Start Cruisetour in Fairbanks or Anchorage?

[Aquaticdreams]

We are planning an 11 day Princess Cruisetour for the end of August doing the land portion first. One leaves from Fairbanks and the other from Anchorage. Is one better than the other and why? Thanks!

[Crew News]

Check flight availability before you make this decision.  Anchorage has lots of flight whereas Fairbanks may not give you as many options.

[oaktreerb]

It really depends on what you want to see.  Assuming the land part includes Denali.  Fairbanks to Denali to Anchorage may be one.  Anchorage to Denali to Anchorage is another.  Does it have two nights in Denali, that gives you one full day in Denali.  What is the mode of transportation…bus or train.  Train between Anchorage and Denali is enjoyable, bus is just ok.  Train between Fairbanks and Denali is less scenic, choose the bus for that trip.  

 

 If there is an excursion planned for Fairbanks like the Riverboat tour or Gold Dredge, it would be worth going to Fairbanks, otherwise Anchorage is best (more to see and do, easier flights).

[Northern Aurora]

Have you considered doing the land portion on your own?

 

If this trip is being planned for the summer of 2022 please be aware that the single road into Denali National Park will be closed at mile 42.  A number of interesting  areas will not be accessible by road this summer, including the Polychrome overlook, Toklat River rest stop (prime bear viewing area), Stony Hill overlook and Eielson Visitor's Center.

 

In Fairbanks the cruise tours generally include the Riverboat Discovery and Gold Dredge #8; the same family owns both properties.  If you did a tour on your own you could visit the Museum of the North, the Fountain Head Antique Auto Museum, the Running Reindeer Ranch, the musk ox farm, Chena Hot Springs Resort and so forth.  

[donaldsc]

Besides the fact that the flight to or from Fairbanks is more of a pain than Anchorage flights, you will spend more time on the bus if you visit Fairbanks than if you do Anchorage.  You only have 4 land days in AK and distances in Alaska are long.

 

DON

[Aquaticdreams]

Thanks! These are the two itineraries. It looks like the train ride takes the same route between Denali and Talkeetna (between the two lodges). Is this particular section of the route part of the more scenic area?  It also looks like the one that starts in Anchorage will travel some of the same bus route twice. I could always stay an extra day in either starting city to do an excursion. I’ve done a seven day Alaska cruise before so the main reason I want to do the land tour this time is for the scenic train ride and Denali National Park. Aside from which itinerary to choose I’m disappointed to hear that half of Denali is closed. I’m now questioning if this trip is even worth doing at all. Thanks for any input on this!

 

Fairbanks starting point itinerary:

 

8/30 arrive in Fairbanks & overnight stay

8/31 take motorcoach to Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge & overnight stay

9/1 full day at Denali National Park and overnight stay

9/2 take train to Talkeetna then take motorcoach to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. Overnight at the lodge.

9/3 take motorcoach to Anchorage/Whittier and board the ship.

 

Anchorage starting point itinerary:

 

8/16 arrive in Anchorage & overnight stay

8/17 take motorcoach to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge & overnight stay

8/18 take motorcoach to Talkeetna then take the train to Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and overnight stay

8/19 full day at Denali National Park and overnight stay

8/20 take motorcoach to Anchorage/Whittier and board the ship

[dfilpus]

The tour starting in Anchorage does a lot of backtracking. You will spend a lot more time in a bus than on the Fairbanks tour. I would rather spend the time at a lodge than on a bus.

The train from Denali station to/from Talkeetna is a very scenic segment of the Alaska Railroad. We were able to get multiple clear views (and photos) of Denali from the train.

The road closure in Denali National Park is an issue for 2022 and 2023. It shortens the road into the core of the park to mile 43. Most cruise tours offer the Tundra Wilderness Tour, which is a guided tour along the road to mile 60. When we did that tour, most of the wildlife and scenic landscape was in the closed segment. We did see caribou and grizzlies before mile 43, but much more after that point. Denali's Visitor Center, the husky dog kennels and tons of hiking trails will be available. There is plenty to see and do.

Both Fairbanks and Anchorage have a ton of things to do.

[Northern Aurora]

23 hours ago, Aquaticdreams said:

....... I’ve done a seven day Alaska cruise before so the main reason I want to do the land tour this time is for the scenic train ride and Denali National Park. Aside from which itinerary to choose I’m disappointed to hear that half of Denali is closed. I’m now questioning if this trip is even worth doing at all. Thanks for any input on this!

 

......

 

Just for clarity, half of Denali National Park isn't closed, but the single road into the park will be closed at mile 42 for all of 2022 and it is anticipated that it will likely be closed in 2023 also.  

 

Whether it is worth taking either of those cruise tours depends on what your own goals are in visiting DNP.  As someone who lives in Alaska I am of the opinion that folks who don't go into the park as far as Eielson Visitor's Center (mile 66) cheat themselves.  But with the road closure at Pretty Rocks (mile 42) you will miss the Polychrome overlook (mile 46), Toklat River rest stop (which is at mile 53 and is an area of prime bear viewing), the Stony Hill overlook (mile 62) and Eielson Visitor's Center.  You are the only one who can determine if the park activities which will be accessible in 2022 are of interest and value to you.

 

Have you considered a DIY land trip?  There are other areas and activities in this state for tourists to experience.

[don't-use-real-name]

The POLYCHROME overlook and PRETTY ROCKS is well named as is the Utah National

Parks with equally colorful landscape. It is a shame that the roadbed was not laid on

terra firma instead of on a sliding moraine of glacier tundra. But until it is fixed alternatives

must be in place - Moving supplies and materials for re-construction during seasonal 

weather presents changeling aspects to rebuilding the road - a floating road - a bridge -

or move a mountain destroying the Pretty Rocks landscape.

Please be patient it is a work in progress -

In a computer sense - reboot - retry - download a more solid hardware solution !

 

For now enjoy the posting pictures of folks who have been the length of the road !

[Aquaticdreams]

Thanks everyone! Your feedback was helpful and I booked the tour starting in Fairbanks. I’m still hesitant about taking the cruise at all due to the closure in Denali but Princess had a really good promo so I booked it. This will give me a little more time to decide for sure. 

[wblotner66]

On 3/5/2022 at 4:34 PM, Northern Aurora said:

 

Just for clarity, half of Denali National Park isn't closed, but the single road into the park will be closed at mile 42 for all of 2022 and it is anticipated that it will likely be closed in 2023 also.  

 

Whether it is worth taking either of those cruise tours depends on what your own goals are in visiting DNP.  As someone who lives in Alaska I am of the opinion that folks who don't go into the park as far as Eielson Visitor's Center (mile 66) cheat themselves.  But with the road closure at Pretty Rocks (mile 42) you will miss the Polychrome overlook (mile 46), Toklat River rest stop (which is at mile 53 and is an area of prime bear viewing), the Stony Hill overlook (mile 62) and Eielson Visitor's Center.  You are the only one who can determine if the park activities which will be accessible in 2022 are of interest and value to you.

 

Have you considered a DIY land trip?  There are other areas and activities in this state for tourists to experience.

so as a local would you recommend waiting a few years and do this when the park is completely open - we love to see scenery and wildlife

[MudderBear]

As one who was supposed to do the cruise tour in 2020, then in 2021, and now finally in 2022....I regret not doing this even earlier.  Why did I put it off?  Ugh....to busy working, etc., and life goes on.  I was planning on doing a Baltic cruise in 2023, but guess what?  That's not happening now either.  Bottom line, don't put things off.  You never know what is going to happen.

[allesonwonderland]

On 3/13/2022 at 7:07 PM, Aquaticdreams said:

Thanks everyone! Your feedback was helpful and I booked the tour starting in Fairbanks. I’m still hesitant about taking the cruise at all due to the closure in Denali but Princess had a really good promo so I booked it. This will give me a little more time to decide for sure. 

Did you take your trip, or is it next year? Starting research myself and have similar questions about the Anchorage vs Fairbanks land portions.

[Aquaticdreams]

On 12/20/2022 at 12:46 PM, allesonwonderland said:

Did you take your trip, or is it next year? Starting research myself and have similar questions about the Anchorage vs Fairbanks land portions.

We decided to cancel it due to the partial closure in Denali. We’re taking a Caribbean cruise next month instead. We really want to see as much of Denali as possible so we’ll just wait and go another time. For what it’s worth we had booked the one with the land portion starting in Fairbanks before the cruise. This was so there wouldn’t be all that backtracking on land and also to relax on the ship after the high activity level on the land portion. I’m sure others here will chime in on the pros and cons. Have a wonderful time whatever you decide!! 

[don't-use-real-name]

20 hours ago, Aquaticdreams said:

We decided to cancel it due to the partial closure in Denali. We’re taking a Caribbean cruise next month instead. We really want to see as much of Denali as possible so we’ll just wait and go another time. For what it’s worth we had booked the one with the land portion starting in Fairbanks before the cruise. This was so there wouldn’t be all that backtracking on land and also to relax on the ship after the high activity level on the land portion. I’m sure others here will chime in on the pros and cons. Have a wonderful time whatever you decide!! 

Excellent plan to do the land tour portion first and then relax on the cruise ship for the balance.
 I personally favor this method.

Packing and unpacking living out of suitcase from night to night is bothersome to some.

With the cruise at the end there is no need to go through these motions.

But then consider that the land tour package at the end may be less expensive and the airline

transportation issue less of a hassle.

A matter of how much exertion and flaming hoops one wants to jump through -

The tours themselves will be pretty much the same - maybe a difference in time of day

and with that time difference - different animal species may or may not be seen. 

[Coral]

Is that only 4 days on land? If so - that is a lot of land to cover in 4 days.

 

When you plan it again - I would plan more time on land as distances are great and with 4 days - you are traveling most of the time.

[Coral]

On 12/21/2022 at 4:38 PM, Aquaticdreams said:

 This was so there wouldn’t be all that backtracking on land and also to relax on the ship after the high activity level on the land portion. I’m sure others here will chime in on the pros and cons. Have a wonderful time whatever you decide!! 

If you do the cruise part properly - you are not relaxed on the cruise portion. I have long days in port and am on deck viewing all day on sea days. Not like the Caribbean.

Edited December 26, 2022 by Coral

[satchimosmom]

I vote for Fairbanks. That train ride is remarkable! We saw lots of moose and other wildlife while onboard…plus, I just love trains! 😆