HELP! Land Tours vs putting our own trip together

N

Nurse Nancy

Guest
Hi, all! We are first-timers to Alaska, and first-timers cruising with senior parents. We have booked a land tour the first few days of June with Princess prior to our southbound cruise. But from what I have read and heard from other cruisers, it looks like sometimes you are better off just planning your own pre-cruise trip. We want to do Denali and the Alaskan Railroad, and hopefully make it to Fairbanks. The land tour is quite expensive, starts in Fairbanks and moves on to Anchorage/Whittier the day our cruise embarks. With the land tour, all the transfers, plans, reservations, etc., are taken care of, BUT we don't have much control over rooms, times, itinerary, etc. What do you recommend? My main concern is getting from airport to motels, then to railroad, on to the next hotel, and to the Denali tours. Finally after staying in the Denali area a night or two, we'd need to make it to the port in Whittier to catch our ship. My parents will be with us, and although they are pretty active, I don't want the transfers to be a stressful event for them (what, with luggage and all.) If you think planning our own land tour is better, do you have any suggestions and/or advice as to railroad vs motor coach, lodging, transfers, restaurants, etc.?

Thank you for your help! I need all the advice I can get! ;-)
 
P

PEB

Guest
Seeing this will be your first time to Alaska and first time cruising to eliminate the stress the pre cruise package through the cruise line would work very well. You can do the land thing on your own and it may be a little less hectic, however the trip to Whittier will be where you must be very careful. The transportation to Whittier is based totally on the tunnels going to Whittier. They let through the trains, buses and cars at specific times because there is only one way in or out of Whittier.

Getting to the hotels or the next area will not be that hard if you truly prefer to do them on your own, but as I said make sure of your timing for Whittier.
 
Top