Cruise Tour Package vs Do It Yourself

[ChiLee]

Hello all. I am investigating a trip to Alaska next year and I like the concept of combining a land tour with the cruise. The one that interests me is the 6 day Princess Copper River tour which starts in Anchorage and circles through Denali, Copper River, Valdez to Whittier.

 

By my calculation, for two people, the Land portion of this cruise tour will cost about $3,200. This works out to $533 per day.

 

I am sure these questions have been asked before but the search feature is down.

 

1) Is it feasible for us to rent a car and follow the same tour route?

 

2) If so, can the Princess Land tour be essentially duplicated for less?

 

3) How are the roads on these routes? (especially, those sections between Denali, Copper River, Valdez and Anchorage )

 

4) Are there many lodging choices in Denali and Copper River? (we aren't into camping)

 

5) Is doit yourself a bad idea?

 

Thanks for any input.

[deepwater]

We are doing a land tour that we designed. We are renting a car in Anchorage and will tour for 8 days, return the car in Anchorage, and get transportation to Whittier. After deciding our route and where we wanted to stay at night, it was not hard to find suitable lodging from looking up places on the internet. B&Bs and other lodging all seem to have good web sites. We plan to mostly sight-see, but will reserve a few tours later.

[GlacierLady]

Do it yourself...for much much cheaper than $533 a day!

 

The roads are good and mainly just 1 road wherever you go. Get a copy of the Milepost Book.

 

Discount books such as Northern Lights and Toursaver offer 2 for 1 coupons that can save lots.

 

You've found the best forum for researching loaded with 1st hand experince. Tripadvisor is another good 1 with lodging reviews.

 

Have fun planning and doing it your way. :)

[Texas Tillie]

Did the Copper River with Princess this past August. It was wonderful. I know our land part didn't cost as much as you've quoted - just a little over $2,000 for 2! Talk about inflation! Be aware of one thing if you try to duplicate this tour - the Denali Highway between the Parks Highway and the Richardson Highway is NOT a paved road (only open in the summer) and most rental cars are not allowed to be driven on unpaved roads.

[greatam]

It will be a little more difficult to duplicate the Princess Copper River tour, but it is doable with some patience and good logistics planning. The transit between Copper River and Whittier is done via boat on the cruise tour. You can take your rental car on the Alaska ferry from Valdez. As Texas Tillie pointed out, many of the rental car companies have restrictions on certain roads. However, since Avis is the only game in Whittier, you can do this trip with Avis. You can call Misty at 907-249-8231 for further info. She is the reservation agent in Anchorage. Drop fee in Whittier is $125.00. I personally don't recommend taking a small car on the hwy between Copper River and Valdez. IF it gets really muddy, you could get stuck. You will be far better off taking at least a small SUV.

 

Midnight Sun rental in Anchorage allows their cars on most roads EXCEPT the Dalton/Elliott North of Fairbanks. And they have lots of large vans available. No other locations except in Anchorage and limited hours.

 

http://www.bnm.com/midnight.htm

[Comingaboard]

Personally, I would book the tour rather than try to save a few bucks. The piece of mind knowing all transportation and reservations are guaranteed is worth a lot. If you mess up in your own planning then you may ruin your whole vacation and it is a long way to go to mess up.

 

I'd save the "do it yourself" for next time, after you have been there once.

[greatam]

Personally, I would book the tour rather than try to save a few bucks. The piece of mind knowing all transportation and reservations are guaranteed is worth a lot. If you mess up in your own planning then you may ruin your whole vacation and it is a long way to go to mess up.

 

I'd save the "do it yourself" for next time, after you have been there once.

 

Geez, you are not going to a foreign country. You are going to the USA, where the dollar is the currency and English is spoken. VERY few roads in Alaska, people are friendly and helpful. And if you book your hotels, car and ferry IN ADVANCE, there is little you could do or not do that would ruin a vacation.

 

And IF you care to read the fine print in MOST cruise contracts, you will realize that "air, hotels, ground transportation and shore excursions are booked as a CONVENIENCE to passengers. The cruise line assumes NO responsibility for third party vendors." While the lodges and bus transportation are marked "Princess", they are actually run by a separate division of the cruise line. So NO GUARANTEES!!! And the Denali shuttles, train to the cruise port, transportation on the boat from Valdez to Whittier and many other things on a cruise tour are NOT owned even partly by Princess. Again, NO GUARANTEES.

 

IF you can save money, why wouldn't you to have EXACTLY the vacation YOU want??? Other than driving yourself, as a general rule, most have a FAR superior experience doing it themselves. JMHO

[ChiLee]

Thanks everyone for the valuable input. I never would have thought about rental cars being restricted to paved roads so that really altered our initial plans. But that means we will investigate plan B where we may take the train from Anchorage to Denali and back and then rent a car to drive to Copper River and Valdez on the southern route.

 

Comingaboard's comments are also welcome. I suspect that he/she would get along well with my parents. We went on a trip with them once and they were amazed (actually nervous) that we didn't have everything scheduled out. :)

 

Any other suggestions, ideas or hints are welcome.

 

This is place is a great place for getting information.

[Lookingforfacts]

Some things I picked up in the month or so I've been on this board.

1. Tours can be overpriced. You may want to shop it. A PP got your trip for a fraction of what you're being quoted.
   
2. Regulars on CC seem to prefer doing their own land package. You have the flexibility of seeing exactly what you want to see. You may be able to save some money, particularly if you use coupons.
   
3. The regulars seem to think the advantages of rail is overstated. I think once you decide you want a rail (no rental car) experience the advantage of doing it yourself is reduced. Being able to walk around, get a real meal and use a bathroom appeals to some people.
   
4. The regulars don't appreciate the fact that some people don't want to rent a car. Some people don't want to drive on vacation. Some of us find the driver misses some of the views. I agree it's unlikely to get lost but I'd enjoy a scenic drive more as a passenger then as a driver.
   
5. Some of people are "afraid" of missing something important in planning. As an example greatam mentioned making a reservation for the ferry. That's a detail that some of us might miss, or not reserve the correct time. A tour may include the TWT. Some people may not realize the importance of an advance reservation (even for the shuttle). I agree these issues can be avoided with good planning but some people want to let others do the planning.
   
6. A number of posts from car renters suggest a $$$ issue with one way rentals. One poster wanted to rent a car at Whittier, drive (with one other person) to ANC to rent a van, both people drive back to Whittier then return the first rental car. Not the way I'd want to begin a trip. It looks like renting a car in Whittier or Seward and returning it to Anchorage or Fairbanks is expensive. The inconvenience of having to get transportation to ANC just to rent a car has to be considered, particularly if Anchorage isn't part of your itinerary. Might make more sense to do a personally designed land tour before the cruise.
   
7. Savings would probably be more dramatic if a group of 4 rents a car.
   
8. I don't know what happens if the Avis office in Whittier is short a car; overbooking, car returned late or in for repair. I'm sure if there is a problem with a motor coach Princess will be able to get a replacement bus in a reasonable amount of time.
   
9. I was able to book a Princess based land package, 5 nights for about $1000 over the cruise price. Although I might be able to save a few dollars, I don't think the savings would be huge. This board has very little spam. I'm not going to post complete details, but I'm posting this as an example of what cruise based land packages can cost. I'll email the details to anyone that wants to take it apart and tell me how much money I'm wasting.
   
10. First trip to Denali, some people may want the commentary and video provided by the TWT. I'd consider doing the shuttle for future trips but not for my first. It's not exactly an apples to apples comparison to compare the shuttle to the TWT.

[NancyIL]

On our first Alaska trip in 2007, we rented a car for 9 days post-cruise for the land trip. We spent 1 night in Anchorage, after taking the Alaskan Leopard shuttle from Whittier to Anchorage. (You can use a transfer service from Whittier rather than a one-way rental, or go on a PWS boat cruise and take the train to Anchorage in the evening.) The next day we drove to Chitina and flew to McCarthy - where we stayed at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge for 2 nights (TourSaver coupon for the lodge). We drove to Valdez for 1 night, then took the ferry to Whitter and drove to Homer (2 nights), Seward (2 nights), and back to Anchorage. In 2008 we did another land trip for 9 days with a rental car - but spent 6 nights in Anchorage to attend a conference. We drove to Denali and spent 2 nights in Healy (Denali Lakeview Inn). We took the shuttle bus to the Eielson Center for about 1/3 the cost of the Tundra Wilderness Tour - and our driver was excellent.

[greatam]

Some things I picked up in the month or so I've been on this board.

1. Tours can be overpriced. You may want to shop it. A PP got your trip for a fraction of what you're being quoted.

 
Shopping around is a good thing, but since Princess has many many cruise tours, we have no idea if the PP got the EXACT tour the OP was speaking of.
 

The regulars seem to think the advantages of rail is overstated. I think once you decide you want a rail (no rental car) experience the advantage of doing it yourself is reduced. Being able to walk around, get a real meal and use a bathroom appeals to some people.
 
The regulars don't appreciate the fact that some people don't want to rent a car. Some people don't want to drive on vacation. Some of us find the driver misses some of the views. I agree it's unlikely to get lost but I'd enjoy a scenic drive more as a passenger then as a driver.

 
As a general rule, cruise tours only use the rail to/from Denali and to/from Anchorage to the port. If you want the rail for certain portions of your land trip, you can book the rail independently. If you don't want to drive, there are various ways to get everything you want WITHOUT the packaged tour.
 

Some of people are "afraid" of missing something important in planning. As an example greatam mentioned making a reservation for the ferry. That's a detail that some of us might miss, or not reserve the correct time. A tour may include the TWT. Some people may not realize the importance of an advance reservation (even for the shuttle). I agree these issues can be avoided with good planning but some people want to let others do the planning.

 
IF you did not make a reservation for the ferry from Valdez to Whittier and the ferry was full, you would drive back to Anchorage and on to Whittier. Since most ships leave late evening, even this would not be a problem. Most people do extensive research for a trip to Alaska.
 

A number of posts from car renters suggest a $$$ issue with one way rentals. One poster wanted to rent a car at Whittier, drive (with one other person) to ANC to rent a van, both people drive back to Whittier then return the first rental car. Not the way I'd want to begin a trip. It looks like renting a car in Whittier or Seward and returning it to Anchorage or Fairbanks is expensive. The inconvenience of having to get transportation to ANC just to rent a car has to be considered, particularly if Anchorage isn't part of your itinerary. Might make more sense to do a personally designed land tour before the cruise.

 
The drop fee is about $125.00 for both Avis and Hertz for a one way rental from Whittier or Seward. The major problem is people wanting to see Seward, go on a Kenai Fjords cruise and ending/beginning their cruise in Whittier. Princess made it quite difficult/expensive to get to Seward WITHOUT going to Anchorage first. So if you are on a Princess cruise, the one way car rental to Seward is generally as cheap, if not cheaper than finding "some way" to Anchorage, renting a car there and driving back to Seward. As you pointed out, especially true if there are 4 people
 
 

I don't know what happens if the Avis office in Whittier is short a car; overbooking, car returned late or in for repair. I'm sure if there is a problem with a motor coach Princess will be able to get a replacement bus in a reasonable amount of time.

 
It's only 60 miles to the main Avis office in Anchorage (and the car dealers they deal with). You wait maybe two hours for a replacement car. About the same as if the Princess bus breaks down.
 

I was able to book a Princess based land package, 5 nights for about $1000 over the cruise price. Although I might be able to save a few dollars, I don't think the savings would be huge. This board has very little spam. I'm not going to post complete details, but I'm posting this as an example of what cruise based land packages can cost. I'll email the details to anyone that wants to take it apart and tell me how much money I'm wasting.

 
If your price is $1000.00 for two, you got a spectacular price.
 
Rental cars run an average of $100 per day, hotels in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Denali run about $200 per day. Split that by 2-for 5 days-$150 per day per person. The other $500 MORE than covers the paddlewheeler in Fairbanks, gas and shuttle into Denali. You pay for food on cruisetours, so not much difference there EXCEPT-with a car, you can save money eating in places locals eat and not being trapped in Princessland.
 
However, by doing some diligent shopping, you can get cars for $50.00 per day and B & B/cabins for considerably less than $200.00 per night. We are again going to Denali in 2009 with friends that have never been there. I have let them pick everything they wanted in Denali with some recommendations on things to do.
 
They have found three or four cabins with private facilities for less than $300 per night for all of us. One place was $193 for 4 with two bedrooms and cooking facilities (I bet this is the one they book) And we are booking separate cabins in SkyLine Lodge, deep within Denali. ALL food included for $250 per night per couple. We could share the cabin and save almost half, but two would have to sleep in the "loft" and we are all too old for bunkbeds.
 
They have reserved the rental car-$540.00 TOTAL with taxes, fees and extra insurance for a week in a Chevy Blazer. The full sized car was only $420.00 but they insisted on the Blazer. Why, I have no idea. We won't have any luggage other than one carryon size. But they think they need the 4 wheel drive.
 
Our total lodging bill should run about $1800 for 2 nights (and food) INSIDE Denali, 2 nights in a cabin someplace around Denali and two nights in Anchorage (they have already booked a suite room for four for $142.00 per night).
 
So for about $3200 for four people, we are taking the shuttle to Kantishna, flying OUT of Denali, spending 7 days touring/sightseeing BEFORE they board their cruise. Even if it was only the two of them, $3200 includes EVERYTHING, including a VERY spectacular flightseeing trip OUT of Denali and two nights INSIDE Denali. Not something you get on a cruise tour without paying VERY large dollars.
 
IF you don't want to do the planning yourself, so be it. But if you are willing to put in the time and effort to do the research and search out the bargains, there is quite a bit of money to be saved by doing it yourself.
 

First trip to Denali, some people may want the commentary and video provided by the TWT. I'd consider doing the shuttle for future trips but not for my first. It's not exactly an apples to apples comparison to compare the shuttle to the TWT.

 

ALL the shuttle bus drivers do good commentary. NO, there is no video system on the shuttle buses. But to me, a video system becomes very close to watching the Discovery Channel or Animal Planet. Why bother to take a trip to Alaska when you can watch videos at home. Half the fun is searching for those elusive animals and watching them through your binoculars. And the shuttle bus drivers are VERY good at searching out the animals.

[greatam]

Thanks everyone for the valuable input. I never would have thought about rental cars being restricted to paved roads so that really altered our initial plans. But that means we will investigate plan B where we may take the train from Anchorage to Denali and back and then rent a car to drive to Copper River and Valdez on the southern route.

 

Comingaboard's comments are also welcome. I suspect that he/she would get along well with my parents. We went on a trip with them once and they were amazed (actually nervous) that we didn't have everything scheduled out. :)

 

Any other suggestions, ideas or hints are welcome.

 

This is place is a great place for getting information.

 

What is your plan B??? If you are thinking that you CANNOT drive on the road between Anchorage and Denali, you certainly can (the Parks HWY). It is one of the better roads in Alaska, fully paved.

 

The Denali Hwy, Rt 8, which heads EAST out of Denali is gravel and some of the rental car companies DO have restrictions for that road.. But you could certainly turn around, go south to Wasilla and drive the Glenn Hwy to the Richardson to get to Copper River and then on to Valdez. If you rent from Hertz, you could make arrangements for the ferry out of Valdez MINUS the car. Hertz has a rental location in Valdez. Take the ferry to Whittier and board your ship. One of the ferries runs almost every day. The fast ferry (Chenega) is about every other day. The Aurora almost every day. About $90pp.

 

Enjoy

[greatam]

Here's a link to a DOT road map of Alaska. Blow it up to 400% and you can see the routes you would take.

 

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/AkStateTouristmapMAP.pdf

[Lookingforfacts]

Shopping around is a good thing, but since Princess has many many cruise tours, we have no idea if the PP got the EXACT tour the OP was speaking of.

Princess only has 2 Cooper River Tour and only one starts at Anchorage. I agree it's possible the pp is quoting a different tour but it's also possible the OP could get a better price if he shopped.

 

 

 

As a general rule, cruise tours only use the rail to/from Denali and to/from Anchorage to the port. If you want the rail for certain portions of your land trip, you can book the rail independently. If you don't want to drive, there are various ways to get everything you want WITHOUT the packaged tour.

 

Rail from Whitter to McKinely Princess (bus part of the way) Rail from McKinely Princess (part bus) to Denali Princess then bus to Fairbanks. Price. The price from the Alaska RR, with similar rail seatting isn't cheap. I agree I could save money if I wanted to rent a car but I don't.

 

IF you did not make a reservation for the ferry from Valdez to Whittier and the ferry was full, you would drive back to Anchorage and on to Whittier. Since most ships leave late evening, even this would not be a problem. Most people do extensive research for a trip to Alaska.

 

People on internet boards do extensive research. Not everyone does. I kow someone who flew into Anchorage without any hotel reservations.

 

 

If your price is $1000.00 for two, you got a spectacular price.

 

Rental cars run an average of $100 per day, hotels in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Denali run about $200 per day. Split that by 2-for 5 days-$150 per day per person. The other $500 MORE than covers the paddlewheeler in Fairbanks, gas and shuttle into Denali. You pay for food on cruisetours, so not much difference there EXCEPT-with a car, you can save money eating in places locals eat and not being trapped in Princessland

 

My price is $1000 per person ($2,000) Using your math my hotel would cost $1000 (200*5) the car rental would cost $600 The train and bus would cost the same or more if I wanted to match Princess service. The TWT costs around $200. My package includes lunch on the train from Whittier, two dinners at the Princess lodge and the Riverboat. The meals and Riverboat are probably worth at least the extra $200.

 

I'm sure I could save some money if I wanted a different vacation experience but I think I got reasonable value for what I'm spending.

[stired]

There have been many, many discussions on this board about cruisetours vs. independent travel. I, for one, am an advocate of independent. It's cheaper, tons more flexible, and to my way of thinking the planning was 1/2 the fun. I was originally going to book a cruisetour in June 2007, but after reading these boards for awhile, decided to do it myself. Click on the link below to my 2007 trip review and you will see the reasons we decided to go independent. It was the trip of a lifetime!

 

Just remember, Alaska is NOT a foreign country. The roads are very easy to navigate (there are only a few main roads so impossible to get lost) and people are very friendly and helpful. I always ask people if they would take an organized bus tour of Colorado or Wyoming. Alaska is not so very different! :)

[wolfie11]

I never recommend cruisetours unless it is the HAL tour of the Yukon, or the traveller has a compelling reason (such as being in a wheelchair) to do a cruisetour. The cruise lines are in business to make a profit. They are motivated to give you as minimum experience as possible for the maximum amount of dollars they can squeeze out of you (The DNHT and "Discover Denali" tours are a prime example). That is why so many people never get out of Princessland in Alaska. The dollars you spend on an excursion go back in to Princess's coffers either as commissions from companies they do business with or directly for services they provide. HAL and RCCI are similar although not quite as good at it as Princess. The more people they pack on to their buses and the more efficiently they are herded around, the higher the profit. They don't care about your interests, but rather about their bottom line. And if you don't know what you're missing, you won't complain about it.

 

If you organize your own land tour, you have your best interests in mind and can go at your own pace, sleep in past 6am, eat where and when you want, and stop for the wildlife as long as you want (not everybody thinks that ground squirrel is just the cutest little thing!).

 

I have seen comments on the board that the driver misses out on the scenery. So not true. I am a photographer and drive myself all over Alaska. There is so little traffic (some trips from Fairbanks to Denali, even in summer, I may encounter only a dozen or so cars) that I have no trouble watching the road and checking out the scenery for good shots.

[stired]

I have seen comments on the board that the driver misses out on the scenery. So not true. I am a photographer and drive myself all over Alaska. There is so little traffic (some trips from Fairbanks to Denali, even in summer, I may encounter only a dozen or so cars) that I have no trouble watching the road and checking out the scenery for good shots.

 

I SOOOO agree with this statement. I have also seen comments about the driver not being able to see everything. I drove almost the entire 8 days of our interior trip and don't think I missed a thing. The roads are in very good shape and are very easy to drive. And there are plenty of opportunities to pull over for wonderful photographs.

[NancyIL]

I SOOOO agree with this statement. I have also seen comments about the driver not being able to see everything. I drove almost the entire 8 days of our interior trip and don't think I missed a thing. The roads are in very good shape and are very easy to drive. And there are plenty of opportunities to pull over for wonderful photographs.

 

And if you have a copy of The Milepost - it points out EVERY pullout on the road! Have the front seat passenger read it - as it's hard to drive and look at it! :)

[asalnars]

I returned from Alaska 4 weeks ago where I made a quick 4 day tour of the Kenai Penninsula. Its so much cheaper to arrange everything via the internet and to go it alone. You also have the advantage that your free to stop any place along the road and take a hike up the many trails that you come across evey few miles.

 

You can get information on the Alaskan road system at this site:-

 

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/iways/roadweather/forms/AreaSelectForm.html?wp_ml=0

[rmock3]

Are there any meals included with the cruisetour (the land portion)? I'm just starting to look into this and just assumed it was all inclusive.

[stired]

Are there any meals included with the cruisetour (the land portion)? I'm just starting to look into this and just assumed it was all inclusive.

 

No, meals are not included. You can buy a package deal where you pay a set amount for a set amount of meals, but it is extra.

[ChiLee]

Thanks for all of the wonderful input.

 

After weighing all of the factors, we have decided to take a Northbound Cruise and then a DIY Landtour. We like the flexibility that it gives us. We also like that this is going to give us a bigger bang for the buck.

 

When I estimate the expenses out, I am getting a rate of about $314 per day. This includes one week car rental at $600, 8 days lodging at $200/day, Whittier to Anchorage transport and the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour for a total of $2,500. There is a possibility that the lodging costs will turn out to be less either through the use of coupons and/or choosing more "Rustic" places. This doesn't include meals but the Princess Landtour doesn't either.

 

As far as the itinerary, we would like to spend time in Anchorage, Denali, Prince Williams Sound and the Kenai Peninsula. It looks like Copper River is a little too far off away for us to include it in the time we have. BUT... who knows? We aren't locked into a schedule or destination that someone else has chosen for us. :)

 

The only real downside that I can see is that I usually end up doing most of the driving and there is going to be alot of driving. On the other hand, there is alot to see so it won't be featureless like it is out here in the Midwest.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for all of the wonderful input.

 

After weighing all of the factors, we have decided to take a Northbound Cruise and then a DIY Landtour. We like the flexibility that it gives us. We also like that this is going to give us a bigger bang for the buck.

 

When I estimate the expenses out, I am getting a rate of about $314 per day. This includes one week car rental at $600, 8 days lodging at $200/day, Whittier to Anchorage transport and the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour for a total of $2,500. There is a possibility that the lodging costs will turn out to be less either through the use of coupons and/or choosing more "Rustic" places. This doesn't include meals but the Princess Landtour doesn't either.

 

As far as the itinerary, we would like to spend time in Anchorage, Denali, Prince Williams Sound and the Kenai Peninsula. It looks like Copper River is a little too far off away for us to include it in the time we have. BUT... who knows? We aren't locked into a schedule or destination that someone else has chosen for us. :)

 

The only real downside that I can see is that I usually end up doing most of the driving and there is going to be alot of driving. On the other hand, there is alot to see so it won't be featureless like it is out here in the Midwest.

 

 

As a suggestion for better use of time and routing. Do your PWS boat tour, your disembarkment day. You can then train to Anchorage, overnight, pick up rental car- round trip Anchorage. Depending on your timeframe, head to Denali Park, with at least 2 nights there, I do not recommend the TWT for independent visitors. Consider the 1/3 price shuttle buses, which get you farther. My min. recommended distance in is Eielson. Head back to Anchorage. overnight, try to add time in Talkeetna and Hatcher Pass. Then 2 nights in Seward. Unless you want to add a few days, you don't have time for Copper River. IF you can put together 10 days, then ferry to Valdez from Whittier. At least a night or two there, a boat trip?? Then fly in to Kennicott/McCarthy. Drive to Palmer/Wasilla/Talkeetna. overnight, then the rest.

[cindep]

We also decided to DIY instead of the Princess tour we originally booked. So far I'm saving only about $300, but we are doing a LOT more and seeing a lot more as well. Consider purchasing the Northern Lights coupon book (on sale now) for discounts. I've already saved 1 night's stay in Denali plus 1 fare on the Prince William Sound tour. I still need to book our Kenai Fjords tour, but will chose an operator with a coupon for that as well.

 

I think you'll be glad you chose this direction. Enjoy your trip!

[LoneStarJeffe]

First, I want to say thank you for all the posters who encourage everyone to look carefully at booking their own tour. You will likely save both time and money and have a more personalized experience. Alaska is not a foreign country as so many point out and if you can plan a road trip in the lower forty eight states, you can certainly plan a road trip in Alaska.

 

That said, why did I choose a cruisetour? It will cost me more, result in getting up and leaving on their schedule (early according to all the reviews and feedback I read here), and really restrict my flexibility. For me, for this point in my life it provided the best balance of convenience and relaxation at a price I can afford even though it is not the cheapest option. I can enjoy my vacation without stress. The details are managed by someone else. I am not coming to Alaska just to see great scenery. I am coming here to share a relaxing time with my wife seeing a part of the world we have not visited before while enjoying no stress. No stress is why I cruise. No stress is why I booked a cruisetour. Someone else worries about the details, my job is to get there to the start of the tour and then relax and enjoy time with my wife.

 

There is a price you pay for that convenience and it is not just monetary. Read carefully the tradeoffs! If you book a cruisetour you will get up earlier that you might plan for yourself. It will cost you more money. You will be in a group and have to proceed at the group's pace. You might see less than you wish. For some people, having spent the time and money to get to Alaska, they want to experience as much of it as they can. A cruisetour will restrict you. Obviously, if you are on a budget or simply cost conscience and never want to pay more for something then you have to, you also will want to book your own land tour. But for me, at this point in MY life - a cruisetour looks pretty good.

 

But what I really want everyone to know, is that even though I choose a cruisetour for my trip, it was an informed decision made after looking at all options. DO NOT automatically book a cruisetour! Read what people say and get informed about the choices. Then pick the best vacation for you!