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Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge 06/28/17-06/30/2017/food options & clothing


Pbcruiser001
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As part of cruise package, staying here 3 nights and it gets 2.5 star review on yelp. Sounds pretty awful, from accommodations to dining options. Apparently there is a strip mall across the street for alternate food/dining?

 

Any recommendations for places to dine or purchase takeout (e.g., yogurt) in that mall?

 

Weather forecast for Anchorage is high of around 60, low 50 and 40% chance of rain. Long pants, short t-shirt, hoodie, spring raincoat sufficient for "Denali National Park tour" or does it get colder in the park? (Gloves, hat required?)

 

Thanks in advance.

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We were there last month as part of a Princess land tour. I wouldn't categorize the Lodge and surroundings as "awful" but don't expect luxury. It's a basic lodge with quite a few 2 story buildings housing rooms. There are two main places to eat: Grizzly Bar and Grill and King Salmon Restaurant. We ate at both, food was okay, service at Grizzly Bar lacking. It's a basic bar and grill but with a nice fireplace and great deck in back overlooking the river. King Salmon restaurant was more upscale, higher prices of course, and fairly good food. They are next to each other. In the main lodge, there is an area to get coffee/giant cinnamon rolls/sandwiches/fruit, usually a fairly long line in the morning. They also sell ice cream. A short walk away from the Lodge is a place for pizza and subs, pizza pretty good, plus beer.

Across the street from the Lodge is "glitter gulch" --- a strip mall of various shops, wide variety of things from nice jewelry to the usual array of sweatshirts, souvenirs, etc. There are a couple of places to eat (ice cream/yogurt, Subway, a hotdog place, and a seafood spot). Don't know about reviews/quality of food. I know of some who have gone up or down the highway away from the lodge for better meals. Haven't done that so I can't vouch for quality of those places. Overall, food isn't bad just don't have high expectations.

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I neglected to respond to your clothing question: weather for us was in the mid-60s during the day, some rainy drizzle and we had same choices, layers. We did do an excursion and once in the park, it snowed on us. Got colder of course but we loved it. Temps definitely dropped in the evenings (around mid-30s). If your head/hands get cold easily, hat and gloves advised.

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Thanks so much for info on food & dress--wasn't expecting 30s, was planning on leaving hat/gloves in luggage checked for the ship, so thanks for that.

 

Speaking of lyggage, 1st time cruise so uncertain about whether or not I should rely on princess to transport my plane carryon with 3 days clothing for land or should I have that with me at all times? It is nylon (a little heavier than parachute fabric) and squishable enough to fit under plane seat, but is 17x14x6 fully stuffed (i won't) and princess itinerary document states no bags allowed on coaches or rail larger than 17x14x4.

 

One woman said absolutely adhere to this, another guide said it's just a guideline and if not fully packed, ok. But he suggested letting princess transport that bag from lodge to lodge and me just carry my essentials in purse or backpack.

 

Is it a bad idea to rely on princess to transport baggage? (Long lines to retrieve, lost luggage, etc?)

 

I really don't like the idea of taking that 17x1x 6 bag with pjs, toiletries, etc on the fairbanks riverboat cruise to denali princess wilderness lodge , the denali to mckinley princess lodge trip, and the Talkeetna to whittier rail trip, but that is what my friend is doing.

 

Are there good reasons to do so? Thanks again for your experience!

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Thanks so much for info on food & dress--wasn't expecting 30s, was planning on leaving hat/gloves in luggage checked for the ship, so thanks for that.

 

Speaking of lyggage, 1st time cruise so uncertain about whether or not I should rely on princess to transport my plane carryon with 3 days clothing for land or should I have that with me at all times? It is nylon (a little heavier than parachute fabric) and squishable enough to fit under plane seat, but is 17x14x6 fully stuffed (i won't) and princess itinerary document states no bags allowed on coaches or rail larger than 17x14x4.

 

One woman said absolutely adhere to this, another guide said it's just a guideline and if not fully packed, ok. But he suggested letting princess transport that bag from lodge to lodge and me just carry my essentials in purse or backpack.

 

Is it a bad idea to rely on princess to transport baggage? (Long lines to retrieve, lost luggage, etc?)

 

I really don't like the idea of taking that 17x1x 6 bag with pjs, toiletries, etc on the fairbanks riverboat cruise to denali princess wilderness lodge , the denali to mckinley princess lodge trip, and the Talkeetna to whittier rail trip, but that is what my friend is doing.

 

Are there good reasons to do so? Thanks again for your experience!

 

We've done a few Princess land & cruise tours (two in Alaska) and have never had luggage problems. I would advise taking onboard coach and train as small a bag as you can manage, with just essentials (meds/camera, important items). While

travelling on coaches, they will put larger bags/rollerboards under the bus and you get them at next stop. On train, they do not do that and only storage will be beneath your seat, which is probably as small or smaller than underseat space on planes. You are discouraged from carrying too much on board for good reason.

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We've done a few Princess land & cruise tours (two in Alaska) and have never had luggage problems. I would advise taking onboard coach and train as small a bag as you can manage, with just essentials (meds/camera, important items). While

travelling on coaches, they will put larger bags/rollerboards under the bus and you get them at next stop. On train, they do not do that and only storage will be beneath your seat, which is probably as small or smaller than underseat space on planes. You are discouraged from carrying too much on board for good reason.

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

So it is reasonable for me to let Princess take my bag with clothing & toiletries to my next destination and keep with me only essentials like meds, phone, binos, money, passport, maybe a snack bar, etc), basically things that I can carry in a purse. Doing so will not delay or inconvenience other members in my traveling party, correct? Thanks again!

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Haven't been yet but my notes say the Salmon Bake has good ribs and chili. The coffee shop has oatmeal you can make in room.

 

 

 

How would you make oatmeal in your room? Do the rooms have coffee makers?

 

 

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I did not eat at the Princess Lodge but did eat at both restaurants at McKinley Chalet next door to Princess and these Holland American ones were good. I loved sitting outside on the deck at Karsten's to eat and admire the view. We also ate in the Canyon Steakhouse which was good. They have a bar with a great menu of appetizers which you could make a meal from.

 

Across the street we at at Prospector's Pizza. They have a lot more than just pizza. Take your driver's license if you want wine or beer. They look at everyone's, no matter the age. I didn't have mine and could not get a glass of wine.

 

There are 2 little grocery stores in the strip of businesses. Both would have ice cream.

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Thank you for your reply.

 

So it is reasonable for me to let Princess take my bag with clothing & toiletries to my next destination and keep with me only essentials like meds, phone, binos, money, passport, maybe a snack bar, etc), basically things that I can carry in a purse. Doing so will not delay or inconvenience other members in my traveling party, correct? Thanks again!

 

Definitely send the bag with Princess and just carry your small item with you. It will be waiting for you in your room that night at your next hotel. An airline carryone size bag will not fit inside the coach with you so you'd be seperated from it anyway.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We recently ate at Salmon Bake. It is located in Glitter Gulch across from Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. As you walk up to it and inside it has a very rustic appearance. The food was delicious! It had the best salmon chowder of our 25 day trip! My husband had an elk burger and he loved it. Our server, Angie, was one of the best on our trip. Our experience at Salmon Bake was excellent.

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We'd agreed to keep food costs on the land tour portion down as much as possible. We'd heard many people say how expensive things were there, but coming from California we didn't think so. But we still only ate in the low cost options.

 

The pizza place on premises is decent; we ate there our first night. The second night Princess comped us the dinner theater, which we never would have paid for. That was a surprising amount of fun, and the food wasn't bad. We got coffee and muffins from the coffee place for breakfast.

 

We walked across the highway and got Subway lunch to take on the shuttle.

 

Our room at Denali wasn't anything to write home about. Clean, basic accommodations. We thought that was fair enough since our room at the Copper River Lodge was pretty much spectacular. Second floor, overlooking the valley. We also scored a nice corner room at the Captain Cook in Anchorage, with windows on two sides.

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Thank you for your reply.

 

So it is reasonable for me to let Princess take my bag with clothing & toiletries to my next destination and keep with me only essentials like meds, phone, binos, money, passport, maybe a snack bar, etc), basically things that I can carry in a purse. Doing so will not delay or inconvenience other members in my traveling party, correct? Thanks again!

 

It makes no difference to others in your party. you should take what you want/need. we just completed a connoisseur cruisetour with 37 people. bags ranged from all sizes. the issue is you may not get your other bags for several hours.

I had 3 large back packs for our family of 3. Other people had 21 inch carry on bags that they stored below the bus and as well the train placed with luggage on the train. we always had our bags at our feet or overhead in bus- my largest back pack was 21 x8x14. we had excursions planned within 30min to 2 hrs after arrival for 3 of our 4 stops so I needed snacks & rain gear, cameras with me and not in my meet me at next place tags.

 

we had one lost bag- still has not been found..... one damaged bag and a second lost bag that was later returned to us in Fairbanks. it had been delivered to an incorrect guest room and the guest was nice enough to bring us our bag since our room number was on the tag.

 

Take what you want and enjoy your land tour. DOnt worry about what your friends are doing.

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It makes no difference to others in your party. you should take what you want/need. we just completed a connoisseur cruisetour with 37 people. bags ranged from all sizes. the issue is you may not get your other bags for several hours.

I had 3 large back packs for our family of 3. Other people had 21 inch carry on bags that they stored below the bus and as well the train placed with luggage on the train. we always had our bags at our feet or overhead in bus- my largest back pack was 21 x8x14. we had excursions planned within 30min to 2 hrs after arrival for 3 of our 4 stops so I needed snacks & rain gear, cameras with me and not in my meet me at next place tags.

 

we had one lost bag- still has not been found..... one damaged bag and a second lost bag that was later returned to us in Fairbanks. it had been delivered to an incorrect guest room and the guest was nice enough to bring us our bag since our room number was on the tag.

 

Take what you want and enjoy your land tour. DOnt worry about what your friends are doing.

So that makes me a little nervous....one permanently lost bag...one damaged bag....and one incorrectly delivered bag. All on a cruisetour with 3 people??

 

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We were there last month. The Salmon Bake is a fun place with good food. It's definitely not cheaper than the lodge but its a more lively atmosphere. There is also a cool little coffee bar/cafe called the Black Bear (if my memory serves me correctly) in that same strip. It has a rustic vibe and good breakfasts including some decent vegan choices. I would not call the lodge restaurants crazy expensive--well breakfast is pretty pricey--but I wouldn't call it budget friendly either, especially if you have a family. In my case it was just 2 of us. The views are spectacular.

 

We had gorgeous weather, sunny and in the 70's.

 

 

We took backpacks on the train and bus. We did see some larger luggage stored in the snack bar car on the train. All of our transfers were seamless. No issues w/luggage. I hope you have as great a trip as we did.

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