Best way to visit Alaska on a budget

[GTJ]

10 hours ago, donaldsc said:

You don't actually have to go into Denali to see Mt Denali (BTW - the name for the mountain is now Mt Denali and not Mt McKinley).

I was curious about the nomenclature, having recalled the change in name of the park in 1980, from Mount McKinley National Park to Denali National Park and Preserve, but keeping the name of the mountain as Mount McKinley. A little digging around online uncovered the facts. It was on August 28, 2015, that Sally Jewell, then the interior secretary, signed secretarial order no. 3337, taking effect immediately, that "change[d] the name of Mount McKinley in the State of Alaska to Denali." See http://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/elips/documents/3337 - Changing the Name of Mount McKinley to Denali.pdf. There was a bit of political controversy in the re-naming, pitting some from Ohio (the home state of assassinated President McKinley) against others from Alaska, but it would not have been substantial as I would certainly have recalled it if it were substantial. One correction should be made to the prior post, however. The renaming eliminated not only "McKinley" from the name, but also the prefix "Mount." The mountain is now known simply as "Denali," not "Mount Denali."

[Glaciers]

47 minutes ago, GTJ said:

The renaming eliminated not only "McKinley" from the name, but also the prefix "Mount." The mountain is now known simply as "Denali," not "Mount Denali."

Thank you for clarifying this. So many want to add the “Mount” to Denali and it’s just incorrect. Most of the locals have always called it Denali regardless of any recent change.

[Lumidapri]

On 8/31/2022 at 1:32 PM, Coral said:

Regardless what line you sail, I would factor in the recommended cost of gratuities as part of the cost of cruising. They are often spread out amongst staff that work hard that you may not encounter on a daily basis (they work behind the scenes to support those you see every day).

Isn't the cost of the cruise suppose to cover the "behind the scene" staff? I don't think one expects to cruise on a ghost ship. The expectations are that the cruise cost will factor in the services that must be provided to each and every passenger. The tips and gratuities I see as compensation for going above and beyond expectations. Its nonsense to tip for bad service.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, Lumidapri said:

Isn't the cost of the cruise suppose to cover the "behind the scene" staff? I don't think one expects to cruise on a ghost ship. The expectations are that the cruise cost will factor in the services that must be provided to each and every passenger. The tips and gratuities I see as compensation for going above and beyond expectations. Its nonsense to tip for bad service.

Not on many lines. Tips are expected as salaries for certain service positions are bare bones ($100/month). I encourage you to look at the line you are traveling and see what is expected. Most main stream lines charge a daily fee or you can book your cruise and have the fee included with a package.

 

Look into the expectations of the line you are sailing. When it comes to cruising -the "when in Rome" thought processes are expected.

Edited January 5, 2023 by Coral

[GTJ]

On 1/5/2023 at 11:00 AM, Lumidapri said:

Isn't the cost of the cruise suppose to cover the "behind the scene" staff? * * * The tips and gratuities I see as compensation for going above and beyond expectations. Its nonsense to tip for bad service.

You're entirely correct on how tipping developed, and, in my opinion, what it should be. The cruise lines (and some other industries as well) have perverted tipping to favor their own interests. The monies collected by the cruise lines for "gratuities" are not given specific individuals based on the quality of the services they have provided to guests. While the cruises claim that the gratuities are collected and distributed to their personnel for services performed, they are distributed uniformly without regard to quality of service, and are effectively a component of their wages. Their collection by the cruise lines as a fixed amount, and in an environment in which passengers are expected not to object or vary from these amounts, further supports the position that this is just another mandatory fixed charge in payment for the cruise.Why do cruise lines do this? First, it allows the cruise lines to lower the apparent price of the cruise, by excluding the amount of the gratuities from the fares it advertises. Second, it allows the cruise lines to not pay a commission to their agents for the sale of cruises.

 

the old way is better. Inclusive cruise prices, where the price advertised includes all the services routinely provided. Envelopes provided if passengers receive exemplary service and desire to provide tangible gratitude to those individuals who personally delivered that service, and on an exceptional, not routine, basis.

[oaktreerb]

A simple answer to the question.  If you have children, take the Princess cruise out of Vancouver that goes through Glacier Bay.  You will disembark in Whittier and you can take a bus or train by ship transfer to Anchorage where you can rent a car.  You sound like you have done some good research concerning Denali.  Only appx 30% will see the mountain from various points between Anchorage and Denali.  You can get a great view from the Princess lodge in Talkeetna when the mountain is “out”.  So, rent your car in Anchorage (or Whittier) and the sooner you rent it the cheaper it will be.  Downtown Anchorage is a good source for more than one car rental company.  The Anchorage airport is more expensive for rentals.  

 

Plan your itinerary by researching online for visitor’s information, like Travel Alaska.   Plan ahead as a lot of visitors enjoy DIY trips in Alaska.

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by oaktreerb