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Help! Did I Make a Mistake Booking Denali And McKinley Princess Lodges?


scottam

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Did we make a mistake here? The more I read on the boards, the more I think we did it all wrong.

 

We are on a Princess Cruise Tour and, on the recommendation of our travel agent, are spending 1 night at Denali Princess, 2 Nights at McKinley, and 1 night at Fairbanks. Seems to me, we should be staying 2 nights at Denali and 1 night at McKinley or skipping McKinley altogether.

 

But it seems that McKinley is so far from anywhere - including the park itself which is why we did this cruisetour - and the only reason to go there is to spend more money on Princess excursions. At Denali there are many more things to do on our own or free, we'd be less time restricted and would be closer to the park.

 

Currently, we arrive late in the afternoon at Denali and the next day we are scheduled for the 7am - 2pm Nat Wilderness Tour at Denali, and because of timing we're hesitant to do the longer shuttle on our own for fear of being late and being left behind later that day for the ride to Fairbanks.

 

Can anyone think of a good reason why this recommendation would have been made. Should I try to change it? If I can't change it, we will, of course, make the most of it and are willing to book an excursion at McKinley, but what things can we do there on our own?

 

Thanks for any input that can help me sort this out!

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Please- I am answering since you are asking, and certainly, my opinion only.

 

This is a poor tour choice if your priority is Denali park, scenery and wildlife. For me, the McKinley Lodge is no place I would be without a car. The State Parks do offer some nice hikes. McKinley Princess was build as an overflow area due to limited space and availability at the National Park, also adds revenue days for Princess. Problem is, many people don't know enough about Alaska to make an informed decision on what they are purchasing, I will speculate this fits your agent. I blame the vague descriptions and the glossing over plenty that is important that should be noted before booking- including time and distances. It would not be "normal" in most areas to have 8 hours on a train and you wouldn't expect that without notation in itineraries- just one example.

 

I never mean to sound harsh, but I get emails just about daily about cruisetours and have heard it all. :)

 

This is a costly trip for many people, I suggest, since it sounds like you are not happy with this tour, change it, if possible. For some it isn't. I do however suggest, you do change your Natural History tour, out of your entire itinerary, this is the most important part of your tour. I would think you would be able to make the 6pm Polychrome shuttle at least getting you to mile 33.

 

As for McKinley Princess, get to Talkeetna, if arriving/departing by train, extend that timeframe, rather than shuttling back and forth. Flightseeing is just excellent for McKinley.

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Yes, will agree w/BQ. We started out w/Princess cruisetour 7S and quickly after reading these boards, changed our whole group of 12 to the 9S so we could get the Tundra Wilderness Tour and 2 nights at the Denali lodge. We are going a day early, and spending one day in Fairbanks on our own. Actually, if there weren't 12 of us, I would have cancelled the entire land portion and done it on our own. Too hard to do w/that many people, and several are fairly elderly and rather dependent when it comes to travel.

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My comments come from my experience as driver/guide for Alaska/Yukon cruisetours for most of the past 17 years (until retiring last August). There are SOME cruisetours that work well for SOME people. The majority of people, though, seem to know little about what they bought (often on the recommendation of a TA with little or no Alaska experience). The McKinley Princess is beautiful, and the view of Denali from there on a good day is superb ( http://www.explorenorth.com/articles/images/denali-mckinley-5331.html ), but for folks like you with a Park focus, isn't a good choice, for reasons you already know. I suggest you switch.

 

Murray

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Thank you so much for the feedback so far. I am hearing what I expected to hear and am going to call my TA to see about making a change. I fear that it is either not possible or, if it is, will be costly as we leave in 30 days and we've been fully paid for a while now. We'll see ... it certainly can't hurt to ask.

 

The funny thing is, we NEVER book tours like this. We ALWAYS book cruise excursions on our own and plan our own land-based travel - all over the world! For some reason I was was a little overwhelmed by the vastness of Alaska in the 4 days we have following the cruise, so I thought this would be a better way to maximize our time and not have to worry about the details.

 

Turns out, trying to dig into the vague descriptions and lack of info from Prinecess, both before and after booking, has been more work and research than if we'd done it ourselves. If I could, I'd cancel the whole land portion and do it on our own.

 

Thanks again and keep the thoughts coming. If we can't change you'll be hearing more from me to help figure out what we can do while at McKinley for 2 nights.

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We're staying two nights at the "McKinley Village Lodge". Is this the same area? We were told we were in Denali for 2 nights.:confused:

 

No, not the same area as the McKinley Princess. You are right outside the entrance of the Denali National Park. :)

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We're staying two nights at the "McKinley Village Lodge". Is this the same area? We were told we were in Denali for 2 nights.:confused:

 

The Village is 6 miles or so from the Park gates, and is one of my favourite Denali properties (I've stayed there many times). Most independent excursions pick up there and they have regular shuttles to the Park attractions. The restaurant is excellent. The higher your building number, the newer and better the rooms.

 

Murray

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BQ and Yukon,

Can you recommend a couple of nice, REASONABLE hotels in or around Denali Park to stay?

Do you think we should stay right in the park or outside? We will have a car so driving is not an issue.

 

We would like to have like a small kitchenette and for sure our own private bathroom.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thank you

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Thank you so much Yukon and BQ......that's exactly what I wanted to hear! This is our first trip to Alaska and we are so excited! We went with a cruisetour cause we didn't know what we were doing! We'll be happy with whatever we see! Can't wait to experience this beautiful state.:D

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We have done the Princess Cruise Tours twice, the last being June 2006. I would do Denali 2 Nights, your chances of a clear day in the mountains at Princess McKinley Lodge are not good, there is more more to do at denali.

 

Click to Enlarge

p><p><img src=[/img]

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While I'm not BQ or Yukon, my wife and I drive up to Denali every year and prefer staying north of the park in Healy. Our favorite place is Denali Lakeview but there are many other accommodations. You're less than 15 miles from "glitter gulch" and the busy tourist area so it is much quieter.

 

I recommend using http://www.tripadvisor.com which will give you a listing for the Healy area. Then you can check out individual hotels.

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As others have said, the McKinley Princess is beautiful but it is in the middle of nowhere. Best asset is the great view of Denali if the weather is clear.

 

Far better to spend more time in the park area although the hotels in the "glitter gulch" zone tend to be a zoo in the summer time.

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RSWBADGER - We are on a Princess Cruisetour with 2 nights in Denali, and 1 night in Anchorage and McKinley. Also on the Coral. Any tips on the land side. I was thinking of booking a flight around McKinley on arrival at Talkeetna. Also, how was the Coral?

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RSWBADGER - We are on a Princess Cruisetour with 2 nights in Denali, and 1 night in Anchorage and McKinley. Also on the Coral. Any tips on the land side. I was thinking of booking a flight around McKinley on arrival at Talkeetna. Also, how was the Coral?

 

You did the exact tour we did last year, the Coral is a fantastic ship, we had a mini-suite which offered great views of Alaska. We did the Pre-cruise first and then sailed Whittier to Vancouver. We did Freestyle Dining and had a private table for two each night.

 

I cannot personally help you with the flight to McKinley, we visited Talkeetna the morning of our train to Whittier and walked to the river, great for breakfast/lunch.

 

Here is a link for Talkeetna Airflights

http://www.talkeetnatours.com/tours/tourDetail.cfm?tour_id=2750

2750-1.jpg

Coral, Click to Enlarge

<a href=2269294170079335670S500x500Q85.jpg' alt=

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RSWBADGER - Thanks for the reply! We are on 4S and hit McKinley 1st, then Denali. We arrive Talkeetna @ 11:30 and I thought we might get a 1:00 flight before going to the Lodge. Is my thinking/timing OK?

 

Good timing to have some lunch at the "Roadhouse".

<a href=2511098040079335670S600x600Q85.jpg' alt=

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Please- I am answering since you are asking, and certainly, my opinion only.

 

This is a poor tour choice if your priority is Denali park, scenery and wildlife. For me, the McKinley Lodge is no place I would be without a car. The State Parks do offer some nice hikes. McKinley Princess was build as an overflow area due to limited space and availability at the National Park, also adds revenue days for Princess. Problem is, many people don't know enough about Alaska to make an informed decision on what they are purchasing, I will speculate this fits your agent. I blame the vague descriptions and the glossing over plenty that is important that should be noted before booking- including time and distances. It would not be "normal" in most areas to have 8 hours on a train and you wouldn't expect that without notation in itineraries- just one example.

 

I never mean to sound harsh, but I get emails just about daily about cruisetours and have heard it all. :)

 

This is a costly trip for many people, I suggest, since it sounds like you are not happy with this tour, change it, if possible. For some it isn't. I do however suggest, you do change your Natural History tour, out of your entire itinerary, this is the most important part of your tour. I would think you would be able to make the 6pm Polychrome shuttle at least getting you to mile 33.

 

As for McKinley Princess, get to Talkeetna, if arriving/departing by train, extend that timeframe, rather than shuttling back and forth. Flightseeing is just excellent for McKinley.

 

Budget Queen, well said. I'm afraid it's not what scottam was hoping to hear, but it seems to me the agent doesn't understand the dynamics of Alaska. Even worse, from the time line on his post, it looks as though it's too late to make a change if he's within 30 days of sailing.

 

My recommendation: I would find out exactly what tour you're booked on. You state Natural Wilderness Tour. It's either the Natural History Tour or the Tundra Wilderness Tour. If indeed it's the Natural History Tour try your best to have it upgraded to the Tundra Wildnerness Tour. Since it sounds as though you're taking the Motorcoach to Fairbanks, possibly you will have time for the longer TWT. I know many feel the shuttle bus is much better than the Tundra Wilderness Tour, but I've done both, and since the TWT takes you to to at least Tolkat (is that spelling right???), it's not a bad option. The drivers on the TWT have the most experience of all the drivers in Denali and ours anyway had a passion and incredible knowlodge for the park/wildlife/mtn formation. He was so inspiring, we all came away with a great memory of this fantastic park!

 

One more thing. When we arrived in Talkeetna the folks from Talkeetna Aero (we booked it independently) picked us up right at the train depot and took us to the airport. After the flight they took us back into Talkeetna. Princess has a shuttle from Talkeetna back to the lodge, so I would think that would work. Take the very last shuttle back to the Princess Lodge and enjoy funky/quirky Talkeetna...we love that town! I agree with Budget Queen, spend as much time as possible in Talkeetna!

 

Hope this helps!

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RSWBADGER - Thanks for the reply! We are on 4S and hit McKinley 1st, then Denali. We arrive Talkeetna @ 11:30 and I thought we might get a 1:00 flight before going to the Lodge. Is my thinking/timing OK?

 

Yes, this is good timing. Take a look at the different flightseeing, several different routes and altitudes. My clear preference are the summit flights, nothing as spectualar as going over the top. :)

 

It is the Talkeetna Roadhouse. From the depot- facing the road, turn right, then left at the "Welcome to beautiful downtownTalkeetna" sign. 1 block down on your left. Excellent for lunch, but sometimes soup and bread for supper, if you want to eat light. They are best at breakfast for their sourdough pancakes and cinnamon rolls.

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TWT takes you to to at least Tolkat (is that spelling right???), it's not a bad option. The drivers on the TWT have the most experience of all the drivers in Denali and ours anyway had a passion and incredible knowlodge for the park/wildlife/mtn formation, that was to say the least inspiring!

 

!

 

 

 

Toklat- mile 53 :) I have to disagree on the superiority of the tour bus drivers. I've had shuttle bus drivers- high seniority, been driving the park 15 + years. Their knowledge was what was needed- trends in Denali Park, knowing where wildlife has been and habits.

 

Knowing the mode of travel for Fairbanks and activites would give a better timeline?? If it can't be determined, I still strongly suggest the Polychrome shuttle bus that leaves at 6pm to mile 33. With a refund for the Natural History tour- that's likely what they got??? It will be a "free" trip- since it's about $20.

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http://www.reservedenali.com/shuttle_bus.php

 

Shuttle Bus Reservations

Polychrome 46 Miles One Way, 5 hours Round Trip, Adult: $22.50

Named after the area's multi-colored bluffs, Polychrome Overlook offers spectacular views of the Alaska Range.

 

Toklat 53 Miles One Way, 6 hours Round Trip, Adult: $22.50

Toklat River is an area of merging glacial rivers and towering cliffs. Dall Sheep are often seen and grizzlies sometimes graze the riverbed’s soapberries.

 

 

vtsmap.gif

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Budget Queen, well said. I'm afraid it's not what scottam was hoping to hear, but it seems to me the agent doesn't understand the dynamics of Alaska. Even worse, from the time line on his post, it looks as though it's too late to make a change if he's within 30 days of sailing.

 

My recommendation: I would find out exactly what tour you're booked on. You state Natural Wilderness Tour. It's either the Natural History Tour or the Tundra Wilderness Tour. If indeed it's the Natural History Tour try your best to have it upgraded to the Tundra Wildnerness Tour. Since it sounds as though you're taking the Motorcoach to Fairbanks, possibly you will have time for the longer TWT. I know many feel the shuttle bus is much better than the Tundra Wilderness Tour, but I've done both, and since the TWT takes you to to at least Tolkat (is that spelling right???), it's not a bad option. The drivers on the TWT have the most experience of all the drivers in Denali and ours anyway had a passion and incredible knowlodge for the park/wildlife/mtn formation. He was so inspiring, we all came away with a great memory of this fantastic park!

 

One more thing. When we arrived in Talkeetna the folks from Talkeetna Aero (we booked it independently) picked us up right at the train depot and took us to the airport. After the flight they took us back into Talkeetna. Princess has a shuttle from Talkeetna back to the lodge, so I would think that would work. Take the very last shuttle back to the Princess Lodge and enjoy funky/quirky Talkeetna...we love that town! I agree with Budget Queen, spend as much time as possible in Talkeetna!

 

Hope this helps!

 

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I have called TA and they said a change was doubtful because of limited availability at Denali Lodge but they are checking. I checked on Princesslodge.com and the two nights that we would stay as a result of our change show as being booked. :( We'll see what happens.

 

SEpyle,

Thanks for your input too! You're right, BQs answer wasn't at all what I wanted to hear, however it is what I suspected and it is good to have my suspicions verified! :)

 

We are on the Tundra Wilderness Tour and I'm thrilled that I learned a while back from these boards to upgrade to that from the other one. Our transport between Denali and Fairbanks is rail.

 

And thanks for the tip for Talkeetna! We arrive there at about 12:45. We had considered a flightseeing tour from there and your suggestion sounds like a good way to maximize our time. Does anyone know where/how I can find out ahead of time what time the last shuttle goes back to the lodge?

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SEpyle,

Thanks for your input too! You're right, BQs answer wasn't at all what I wanted to hear, however it is what I suspected and it is good to have my suspicions verified! :)

 

We are on the Tundra Wilderness Tour and I'm thrilled that I learned a while back from these boards to upgrade to that from the other one. Our transport between Denali and Fairbanks is rail.

 

And thanks for the tip for Talkeetna! We arrive there at about 12:45. We had considered a flightseeing tour from there and your suggestion sounds like a good way to maximize our time. Does anyone know where/how I can find out ahead of time what time the last shuttle goes back to the lodge?

 

So glad you are on the TWT. As Budget Queen said, she's had great drivers on the shuttle bus. Everyone has different experiences. Our TWT driver had 23 years under his belt in Denali, and was amazing. Our shuttle bus driver had only a few, and just wasn't as good. He spent much of his time asking where everyone was from and had feedback as to his knowledge of that area. I really wasn't there to find out where people were from and I really do think it was to fill time, because this particular person simply didn't have the knowledge as experienced by many. Afterall, our opinion of anything is shaped by our particular experience. Bottom line...if you were going to be doing the Natural History Tour I would say be all means, switch to the shuttle bus, but since you have the upgraded tour, you will have a great time!

 

Have a wonderful time, and the best part: If you are anything like most of us on this board...this will be your first trip; not your last! Our first year my husband insisted on doing a cruisetour (thru Celebrity). It was wonderful, but last year we went back and did our own tour. My daughter works on the Princess trains as a dining car server, so naturally we took the train, but booked eveything on our own. This year we really didn't plan on going back, but she's convincing us that we need to come in September because it is so beautiful. We really hadn't planned on going back this year because we are expecting grand baby #1 from another daugher in just a couple weeks. Even so, we've decided to carve out more vacation time and will most likely enjoy the wonders of Alaska once again! This time we are looking forward to renting a car and enjoy Alaska in yet another way!

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Pyle,

Whether we make the change or not, DH and I are super excited about this trip and we will have a good time regardless. I can't belive how long ago it was booked and now only 30 days away. Almost time to start packing! :)

 

Congrats on your grand baby! How exciting! Yes, this is (obviously! ) our first trip but I already think we'll be going back someday and when that happens, we'll definately do it on our own.

 

Thanks for the input and enjoy your next trip back to Alaska!

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