DIY Land Tour Prior To Cruise

We spent a little bit over a week in Alaska before embarking on our cruise from Seward to Vancouver. We flew into Fairbanks,then took the train from Fairbanks to Denali, Denali to Anchorage, and Anchorage to Seward. I'll post the details of the land trip here, and then post a cruise review on the Celebrity boards.

Day 1: Fly to Fairbanks

We stayed at the Fairbanks Springhill Suites, which met our needs very well. When we touched down at the airport, we called the hotel, and by the time we claimed our bags, the shuttle was waiting outside for us, with two other parties who were also headed to the hotel. The shuttle driver was friendly and helped with our bags. Check in was quick and smooth. The room was clean, and spaciou, but could have used a few additional touches. For example, the sink is outside of the bathroom, which is fine, but there was nowhere to hang a toiletry bag. There were sheets and a blanket in the closet for making up the twin-sized sofa bed, but we had to take a pillow from our bed for our daughter to use because there was not an extra in the closet. A sign said that bedding was in the closet, including a mattress topper, but there was no mattress topper there. I’m certain that if I had asked the front desk for a mattress topper and extra pillow, they would have been provided, but it was after midnight and we just wanted to get to bed, so we did without. Breakfast was as expected at a Springhill Suites - a free buffet with oatmeal, cereal, eggs, sausage, muffins, juice, coffee, etc. Housekeeping was pleasant and efficient, and did a nice job. At the end of the stay, the hotel shuttle took us to the Train Depot so that we could catch the train to Denali.

Day 2: Fairbanks

We were very tired after flying in from the east coast the day before, and arriving in Fairbanks at midnight, so we were glad that we had planned a low key morning. We walked along some walking and bike paths and visited the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor’s Center. Looking at the exhibits and browsing the racks of tourist brochures took us about an hour, and we also watched a movie about the Aurora Borealis, which was about 50-minutes long. It talked about the stories and legends from around the world, as well as the science behind the Aurora Borealis.

From there, we walked to a little restaurant called The Crepery, which was really very nice. They serve savory and sweet crepes, as well as breakfast crepes before 11 am. You place an order at the counter, then your food gets delivered to your table. The three of us had the smoked salmon crepe, the cheese and pesto crepe, and the cheesecake and strawberry crepe. We each enjoyed what we ordered.

We then took a cab (King Cab) to and from the hotel and the Riverboat Discovery Tour. The dispatcher was pleasant and helpful, and the driver arrived promptly both times. We called for the return as the boat was docking and the cab was there before we got to the parking lot. We enjoyed the Riverboat Discovery tour very much. It was very scripted, as you'd expect from a group that presents the same material multiple times a day, but the information was informative and incorporated a lot of humor. We were really glad that we arrived about 45 minutes early, as we were at the front of the boarding line, giving us a choice of seats. There are plenty of seats onboard, but some are definitely better than others. The third and fourth levels have outdoor seating, with a portion of each covered. Since it was sunny and 82 degrees while we were visiting, we were very happy to find shaded seating. We were lucky that we chose to sit on the left side of the boat. Three major parts of the tour all took place on the port side, and people on the right had to either watch on the video screen or stand and try to see. The bush plane pilot took off and landed in the water, then took off again, while we watched from the left side of the boat. The sled dog presentation and demonstration were also done on shore off the left side of the boat, and just before we got to the Chena Indian Village, a salmon smoking demonstration was done on the shore on the left side. There were a few things where the right side would have been better - viewing a reindeer farm, and a really impressive viewing of the convergence of the Chena and Tanana rivers, but it seemed to be that the benefits of the left side outweighed the right. When we arrived at the Chena Indian Village, we disembarked and they split the passengers into three groups. Two guides escorted each group to three major areas of the village. At each, we sat on benches to view the presentation and artifacts being shared with us. After the three presentations, there was time to look around or ask questions before rebounding the boat. There was a snack bar on the boat. In addition, two snacks were included in the fare: a blueberry donut on the way to the village, and crackers with a smoked salmon and cream cheese spread on the way back. I was surprised to note that tips were not being solicited as we left at the end of the tour. I’ve been on similar tours where there was a basket or bucket for tips, and an announcement was made that tips would be appreciated. On this trip, there was no such announcement, and no obvious collection. We found the experience to be excellent, and it was a great way to spend the afternoon in Fairbanks.

We had dinner at Lavelle’s Bistro, which was located right inside the Springhill Suites where we were staying. I had read good reviews, so I was not surprised, but it was much nicer than I would expect from a hotel in a Springhill Suites. Waitstaff was friendly, polished, efficient, and helpful. The food was generally excellent. There was an extensive wine list, with lots of choices by the class or by what they called a “carafe” which was about a glass and a half. We started by sharing an order of potstickers, which were fine, but not the highlight of our meal. The potato-encrusted salmon was excellent, and was served with a lemon sauce and perfectly-sautéed fresh vegetables. Though we didn't see mention of it on the menu, when we ordered entrees, we found out that they came with a choice of soup or salad. My daughter ordered the beef tips, which were served with a wonderful mushroom sauce. Our excellent waiter realized she was ordering them as an entree, when they were on a different area of the menu, and asked if she’d like to add mashed potatoes, which was a perfect complement. We were too full for dessert.

Day 3: Travel from Fairbanks to Denali & An Intoduction to the Park

We took the Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star from Fairbanks to Denali. Springhill Suites provided a shuttle to take us to the train station. We checked in quickly, and had time to purchase, write, and mail some postscards while we waited to board. For this portion of our trip, we chose to save a little money and travel in Adventure Class. We were assigned seats, but the train had a lot of empty space and were were allowed to move if desired, and we chose to move to the front of our car where there were seats that faced each other with a table between them, which was nice for our family of three. If we had been going farther than Denali, we would have needed to be aware that passengers boarding there might have been assigned those seats, but since the four-hour ride to Denali had no stops along the way, we were in good shape.

There are two dining options available onboard: a snack bar and a dining car. We had grabbed muffins and fruit from the hotel, but we're happy to be able to buy coffee and orange juice onboard. You can head to the snack bar at any time you'd like, but the dining car is a bit more structured. Due to limited seating, they let you know when it is your turn to go eat. For Gold Star passengers, breakfast is included, so they start by seating them, and then move on to those in Adventure Class. A hostess comes through the cars to ask who is interested in dining and comes back to get them when space is available. Alaska Railroad runs cashless trains, which means that any onboard purchases must be made with debit or credit cards, though the bartenders and servers happily accept cash tips. If anyone is traveling with cash, meal vouchers can be purchased at the train depot before boarding.

The employees on the train were really helpful. They did a good job of explaining the rules clearly and with humor! especially since they need to ensure that everyone understands the spaces that are accessible to Gold Class passengers vs. Adventure Class passengers.. There was a big push at the depot and again on the train to purchase a $5 book called the Ride Guide. I gave in and purchased it, and my husband was really glad that I did. He followed along with it for much of the journey. It covers the whole rail system, so if purchased, you can use it again for any other segments you might be taking. For us, that meant a Denali-Anchorage trip and an Anchorage - Seward trip. The first half of our trip was pretty quiet. The scenery was pretty but fairly consistent. We did pass a reindeer farm during that part of the journey. After we passed Nenana, the guides mentioned that we were entering the area where wildlife sightings were most likely, but also mentioned that there hadn't been many recent sightings because it was so warm. Shortly thereafter, we saw two moose - a cow with her calf, and right after that, another cow.

If we had been staying at one of the major hotels in Denali, we would not have needed to get our bags from the train. In Fairbanks, bags were tagged with those hotel names, and collected directly by the hotel. However, we were staying at a lovely bed and breakfast called the Denali Dome Home. We collected our bags, and found one of the owners, Ann, who greeted us and drove us to Healy. Ann and her husband, Terry, provided an incredible number of services for us. In addition to providing our lodging, they run a car rental agency (Keys to Denali), so when we arrived, we were able to pick up our rental car and begin exploring the area. Also, they function as travel agents, so they arranged for our train tickets from Fairbanks to Denali, Denali to Anchorage, and Anchorage to Seward. They also reserved a flightseeing trip for us, and could have arranged a number of other outings if we had taken advantage of that opportunity. For each of the things that they reserved for us, they offered a discount, or maybe, more accurately, a credit...when we checked out, the amount of the discount was deducted from our bill. Using their services saved us a total of $150, and everything Ann arranged for us worked out perfectly, so I highly recommend taking advantage of this service. We stayed in room 4, which accommodated our family of three beautifully, but would have been equally appropriate for a family of four. Room four is down a flight of stairs from the entrance of the inn, and was nicely appointed and extremely clean. The closet is huge and contained three luggage racks. We were only staying for two nights, and didn’t want to spend a lot of time unpacking and repacking, so we set up two of the luggage racks right inside the closet and were able to easily access everything in our large suitcases. There was an out of the way nook behind the head of the bed that our daughter used, and we were able to set up the third luggage rack there for her suitcase. The carpeting was soft and the bedding felt luxurious, and the beds were very comfortable. The bathroom included a sauna which looked very inviting, though we never took advantage of it. Large containers of shampoo, conditioner, soap, and hand lotion were provided, as were comfy robes. There were plenty of outlets, which might sound like a silly thing to report, but we were recharging phones, camera batteries, Nooks, etc, so it was really nice to be able to plug in a lot of things at once. Each morning, breakfast was provided in a beautiful dining area. We had moose sightings in the backyard both mornings of our stay. Terry cooked eggs, pancakes, and French toast to order, and many other items were put out as well, including fruit, muffins, croissants, cereal, etc. There was no reason to walk away hungry! Coffee, tea, and fresh-baked cookies were available any time, and there was an honor bar with some snacks and beverages that you could purchase as desired, though we never felt the need to do so. We very much enjoyed their two sweet and well-behaved dogs, McCloud and Raven. On the morning of our departure, our bags were tagged right at the inn for delivery to the train. Ann drove us back to the train depot, dropping our bags along the way, and walked us right up to the ticket counter to make sure that we were checked in and ready to go. We said goodbye with hugs all around. The Denali Dome Home was a beautiful place to stay, and we highly recommend it to visitors to Denali who would like to stay in a beautiful property with a personal touch.

By the time we were checked in and settled into our bed and breakfast, it was about 2:00. We made the 20-minute drive back into Denali, stopped at the Visitor’s Center, where we grabbed a quick lunch at the Morino Grill. Then we drove the first 15 miles of the park road, which is as far as you can go with a private vehicle. We parked, and hiked the Savage River Loop, which is an easy two mile walk.

We then headed into town and had dinner at The Overlook, which is associated with the Denali Crow’s Nest Log Cabins. Signs directing us to the restaurant were visible from the road, but after parking, we didn’t see a sign for the restaurant, so it was a little bit confusing. However, we climbed the stairs to the building that looked like it could be called “The Overlook,” and it turned out to be the right place. My husband said the lemonade he ordered was good. My daughter was surprised that her rootbeer didn’t have much carbonation, but it was locally made and maybe that's the way it is. It had been a warm day, and so I ordered a glass of white wine, but it was served at room temperature. We ordered a cheese and chartucerie plate to start, which was nicely presented and tasty. Bread and honey butter were also brought to the table. All three of us ordered the salmon dinner, which was served with potato gratin and vegetables. The salmon was excellent. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. We were seated by a window, and had a nice view of the town and the mountains.

Day 4: Denali

After breakfast, we drove to Mile 3 of the Park Road for the National Park Service’s Dog Sled Demonstration. The program was free, started at 10:00, lasted about 30 minutes, and was well worth the time.

From there, we drove to the air strip by the Train Depot, where we met Shawn, a pilot from Kantishna Air Taxi, at 11:30. He flew us to Kantishna, the last shuttle stop inside the park. On the way, he did a beautiful job of narrating what we were seeing, and of answering any questions we had. The plane was a six-seater. My daughter sat in the front with the pilot. My husband and I sat in the center, and two employees who were being shuttled into the area sat in the back. The views were amazing, and Shawn was able to find a small gap in the clouds where he gave us the only glimpse of Mt. Denali that we got during our visit. When we landed in Kantishna, we were met with a van that drove us to (for lack of a better term) “headquarters.” There we received our tickets for the return shuttle bus. We had also ordered boxed lunches that were provided to us. There was comfortable seating, with tables where we could eat, and access to fresh water and a restroom. We had a little bit of time to enjoy the view and go for a short walk before the bus arrived at 2:00.

Our bus driver’s name was Wendy, and she was excellent. She was funny and knowledgeable, and was able to point out quite a bit of wildlife that we would have otherwise missed. A number of caribou were really close up and easy to photograph. We also saw several Dall sheep, a grizzly bear, and a golden eagle, but there were far off in the distance and hard to see. The shuttle bus dropped us off at the train depot at 7:00, steps away from the airstrip where we returned to our car.

We had dinner at the Black Diamond Grill in Healy before returning to our bed and breakfast. It was a very casual atmosphere, with good food. There was a large group near us that was so loud that it made it difficult for us to converse, but we got the impression from the rest of the crowd that this was not typical.

Day 5: Travel to Anchorage

We spent the morning running a few errands - we needed to fill the rental car with gas, and wanted to do a little shopping for souvenirs. We returned to the Denail Dome Home and checked out at 11:00, and the owner drove us to the train depot, where we boarded the Denali Star to Anchorage. This was a seven and one-half hour ride, so we opted to try the Gold Star Service. Meals (and two alcoholic drinks) are included in the fare. For lunch, I had a black bean burger, my daughter had a hamburger, and my husband had penne with sauce that included reindeer and pork sausage. For dinner, we each had a salad, my daughter had vegan “meatballs,” I had pot roast, and my husband had haddock. Dessert was a choice of chocolate mousse or lemon/raspberry mousse. The food was good, but not great. (It outshone the cafe cars I’m used to on Amtrak, though!) The windows are larger and arch over the car, and there is a little bit more service (garbage collection and a bartender at the back of the car, for example.) To be honest, if I were making the choice again, I would stick with Adventure Class. We could have bought our meals and our wine and had a very similar experience for a lower cost. Adventure class does have to wait for Gold Star Class to finish dining before having the opportunity to eat in the dining car, but it seemed like everyone who wanted to dine was able to do so. I really enjoy “luxury” and am willing to pay for upgraded service and amenities, but in this case, I just didn’t find the benefits to be worth the cost.

Our train arrived at the Anchorage train depot at about 8:00 pm. We found our bags, caught one of the cabs that were lined up on the street, and checked into the Anchorage Marriott Downtown. The lobby was extremely busy, but the line to check in was short. (I think a group associated with a cruise ship had just arrived.) We were upgraded to a room on the 20th floor, which is the concierge level. A rollaway was quickly delivered for my daughter, and the gentleman who brought the rollaway asked us if there was anything else we needed. I asked for extra towels, and they were brought quickly, and with a smile. The room was clean, housekeeping was efficient, friendly, and followed through on any notes we left. (We asked for an extra blanket for the rollaway, and extra towels each day, and they were provided.) The hotel offers same-day laundry service, which was really nice since my husband was running low on clean shirts by this point in our trip. We also took advantage of the three-night stay to do a bunch of hand wash while we could hang it and be sure it would have time to dry before we packed up again.

Day 6: Anchorage

We rented a car at Hertz, which is located in the Hotel Captain Cook. We had reserved a mid-sized car and were really pleased with the small SUV they provided.

We then drove along the Turnagain Arm to Portage Lake, where we had reserved tickets for a one-hour Portage Glacier Cruise. We arrived at the ticket desk to learn that the boat was out of service, and all cruises were canceled for the week. I know that these things happen, but having received our tickets via email, I was very disappointed that Grey Line Alaska Tours didn't contact us in advance so that we could make a new plan. I was then puzzled when they called my cellphone the following day to tell us the tour was canceled. However, the actual employees at the site of the cruise were extremely helpful. They provided a map of the area, and offered suggestions for walks and hikes that would help us view the glaciers in the area. We spent a few hours enjoying the area, including a hike to see Byron Glacier and a drive to see Portage Glacier from across the lake. We also had lunch in the little cafe at the Portage Glacier Lodge.

From there we drove to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. It was worth it because we were driving by, but in my opinion, wouldnt be worth a trip specifically to go there. There is something different about seeing animals in a setting like that; it is just not the same as seeing them in the wild. However, we got close-up views and great pictures of some animals that we hadn't seen yet on our trip - black bears, brown bears, wolves, and bison. We also saw a wild eagle steal salmon from one of the brown bears, and that is apparently not uncommon. The center offers a guided shuttle bus, or you can drive along the dirt roads, but we chose to walk.

We had a dinner reservation at Jack Sprat, and it was a wonderful choice. We shared a cheese plate, then had haddock, salmon, and pasta for dinner. All three dishes were excellent. The dessert menu was too tempting to resist. Both the creme brulee and the bread pudding were delicious.

Day 7: Anchorage

We too advantage of the fact that we still had a car and took a drive to the Alaskan Native Heritage Center. There were demonstrations and movies in the main building, and you could take an independent or guided tour that walked you through the homes of the native cultures from different regions of Alaska, such as the Athabascan. We had lunch at a small outdoor cafe and coffee shop onsite.

After lunch, we returned our rental car, then walked to the meeting point for SegTour of Anchorage. None of us had ever been on a Segway before, but there was an informational video followed by an orientation to the Segways prior to the start of our tour. There were about a dozen participants, of a variety of ages and experience levels (no young children) and everyone seemed to manage well. I was concerned that I would feel wobbly and apprehensive the whole time, but it soon became more natural. We did stop to view salmon at Ship Creek, enjoy views of Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range, and rode by the Alaska Railroad Depot. The experience was excellent, and our guides were wonderful, but it is important to note that for inexperienced riders choosing this tour, most of your attention must be focused on the navigating the Segway itself, so the “tour” part is secondary even though our guides were very knowledgeable.

We were very tired by dinner time, so we opted to stay at the hotel. We had very good beverages and appetizers in the concierge lounge, and a pretty bad room service pizza. I took our daughter down to the hotel pool, where she enjoyed a swim before we turned in for the night.

Day 8: Travel to Seward

We took a cab to the Train Depot, checked in, and boarded the Coastal Classic to Seward. We had reserved Gold Star Class again for this journey. The trip was beautiful, and we saw Dall sheep, eagles, and a moose. A nice breakfast was included. As I mentioned previously, I didn't find the Gold Star Class to be worth the additional cost. Booking Adventure Class and paying for breakfast and beverages would have been a pretty easy way to save money.

When we arrived at the Seward train depot, Christina from Hotel Seward was waiting to greet us. She helped us claim our bags, loaded them into the hotel van, and drove us back to the hotel. She gave us the heads-up that our room would not be likely to be ready for a couple of hours, but said that the hotel would hold our bags for us so that we could begin exploring the town. When we arrived at the hotel, we found out that Christina was also working the front desk. She quickly ran upstairs to check on our room and soon returned with word that it was ready for us, which was a delightful surprise! Our room (two queen beds with a view) in the Alaskan Wing was very clean and well-appointed. We were greeted with a pair of towel swans on our bed when we arrived. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a coin-operated washer and dryer were available for guest use, and we were able to get our laundry clean and dry before the next part of our trip. Housekeeping was excellent, and we couldn't have asked for more from the hotel.

After settling in, we walked from the hotel to the Alaska Sea Life Center, which was a fun way to spend a couple of hours before we had a mid-afternoon lunch. We enjoyed the puffins, the sea lion, and the seals. My daughter had fun with the free green-screen photo booth, and we were able to email the photos she took to ourselves from the kiosk. We planned to grab a quick bite at the cafe before leaving, but it was closed, so we walked back toward the hotel, looking for something quick, and found a nice little coffee shop called the Sea Bean Cafe. The sandwiches and beverages that we ordered were excellent. You order and pay at the counter, then your food is delivered to your table.

My husband and daughter then headed off on a sea kayaking adventure, and this is when I did our laundry at the hotel. They took PJ’s cab to Lowell Point State Recreation Area, where they checked in with Sunny Cove Kayaking for a three-hour Resurrection Bay kayaking trip. They were together in a tandem kayak. There were two guides and about ten other kayakers. The weather was very nice, which probably reduced the amount of wildlife they saw, though my husband says he was focused on the actually kayaking most of the time. Birds and a sea lion were spotted during the trip. The experience was a good one!

The restaurant in the hotel (Ms. Gene’s Place) met our needs that night for dinner, but was not as nice as the lodging. For breakfast, it was an excellent choice. For dinner, I expected more value for the price we paid. Most of the food was fine, but not extraordinary. There are better places, within walking distance, to eat dinner.

Day 9: Seward

The Kenai Fjords National Park Tour that we took in Seward was one of the highlights of our trip. A shuttle picked us up from our hotel, and returned us at the end of a wonderful trip. The boarding process was the only negative part of our experience. When picking up your boarding passes, they ask you to wait for an announcement before lining up on the dock. Those of us who followed that direction ended up at the back of a long line filled with those who didn't follow the direction. However, we were still able to find seats and the rest of the trip was great. I’m accustomed to trying to find outdoor seating on trips like this, but we were advised to find a table inside. This table was used as a home base, and is where lunch was served, but we were often outside viewing the landscape and the animals. We saw puffins, orcas, humpbacks, seals, sea lions, sea otters, and a black bear, as well as amazing views of Holgate Glacier. The boat would stop when wildlife was spotted and announcements would be made about what we were seeing. I was amazed by how close we could get to some of the wildlife. It made for very good photo opportunities. Lunch was a Chicken Caesar wrap, chips, and a granola bar, served with cups of water. Toward the end of the trip, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies were provided. A snack bar with a wide variety of snacks and beverages was also available.

We had a wonderful dinner at The Cookery, which was just two doors down from the Hotel Seward. They do not take reservations, so they advise coming earlier in the evening to avoid a longer wait. The service and the food were excellent, and I highly recommend this restaurant.

Day 10 (Cruise Day 1): Embarkation in Seward

We stayed at the Hotel Seward until the 11:00 am checkout time. The hotel shuttle took us to the cruise port. (After checking into the hotel, ask to reserve the shuttle. They have a clipboard where you can sign up for transportation to the train depot or the cruise port.). The shuttle driver took our bags, which already had our cruise tags on them, and dropped the bags off after dropping us at the terminal. We saw them again when they were delivered to our room that afternoon.

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I finally finished the report of the cruise that followed this land trip. It is posted here. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2528933

Thank you so much to everyone on these boards who helped as I made the plans for our trip. We had a wonderful time!

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Thank you for a fantastic write-up. I've just begun planning an Alaskan trip and this is very helpful!

Thank you for a fantastic write-up. I've just begun planning an Alaskan trip and this is very helpful!

I'm so glad it is helpful. Have fun planning! :-)

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Thanks for taking the time to post your reports !

Your land travel will be so helpful for folks who would like to go DIY but don't want to drive.

Please add a link to the 2017 Trip Reports .... your reports will be a great resource !

Thanks for posting your report. We did a cruise tour with Princess a few years ago. I think our driver in Denali was Wendy. She was great.

Wow what a fantastic report. We are doing a cruise next August 2018 and are just starting to think about our pre cruise land trip. Unfortunately I don't think we will not be able to take as many days as you but your review will help in our planning.

Thanks for taking the time to write this review.:)

Wow what a fantastic report. We are doing a cruise next August 2018 and are just starting to think about our pre cruise land trip. Unfortunately I don't think we will not be able to take as many days as you but your review will help in our planning.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write this review.:)

Enjoy the planning, and then the trip! :-)

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