Cruise tour Alaska

[easy spirit]

Narrowed my search to Holland America's Zaandam departing 8/31/08 from Vancouver to Anchorage. Being to Alaska on Princess back in 1987 & this itinerary is very similar. My main interest now is exploring the inside of Alaska but with comfort. We are 2 couples that have an additional week with for the land tour. As these forum is a wealth of information I have few questions.

• cruise-tour with the cruise line, on our own with a local tour company?
  
• is the Alyeska Resort worth spending 2 nights?
  
• optional tour to Barrow to see the eskimos or to the Artic circle to see the Midnight Sun?

I know these are my preferences but the feedback with options & recommendations is always appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Budget Queen]

If you are open to independent travel, that will get you more of your interests, it is doubtful you will find a crusetour with your current list. For me Barrow is not a day trip, but there was a review last season of someone who raved about one. I would think you would need more than a week, to be able to include it, along with Kenai Fjords and Denali Park??? For me, no I wouldn't spend 2 nights at Alyeska- what are you planning on doing in that timeframe?? It would depend on your interest and activities??

 

It would be more helpful, if you list your other activites- if you have them?? If only Barrow, and Girdwood are your only interests, then go with those and easy planning. But if you are looking in general, get your homework done and make a list. Then put it together.

[wolfie11]

 

cruise-tour with the cruise line, on our own with a local tour company?

• is the Alyeska Resort worth spending 2 nights?
  
• optional tour to Barrow to see the eskimos or to the Artic circle to see the Midnight Sun?

 

Cruise tours are a really good way to increase the cruise lines' profits without seeing much of Alaska. You are much better off renting a car and going on your own.

 

I spent three nights at Aleyeska one time at a conference. I would have been happy with a half day. Of course we had record rains the whole time I was there. This is a very weather-dependent place. If the weather is nice, the ride to the top of the mountain and plenty of hiking are good.

 

You will not see the midnight sun at the end of August. By mid-September we are back to 12 hours of daylight. They are whaling in Barrow this time of year though. Interesting, but it can be a bit stinky in town if they are butchering.

[stired]

Narrowed my search to Holland America's Zaandam departing 8/31/08 from Vancouver to Anchorage. Being to Alaska on Princess back in 1987 & this itinerary is very similar. My main interest now is exploring the inside of Alaska but with comfort. We are 2 couples that have an additional week with for the land tour. As these forum is a wealth of information I have few questions.

• cruise-tour with the cruise line, on our own with a local tour company?
  
• is the Alyeska Resort worth spending 2 nights?
  
• optional tour to Barrow to see the eskimos or to the Artic circle to see the Midnight Sun?

I know these are my preferences but the feedback with options & recommendations is always appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

I am another one who is a big proponent of independent travel vs. cruisetours in Alaska. We started out booking a cruisetour for 2007, but after reading a lot on these boards, decided to do an independent trip. I am so glad we did.

 

We spent one day/night at Alyeska and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a wonderful relaxing break in our trip. We probably could have spent 2 nights there, just to relax, but we only had 8 days and there was just so much else to do and see.

 

It sounds like you may have similar interests to what our group of 2 couples did last year. If you are interested, please click on the link below to my 2007 trip review and you will find a detailed itinerary. This might give you a jump start on your plans.

[cjnky]

We started out booking a cruisetour for 2007, but after reading a lot on these boards, decided to do an independent trip. I am so glad we did.

 

The same applied to us, and after witnessing the "herding" of the tourists on the cruisetours, I was even more thankful to BQ and others in this forum for convincing me to plan our own trip! People on the cruisetours were spending time waiting in lines while I was enjoying Ak! (What really turned me off of cruisetours was seeing the long line for lunch at one stop, and them being told they couldn't order anything hot because they didn't have that much time!)