Alaska and Alaskan cruise

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hudson96
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So many of you gave great advice on this forum when planning last summer's trip to montana and Glacier National Park.

This year we booked a one way Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver to Whittier with four extra days to squeeze in Denali National Park. We are not cruise people and honestly did not start the planning process with a cruise in mind. I threw it out there after much research and was surprised my adventurous family showed interest honestly. With that said, we chose the sapphire princess as it gave us the one way option with stops in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Glacier Bay. Does anyone have any experience or advice to offer on this one, including Denali, the ports, and just cruises in general? I have three teenagers who have never been on a cruise and though excited about the trip,, are still somewhat skeptical.

Thanks!
Cow Pie & Fries
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Following as we are taking the NB cruise out of Vancouver on the NCL Jewel in late June, with the same ports , etc
hudson96
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Cow Pie & Fries said:

Following as we are taking the NB cruise out of Vancouver on the NCL Jewel in late June, with the same ports , etc


I wish we were going on the Jewel. I read NCLis better for teens. I didn't plan accordingly and now all the good flights to snd from to change the dates are much more expensive. I will say that we booked the white pass railroad in Skagway the other day. It's only 2.5 hours so we are done by 10:30am to enjoy the rest of the day doing other things.
Hincemm
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Best Alaska cruise advice: get a balcony

Edit for op: Princess should be fine for teens. If you were Disney or Holland America then different story
BQ2001
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Our Alaskan cruise was by far my favorite. We did a land leg and then a sea leg. It seemed a lot different than our Caribbean cruises, you don't really sit by the pool and drink (I guess some do). But you can sit on your balcony the whole time and take in the scenery of the inside passage. A lot of the "at sea" days they had NPS Rangers on board doing talks that were interesting.

I made a long ass post on Cruise Critic after it with what we did in 2019.

My favorite hike was in Skagway. If you are in shape and like hiking, consider ditching the train and doing that hike up Upper Dewey Falls/Devils Punchbowl. It is a lot of uphill so be warned but views are amazing.

Ketchikan has a nice trail up Deer Mountain and I lost track of how many bald eagles we saw. Another group did the Deadliest Catch tour boat and they really liked it.

Juneau we rented a car (Avis I think) and drove out to Mendenhall. I'd recommend getting off the boat and hoofing it over to the rental car place to be the first couple in line when they open. They were SLOW getting people to their cars. I think I was 3rd in line and waited about 30 minutes after they opened.

See if you can eke out a few extra days to see Kenai Fjords NP. I'd do at least a day in the park and then a boat tour. Seward is a pretty nice little town.

The drive to Denali will be a day in itself so plan on that in your plans, there will be roadwork that slows you down. I know they had some road washouts so I'm not sure how far you can go into the park on their buses but look into that to plan what you want to do in the park. Hop on/off busses are great for doing little hikes. I couldn't do that with my little kid in tow but plan to go back for that.
SbisaVictim95
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I sailed with Princess in 2019 but in reverse. Are you on your own for the land portion or did you book a cruise tour? If you're on a cruise tour, they'll load you onto the train for a nice scenic ride to Denali and a stay at the lodge.

As for the cruise itself, it's amazing. Granted, I a cruise fanatic too so I love being on the ships and on the water but there's just so much scenery and things to see on an Alaskan cruise that is breathtaking. You often hear that "pics can't do it justice", and even with the quality of photos available today, it really is true.

All of the stops are pretty walkable and typical gift shops around the port. For excursions, I'd recommend the railroad in Skagway which takes you up the route that the miners traversed during the gold rush. In Juneau if the time of year is right, I'd do the whale watching tour that is combined with a stop at the salmon bake. In Ketchikan I just walked around town and fashioned my own little bar crawl. Historic Creek Street is what all the tourists will flock to and is pretty cool to check out.

If you're in a balcony, the day sailing in and out of Glacier Bay is worth it.
62strat
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Hincemm said:

Best Alaska cruise advice: get a balcony


This. And get adjoining rooms so you can open the balcony dividers.

When were heading towards margerie glacier, the bow of ship was shoulder to shoulder.. cameras up in the air, etc.

We quickly realized, what are doing out here, we have a balcony!

Bluecat_Aggie94
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You are going to love it. I've cruised twice and the Alaskan far surpassed the Carribbean, although I loved them both.

Make sure you pack binoculars for everyone. When cruising the inside passage you'll spend a good bit of time close to shore and binocs are good for spotting bears, moose and eagles. Might even get lucky and come up on killer or humpback whales.

Rain gear is also necessary. Most everyone I know who has done the Alaskan cruise has had at least one drizzly day, but with limited time, you don't want to let that keep you inside.

Our booked tours were a float plane/glacier tour, and whale watching. The whale watching was really, really awesome if you haven't done it before, I highly recommend it. We did ours out of Juneau, but they are probably available at several of the stops. The float plane was cool, but mostly to say we have taken off from a float plane. Other than that, the visibility was somewhat challenging when we were in the air. It was OK to view, but not great for pictures if that's important to you.

Ketchikan is a neat little town, we had fun with just the stuff that was available at the port without a side trip.
Aggie87
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BQ2001 said:

The drive to Denali will be a day in itself so plan on that in your plans, there will be roadwork that slows you down. I know they had some road washouts so I'm not sure how far you can go into the park on their buses but look into that to plan what you want to do in the park. Hop on/off busses are great for doing little hikes. I couldn't do that with my little kid in tow but plan to go back for that.

Denali is fantastic. We did a land/cruise tour last summer, starting in Fairbanks and ending up in Vancouver.

Denali Park Road (the only road in the entire park) is about 90 miles long. Personal vehicles can go about 15 miles on the road, but no further. After that point, only Park buses go further. Currently the buses only go to Mile Marker 45, due to the landslides at that point. They're building a bridge to get around that point, but I don't know when that will be complete and the rest of the park road will reopen. We saw numerous Dall sheep, caribou/reindeer, and a couple of moose.

Outside of the park, we rented a jeep and went about 100 miles down the Denali Highway (which used to be the main road to Denali National Park, before the highway connecting Anchorage to Fairbanks was built). This was a cool drive down a mostly gravel road, with beautiful views of the Alaska Range. We walked out onto the permafrost which was interesting.

Instead of driving down to Anchorage/Whittier to get to our cruise ship, we took an Alaska Railroad train from Denali. It was about a 9 hr train ride to Anchorage, which was an easy way to travel, and the train had dome cars, so the views were amazing.
hudson96
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Thank you for all the responses! We did not plan the Denali part with the cruise. I think the kids wanted a little adventure on our own so we rented a car and a vrbo about 10 min outside Denali. Did y'all do the get on and get off bus or the actual narrated tour bus in Denali? We like to hike but we also have two full days in the park so not sure the best way to Go about it. The fam seems to want to get on and off and hike.

As far as the cruise goes, we got a room with a premium balcony and an interior across the hall. My twins will be 17 and my youngest almost 15. They are much better behaved than I or my husband were at their age so we felt okay with them across the hall. I wish I had booked a mini suite so we could just hang out there but when I called this week, there were none left with a room across the hall or attached. Like I said, I didn't Go in to this with a cruise in mind so booked a little later than I should have.

I will definitely have more specific questions later but wanted to acknowledge your responses. Very much appreciated!
hudson96
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BQ2001! Your trip report was amazing! I love all your get up in the morning runs! My husband and I used to be like that as well!, though not in the last few years! Our youngest is an amazing distance runner and is already very competitive.

I wanted to ask about your hike in Skagway. How many hours did it take? We want to do the train but we still have 7 hours after the train for lunch and a hike. Also, you mentioned another hike off the cruise in your report. Was that in Ketchikan?
I'm actually holding a vrbo in Seward but I shortened our trip two days due to my husband's job and kids activities ! Now we are just doing Denali. Hope we don't regret missing that stop. I was very impressed by how organized your trip was!
Cow Pie & Fries
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We have booked the " Deadliest Catch" excursion inKetchikan. My wife picked a luxury whale watch in Juneau & instead of the rail we plan to hike in Skagway.

Is the "Red Onion Saloon" worth the time & coin? What's y'all's experience.

We booked a balcony, so we are excited about this trip .12 weeks to go!
brillag
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My family did an Alaskan cruise in June 2018 and I think to the person we would all agree it was the best trip we've ever been on. We're not world travelers by any means but have been all over the U.S. and trips/cruises to the Caribbean/Mexico/etc. It is a completely different experience than a warm weather "party" cruise. Very laid back, groups quietly sipping coffee watching the world go by, etc.

We enjoyed it so much we're booked again for June of this year. We did and are doing again the 7 day round trip out of Seattle that stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Victoria, BC.

The 2018 trip we did an excursion in each port booked through Princess cruises (I forget the ship). We were travelling with 4 kids who at the time were 5, 7, 9, and 11. Our excursion choices very much reflect those ages.

In Juneau we had a shuttle take us to Mendenhall Glacier. Saw the ranger station, took a walk/hike along the lake to a big waterfall and a spot that provided decent views of the glacier. Very tame but an incredible experience. Got back to town and wandered the streets near the port until it was time to get back on the boat.

Next stop was Skagway where we met/pet some sled dogs and watched them do their thing. Also "panned for gold" at this stop which the kids loved as you were guaranteed to find some gold. Got back to town and probably had a 10-15 minute walk to a trail head that took us out to a point in the bay/harbor/whatever. Just beautiful.

Ketchikan was our favorite stop. Hooked up with a tour guide and did a town tour where you learn about some history and see the totems. She then took us to our "off road vehicles" (golf carts with a lift and mud tires) where we did some off roading and toured the Alaskan Rainforest. Took us to a campsite along a creek where they provided hot chocolate and freshly cooked pancakes. Tour ended with the guide tossing a fish on the shoreline to have a bald eagle swoop down and pick it up about 10ft in front of us. Incredible experience. The walking part of Ketchikan is a little touristy area built overlooking a creek/river that runs through it. Believe this was the stop that had a fish stand near the port and had the best beer battered fried fish I've had in my life. Don't recall the name but thinking it had a big yellow sign with black lettering. 5 years later, who knows.

Thankfully my folks and my sister/BIL took the kids and my wife and I were able to hit the Red Onion Saloon. Lucky there were only two of us because the wait would have been more than we could hang around for. Don't remember being overly impressed but cool to say we've been there. Had a few local brews and went on about our day.

Pictures really don't do it justice. I was looking back through mine while I typed this to jog my memory. The entire trip is a gigantic sight seeing adventure.

For sure bring a waterproof outer layer. I had a somewhat thin snow jacket that I wore pretty much everywhere. It drizzled in 3 of the 4 ports on us. Temps in June were anywhere from mid 30s to 60s.
brillag
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We had a window in our room but not a balcony. We do have a balcony this time around but I don't think we spent any time in the room aside from sleeping. There are soooo many seating options inside and outside on multiple levels that there was always a cozy spot with an incredible view.
SbisaVictim95
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hudson96 said:

Did y'all do the get on and get off bus or the actual narrated tour bus in Denali? We like to hike but we also have two full days in the park so not sure the best way to Go about it. The fam seems to want to get on and off and hike.

As far as the cruise goes, we got a room with a premium balcony and an interior across the hall. My twins will be 17 and my youngest almost 15. They are much better behaved than I or my husband were at their age so we felt okay with them across the hall. I wish I had booked a mini suite so we could just hang out there but when I called this week, there were none left with a room across the hall or attached. Like I said, I didn't Go in to this with a cruise in mind so booked a little later than I should have.

Since we were on the ship sponsored tour and staying at the Princess Lodge in Denali the guided sightseeing tour was included so that's what we did. Just be aware that they're not nice tour coaches but old school buses so not the most comfortable ride but the scenery makes up for it. There are several stops along the way where you'll get off and the guide will give a talk. I enjoyed it.

Good call on the balcony with the kids across the hall. They can come hang out and view the glaciers and stuff from your balcony. That was going to be my plan. I went along with my parents and aunt and uncle. Since I was solo in my room and paying double occupancy my plan was to get the cheapest interior room I could and then just go and hang out on their balcony or go up to the pool deck to view the sights. The week before we left though I got an email informing me of a free upgrade to a balcony room midship. It was amazing! Balconies are nice for the space but pretty useless on Caribbean cruises IMO, but for Alaska ... I spent pretty much every moment that I was in the room and not sleeping, out there.
jetescamilla
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I've lived in Juneau for over 9 years now. I'll tell you that your best bet for renting cars in SE Alaska cities and getting them quick and fair priced is to use Turo. When I travel for work/personal this is my goto instead of the big companies. My kids just had a weekend basketball tournament in Sitka and we got a mini van for the team at a great rate and it was waiting for us at the airport with the keys ready to go. No lines.

The reason I started of with rental cars is because I'm a big fan of self exploration in all your cities you're going to stop in. Cut out the bus/cab/rental car waiting and explore more efficiently and on your own time. Take drives out the road and stop at pull outs to spot whales or trailheads and take a hike off the heavily used main paths. I have a 1 mile loop near my house in Juneau that I take many people on and it has a little bit of everything from boardwalks planks over marshes, built in stairs, tree root hopping, and ends with a panoramic rocky point overlooking Lynn Canal where you enjoy lunch and watch for whales / sea otters.

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/point-lena?u=m

I haven't done many excursion as a local but I can say that I totally recommend taking a float plane tour at some point. It can be pricy but if you can afford it there's no better vantage point of SE Alaska than from a small airplane buzzing glaciers and mountains. You can spot both whales and mountain goats. I'm in these quite often for work but you can take the Taku Lodge float plane tour. We won this trip in a raffle at my kids school and I give it 5 stars.

Do me a favor and before you do any trail please download a gps tracking app, put your phone in airplane mode (so the battery doesn't die), and start your breadcrumb trail to find your way back. Tourists often forget this is Alaska, people accidentally get off trails and they have to be rescued. Sounds dumb, I can confirm it happens daily here during tourists season. Oh...and bring water/snack/and an extra jacket/sweater in your backback.
https://wingsairways.com/taku-lodge-feast-and-five-glacier-discovery
BQ2001
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In Skagway the hike to Upper Dewey, Devils Punchbowl and adding on Lower Dewey was just over 10 miles and little over 6 hours of hiking. If you don't do Devils Punchbowl and Lower Dewey you could probably be out in 4ish hours depending on fitness. That hike had about 4,000 feet of elevation gain and descent. Take lots of water (like a full Camel Back) and snacks. I had to give some of my water to some lesser prepared hikers. It was mid 80s that day. Also keep in mind the downhill part of the hike can really beat you up, especially if you have knee issues so factor that in to your time. I was in probably my best shape ever that trip so it felt easy.

In Skagway I hit up their brewery and had some like pine flavored beer (can't remember exactly) but it was really good.

The Hike in Ketchikan was Deer Mountain. I looked back on my Garmin and it was about 6 miles and 3 hours from ship to ship (we did get delayed with a 4th of July Parade)
texas_ute
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BQ2001 said:


In Skagway I hit up their brewery and had some like pine flavored beer (can't remember exactly) but it was really good. )


Spruce Tip Ale! I also went to Skagway Brewery and had the same beer- came home w a Spruce Tip Ale pint glass.

Great excursions on Alaska cruises! I've done and enjoyed:
-Skagway: mountain biking, salmon fishing, and of course lunch at the brewery
-Ketchikan: float plane w a stop on a remote lake
-Juneau: Mendenhall glacier, tram to overlook (quick), and whale watching (even saw a pod of orcas, which was awesome)

Have fun!
Aggie87
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texas_ute said:

BQ2001 said:


In Skagway I hit up their brewery and had some like pine flavored beer (can't remember exactly) but it was really good. )


Spruce Tip Ale! I also went to Skagway Brewery and had the same beer- came home w a Spruce Tip Ale pint glass.

I had a Boom Town Brown when I visited last summer, and came home with the Boom Town t-shirt because the beer was so good!
caleblyn
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Thanks for this thread. My wife and I will be celebrating 25 next year. The original plan was to island hop the South Pacific. However, to do it right, we would be gone 3 weeks and that idea has been denied by the travel and finance department! Anyhow, we are now focused on the Alaskan cruise. Some questions...

  • No kids. Therefore, I have been locked in on Princess and Holland, but am willing to be swayed away with any recommendations.
  • Just like others, we are looking to do a northbound and then stay in Denali. Should we do the land part on our own or do a Land + Cruise tour trip through the Cruise Line? I am sure there are pros and cons. Do you have any preferences?
  • We only have two windows for travel; first 3 weeks of May, or the last 3 weeks of June. From what I can gather, we are talking about a 15 degree temperature swing which for us south Louisiana folk, that could be a big deal. However, it is also a significant price swing at about $2100 additional for a balcony room. Has anyone been in May and can provide some feedback with the weather?

That's a start. I'll have more questions later.

tia
SbisaVictim95
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I've only done Princess and have only experienced the cruise-tour option through them. I'm sure it's more expensive that way but it really was worth it for us just for the ease of it. We did Southbound so I don't know what it's like going north but for us, we set our luggage outside of our room at the Lodge at Denali the day we were to board the ship, took a short bus ride to the train station and then enjoyed a very relaxing 9 hour train ride to the cruise terminal in a glass domed car. The train literally pulls up to the cruise terminal where we had already been checked in by cruise reps on the train. Walked right through and picked up our keys and straight on board the ship where the luggage showed up to the cabin later. Very stress-free and easy.
Bluecat_Aggie94
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caleblyn said:

Thanks for this thread. My wife and I will be celebrating 25 next year. The original plan was to island hop the South Pacific. However, to do it right, we would be gone 3 weeks and that idea has been denied by the travel and finance department! Anyhow, we are now focused on the Alaskan cruise. Some questions...

  • No kids. Therefore, I have been locked in on Princess and Holland, but am willing to be swayed away with any recommendations.
  • Just like others, we are looking to do a northbound and then stay in Denali. Should we do the land part on our own or do a Land + Cruise tour trip through the Cruise Line? I am sure there are pros and cons. Do you have any preferences?
  • We only have two windows for travel; first 3 weeks of May, or the last 3 weeks of June. From what I can gather, we are talking about a 15 degree temperature swing which for us south Louisiana folk, that could be a big deal. However, it is also a significant price swing at about $2100 additional for a balcony room. Has anyone been in May and can provide some feedback with the weather?

That's a start. I'll have more questions later.

tia
Our trip was late May... definitely still felt more likely early spring than getting into summer. That's the reason for the price difference, early May is definitely an early trip in Alaska. If you have to go in May, go the latest of those three weeks you possibly ban.
BQ2001
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I personally loved the land part first, then sea. Land there was a lot of go go go and driving. At the end of it it was nice to get on the boat and chill.
We did part of the land on our own (Anchorage/Seward) and then with Princess for Denali. The logistics made it worth it for our bigger group, and hopping on the train to get to the boat was effortless. Probably overpriced but it worked for us.

I'd also suggest for anyone to do either a northbound or southbound trip and not a roundtrip out of Seattle/Vancouver. You get way more time in port on those one way cruises.
Pro Sandy
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Old report, from 2008, but did that trip then


https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/1185062/replies/16222571#16222571
hudson96
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I think I would have preferred the Southbound cruise as well. My kids want to finish doing the land portion, rent a car and adventure. We did find a really nice place through VRBO outside Denali for a few days, so I'm sure the solo family time will be nice after a cruise. This was not super well-planned as we booked after the holidays, so I'm having to make the most of it. We are taking a shuttle from the boat to anchorage where we can reasonably rent a car for the last few days. I'm sure the train ride is pretty awesome though.

BQ2001, I think if I was running a marathon on my vacation I would definitely pick the Southbound cruise!

hudson96
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caleblyn,

I don't know if you are a member, but we booked our cruise through Costco Travel. They were super easy to work with and the deals were the similar to other places I called but received about $550 back in Costco cards and an additional $240 back at the end of the year since I have a Costco executive card (the black one). I also got a hold of someone through Costco last Saturday who was able to move us to a mini suite for the same as I paid for my original room. I think the deals are all in who you talk to because the first quote was a $600 difference.

My balcony room may still be available on the June 28th, Vancouver to Whittier on Princess!
Mathguy64
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We did the northern cruise several years ago, coupled with the train from Whittier to Denali and 2 nights at the Princess Lodge. The problem is by then you are tired and you really don't see Denali NP unless you take the road and bus down to at least the Einhorn stop if not to Wonder Lake. By that point we weren't up to a 13 hour bus ride.

So we ended up 2 years later going back and staying at the Denali Backcountry Lodge at mile 92. We were there for 3 nights and that was amazing.

That's when this happened.

Bluecat_Aggie94
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Glad you said that, because everyone who goes to "see Denali" has to be warned that visibility is very fickle. There is no guarantee you'll see it. The NP is amazing anyway, but the peak itself is shrouded by clouds probably more often than it isn't. We drove up from Anchorage and stayed two nights, and never saw the mountain while we were there. Literally as we were leaving to drive back to Anchorage two days later, clouds started to break up so we pulled over on the road and waited. We were rewarded with a great view, and the next day the skies were so clear you could see Denali from Anchorage, but we almost missed a close up view, and were told by just about everyone at the National Park that it is very common to come and never get to see it in full.
Aggie87
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BQ2001 said:

I personally loved the land part first, then sea. Land there was a lot of go go go and driving. At the end of it it was nice to get on the boat and chill.
We did part of the land on our own (Anchorage/Seward) and then with Princess for Denali. The logistics made it worth it for our bigger group, and hopping on the train to get to the boat was effortless. Probably overpriced but it worked for us.

I'd also suggest for anyone to do either a northbound or southbound trip and not a roundtrip out of Seattle/Vancouver. You get way more time in port on those one way cruises.

I 100% agree with this. We did a land/sea combo trip, and started in Fairbanks and ended in Vancouver. We enjoyed both portions equally, but enjoyed being able to relax on the ship once the we got to it, and not have to continue dealing with dropping off luggage, picking it up, staying in multiple hotels, etc. All of our activities were amazing, but I think doing the land portion first was perfect. Then we added the unlimited laundry service once we boarded, so any clothes that got dirty during the land portion weren't an issue, and allowed us to pack a little less overall.

Once on the ship the Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay were both among the most beautiful things I've seen.
caleblyn
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The Land before Sea recommendations are received and make a lot of sense. I will adjust accordingly.
Mathguy64
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To add,

1. we did the Aleutian Ballad crab boat in Ketchikan and then walked the town. Neat boardwalk area with the totems. And the boat at one point chums for eagles and you have upwards of 30-40 bald eagles dive bombing you picking stuff out of the air right over you.

2. We did a multi deal trip with a salmon hatchery, the Mendenhall and a hanging garden in Juneau. Frankly you see so many other glaciers the Mendenhall is maybe the least neat one I have seen. The only claim to its fame is you can walk up to it. Eat at Tracy Arm crab shack for fresh off the boat steamed king or snow crab.

3. White Pass RR in Skagway and walked the town.

Glacier Bay NP was really amazing. Unfortunately it was very hazy from fires in Alaska that year. The blue in Lamplaugh Glacier is so deep.


hudson96
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It sounds like you did the Denali part on your own and not with the cruise. We are renting a car in anchorage and have a cool VRBO outside the park for a few days. I have been so focused on the cruise portion and haven't done a lot of research in Denali. Did you take the bus through the park? I know there is one where you can get on and off and explore on your own. There's also a narrated bus tour. Wondering if I need to book this in advance. We are about 6 weeks out now.
Pro Sandy
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hudson96 said:

It sounds like you did the Denali part on your own and not with the cruise. We are renting a car in anchorage and have a cool VRBO outside the park for a few days. I have been so focused on the cruise portion and haven't done a lot of research in Denali. Did you take the bus through the park? I know there is one where you can get on and off and explore on your own. There's also a narrated bus tour. Wondering if I need to book this in advance. We are about 6 weeks out now.
Brown bus vs Green bus. Green bus is hop-on/hop-off, brown is narrated.

I took the green and recommend getting off the bus. I picked up a guide book and found a hike that looked interesting, Stony Dome. 4 miles, 1,500 foot elevation, so nothing crazy. Just tell the driver where you want off and he'll stop. Then just wait for another green bus to come by when you're done.Saw grizzly bear while hiking.

You might see more animals on the brown, because you have a guide with a camera, but you'll experience more if you take the green and pick a hike to do.
BQ2001
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We did the green hop-on hop-off and our driver narrated the whole time and stopped for animal sightings. He said he was practicing for getting a brown bus route, but pretty sure he just wanted tips (which he got). It was a lot cheaper and more flexibility for us
hudson96
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My trip is three weeks from tomorrow. I went back and read your entire report and it was super helpful.

We are following.a similar path as you. Flying from San Antonio to Vancouver and going to all the same ports. I didn't plan an excursion in Ketchikan. My boys want to fish and daughter doesn't and it's a fairly short port stop so I'm thinking we will just do the deer mountain hike that you and BQ recommended as we love hiking. That should give us time to explore the town for a bit and grab food and some local beer.

In juneau I booked a private whale watching cruise for my family mid day. Think we will take a cab to the glacier, hike around for a bit and then a cab to meet the whale watching guide. They take use back to port afterwards and since it's a long stop, I figure we will still have time to grab a bite to eat.

In Skagway we are doing the train first thing and should wrap up before 11:00. I noticed you did the train and hiked lower Dewey lake, so that's what I'm thinking as well,

We are renting a car in anchorage and doing some of the land part on our own.

Your post was so helpful.

I've had to plan this entire trip for sa family of 5 with little help so I'm hoping I'm making good choices!
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