Kenai NP Boat Tour Options/Flying Out that PM

[Travalot]

I have been doing research, but can't discover it I have any good options for a boat tour of the Kenai National Park (we want approx. six hour trip as recommended by Budget Queen), while still making it to Anchorage that day for a 9:50 pm flight.

 

The problem is that the Ryndam isn't scheduled to arrive until 8 am, the time when many of the first tours of the day leave. Then the next available aren't until close to noon. Any help would be appreciated.

 

HAL's Ryndam - Northbound Alaska - May 28, 2004

 

[Budget Queen]

Your ship will be in Seward during the night- a lot of arrivals around 0200. I would suggest- perhaps- waiting until you get there and seeing if you can catch an 0800 tour. You will not make it back to Anchorage in time for a 1000pm flight going any later. (especially if you don't know your way around). I have been off northbound ships by 0700. I am not saying this is always the case but it may be likely. From the ship take a cab directly to the Kenai Fjords office- they will store your bags. You may want to call Kenai Fjords tours and inquire if HAL is an early disembarkment?? How are you getting to Anchorage?

[Travalot]

I'm currently holding an (expensive) one way car rental. It sounds like we might just have to enjoy the leisurely drive with stops to hike at Exit Glacier, etc.

 

Do recommend a trip on the Sterling Highway over toward Soldatna? Or would our time be spent better at places along the Seward Highway? Thanks so much!

 

(I have been concerned about the port time because the official Alaska site shows the vision getting in at 3 am, but doesn't show the Ryndam coming until 8 am...)

 

HAL's Ryndam - Northbound Alaska - May 28, 2004

 

[JohnQ]

As BQ indicated, if you can call or email the tour companies for Keani Fjords NP, maybe they know what time the Ryndam gets in and hold up their first tour until boat docks? We had the 8 or 8:30 tour and got done, ate, then drove to Anchorage, getting in way before you would have to be there. But we went the week before our Statendam southbound cruise, plus we were sightseeing more on the way down from Anch than the way back. Check with all the companies, maybe one of them has a later time. The Exit Glacier and Seavy Dog Kennel tours are also nice in Seward if you can't fit in the tour. Maybe even the 3hr bay tour?

[Budget Queen]

I don't recommend the 3 hour bay tour- if you only have one day. And no I don't recommend the Sterling Highway- unless you just want a look at the green river around Cooper Landing and return?? A side trip to Hope is worthwhile though. I would also try and see something in Anchorage. Request their guidebook and see if you can add something. www.anchorage.net

[Travalot]

Thanks for the advice...I had never heard of Hope but that sounds like a great stop.

 

I'm glad to hear about the Sterling Highway because we have gone as far as the Princess Lodge and the scenery to that point was out of this world...it would have made things complicated to go all the way across the peninsula.

 

Next time we'll leave time for the National Park boat tour. On this trip however, we are leaving the morning after school ends and arriving home a few hours before a wedding...no time to squeeze in more. Thanks everyone!

 

HAL's Ryndam - Northbound Alaska - May 28, 2004

 

[Tsunami]

Hi Travalot, I'm on your cruise

 

We booked the Kenai Fjords NP tour and transfer to Anchorage as a post-cruise excursion through HAL. Our cruise documents have us getting off the ship at 7:15 for the 8:00 cruise and arriving in Anchorage before 6:00 pm.

 

I went on this excursion in 1998 and LOVED it, a true highlight (of course, it was at the beginning of our cruise before we were glaciered and orca'd out - if that is at all possible, which I don't believe it is!)

[Travalot]

Tsunami - how is this handled? Do I just book the excursion as listed in HALs excursion book (Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise) and bus transfers also? I didn't know that they would have transportation running later...

 

So nice to have someone else from the boards on the cruise!

 

HAL's Ryndam - Northbound Alaska - May 28, 2004

 

[Tsunami]

Hi Travalot,

My Mom actually booked the post-cruise excursion at the same time as booking the cruise. I believe it was $349 pp which included the Kenai Fjords cruise, bus to Anchorage and overnight in Anchorage (I'm not returning to Minneapolis until the next am). It showed up in our cruise docs as leaving the ship at 7:15 am and being in Anchorage for dinner. I'm sure you can get it without the overnight but instead going to the airport - may need to call HAL or TA unless the website has both the Kenai Fjords cruise and the airport transfer. Best of luck!

 

It's going to be a great cruise - I can't wait!!

[Travalot]

My travel agent and I are going through HAL customer service H..ll trying to find out how to book this. It doesn't show up as a possibility to the customer service agents, but "inventory control" says it is possible. It takes three or four people to admit it is possible, then they have contradictory info on how it is done. I'm going to try again tomorrow because it is a GREAT alternative for us.

 

HAL's Ryndam - Northbound Alaska - May 28, 2004