Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge in Alaska

Hello, next simmer I’m booked on the princess Alaska SB8 Cruisetour and very excited!

I had a strange time taking with Princess reps on the phone today...I was looking on the princess lodges website and saw they Kenai national park cruise. It is a 10hour excursion but really want to do it to experience the national park. I called princess and told them this tour is showing up on the princesslodges website. But doesn’t show up on the princess cruises website or on the cruise personalizer. The lady put me on hold, spoke to someone, came back and told me she can add it on for me. But didn’t purchase it cuz I wanted to think about it. An hour later I called back, spoke to someone knew, explained the whole situation. And this person said it’s not offered yet and it may be offered in May sometime. I was like “what? But the previous representative was ready to purchase it for me” was I screwed over??

There is a similar post about the Kenai Princess at the bottom of the page.

The boat tours are extremely popular and the Kenai Lodge is extremely isolated, so I'm sure the tour will become available to you one way or another. You might have to book it thru the Lodge or thru the cruiseline but it will be there.

Call back or ask for a supervisor.

There is a similar post about the Kenai Princess at the bottom of the page.

The boat tours are extremely popular and the Kenai Lodge is extremely isolated, so I'm sure the tour will become available to you one way or another. You might have to book it thru the Lodge or thru the cruiseline but it will be there.

Call back or ask for a supervisor.

 

Thanks mapleleaves for your optimism, ya I am really looking for this particular tour, and also to cross off another national park off my list. I just found it weird that the first princess princess rep was ready to book it for me. I called 3 or 4 more times after that, got different representatives and they all said the same thing. They said There’s no way they can add on this particular tour yet and maybe it will be added on the cruise personalizer later on. And the lodge doesn’t open until May so I can’t book with the lodge yet

I would try back during the week during the day. The weekend people are not as good as the week day people. You may still get the same answer but I don't trust the weekend people. The excursion people at Princess also only work during the week.

I didn't mean to call the Kenai lodge itself, but the Princess Lodge 800 number. Ask for a supervisor.

Good luck ! But I still say you'll get that cruise one way or another.

BTW, it's a lovely lodge. I haven't stayed there but have visited several times. I've camped at their RV park and if I don't overnight there I still enjoy their Rafters Lounge for a drink and appetizer .... fabulous view of the forest and the incredible color of the Kenai River. Very enjoyable to sit there and watch the fisherman and rafters. There's a trail that leads down to a 'dock' on the river. Make lots of noise as you walk though, as bears are a problem in this area.

I didn't mean to call the Kenai lodge itself, but the Princess Lodge 800 number. Ask for a supervisor.

Good luck ! But I still say you'll get that cruise one way or another.

 

BTW, it's a lovely lodge. I haven't stayed there but have visited several times. I've camped at their RV park and if I don't overnight there I still enjoy their Rafters Lounge for a drink and appetizer .... fabulous view of the forest and the incredible color of the Kenai River. Very enjoyable to sit there and watch the fisherman and rafters. There's a trail that leads down to a 'dock' on the river. Make lots of noise as you walk though, as bears are a problem in this area.

That’s awesome mapleaves about the bear population and about the trail, mental note. Thank you so much for the info! Really looking forward to scenery!

That’s for that suggestion Coral. Will do! I just feel like if I don’t get this tour I’m gonna just cry lol. But if you say I’ll get it one way or another mapleleaves, I’ll trust what you say. You all seem like really great veterans on the Alaska tours :)

Nope, no experience with tours.

I'm a budget traveler, so DIY. I always rent a car or RV to drive around in Alaska.

The bear warning is exactly that so take it seriously. There are signs posted all over the property about being bear aware and the summer staff who live in housing near the RV park are told to never walk alone. The first time we camped there, which was probably 20 yrs ago, a housekeeper was attacked as she walked from one building to the next.

Nope, no experience with tours.

I'm a budget traveler, so DIY. I always rent a car or RV to drive around in Alaska.

 

The bear warning is exactly that so take it seriously. There are signs posted all over the property about being bear aware and the summer staff who live in housing near the RV park are told to never walk alone. The first time we camped there, which was probably 20 yrs ago, a housekeeper was attacked as she walked from one building to the next.

I’m well aware of the bear aware signs and all the warnings that’s for sure. When I was on my Alaska tour last summer we heard all the warnings. And since I am a solo traveller I never walked anywhere alone

There is a similar post about the Kenai Princess at the bottom of the page.

The boat tours are extremely popular and the Kenai Lodge is extremely isolated, so I'm sure the tour will become available to you one way or another. You might have to book it thru the Lodge or thru the cruiseline but it will be there.

Call back or ask for a supervisor.

So I took your advice, I called the 800 number and asked to speak to a supervisor. The lady asked for my booking number and asked what was it regarding. I explained the situation to her. She said they don't do excursion bookings for cruise ships and I have to call the cruiseline only.

Uggh, I'm just feeling so bummed out because the first time I called the cruiseline the first rep I talked to was ready to book it for me. If only I told her I'd think about it I could have had it!! lol. She spoke to a land supervisor and gave her the OK about it

So I took your advice, I called the 800 number and asked to speak to a supervisor. The lady asked for my booking number and asked what was it regarding. I explained the situation to her. She said they don't do excursion bookings for cruise ships and I have to call the cruiseline only.

 

Uggh, I'm just feeling so bummed out because the first time I called the cruiseline the first rep I talked to was ready to book it for me. If only I told her I'd think about it I could have had it!! lol. She spoke to a land supervisor and gave her the OK about it

I just called again. I explained to this person that I called yesterday and the rep was ready to book it for me. She said “I have a note here that we are not authorized to book an excursion that doesn’t show on the cruise personalizer.....she totally didn’t acknowledge what I said!

Would you consider ditching the pre-packaged tour from the cruiseline? You could rent a car and put together a great trip with what you want to do & see. There's nothing the cruisetour offers that you can't book on your own.

Would you consider ditching the pre-packaged tour from the cruiseline? You could rent a car and put together a great trip with what you want to do & see. There's nothing the cruisetour offers that you can't book on your own.

Nah stafford, just cuz I don’t drive. But I called the cruise like again. The rep gave me the extension of the people who are in charge of the land tour. They’re not there because it’s late so I’ll talk to them tomorrow. It’s just a weird situation

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I would try back during the week during the day. The weekend people are not as good as the week day people. You may still get the same answer but I don't trust the weekend people. The excursion people at Princess also only work during the week.

So Coral I took your advice I called today. Spoke to the person in charge of the land tours. He said they are still finalizing the cost of this particular tour and it should be posted in the my cruise personalizer page within 2 weeks and to keep checking. I feel a lot better now. Funny how the other representatives couldn’t tell my this information

KEN-600 is showing available in my cruise personalizer today. I was able to book it by calling Princess (there is still a problem booking land tours on line). Check you booking and see if it shows in yours and call them!!!

KEN-600 is showing available in my cruise personalizer today. I was able to book it by calling Princess (there is still a problem booking land tours on line). Check you booking and see if it shows in yours and call them!!!

Hey, just so happened, today I called to pay off a bit more of the balance of my cruise. And while I was on the phone with them I thought I’d ask if by any chance the Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise is on the website. The representative said it was!! I was so excited I didn’t think twice and told her to book it for me right away lol. So excited and so so happy. I think I’m looking forward to this experience the most

Be sure and heed Maple Leaves warning about the bears near the resort. I have stayed at a relatives house about 2 blocks from there for years and have seen plenty of bears near. I think the salmon runs in the nearby Russian and Kenai rivers attract them. In 2006 I had an incident with a bear at the Russian and it was not fun!

Be sure and heed Maple Leaves warning about the bears near the resort. I have stayed at a relatives house about 2 blocks from there for years and have seen plenty of bears near. I think the salmon runs in the nearby Russian and Kenai rivers attract them. In 2006 I had an incident with a bear at the Russian and it was not fun!

Thank you very much for the warning. I am a solo traveller and never go anywhere alone