A
alohagail
Guest
I was wondering if anyone had done the extra 3-day Heart of Alaska landtour. It takes you to the Denali Princess Lodge and the McKinley Princess Lodge. Looking for feedback on if this was good or not. Thanks.
C
CruiseAholic
Guest
Just came back from the Dawn Princess this past Monday and did the 6 night land tour before.
A word of advice, consider more than one night at the lodges, especially Denali or Mt. McKinley, it is alot of moving around and tiring.
The tour was great, amazing how Princess gets people where they are supposed to be.
A word of advice, consider more than one night at the lodges, especially Denali or Mt. McKinley, it is alot of moving around and tiring.
The tour was great, amazing how Princess gets people where they are supposed to be.
A
alohagail
Guest
How were the accommodations at the Lodges? Are they nice or more on the rustic side? Also, how were the mosquitos? Thanks for your help.
C
CruisJack
Guest
alohagail Wrote:
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> How were the accommodations at the Lodges? Are
> they nice or more on the rustic side? Also, how
> were the mosquitos? Thanks for your help.
Aloha Gail
We took the three day inland tour to Denali and Mt. McKinley
last year. CruiseAholic is correct for it is a lot of traveling
around in a short time. We landed in Anchorage and spent
the night in the Princess Lodge which was nice and
comfortable. At 8:30 AM the next morning,we boarded the
Princess train for Denali and arrived at about noon.
We took a 4 hour tour of the park in the mid afternoon.
Our tour guide was from Florida. Go figure. There was
a choice of a fine dining restaurant of a casual restaurant
of a sandwich shop at all three locations. We had heard
stories about the mosquitos, or as the guide said, the
Alaskan Air Force. But we never saw any on our trip.
At noon, the next day we boarded the Princess train and
headed for the Mt. McKinley Lodge. The scenery was
spectacular. We switched to a bus for the last part of
out trip and was able to see Mt. McKinley from several
vantage points. We have mountains in California but
nothing compares to the majestic Mt. McKinley.
The last morning, we boarded the bus to the dock
and headed for the Coral Princess. We stopped
in Anchorage for our lunch bread and at a wild life
refuge after lunch. We boarded the Coral about
6 PM.
Yes, it was somewhat tiring but worth it.
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> How were the accommodations at the Lodges? Are
> they nice or more on the rustic side? Also, how
> were the mosquitos? Thanks for your help.
Aloha Gail
We took the three day inland tour to Denali and Mt. McKinley
last year. CruiseAholic is correct for it is a lot of traveling
around in a short time. We landed in Anchorage and spent
the night in the Princess Lodge which was nice and
comfortable. At 8:30 AM the next morning,we boarded the
Princess train for Denali and arrived at about noon.
We took a 4 hour tour of the park in the mid afternoon.
Our tour guide was from Florida. Go figure. There was
a choice of a fine dining restaurant of a casual restaurant
of a sandwich shop at all three locations. We had heard
stories about the mosquitos, or as the guide said, the
Alaskan Air Force. But we never saw any on our trip.
At noon, the next day we boarded the Princess train and
headed for the Mt. McKinley Lodge. The scenery was
spectacular. We switched to a bus for the last part of
out trip and was able to see Mt. McKinley from several
vantage points. We have mountains in California but
nothing compares to the majestic Mt. McKinley.
The last morning, we boarded the bus to the dock
and headed for the Coral Princess. We stopped
in Anchorage for our lunch bread and at a wild life
refuge after lunch. We boarded the Coral about
6 PM.
Yes, it was somewhat tiring but worth it.
M
Mgram
Guest
alohagail Wrote:
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> How were the accommodations at the Lodges? Are
> they nice or more on the rustic side? Also, how
> were the mosquitos? Thanks for your help.
In Anchorage we stayed at the Bear Lodge that Princess uses. It was lovely.....nice big rooms, well appointed. The Denali Princess rooms are like a Days Inn. They were clean, but not lavish. The main Lodge building was beautiful. The Princess Mt. McKinley rooms were beautiful and also well appointed.....very comfortable - we were in one of the new 2-story buildings #19.
As for mosquitoes......I got 2 bites.....they were average size critters. Just be prepared with repellent and you will be fine. We did not see them in all locations.
YES, the land tour is worth it.....but, like CA said, consider staying 2 days in each place.
-------------------------------------------------------
> How were the accommodations at the Lodges? Are
> they nice or more on the rustic side? Also, how
> were the mosquitos? Thanks for your help.
In Anchorage we stayed at the Bear Lodge that Princess uses. It was lovely.....nice big rooms, well appointed. The Denali Princess rooms are like a Days Inn. They were clean, but not lavish. The main Lodge building was beautiful. The Princess Mt. McKinley rooms were beautiful and also well appointed.....very comfortable - we were in one of the new 2-story buildings #19.
As for mosquitoes......I got 2 bites.....they were average size critters. Just be prepared with repellent and you will be fine. We did not see them in all locations.
YES, the land tour is worth it.....but, like CA said, consider staying 2 days in each place.
C
CruiseAholic
Guest
But...whatever you do....DON'T, and I repeat DON'T take the float (yeah, right it was class 8) trip down the Chuleetna (or some other such spelling)....it was horrifying, my mild-mannered life was flashing before my eyes and then I even had to get out and attempt to push, although MGram made sure the raft took off without me and I'm left standing in the middle of the river........all without my flask !
A
alohagail
Guest
Oh my gosh, I think we did sign up for this one. Are you talking about the Chilkoot Trail and Float in Skagway? I certainly don't want a whitewater class 8 experience. Help! I'm leaving tomorrow morning.
M
Mgram
Guest
OMG......Ingore CruiseAholic.......no he was talking about the Chulitna River Float trip out of Mt. McKinley on the land tour......it was a -1 class trip.......sorry he cared the stuffin' out of you......but I see now that you have already left and are still concerned. He DID have get out in 6 inches of water....we grounded. The only thing he did not exaggerate about is that he forgot his flask!
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alohagail
Guest
Well, I have returned from my cruisetour, and have to say that I had a WONDERFUL time. Every aspect of the cruise was great. As for the Heart of Alaska landtour, I wouldn't recommend it. We did the 3-nite version and spent way too much time on trains and buses (excuse me, coaches). I'm going to write a lengthy review as soon as I rest up, but you leave the ship at 6:15 am to go on a bus for 4 hours and then a train for 4 hours to get to the Denali Princess Lodge. That's 8 hours of transportation. Then you get up the next day and leave for the McKinley Princess Lodge via a 2 hour bus ride, which wasn't so bad. Then you leave the next afternoon at 3 pm for a 2 hour bus ride, then a 4 hour train ride which puts you into Anchorage at around 9 pm. We needed to have our luggage out by 4 am and the bus for the airport left at 5:30.
Other than the excessive driving around, it was nice but probably wouldn't do it again.
The cruise was another story . . . the Sun Princess was superb and we all had a great time. That's a family of four with an 11-year-old and a 14-year-old. Review to come.
Oh and no mosquitoes, just smoke.
Other than the excessive driving around, it was nice but probably wouldn't do it again.
The cruise was another story . . . the Sun Princess was superb and we all had a great time. That's a family of four with an 11-year-old and a 14-year-old. Review to come.
Oh and no mosquitoes, just smoke.
C
cowtec
Guest
alohagail, we are doing the 6 night Kenai Wilderness cruisetour next year. We are looking forward to reading your review! Did you fly into Anchorage to begin your cruisetour? We fly into Fairbanks for two nights, then a night at Denali, a night at McKinley, and two nights at Kenai. I figure we will need the cruise just to rest up after all that moving around!!!
Sue
Sue
D
DoctorB
Guest
We took the 3day land and and the southbound cruise. The land was good but it is a lot of traveling. We thought it was well worth it. There is a lot of land to cover and in the train was a great way to do it. We found the service on land was much better then that of nearly any of the service we received on the Sun Princess. The train had excellent food. Far better then that on the ship. Also, everyone was very friendly and spoke english very well!
