Anyone doing or on RCCL Cruise Tour #12 this season?

[avalon007]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to find out with not much success from RCCL the time we arrive in Aleyska on cruise tour #12 only.

 

Also if in Aleyska they offered the 'Aleyska Glacier Hike' optional tour on this tour #12?

 

I want to do this & can book a 4pm hike through the Aleyska Resort where we are staying, but can't find out the arrival time other than 'late afternoon'??

 

I'm happy to book the tour through Royal, but just need to be sure they will offer it on this tour as you can't prebook the land portion optional tours.

 

Anyone on the one that starts today 16th August listening in that could ask the tour director these questions or let me know your experience in Aleyska regards arrivals?

[agabbymama]

I was on HAL cruisetour, not RCI, but they intentionally left the arrival time blank, as traffic, roadwork, detours, accidents, etc can vastly alter arrival time. Generally, we arrived into the towns at 5:00-6:00 pm.

 

On HAL, we were able to book land tours if they felt you were going to be there to allow time to do the tour. Not sure about RCI. They may not allow you to book the land tour because you wouldn't have time there to do one.

 

If you log into your RCI account and find the excursions, it should show you what tours would be available to you.

 

Good luck, enjoy Alaska!

[cruiserny]

I took this cruisetour through Celebrity last year. We got to the Alyeska Hotel around 415pm. We had a 5pm pickup scheduled with Alpine Air and we had plenty of time to check-in and get organized our the room before the van picked us up.

[avalon007]

Thanks for the replies, but each cruise company & even tours from the same cruise company can differ greatly for timing.

 

RCCL are not allowing pre booking of tours for land portions this year & do not say which tour will be offered until your arrive, I have asked them.

 

I do need info specific to my cruise company & the exact tour I'm doing so if anyone has that information who is on the tour now or when you return, please let me know.

[bound4sea]

Thanks for the replies, but each cruise company & even tours from the same cruise company can differ greatly for timing.

 

RCCL are not allowing pre booking of tours for land portions this year & do not say which tour will be offered until your arrive, I have asked them.

 

I do need info specific to my cruise company & the exact tour I'm doing so if anyone has that information who is on the tour now or when you return, please let me know.

 

 

When are you leaving? We are doing #12 July 28, and have been hoping to find someone else going.. I started a thread, it got some looks, but no one commented and now it's gone.. I'm a little disappointed in the lack of information on the land part, I can't imagine they don't offer the same excursions for every tour.

We're opting to do the Denali Park Shuttle bus to Eielson instead of what RC offers.. from what I read the buses are the same, but it's way cheaper and you go further into the park.. and since we're traveling with 2 people who recently went through knee/foot surgeries, if they get tired, they can get off and take the next bus returning to the park.

[vbmom87]

My suggestion would be to go the roll call section and see if you can find anyone from an earlier cruise tour, who might be able to answer your question.

 

Another thought would be to call the hotel on the day an earlier RCCL #12 cruise tour will be arriving to find out when they actually arrived. However, as already pointed out, traffic, congestion, accidents can delay your arrival at any of your destinations along the way.

[avalon007]

Update - I heard back from RCCL & they advised that Cruise /Tour #12 offers the Aleyska Glacier hike - Yey!

 

Expected arrival into Aleyska approx. 3.30 - 4pm, departure the following day is at 1.45pm.

[beckyvtn]

I am going on CruiseTour #12 on August 11 and am interested in finding things to do in Aleyska. Did you do the Glacier Hike? Would you recommend it? What is the level of difficulty and hike length?

 

We are taking an evening hike in Talkeetna (3 miles). Is there anything you would recommend for Talkeetna and Denali in the free time there?

 

Thanks.

[avalon007]

I am going on CruiseTour #12 on August 11 and am interested in finding things to do in Aleyska. Did you do the Glacier Hike? Would you recommend it? What is the level of difficulty and hike length?

 

We are taking an evening hike in Talkeetna (3 miles). Is there anything you would recommend for Talkeetna and Denali in the free time there?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Hi,

 

We don't go on our Alaska cruise/tour until 25 Aug, so I can't answer your questions sorry. :)

 

But here is a link to the company that does the hikes, with info & slide shows etc to help you decide if you want to do it.

[Budget Queen]

When are you leaving? We are doing #12 July 28, and have been hoping to find someone else going.. I started a thread, it got some looks, but no one commented and now it's gone.. I'm a little disappointed in the lack of information on the land part, I can't imagine they don't offer the same excursions for every tour.

We're opting to do the Denali Park Shuttle bus to Eielson instead of what RC offers.. from what I read the buses are the same, but it's way cheaper and you go further into the park.. and since we're traveling with 2 people who recently went through knee/foot surgeries, if they get tired, they can get off and take the next bus returning to the park.

 

 

There are some cruisetours with RCI that don't have any Denali Park entry. But in the past, they did not do any refunding for included tours. Has this changed?

 

For general information- detailed- going with any shuttle buses, does require an effort getting to/from the shuttle bus pick up location at the Wilderness Access Center where the tour buses load direct at the lodges. Lodge shuttle buses have limited hours that need to be known, otherwise, you could be walking a few miles, if you don't know your options.

 

Clarification- you can exit ANY bus and get out of the park. All you do is stand by the side of the road.

[avalon007]

There are some cruisetours with RCI that don't have any Denali Park entry. But in the past, they did not do any refunding for included tours. Has this changed?

 

For general information- detailed- going with any shuttle buses, does require an effort getting to/from the shuttle bus pick up location at the Wilderness Access Center where the tour buses load direct at the lodges. Lodge shuttle buses have limited hours that need to be known, otherwise, you could be walking a few miles, if you don't know your options.

 

Clarification- you can exit ANY bus and get out of the park. All you do is stand by the side of the road.

 

As far as I know you don't get any money back if you don't take the tour included by RCCL.

 

They do offer upgrades I believe to the longer tour if your cruise/tour only includes the short one.

 

I can confirm Cruise/Tour #12 includes the full day Tundra Wilderness Tour for anyone wondering.