Alaska Land Program - Denali Tours

[Joanandjoe]

We're booked on the Mariner for the 5/27/2008 cruise from Vancouver to Seward. We chose this because we feel Regent is the best line that is scheduled to be in Alaska next year, and because we loved our 2005 Canada-New England cruise on the Navigator. This will be our second cruise to Alaska (the first was on HAL in 1998), and we'll end up going only if we can find a good cruise tour. If not, we'll either go somewhere else, or with a different cruise line.

 

We're looking at two land programs, both involving Denali: Denali and the Alaska Northern Frontier (Anchorage, Denali, and Fairbanks) or Discover Denali (Kenai, Anchorage, and Denali). Our concern is the hotels, other than the wonderful sounding Alyeska resort on Kenai. The hotels in Anchorage (Hilton), Denali (Grande Denali) and Fairbanks (Pike's Waterfront Lodge) all get poor to middling reviews on TripAdvisor.com. One would expect terrific hotels from Regent.

 

Has anyone been on either of these land programs? If so, please share your experiences. Thanks.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

The accomdations are rustic - we booked the Grande Denali for last year but missed it due to the Mariner Pod program and we were forced to cancel our post cruise. Alaska is not the destination for luxury other than on board ship. But the beauty is hard to beat.

[Dreps]

As ChatKat said, Alaska is rustic, so it is difficult to find "luxury." Are you willing to put together your own program? That's what we did in 2004 when we were on the Mariner, and it is easy in Alaska. When we landed, we rented a car at the airport and stayed overnight in Anchorage. It was not luxurious--I think a Hampton Inn--but it was available, and we used "points." Then we drove up to Talkeetna. It was such a beautiful day that we stopped at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, where we had reservations for the following 2 nights and dropped off some luggage. Then we went to the small airport for a flight over McKinley. We were going to take it a couple of days later, but when the weather is clear, you don't want to miss the opportunity. Then we drove up to Denali, where we stayed at a B&B for a night so we could get an early start going into the Park. I had arranged for tickets on the Shuttle into the Park on the Internet. After about 8 hours in the Park, we drove back to Talkeetna and did some tours around there. The Lodge gets fairly good TripAdvisor (TA) reviews, and I just noticed that a B&B (the Talkeetna Chalet), gets really good TA reviews. After our stay in Talkeetna, we drove back to the airport, dropped the car off, and boarded the Radisson (now Regent) train car for the trip to Seward. Unfortunately, I don't think the train transfer is still offered. Anyway, we were very happy with our pre-cruise. And you can certainly make changes to our itinerary (include the Kensai Peninsula). If you'd like more details, feel free to drop me a line at dreps@comcast.net (though we're leaving for Osaka and the Mariner tomorrow morning).

[Joanandjoe]

Unfortunately, I don't think the train transfer is still offered. Anyway, we were very happy with our pre-cruise. And you can certainly make changes to our itinerary (include the Kensai Peninsula). If you'd like more details, feel free to drop me a line at dreps@comcast.net (though we're leaving for Osaka and the Mariner tomorrow morning).

 

I believe the train is still offered: at least, it's listed in Regent Voyages. We'll have to think about whether we're brave enough to do things on our own.

 

Have a great trip. How many legs of the Grand Voyage will you be on? That's quite a voyage: Seward to Osaka, Osaka to Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Bangkok, Bangkok to Singapore, Signapore to Aukland, and Aukland to LA. We wonder if we'll ever be able to take such a long cruise.

 

Chatkat, when the Mariner voyage was canceled due to the pod problem, were youy able to book something else? What a bummer!

[Dreps]

We're on two segments -- from Osaka to Bangkok. We did Sydney to Auckland in 2005. After we disembark in Bangkok, we are going to Siem Reap, Cambodia, for a few days at Angkor Wat before returning to the States. This will be the longest trip we've ever taken.

[mtd100]

We stayed at the Grande Denali for two nights last year after our cruise and enjoyed it. The GD is up on a mountain and is not in middle of "Glitter Gulch" (the commercial area) which we enjoyed. The rooms are adequate, and the bed wasn't very comfortable, but the views more than make up for the short comings. There is a shuttle from the hotel every twenty minutes which will take you to the more commercial area, where there are coffee and sandwich shops, or to one of the other hotels, to pick up the buses for the tours of Denali.

 

It is easy to make your own travel arrangements in Alaska, and way less expensive than using RSSC. The tour companies in Kenai will meet you at the cruise terminal, and after the tour will take you to the train station, to catch the train to Anchorage.

 

If you take the train from Anchorage to Denali, the hotel will pick you up at the station, and there is a shuttle back to the station after your stay.

 

You can call the Alaska Railroad and they can set up a package for you, including the train ride, hotel stays, and different tour options.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

The cruise lines basically use one company to book their post cruise offerings to Denali. They hoard all the reservations and the transportation as well! I had throughly researched this because we had a group of 14 who made the trip - primarily to see Denali. We were able to book because Regent's sail dates are different than HAL's and Princess.

 

Because of the pod problem, we were unable to go to Denali. We did get up to Talkeetna for one day. Our planned itinerary was to go via Limo Bus (Kenny Timberwolf - Timberwolf Tours and Limo) from Whittier to Denali; Two nights in Denali and the third day via the Gold Star Train to Anchorage with one night at the hotel (the name of the hotel escapes me). Kenny went out of his way for us so we had a tour of Anchorage and then took a tour up to Talkeetna stopping at Iditerod Headquaters. We got to see and handle puppies and got a sled ride too. One day we'll go back to see Denali. Not sure we will cruise it a 3rd time. Just fly up to see Denali and the Northern Lights.

[Joanandjoe]

Now that Alaska cruise season is over, does anyone else have any comments on Regent's Alaska "Land and Hotel" programs? It sounds as if one could get similar programs, for much less money, from independednt tour companies such as Alaska Tour and Travel.

[hvsteve1]

I know I've posted this before. We did the Mariner southbound from Seward two years ago. We booked a tour other than Redisson due to the cost. I think the company was Premier. Premier also seemed to do Radisson with RSSC logos on the busses. The driver who picked us up at the airport drove the Radisson bus a day later when both tours left. We went with the Radisson group to the ship after the tour ended as the Premier bus was taking their people to the Whittier. The tours were pretty much parallel except RSSC had some meals included, ate at better places and stayed at better hotels. Whether it was worth the price difference, I don't know. One big difference...the Radisson people traveled with other Radisson passengers. We were on a bus with passengers from the (yecccchhh) mass market lines. A totally different crowd.

[Joanandjoe]

Any additional views on whether to go with Regent or private tours and, if Regent, which of the two tours to take?

[RachelG]

I've been to Alaska many times and would not do a Regent pre or post tour. This is a place you can easily do on your own if you don't mind driving. Can pick up a rental car in Seward and end up in either Anchorage or Fairbanks. Having stayed at Alyeska four different times in the past 10 years, I have to say, it is not all that great. But it has gotten much better. It has changed ownership several times. The first 2 times we stayed there the service was very poor. We do not eat in the restaurants at the hotel at all--much better choices close-by. The only reason I have stayed there 4 times is because I attend a meeting that is held there.

The Kenai Princess Lodge is quite nice, and you can book there without being on a Princess cruise. I think their Denali lodge is similar though I haven't stayed there.

In Anchorage, we too have stayed at the Hilton--because my husband has lots of Hilton points. It is ok, not great, but completely acceptable for overnight, esp if using points.

[Joanandjoe]

Since we don't want to rent a car, our TA recommends a customized tour through Knightly tours. Does anyone have any experience with this company?