time change/jet lag

[kimcht]

can someone tell me what the time difference is form eastern standard time to whatever anchorage is? I have booked a cruise for next july with a pre cruise tour. now looking at airfare and am wondering if I need to add yet another xtra day in anchorage ( I already planned one before the actual tour starts)

all the flights seem to end up in anchorage at 11 pm which I believe will probably be at least 3 in the morning for us (seems such a waste to pay so much for a hotel room at that point!!) If then we crash when we finally get checked in, I probably won't be human after such a long flight till the afternoon and all of the excursions I looked into start in the morning. how much time has it taken other eastern time zone people to adjust? would I be better off just relaxing in and around the hotel that first day and start running the next? I hate to add even more expense, but I'm allready spending so much I want to be able to enjoy it and not be half asleep. any advice is appreciated. thanks, Kim

[scmomofboys]

The time change from the east coast is 4 hours, i.e. 12 noon east coast is 8am in Anchorage. Even with the exhausting 11 hours plus of travel time, we still end up waking up at 3 or 4am the day after we arrive. Likewise, we were ready for bed about 7 or 8pm those first few days. An extra day to get your bearings and explore a little on your own would be a nice idea if you can swing it financially and without sacrificing any of your touring. But we really didn't have too much trouble with the time change. Now coming home was a different story! IMO I I'd rather have a day after the trip to regroup.

[qiangf2]

Alaska is one hour behind west coast. If you are going to Yukon from Skagway, keep in mind the time difference between Carcross and Skagway is one hour so you won't miss your scheduled excursion.

[fti]

The day before you leave, begin thinking in your mind "what time is it where I am going?" and begin to adjust as best you can. So if you leave early in the morning from the east coast, it is even earlier in Alaska - force yourself to rest on the first flight. Even use those eye blinders to help. Skip any meal they might serve on that first flight.

 

Change your watch to AK time as soon as you get to the airport on the east coast.

 

I know these are small things and many people will say "I can't sleep on planes." But the sooner you begin to adjust, the easier it will be. Earlier this month I took a trip to Cambodia. I was only gone from Thursday to the following Wednesday - it took about twice as long to fly there and back as I spend in Cambodia. But I began to adjust to the 12 hour time difference from the beginning and I did very well with jet lag. Did even better on the return. I force myself to stay awake for example on long flights when I feel tired but it is "daytime" where I am going. That way I am tired when I arrive and sleep through the night 95% of the time. Almost everyone else is sleeping on the flight but they will have problems sleeping through the night when they arrive at their destination.

 

John

[cruisernh]

Good advice fti. We will be flying from the east cost to fairbanks.

We figure getting up "early" for Denali tour wont really seem early to us.

[NancyIL]

The day before you leave, begin thinking in your mind "what time is it where I am going?" and begin to adjust as best you can. So if you leave early in the morning from the east coast, it is even earlier in Alaska - force yourself to rest on the first flight. Even use those eye blinders to help. Skip any meal they might serve on that first flight.

 

 

Meals on flights? Only in your dreams or in first class! :D Btw - NO WAY was I skipping those hot nuts and the fresh-baked brownies on my first class flights!

 

I didn't find the time change to be that tiring when flying to Vancouver and home from Anchorage. It's nothing compared to flying overseas. But - if I were going on a cruisetour, I would fly in an extra day earlier to relax.

[GMoney]

I was much more jet lagged returning from, rather than going to, Alaska, so I definitely agree with folks about a day or 2 to recover once you're home.

[fti]

Meals on flights? Only in your dreams or in first class! :D Btw - NO WAY was I skipping those hot nuts and the fresh-baked brownies on my first class flights!

 

Believe it or not, Delta served a snack box on a red eye from LAX to Atlanta - I slept through it. Most airlines give some sort of food to/from Anchorage, if even a granola bar. Northwest serves NOTHING within the US, including AK and HI - and HI is often longer than to Europe!

 

I had to chuckle earlier this month when I flew Southwest from Orlando to Las Vegas. I remember ads in years gone by about how on Southwest you got nothing compared with other airlines because of their low fares. Well, on Southwest we had peanuts plus a snack box with 3-4 different snacks. We also had pillows and blankets.

 

On Northwest (who I fly most often) - NO pillows, NO blankets, NO peanuts, NO free snacks (you can buy a small can of Pringles for $2 on board but you can buy a large can in a supermarket for $1).

 

John

[NancyIL]

I was much more jet lagged returning from, rather than going to, Alaska, so I definitely agree with folks about a day or 2 to recover once you're home.

 

Maybe it's just me, but the 3 times I have flown to Europe, I've gotten used to the new time within a day of arriving there. It took ~ a week to get back to normal after flying home.

[kimcht]

thanks for the reply's, your advice as always is helpfull. my son lives in Phoenix, a 3 hour difference so I guess its not much different than going there, just a much longer flight. by the way, continental still does pillows, blankets and light meals, got muffin, granola bar, cereal and raisins for breakfast and a salad and pizza on the way back just a few weeks ago. kim

[GORDONCHICK]

I was much more jet lagged returning from, rather than going to, Alaska, so I definitely agree with folks about a day or 2 to recover once you're home.

 

Add me to this category! With the excitement of the cruise and everything, I had no problem getting into the swing of things. DH, on the other hand was a grumpy bear when dinner rolled around. After that first night, he began eating a burger in the afternoon and a very light dinner. He had the least amount of problems with the time difference when we came back, but he sure was a pain those first few days!!!!