the don't miss tours to include?  I know it comes down to personal preference,  but guidance would be greatly appreciated. 

Finally, what are the top 3 ports to include.  Have heard that Glacier Bay is number one. Thanks.

[cr8tiv1]

On my first cruise to Alaska (many since), I did the land tour first.  That's what was recommended.  You have a chance to decompress before getting on the ship.  You will have the energy to do the running around on land (tours).  You will welcome the relaxing cruise after.  

 

Packing.  You can pack for the land tour AND pack for the cruise.  Princess will hold the cruise luggage.  Like any land tour, the luggage needs to be outside your door at set time as you go from place to place.  I had my summer clothes packed in my cruise luggage and warmer clothes for the land portion.  I had to go out and buy shorts...it was so warm in early July.  The only time I needed my "winter" coat was on the train ride (which was freezing).  Then the ship was so cold that I had to keep a wrap with me at all times.

 

Denali was beautiful.  I could sit outside on the porch and admire the magnificence of the mountain.  We were lucky.  Three days of clear weather, good enough to see the summit.  I was later told that was a rare occurrence.  You could feel the minor earthquakes under the rocking chair (coming from California, it was not startling).

 

The tour included a bus ride into Denali.  Bring your own binoculars.  Saw ryeindeer, sheep, and I think a bear.  On the train ride, everyone was on the look out for moose.  One straggly thin moose was spotted.  Everyone cheered.  

 

Do your homework.  I would like to visit the Kenai Peninsula.  That's were the brown bears hang out.  Separate and different tour.  

[caribill]

When we did our Princess Alaska cruisetour we did the land part first. It worked well for us.

 

As far as how many days on land to set up for, I suggest two nights at each location. That will give you one full day to enjoy at each location. If you only spend one night at a location, you will likely arrive in the afternoon and leave the next morning. Not really enough time to enjoy what you came to Alaska for.

 

You can read about our land portion at https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1656270-details-of-the-tour-part-of-a-princess-alaska-cruisetour/    It was 9 years ago, but much of it still applies today.

 

[Sea Hag]

I agree with caribill on the two nights at each location. One night just won't cut it. 

 

We did the Off the Beaten Path cruisetour, visting Copper River and Denali. Some people here didn't like the bus ride across the Denali Highway between Copper River and Denali. We thought that was one of the best highlights of the land portion. Completely gorgeous scenery! I'd do that again like a shot.

 

For our full day in Denali, we canceled the included tour and took the park shuttle instead so we could get farther into the park. I'd do that again like a shot. There's lots of info about the shuttle on the Alaska board here at CC.

[John99]

Hi SNJCruisers,

 

What kind of excursions are you thinking of doing on this cruise?  Easy tours, moderate tours, or severe tours – backing packing, air flight, white water rafting, etc.  In the past Alaska trips, we done a little of everything (even white water rafting – DW thought we were crazy to do this). There is so much to choice from.  How about a salmon bake over alder wood.  Nothing like it!  In Anchorage, whale watching and helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier.  We’ve done both which are very enjoyable.   In Skagway, the White Pass & Yukon Railroad would be one I would consider.  I believe it an unforgettable journey to White Pass summit (have your passport ready because Canada Customs will check when you enter Canada).   The train leaves not far from the pier. 

 

For 2022, we have 2 days in Denali planned.  I would recommend the 7/8 hour Wilderness Tundra Tour (versus the 5 hour Natural History tour) into the heart of the Denali National Park.  The tour is narrated by a certified driver-naturalist.  We taken the Tundra Tour twice and always enjoy beautiful the mountain vistas, Polychrome Pass (Mile 46), Toklat River (Mile 53), braided rivers and wild animals.  Changes of seeing wildlife are much grater than the Natural History Tour (4/5 hours).   The Tundra tour leaves from Denali Park HQ at 7:00, 8:00 & 9:00am. There’s a shuttle from the Denali Lodge to the park which is only a few miles down highway. Probably the same times on upcoming cruise/tours.  You’ll have to pay the difference between the two tours.  The Natural History Tour only takes you to mile 27 (Telanika River) which is not enough for you see.  Remember, tourists must use the US Park Service transportation buses into the park.  No public vehicles allowed even private tour buses.  You must plan ahead.  Again, I recommend 2 nights at Denali Lodge.

 

I hope you enjoy planning your trip.  John 

[skynight]

We did the land portion first. That way we relaxed on the ship afterwards. I would suggest the longest tour you can afford in time & $. We enjoyed the dome car train ride. Many people enjoy the Denali NP guided bus tour which is offered on some of the Princess land tours. Personally I did not enjoy sitting all day on a school bus. Land tour first followed by the southbound cruise fills quicker than the reverse. It's usually slightly more expensive. All the ports are nice. Glacier Bay is really interesting. Bring layered clothing and binoculars. 

[claudia814]

We’re looking forward to July 8th, 2022 for a connoisseur escorted trip to Alaska. Five days on land (actually six, going in a day early to Anchorage) and then southbound glacier cruise. I picked this because it’s two nights in each location and everything is included. Airport pick up and ship to airport transportation, breakfast and all dinners at the lodges, train ride to ship and tour of the national park. Lunch on your own since you might be on an excursion except on train, lunch is included. I want to relax and not be concerned of logistics. 
 

Since we’ve been on Alaskan cruise before we’re only doing two excursions. The salmon restaurant in Juneau and getting off the ship and taking smaller boat to get up and personal with the glaciers in Glacier Bay. That fills up fast and missed it last time. 
 

No matter what you choose, it’s still a vacation and away from home. And remember, a rainy day on vacation is better than any day at work! Have a great time. 

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, John99 said:

Hi SNJCruisers,

 

What kind of excursions are you thinking of doing on this cruise?  Easy tours, moderate tours, or severe tours – backing packing, air flight, white water rafting, etc.  In the past Alaska trips, we done a little of everything (even white water rafting – DW thought we were crazy to do this). There is so much to choice from.  How about a salmon bake over alder wood.  Nothing like it!  In Anchorage, whale watching and helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier.  We’ve done both which are very enjoyable.   In Skagway, the White Pass & Yukon Railroad would be one I would consider.  I believe it an unforgettable journey to White Pass summit (have your passport ready because Canada Customs will check when you enter Canada).   The train leaves not far from the pier. 

 

For 2022, we have 2 days in Denali planned.  I would recommend the 7/8 hour Wilderness Tundra Tour (versus the 5 hour Natural History tour) into the heart of the Denali National Park.  The tour is narrated by a certified driver-naturalist.  We taken the Tundra Tour twice and always enjoy beautiful the mountain vistas, Polychrome Pass (Mile 46), Toklat River (Mile 53), braided rivers and wild animals.  Changes of seeing wildlife are much grater than the Natural History Tour (4/5 hours).   The Tundra tour leaves from Denali Park HQ at 7:00, 8:00 & 9:00am. There’s a shuttle from the Denali Lodge to the park which is only a few miles down highway. Probably the same times on upcoming cruise/tours.  You’ll have to pay the difference between the two tours.  The Natural History Tour only takes you to mile 27 (Telanika River) which is not enough for you see.  Remember, tourists must use the US Park Service transportation buses into the park.  No public vehicles allowed even private tour buses.  You must plan ahead.  Again, I recommend 2 nights at Denali Lodge.

 

I hope you enjoy planning your trip.  John 

Looking forward to planning this one John.  Covid has caused me to retire about 4 years sooner than expected, so starting to check off the bucket list trips and this is one of them.  We more than likely will do this trip in 2024 since we will be doing an 11 day repo cruise to Barcelona in May of 2023 and a 14 day Ireland/Iceland/Norway cruise in September of 2023.  This way I will be able to do my research and as soon as bookings open up, snag the ship and sailing we want.

What are the pros and cons regarding which month to cruise Alaska?

[Steelers36]

Based on past postings on the topic, when we do this, I will definitely begin with the land tour and then cruise southbound.  TBD, is whether we bundle both with Princess, or do our own land tour and then just the cruise with Princess.  That might be a decision driven in part by how we feel about independent touring and our age when we decide to go.

 

 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Steelers36

[Treasure Hunter]

We did the cruise first and the Princess land tour staying in their lodges , rafting and taking the Princess domed train. The cruise left from Vancouver and we came in three days early and did Bucharest Gardens and had a whole day in Victoria. Glacier Bay is always a highlight. The last time we were there four years ago there was half the ice as our first trip 20 years ago but it was still magnificent. The best tour we ever took was the very expensive helicopter to the glacier and the dog sledding on the glacier. It was worth every penny!

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We did the cruise first and the Princess land tour staying in their lodges , rafting and taking the Princess domed train. The cruise left from Vancouver and we came in three days early and did Bucharest Gardens and had a whole day in Victoria. Glacier Bay is always a highlight. The last time we were there four years ago there was half the ice as our first trip 20 years ago but it was still magnificent. The best tour we ever took was the very expensive helicopter to the glacier and the dog sledding on the glacier. It was worth every penny!

 

This is the reason that we take our grandkids to AK when they turn 10 years old.  By the time they are old enough and have enough money and the time to do the trip on their own, there may be no ice left in any of the glaciers in Glacier Bay.

 

DON

[Steiner2010]

23 hours ago, John99 said:

Hi SNJCruisers,

 

What kind of excursions are you thinking of doing on this cruise?  Easy tours, moderate tours, or severe tours – backing packing, air flight, white water rafting, etc.  In the past Alaska trips, we done a little of everything (even white water rafting – DW thought we were crazy to do this). There is so much to choice from.  How about a salmon bake over alder wood.  Nothing like it!  In Anchorage, whale watching and helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier.  We’ve done both which are very enjoyable.   In Skagway, the White Pass & Yukon Railroad would be one I would consider.  I believe it an unforgettable journey to White Pass summit (have your passport ready because Canada Customs will check when you enter Canada).   The train leaves not far from the pier. 

 

For 2022, we have 2 days in Denali planned.  I would recommend the 7/8 hour Wilderness Tundra Tour (versus the 5 hour Natural History tour) into the heart of the Denali National Park.  The tour is narrated by a certified driver-naturalist.  We taken the Tundra Tour twice and always enjoy beautiful the mountain vistas, Polychrome Pass (Mile 46), Toklat River (Mile 53), braided rivers and wild animals.  Changes of seeing wildlife are much grater than the Natural History Tour (4/5 hours).   The Tundra tour leaves from Denali Park HQ at 7:00, 8:00 & 9:00am. There’s a shuttle from the Denali Lodge to the park which is only a few miles down highway. Probably the same times on upcoming cruise/tours.  You’ll have to pay the difference between the two tours.  The Natural History Tour only takes you to mile 27 (Telanika River) which is not enough for you see.  Remember, tourists must use the US Park Service transportation buses into the park.  No public vehicles allowed even private tour buses.  You must plan ahead.  Again, I recommend 2 nights at Denali Lodge.

 

I hope you enjoy planning your trip.  John 

Hi John,

 

Thanks for your information.  I am planning for our 2022 Alaska cruise tour, and will like to ask you questions on the Denali Tour.  If you don’t mind, can you share how to exchange the Nature Tour to the Wilderness Tundras Tour? Can I change the tour in the website for the Princess Personalizer?
Look forward to your answers.  Thanks

CLT

[Discus16]

Second trip to Alaska in May of 2022.out of Vancouver. We Always go a day early to see the sights before boarding. We are doing the Cruise tour again. sine we loved it, We do the cruise first,  After working all week we like to relax on the cruise and have energy for the land portion. Guess it wouldn't matter now sine I retired May 1st Either way will be great 

[Steelers36]

14 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

did Bucharest Gardens and had a whole day in Victoria

It's the Butchart Gardens in Victoria.  Sorry, had to chuckle over "Bucharest". 😉

 

[John99]

1 hour ago, Steiner2010 said:

Hi John,

 

Thanks for your information.  I am planning for our 2022 Alaska cruise tour, and will like to ask you questions on the Denali Tour.  If you don’t mind, can you share how to exchange the Nature Tour to the Wilderness Tundras Tour? Can I change the tour in the website for the Princess Personalizer?
Look forward to your answers.  Thanks

CLT

Hi Stiener2010,

 

I hope my comments help you as well as other cruisers.

 

Can you exchange the Natural History Tour for the Tundra Wilderness Tour on your Princess Personalizer?   No, you must go thru your travel agent, Princess Personal Vacation Planner (PVP) or call Princess direct.

 

Some thing to consider if you’re planning the Tundra Wilderness Tour.

A “box lunch” for the Denali National Park tours should be considered.

We were provided box lunches on 2 Tundra tour years ago.  Not gourmet by any means.  Deer sausage, crackers, chips, cookies, water etc.  It was included in the Princess Tundra tour price. 

Today, I heard things have changed – big time.   You can preorder a box lunch from Aramark (third part vendor under contract with Princess) at the Quigley Coffee Corner located in the Main Lodge no later than 8:00pm the day prior to your pickup.  Highly recommended.  Remember -- The Tundra Wilderness tour is 7/8 hours long.   I suggest you pre-book a boxed lunch for the trip, as there are no concessions available in the wilderness of Denali National Park. You can pick up your sack lunch at Quigley’s Coffee Corner starting at 5am the following morning. Choice of 3 sandwiches (turkey, ham, hummus) on whole grain bread, Swiss cheese, chips, granola bar, fruit, and your choice of soda or bottled water.   One form per guest.  You must provide your pick up time on the form.   Price $16.95 which is charged to your room.   John

[voljeep]

18 minutes ago, John99 said:

and your choice of soda or bottled water. 

can I carry a 6 pack soft-sided cooler on board the bus ? - how about a bottle of wine ?

[Steelers36]

24 minutes ago, voljeep said:

how about a bottle of wine ?

Yes, but don't forget the $15 corkage fee!!  😁

[Steiner2010]

1 hour ago, John99 said:

Hi Stiener2010,

 

I hope my comments help you as well as other cruisers.

 

Can you exchange the Natural History Tour for the Tundra Wilderness Tour on your Princess Personalizer?   No, you must go thru your travel agent, Princess Personal Vacation Planner (PVP) or call Princess direct.

 

Some thing to consider if you’re planning the Tundra Wilderness Tour.

A “box lunch” for the Denali National Park tours should be considered.

We were provided box lunches on 2 Tundra tour years ago.  Not gourmet by any means.  Deer sausage, crackers, chips, cookies, water etc.  It was included in the Princess Tundra tour price. 

Today, I heard things have changed – big time.   You can preorder a box lunch from Aramark (third part vendor under contract with Princess) at the Quigley Coffee Corner located in the Main Lodge no later than 8:00pm the day prior to your pickup.  Highly recommended.  Remember -- The Tundra Wilderness tour is 7/8 hours long.   I suggest you pre-book a boxed lunch for the trip, as there are no concessions available in the wilderness of Denali National Park. You can pick up your sack lunch at Quigley’s Coffee Corner starting at 5am the following morning. Choice of 3 sandwiches (turkey, ham, hummus) on whole grain bread, Swiss cheese, chips, granola bar, fruit, and your choice of soda or bottled water.   One form per guest.  You must provide your pick up time on the form.   Price $16.95 which is charged to your room.   John

Thanks, John.  
CLT

[John99]

Hi voljeep,

 

I wish I could give you a good answer about alcohol.  Why?  There are various Federal regulations and local regulations which dictate how the park is managed.  

1) Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA)

2) The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the Superintendent's Compendium provide a complete listing of park rules and regulations. 36 CFR parts 1-199 pertain to all National Park areas. 36 CFR part 13 pertains to all Alaska National Park areas.

3) The Superintendent's Compendium is reviewed annually and provides a list of regulations under the discretionary authority of the superintendent.

 

In the past 2 Tundra Wilderness Tours -- we did not see any coolers or alcohol aboard the tour buses.  John

[Treasure Hunter]

My iPad often changes what I write making me sound even more nonsensical than usual. Sorry for that.

 

[John99]

On 5/23/2021 at 1:03 PM, SNJCruisers said:

Looking forward to planning this one John.  Covid has caused me to retire about 4 years sooner than expected, so starting to check off the bucket list trips and this is one of them.  We more than likely will do this trip in 2024 since we will be doing an 11 day repo cruise to Barcelona in May of 2023 and a 14 day Ireland/Iceland/Norway cruise in September of 2023.  This way I will be able to do my research and as soon as bookings open up, snag the ship and sailing we want.

What are the pros and cons regarding which month to cruise Alaska?

Hi SNJCruisers,

Your question:  What are the pros and cons regarding which month to cruise Alaska?

We prefer the High Season. 

 

Alaska cruise season runs from May until September, when the weather is comparatively warm and the seas are safest. Within that 5 month window, the best time to visit depends largely on what you hope to get out of your Alaskan cruise.

 

High Season

There’s has be much written about Alaska’s High Season -- the peak time for cruises – which takes place in July and August. Temperatures are the warmest and the region sees more sunny days than other times of the year. Demand for cruise tickets tends to be very high.   Small towns (Skagway & others) along the cruise itinerary are packed most of the time with visitors.  Even Cruise Critic recommends booking High Season cruises well in advance.

Shoulder Season

Oh boy, the Shoulder Season which takes place at the beginning and the end of the cruise season -- May through June in the spring and September in the fall. Temperatures are lower, but still mild, and the crowds are much smaller.  Mosquitoes are much less of a problem and cruise lines offer more discounts.  On the downside, the days tend to be shorter.

John

[SNJCruisers]

Whew......never realized there were so many different options until I started peeling back the layers of the onion.  When the 2024 season opens up for bookings(leaning towards July), will the price differential be fairly close between the same itinerary doing the cruise first versus doing the land portion first?  The reason I ask this is the one tour I was looking at was the 13 day off the beaten path and it was 330 more pp to do the cruise first. And the difference with the 15 day off the beaten path was 420.   That's a nice chunk of change that can go towards excursions.

Also, what all do you get by going with the escorted options and is it worth it?  Thanks for all of your help

[geoherb]

We did five nights on land before our cruise. We had two nights in Fairbanks, one at the Denali Lodge, one at the Mt. McKinley Lodge, and one in Anchorage. We upgraded to the Tundra Wilderness Tour and are glad we did. Let's hope they get the road repaired before your trip. We saw lots of wildlife in the park: caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bears, and moose. It was a very long day: train ride from Fairbanks to Denali, shuttle bus to the hotel, and then the tour into the park. We bought sandwiches at a coffee shop across the street from the lodge. We had time before leaving to visit the sled dogs at the park the next morning.

 

We enjoyed our included excursions in Fairbanks on our full day there. They were the paddlewheeler river cruise and gold rush excursion. The included lunch was tasty. We used our time at the McKinley Lodge to rest and did not do any excursions other than a short guided nature walk. Some friends did flightseeing from there and loved it.

 

Anchorage was mostly just a stopping point  to get us closer to the ship. We ate a nice dinner at a restaurant near the hotel, bought bottles of wine at the liquor store, and wandered around some in the morning before leaving. On the way to the ship, we stopped at the Wildlife Conservation Center. It was a drizzly day, but we still enjoyed seeing the animals up close.

 

The first photo is from the Tundra Wilderness Tour. The second is from the Wildlife Conservation Center.

[SNJCruisers]

18 hours ago, geoherb said:

We did five nights on land before our cruise. We had two nights in Fairbanks, one at the Denali Lodge, one at the Mt. McKinley Lodge, and one in Anchorage. We upgraded to the Tundra Wilderness Tour and are glad we did. Let's hope they get the road repaired before your trip. We saw lots of wildlife in the park: caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bears, and moose. It was a very long day: train ride from Fairbanks to Denali, shuttle bus to the hotel, and then the tour into the park. We bought sandwiches at a coffee shop across the street from the lodge. We had time before leaving to visit the sled dogs at the park the next morning.

 

We enjoyed our included excursions in Fairbanks on our full day there. They were the paddlewheeler river cruise and gold rush excursion. The included lunch was tasty. We used our time at the McKinley Lodge to rest and did not do any excursions other than a short guided nature walk. Some friends did flightseeing from there and loved it.

 

Anchorage was mostly just a stopping point  to get us closer to the ship. We ate a nice dinner at a restaurant near the hotel, bought bottles of wine at the liquor store, and wandered around some in the morning before leaving. On the way to the ship, we stopped at the Wildlife Conservation Center. It was a drizzly day, but we still enjoyed seeing the animals up close.

 

The first photo is from the Tundra Wilderness Tour. The second is from the Wildlife Conservation Center.

Thanks for the input.

[caribill]

22 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Whew......never realized there were so many different options until I started peeling back the layers of the onion.  When the 2024 season opens up for bookings(leaning towards July), will the price differential be fairly close between the same itinerary doing the cruise first versus doing the land portion first?  The reason I ask this is the one tour I was looking at was the 13 day off the beaten path and it was 330 more pp to do the cruise first. And the difference with the 15 day off the beaten path was 420.   That's a nice chunk of change that can go towards excursions.

Also, what all do you get by going with the escorted options and is it worth it?  Thanks for all of your help

 

Cost differential is due to more passengers preferring to cruise going north or south as well as cruise before or after land tour.

 

Connoisseur option includes:

o Almost every meal. Restaurant food is expensive in Alaska. It is very nice to look at the lodge menus and pick what you prefer to eat instead of picking by price.

o Dedicated group guide that handles many of the details for you such as getting the lodge restaurant dinner reservations for your preferred time, getting room keys to you, etc., as well as handling any problems you may experience.

o When we did the tour, it seemed that the lodge rooms were the ones with better views.