dinibo

Thanks so much! What side is the water side of the train btw?

My in-laws will be taking a cruise with us down from Alaska ending in Vancouver. We will be splitting off from them after the cruise but I am trying to determine the best way to get them from Vancouver to the Seattle airport. The flights out of Seattle are considerably cheaper for them, even when including transportation and overnight hotel stay. They do have mild mobility issues but will be traveling with my SIL who can help with some things.

I am leaning towards having them take the evening Amtrak but I have a few questions that hopefully someone who has done something similar can help with:

1. As the train doesn't leave until 5:45 what would be their best option to store baggage and/or get to the train station? Does anyone know if there are there any day tours they could take that would help store their bags and drop them off at the train? Our ship will be getting in at 7 am if that helps.

2. We are getting in on 9/1 but their flight home is on 9/2. After getting off the train in Seattle any thoughts on the best hotel for them to stay at with a focus on ease of getting to from the train station and preferably with an airport shuttle for them in the morning?

Also, is there anything else I should be thinking about? I was looking into the bus but the train seems both cheaper and less of a problem given that they will have 2 bags and be over the limit for the bus.

Thanks so much!

I was hoping someone could help me. We are arriving in Vancouver on Saturday Sept 1st and are traveling with our parents in their 70's. They are moderately ok traveling alone but have expressed interest in staying overnight in Vancouver and exploring the city on their own. My husband and I are unable to stay and were looking for any tours that would get them from the cruise port, show them around on Saturday, maybe provide hotel for the night and then get them to the airport the next day. Has anyone used any tour services they really liked? I've seen several things out there but am a bit nervous about sending them out on their own without knowing more. Thanks!

I've done some searching and I seem to be getting some mixed results so I was hoping to find the most recent experiences people have had.

We will be visiting Juneau on 8/29 from 6:30-4pm and will be a group of 5 adults. My FIL will be joining us and based upon his limited mobility we are really struggling to come up with ideas for what to do yet still make sure he is able to participate in the trip. He is able to walk short distances but we are also thinking of renting a wheelchair for the trip to make it easier on him.

The best idea we currently have is to rent a car and just visit a few sites on our own, particularly mendenhall. I know there is a wheelchair accessible trail but was curious if people thought it would be possible to make it to nugget falls in one? Also, are there any other locations you can think of we might enjoy visiting that would be accessible by car but also potentially wheelchair accessible?

Finally does anyone know which rental car agencies are currently available to the dock or fairly easily accessible? I have heard Juneau Rental Car is an option but I've also read their cars are pretty beat up and unreliable and I'm pretty nervous about getting stranded somewhere. Anyone have any thoughts/experiences with them that would sway a nervous nelly either way?

Thanks so much!

We were there this past September and did a whale watch/Mendenhall Glacier combo tour with Juneau Whale Watch tours. $135 pp and include a 2-3 hour whale watch tour (saw a lot of them, too) and then they took us to Mendenhall Glacier where we were able to spend as long as we wanted hiking to Nugget Falls, Photo Point and at the visitor's center. The last bus (from the tour) left there at 5 or 6 pm (it was starting to get dark anyway) but you could stay longer and just take a cab or the public bus back to town.

I am really leaning towards this tour myself. How did you find the whale watch portion to be? Was the boat crowded? I know they aren't the biggest but they aren't the smallest either. Also if you don't mind how did the pick up portion of the tour go? Was it difficult to get from the ship to the pick up location? My FIL is traveling with us and has trouble walking long distances. I wondering if this would be difficult for him.

I think your asking 2 different questions. For whale watching in Juneau we've gone with many different companies. The stand was with Jayleen's Alaska, she's put on a really good excursion.

For Skagway you can't beat Dyea Dave, he also puts on a really good excursion. What's nice about Dyea Dave he's a local and knows the area. They are both very accommodating. We like to use the small independent excursion companies whenever possible. Google Jayleen's Alaska and Dyea Dave for more information.

Thanks! But actually I am asking specifically about a tour option offered by Juneau whale watch called the two city tour. It includes a tour of skagway up to emerald lake (very similiar to Dyea Dave) and then when you get to Juneau they then provide the whale watching tour. It is little cheaper than booking separate excursions in two different ports but I can't seem to find anything online regarding anyone who had completed the Skagway portion. I'm probably going to go with the Dyea Dave but still keeping my options open for now.

We’ve done them all. My favorite is the bus up to Emerald Lake, lunch at Caribou Crossing Trading Post, looking around the museum and the Husky puppies are always cute. Then down to Fraser to catch the train back to Skagway. We’ve done this trip many times. Sometimes we go up with Dyea Dave, Dyea Dave puts on a really good trip, if you see something and want to stop they'll stop when you say you want to stop, we really have enjoyed going with him. Sometimes we'll rent a car and drive up ourselves. If you decide to take the bus take the bus in the morning, it can be foggy in the valley and sit on the right side of the bus for the best views, same with the train coming down sit on the right side. We like to alternate from one operator to another. I think this year we are going to do the Bennett Lake excursion from the ship.

Glad to hear you like them both! Are there any big differences you can think of other than Dave being willing to stop?

I was just curious if anyone has done the two city tour from Juneau whale watch that includes both Skagway and Juneau, particularly in regard to their tour of Skagway. It looks like a pretty good deal but I wasn't sure how it compared to other tours such as chilkoot and Dyea Dave.

I am also pretty curious about this topic. Has anyone done both to compare? We are currently booked with Dave but are considering if it may be worth switching.

I actually would like to piggy back on this post and ask if anyone has done the Princess excursions specifically in Alaska. I have plenty of information on what to do outside of the ship excursions but as my husband and I have a considerable amount of OBC we would like to use it to pay for an excursion through Princess. Anyone have a good experience with one of their trips, particularly in Ketchikan?

Day 4 in Denali...definitely do the dog demo, it’s free. The visitor center is nice as well as the grounds around it. Would they be ok hanging out at the visitor center area for an hour or two? If so mobile members of the group could take one of the short circular hikes that start there. DH and I enjoyed that very much. You can do one leg of it in a hour or so. I think from the Healy area there is river rafting or ATV tours... would they do that? or be ok hanging at the condo while the rest of the group did that in the afternoon, so part of the day easy activity at the dog kennels and part of it more active so everybody gets something? The Princess Lodge near the main gate to Denali has nice grounds for walking and a big deck to look at the scenery.

 

Very good suggestion! I think a hour hike would be very doable. I will definitely check out the dog demo too. I think my FIL would actually be just fine staying back at our condo for a few hours but I wouldn't want to be gone for an extended time. Short 1-2 hour hikes are a great idea.

What time does your flight arrive in Anc?

If it's late afternnon, here's a suggestion that will give you and DH an Alaska adventure, and still be of interest to the inlaws. Instead of overnighting in Anc, pick up the car and drive to Matanuska Glacier to overnight. The next morning you could do an ice trek while the in-laws relax in a lodge overlooking the glacier. Have lunch then head to denali. (As you drive past Wasilla, buy your non perishables at Walmart, Safeway, or FredMeyer. Groceries near denali are very pricey.)

We haven't booked flights yet but I will definitely look into that! Thanks for the suggestion!

Frankly- I strongly suggest SPLITTING up. They aren't that old that need 24/7 "togetherness" are they? You already have some slants in your port you are NOT doing what YOU want to include=- so I would INCLUDE it frankly?

 

I would think a RV would be a better choice compared to a "condo", which I wonder what really is in Healy? If you have the entire NOT shared space then leave them there, if they don't want to do anything. What you need to consider is, activities in Alaska usually take a large amount of time. There isn't much you can do in an hour. :) Have you looked at RV's? Don't be so quick to dismiss it- in your case, it's a superior option compared to being stuck compromising as significantly, as you are, on activities.

 

After Denali going to the Wildlife conservatory may not be "much". Was anyone interested in a Prince William Sound glacier tour? Absolutely spectacular, and grossly superior to what you see from your cruise ship. I'd strong suggest, again- split up.

I appreciate where you are coming from but this is the only family vacation we have ever taken as a group and honestly probably ever will. Originally my husband and I planned the trip and when his parents found out they decided to join in. In 20 years this is the first pure vacation I have ever seen them take. They are sort of the definition of workaholics and I want to try to push their boundaries but respect them at the same time. His father isn't in great health and I know my husband and his sister in particular want to spend some quality time with him on this trip while he is still mostly able to get around. I'm just trying to find ways to make the best of it for everyone. Suggesting that we all split up for more than a few hours would probably not been seen as very sensitive to the underlying nature of the trip. I figure there must be compromises out there, I just have to figure them out!

This site may have option:

https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/physicalmobility.htm

 

Thanks, that is good information to have!

Welcome to Alaska. But Man---That is tough to try and schedule without screwing up your own vacation travel. I would definitely take B.Q.'s advice. Cancel that car and condo. Get a reasonable R.V., small motor home would be best. Also, get yourself a copy of the "Alaska Milepost" give it to your parents to ponder over now and when you are here traveling around as well, you can change your mind after you get here if you hear about or see something you would rather do that is different than planned.

 

Having the motor home allows you to have a huge variety of options. If the folks are too tired or whatever to do this or that I'm sure, if you park the R.V. in a good location, they will have a great time by themselves while you are off doing your own thing.

 

Do not cancel the Whitepass Train trip. It isn't all that long and I bet your folks will love it, something to see almost every second, in my opinion I regard it as one of the top excursions in our State.

 

As far as vegetarian diet. My wife is a vegan although not a die hard one. Lot of quality dining places in Anchorage that are vegetarian "friendly". Check this out on Trip Advisor under restaurants in Anchorage by checking vegetarian block. Get back to us here when and if you find one that might be on interest. We give you the low down on it then, maybe.

 

 

Thanks for the info! I didn't think about Trip Advisor for restaurants but that is a great idea. I feel like with this trip all my normal planning abilities are short circuiting! :)

Glad to hear you like the railroad. I think we will stick with that one as it will be very doable for everyone. If it is short hopefully we could even drop my FIL off afterward at the ship and squeeze some other things in around port.

I am so tempted by the motor home idea but I just know I couldn't sell that one. I can't help but think of the episode of Frasier where they rented an RV! I love my family but I just don't see that one happening! ;)

Have you considered renting your FIL a scooter ? That might give him more options. I agree with skipping the last night in Healy and substitute Anchorage. Given their issues sightseeing more in Anchorage could work out much better. Museums, the big park, and a drive down the scenic highway to the south. Plus more food options

 

 

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I am pretty sure he would be too proud for something like that but it certainly might simplify things. I also don't know how much it would help with hiking or similar activities and could be difficult to transport. Good thought though.

The lumberjack show is one of the cheesiest things I have done in Alaska.......

LOL, that is exactly my thought on the matter but it is actually the only thing they actually said they wanted to do. I'm going to take one for the team and try to enjoy it!

For Denali on day 2 you could all watch the free sled dog demo ... usually 10, 2 and 4pm.

River rafting ?

http://a1cms.com/_dcc/activities/

 

But if you don't have any plans why not just cancel the 3rd nite in Healy ? You could still do the 10am sled dog demo, and maybe you could do a hike, but then drive on to Talkeetna (2hrs) to spend the night. It's a TINY village ... they could walk a little then stop at one of the many restaurants for a drink or snack and people watch.

 

As for the drive, Bells Travel Guide has a milepost guide to Denali. I put a link to the guide in the HELPFUL RESOURCES thread. (I recommend stopping at the Eklutna Spirit Houses and orthodox church just north of Anc ). Read some of the DIY trip reports to get some ideas on what worked for other people.

 

 

If you think you'll be bored with the RT train in Skagway, so the train one way and van the other. OR let them take the train one way and you can pick them up in a rental car for the return trip ..... gives you all a little break from each other.

 

 

p.s. for the price of 5 transfers to Whittier, couldn't you get a one-way AVIS rental car ? Then you could drive yourselves to the Wildlife Center as well as a few other interesting stops.

Thanks for the link and the suggestions! That is exactly the kind of thing I am looking for. I know there must be options, just have to figure them out.

I priced the bus transfer vs the car rental and to get a car big enough for all of us and our luggage the price actually came out cheaper, plus we don't have to worry about directions and I like the idea of a narrated tour. It also gives my husband a chance to take a break from driving and enjoy the scenery more. I know the wildlife center probably isn't that amazing but it seemed like a good way to break up the drive and was only a few dollars extra so why not I figure.

I have gone back and forth on the condo and the number of nights. We are actually staying at a place with 3 bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room so I feel ok calling it a "condo". We found it on VBRO and it seems to get great reviews and had exactly what we were looking for for a really great price. I don't suspect we could find the same for one night somewhere else so I'd like to try to make it work. With my in-laws dietary restrictions having somewhere were they can cook their own food and we all can have our own space at the end of the night really works for us.

I will be taking a cruise on the Princess Star at the end of August 2018 and am trying to work out a DIY land tour for myself, my husband and his sister (all in our 40's) and my mother and father-in-law (68, 74) and could really use some help. I have read plenty of other trip itineraries but none seem to match up well with our ragtag little group.

My FIL has mobility issues and can only walk a few blocks at the most so many of the items like hiking or even just extended strolling around a place for long are fairly limited, although if there were comfortable places for him to rest I am sure he would be ok just sitting and reading a book or something similar while we look around for a bit. My in-laws also are not typically touristy people so they wouldn't exactly be enthusiastic about some of the more cheesy tourist type activities that I normally love. Our agenda so far is looking like this:

Day 1 - Fly into Anchorage, pick up rental car (already booked) and stay overnight.

Day 2 - Drive up to Denali, stop for supplies & food to cook at home, check into condo booked in Healy

Day 3 - Visit Denali, likely the 8 hour park shuttle bus as they don't seem to want to do much longer than that.

Day 4 - Open. REALLY need help for this day. I had planned on a second bus day but they now say no way.

Day 5 - Drive back to Anchorage, drop off car, take Alaska Cruise Transfer shuttle bus to Whittier with stop at wildlife park.

Skagway - take white pass railroad

Juneau - whale watching

Ketchikan - lumberjack show & city tour

My in-laws are enthusiastic and specifically asked to do a land tour however they have very specific requirements that are making this so difficult for me to plan. They are not interested in spending any more money than possible so expensive things like plane rides do not interest them. They are unable to walk far so hiking would be out. (Driving to overlooks or other scenic areas might be an option however.) They are strict vegetarians and only eat super specific foods so fishing or similar food based activities would not interest them. I know they are very interested in animals and nature but other than the one day bus ride, which is all they are willing to do bus wise, I just don't know what to plan for them. My husband and I are the plan every minute, do all the goofy tourist things and pack your day full of activities types so trying to find a balance which will satisfy them without completely disappointing us is just overwhelming me. For the most part splitting up and doing our own thing is also not on the table.

So please help! I am looking for any and all suggestions. We will have a car so we can easily travel. Does anyone have any suggestions for things we could do around or even within a couple of hours of the Denali/Healy area which might fit the bill? In the past we have used driving tours like the Gypsy apps but I haven't been able to really find anything like that for this area.

Also just a couple of other questions if you don't mind-

Any recommendations on places to stop or visit on the drive up to Denali? I'd really like to break up the drive with a few stops if at all possible.

Can anyone recommend a good hotel in Anchorage that would have a good price? We will have a car we are picking up at the airport so having a shuttles and close proximity are not terribly important.

Are there any decent options for vegetarian food in Anchorage? I'd like to talk them into eating out at least once and Anchorage seems like my best chance!

We were looking at the white pass railroad in Skagway as it seemed like something everyone could do but tbh I am a little worried I'm going to be bored. Can anyone give an idea of what to expect? How long does the total ride last? Is it worth it?

Thank you all so much for any help you can provide. I really appreciate it!

I guess I did not understand the "free" bottle policy. So if I bring a bottle of wine to enjoy in my cabin I still have to pay $15 for it?

While you can use any card I would not recommend it at all. We used this tip and had no room steward for the first day. When the card is in the slot it activates a small light above your door. Our room steward told us that they are not allowed to open the door if the little light is on and they must keep coming back until someone answers. This meant no one came to clean our room or help us for the first day we were on the ship. I did not find any issues with keeping the room cool even without the card in the slot btw.

This happened to us on the Divina in June. All our documents had one time, we got on the ship and found out it was completely different. Our travel agent has spoken to MSC booking several times and they claim the time wasn't changed yet the service desk people insisted our time "had been changed for 6 months". Very very frustrating.

Just as a heads up about the water situation, you will have free access to water, ice tea, a strawberry drink, a mango drink, lemonade and coffee at pretty much all times in the buffet. We brought along water bottles and refilled them regularly with absolutely no problem. In the dining room you will have plenty of water but that was the only free drink offered.

As for port times we were pretty much right on time for everything however we had an issue where our port time was changed after we booked and MSC did not update our documents. I would be extremely cautious if I ever booked with them again as this was a disaster for us.

We sailed on 6/24 and received ours at dinner the first night. From what I have read there is very little consistency between delivery methods. We were told only people who had purchased drink packages could get theirs in the casino.

Yes, you will have the option to do self assist. You will receive a paper in your room the first couple of days which you will need to fill out and drop off at reception. This will secure you the first spots. I believe the only options were 6:30 or 6:45. There are a limited number of spots and you must preregister so be sure to drop it off early. We had a 6:45 disembarkation time and were off the ship and through customs all before 7 am and on our shuttle to the airport all before 7:15. No crowds, no fuss, no muss, I would absolutely do it again.