Help Needed before final payment

[LM23OHIO]

I would like input from past Cruise Land Tour experienced people on Holland, of thoughts on how hectic, rushy, rushy it is in the morning on the land portion of the trips. We are old, but desiring to see Alaska land, have done one Alaska cruise 20 yrs ago, now that we have put in our down payment are wondering if "we have bit of more than we can chew" so to speak. We have more things to attend to now in the AM than when we were young, to be at a meeting point at the crack of dawn.  Please give me input of how thee tours go. Thanks

[Mary229]

We did the Yukon Denali tour.  The Yukon portion was early on days you are moving from one location to the next.  Not the crack of dawn but only time for an early breakfast 

[oaktreerb]

It’s kind of rush, rushy.  Bags out the night before so you are carrying one small bag with you.    Some itineraries are less hectic than others.  The Yukon has a journey host to help you with issues that might arise.  On our last land trip we skipped the TWT tour into the park and the Riverboat/Gold Dredge because they were really early and we had done them before.  You may get a later TWT time.  If you want to go, take more days so it’s not such a rush.  Take time to enjoy the surroundings.  Breakfast in the morning is a nice buffet.  No waiting.  The tours are very well organized and you don’t have to handle your luggage.  Our first cruise tour was in 2005.  Then we had a tour director.  Now the tours are still well organized and there are HAL reps along the way to assist you when needed.  Only the Yukon offers a guide to travel with you.  That might be your best option.

[objko]

We've done the land tour and loved it!  We had at least 2 days we needed to be ready to board the bus to the next destination at 7 - 7:30  Other days was later.  If you can at all manage it, I hope you consider going.  It was a great trip, HAL was awesome.  That said, they are on a schedule so departure times are not very flexible.  

[Btimmer]

This summer is our 3rd year in a row that we are doing the land/sea tour in Alaska.  I'm also not a morning person, but I've made it work as Alaska is such a wonderful place to visit.  For this year's trip, we're doing the extended land portion which includes the train from Skagway and bus/airplane/train and bus transportation between the train ending point in Canada and our return trip from Whittier to Vancouver.  I should note that we are going north on HAL and south on Princess.

[ScottishMaid]

15 hours ago, LM23OHIO said:

I would like input from past Cruise Land Tour experienced people on Holland, of thoughts on how hectic, rushy, rushy it is in the morning on the land portion of the trips. We are old, but desiring to see Alaska land, have done one Alaska cruise 20 yrs ago, now that we have put in our down payment are wondering if "we have bit of more than we can chew" so to speak. We have more things to attend to now in the AM than when we were young, to be at a meeting point at the crack of dawn.  Please give me input of how thee tours go. Thanks

I have done the 3 nights on a HAL ship Vancouver to Skagway then tour to the Yukon and on to Anchorage twice. The first time was 10 or 11 nights which was tiring. The second time on the same route was one of the longest options to the same places for about 14 nights which was much better. Yes there are some early starts with bags packed and outside the room at 6:30 am then eat breakfast and be ready to go. I am not a "live out of a suitcase person"  and found hotel rooms at some stops small with little space to organize - Skagway and Whitehorse come to mind. But the places you will see and the scenery are amazing and totally different from the cruise ports. The bus and trains are great and the narration very interesting. There should be several included tours such as at Fairbanks a Gold Dredge and panning for gold and a trip on a sternwheeler on the river and seeing the Alaska pipeline. In Denali there is the ride into the park on a school bus and at Dawson a river outing on the Yukon (that may depend on how many nights total your tour is). I would suggest not paying for any additional tours but just relaxing at each place. I was about 60 the first time and just over seventy the second and active/fit.

[ScottishMaid]

2 hours ago, Btimmer said:

This summer is our 3rd year in a row that we are doing the land/sea tour in Alaska.  I'm also not a morning person, but I've made it work as Alaska is such a wonderful place to visit.  For this year's trip, we're doing the extended land portion which includes the train from Skagway and bus/airplane/train and bus transportation between the train ending point in Canada and our return trip from Whittier to Vancouver.  I should note that we are going north on HAL and south on Princess.

Tim

We will be on the Zaandam from 3rd July but just the 7 day round trip. We are taking our son, daughter in law and grandson along. He will be just 7 and would not do well sitting in buses and trains so we are introducing him to Alaska slowly. 

Hi to Angela from Jill (and Joe)

 

[alwaysfrantic]

While my situation was different, I want to say that the group had very many folks that sound similar to you and everyone got along ok.  The land portion isn’t too long and you can choose excursions that suit your own needs. 
 

I hope you’ll take the trip you planned.  Alaska is a special place.  

[LM23OHIO]

Thank You for your Message🙂

[LM23OHIO]

Should have said THANK YOU ALL for your messages, at first I only say the last message.

WE appreciate all the input!

[lcand1923]

My Dad and I did a Land/Sea trip when he was 79 and using a cane.  It would take him quite some time to get moving in the morning (the knees don’t loosen up as quickly some mornings).  He did skip a couple of things to just sit and look at the scenery, but considered the trip one of the best he had ever taken.

 

I do remember a couple of mornings when we needed to be ready to go around 7:30am, so we just set the alarm clock extra early to make certain that we made the departure time, but other mornings we could sleep in a bit.

[LM23OHIO]

 Thank you! we are 81 & 82 still upright and moving, but slowly some times. Working on hips & knee Physical Therapy now. Fingers crossed hopefully all goes well, thanks again.

[oaktreerb]

9 hours ago, LM23OHIO said:

 Thank you! we are 81 & 82 still upright and moving, but slowly some times. Working on hips & knee Physical Therapy now. Fingers crossed hopefully all goes well, thanks again.

Physical therapy works wonders.  Enjoy Alaska!