Anchorage Shore Excursions

[hgill]

I have two ladies on a Holland America Alaska Cruise. They are considering three differant shore excursions in Anchorage. Any comments or recommendations would be appreciated: 1. Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise. 2. Portage Lake and Glacier and Anchorage Sightseeing Tour. or 3. Price William Sound Galcier Cruise. Thank you.

[LorraineAZ]

You're talking about my home town, so I can speak of all these excursions first hand.

1. Kenai fijords is beautiful, approx. 165 miles from Anchorage. If a bus is involved, it's past Portgage Glacier and lots of mountains.

2. Portage Glacier is gorgeous, and the drive along Cook Inlet is about 60 miles or so. You may see mountain goats come right down to the highway, blue icebergs, and rugged mountains. The closest trip.

3. Prince William Sound is stunning! Cruise near sea otters cracking dinner on their tummies, see thousands of birds, wild America.

 

In other words, they can't go wrong! It may end up a financial decision, but I would vote for Prince William Sound if possible. I hope they have a most memorable trip.

[alpal1993]

I am having such a hard time booking Grand Anchorage/Portage Glacier tour through HAL We will be on The 14 Night Cruise and have received such conflicting information.I first wanted to book through alaskatours.com.then I was told that HAL has contracted with many independent tours so I need to book through HAL,which I did in January.Now I am told that the tour has been cancelled,and I am not thrilled with any of the tours that are now being offered by HAL.So now I loose 1 ship day credit and have to find alternate transportation to the Hilton Hotel where the tour starts,Hopefully I will get my money refunded very shortly as I need it to rebook the tour before it sells out.Not a happy camper and feeling stressed over my first HAL cruise.

[Nancyquilts]

Or rent a car.

[alpal1993]

I just rebooked my cancellled Grand Anchorage/Portage Glacier Tour through alaskatours.com for Grayline which is the original tour I was planning on booking through and received my confirmation via Holland America

[Steph27]

In may 2009 we sailed on the Diamond Princess from Whittier to Vancouver. We took the train from Anchorage to Whittier and did the Phillips 26 Glacier cruise of Prince William Sound. We had fantastic weather and got much closer to the glaciers than the Princess ship did the following day. Saw seals and otters and lots of birds. It was the highlight of our trip to Alaska. Their catamaran is very nice and so smooth it was like glass.