Alaska Princess Lodges

[Denmal]

If none of the Alaska tours at the lodges do not interest us, what else is there to do.  Is there a bus into Talkeetna from the Mt. Micklney lodge ?  So maybe we could just go into town??  Any suggestions 

 

 

 

 

[Northern Aurora]

In the past Princess has offered a shuttle bus from the Mt. McKinley View Lodge into Talkeetna.  Assuming no road construction the time will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

[geoherb]

We used our time at the McKinley lodge to recuperate from our late arrival in Fairbanks a couple of nights before. Our first day was go, go, go with the riverboat and gold dredge excursions. The second day was the train to Denali and Tundra Wilderness Tour. We did take a guided nature walk on the trails by the lodge in the afternoon and enjoyed a nice dinner.

[Glaciers]

The lodge is remote and not really near anywhere. If you don’t like the Princess tours from the lodges maybe you should reconsider the tour. It’s so easy to do on your own with a rental and you’re not confined to the Princess Lodges. The walking trails around the lodge are nice and they have a dandy fire pit.  If down time is what you are looking for this is a great stop because there is very little to do. Most were reading books or on their devices when we stayed there. Same with Copper River Princess.  If you are active, reconsider.

[Northern Aurora]

Through the years we have stayed at the McKinley View Princess somewhere in the neighborhood of ten times.  We don't drive from either Homer or Seward to our home in one day, and the McKinley Princess is located about an hour closer to home than a hotel in Wasilla.  But when we walk into the main lodge building I am always struck by the number of folks just sitting around looking rather bored.  In the past folks could check out board games from the front desk.  Others do their laundry.  We have only stayed once at the Copper River Princess as it was a break on a drive to Valdez, but again folks are just sitting around.  The location and remoteness of both of those hotels, off a highway and up a hill, seems to be a surprise to some.

[Coral]

My sister found that hotel her favorite. She went on trails, I think there is a cool tree house there, the fire pit. She loved that hotel.

 

 

[georgiacat]

We enjoyed the town of Talkeetna.  We had 2 good lunches there at local restaurants, and we took a flight tour from the air company in town.  It was very interesting even though the mountain stayed in clouds.  Princess provided a shuttle bus from hotel to town, not too bad a trip.

 

That hotel/town was my favorite of the cruisetour.  We plan to do it again in 2022.

[rkacruiser]

On 10/25/2021 at 8:38 PM, Northern Aurora said:

 We have only stayed once at the Copper River Princess as it was a break on a drive to Valdez, but again folks are just sitting around.  The location and remoteness of both of those hotels, off a highway and up a hill, seems to be a surprise to some.

 

Thanks for your views.  When I have looked at Princess cruisetours in the past using these hotels, I was wondering if I might find staying at these two properties would be a disappointing experience for me.  

[Northern Aurora]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for your views.  When I have looked at Princess cruisetours in the past using these hotels, I was wondering if I might find staying at these two properties would be a disappointing experience for me.  

 

I don't know if they would be disappointing for you because I have the impression from your posts that you do research and are prepared.  Folks who just assume that they are going to stay at either the McKinley View or Copper River lodges and just walk somewhere (ie, to a store to purchase sundries or souvenirs) are surprised.

 

Whenever we stay at stay at the McKinley View something odd always happens, and the odd thing generally deals with food (ie, wrong orders, veeerrryyyy slow service, food which should be served warm being delivered cold).  We've given up on them for breakfast and once we check out we heard north on the Parks Highway to Mary's McKinley View Lodge in Trapper Creek.  Since I appreciate a hot shower we don't consider staying there at Mary's, but at least the breakfasts are served hot.  We've stayed a number of times at the Denali Princess and we've never had issues with food service there.

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

I don't know if they would be disappointing for you because I have the impression from your posts that you do research and are prepared.  Folks who just assume that they are going to stay at either the McKinley View or Copper River lodges and just walk somewhere (ie, to a store to purchase sundries or souvenirs) are surprised.

 

Whenever we stay at stay at the McKinley View something odd always happens, and the odd thing generally deals with food (ie, wrong orders, veeerrryyyy slow service, food which should be served warm being delivered cold).  We've given up on them for breakfast and once we check out we heard north on the Parks Highway to Mary's McKinley View Lodge in Trapper Creek.  Since I appreciate a hot shower we don't consider staying there at Mary's, but at least the breakfasts are served hot.  We've stayed a number of times at the Denali Princess and we've never had issues with food service there.

 

I haven't been to either lodge but I suspect that if you have a car, there are probably interesting things within a reasonable driving distance of the places.  However, the people who are there on a cruise tour won't have a car so they will be stuck at the lodge or an places that a Princess tour from the lodge makes available.  

 

It would be interesting to hear comments or thoughts from CruiseTour people who were not aware of how isolated the places are.  Any of you out there in that group who care to comment.

 

DON