rjrpar Posted February 6, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 6, 2014 We are experienced cruisers but have never been to Alaska. We are interested in a cruise tour and would love to see the Yukon, Dawson City, etc. Having trouble gathering info. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskyguy Posted February 6, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Holland America is the only line that still offers cruisetours that go through the Yukon, and this is their last year (they've already hugely cut back from what they used to offer on these tours). This is an example - http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseTourDetails.action?tourId=T4AY1L There are a handful of independent operators who do motorcoach tours that end with a cruise - the land part is typically much longer than what HAL offers. The other option is to do the one-way cruise of your choice and rent a car or RV in Anchorage, taking your time on the huge circle trip from Anchorage to Whitehorse and back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskyguy Posted February 6, 2014 #3 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Here's a complete list of the independents that I compiled a couple of years ago: Anderson Coach & Travel - http://www.goanderson.com/ Departing from Pennsylvania and Ohio, one 28-day tour is offered each year. Burke Christian Tours - http://www.burkechristiantours.com/ Based in South Carolina with a motorcoach based in Alaska, offering several motorcoach and cruise-coach tours each year. Collette Vacations - http://www.collettevacations.com/ Several motorcoach and motorcoach-cruise combination tours are offered each year by this Rhode Island-based operator. Holland America is used for the Alaska cruise segment. Globus - http://www.globusjourneys.com/Vacation-Packages/Tour-North-America/Alaska/default.aspx Several 10 and 13-day Alaska cruisetours are offered each year. Holland America is used for the Alaska cruise segment. DeNure Tours - http://www.denuretours.com/ourtours_det.asp?id=1&destid=20 Travel up the Alaska Highway by motorcoach as part of your cruise tour. Holland America is used for the Alaska cruise segment. Go Ahead Tours - http://www.goaheadtours.com/ Included in their worldwide tour list are some Alaska cruise-tour combinations. Jerry Van Dyke Travel - http://www.jerryvandyke.com/ Departing from Toronto and other locations, several combination cruise-motorcoach tours are offered each year. Celebrity is used for the Alaska cruise segment. Maupintour - http://www.maupintour.com/ Several tours with motorcoach sections are offered each year by this Nevada-based operator. Nagel Tours - http://www.nageltours.com/ Based in Alberta, offering 19-day motorcoach-ferry excursions around BC, the Yukon and Alaska. Utopia Tours - http://www.utopiatours.com/ A variety of options are offered, including motorcoach from Minnesota to Alaska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaktreerb Posted February 7, 2014 #4 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Holland America is the only line that still offers cruisetours that go through the Yukon, and this is their last year (they've already hugely cut back from what they used to offer on these tours). This is an example - http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseTourDetails.action?tourId=T4AY1L There are a handful of independent operators who do motorcoach tours that end with a cruise - the land part is typically much longer than what HAL offers. The other option is to do the one-way cruise of your choice and rent a car or RV in Anchorage, taking your time on the huge circle trip from Anchorage to Whitehorse and back. What makes you think that HAL is getting out of the Yukon Cruisetours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaktreerb Posted February 7, 2014 #5 Share Posted February 7, 2014 We are experienced cruisers but have never been to Alaska. We are interested in a cruise tour and would love to see the Yukon, Dawson City, etc. Having trouble gathering info. Would appreciate any advice.Thanks in advance HAL has made changes to their Yukon tours to save travel time. Now instead of being bused from Fairbanks to Dawson City you will fly saving two days on the bus and missing an overnight in Tok. You will have more time for activities in Dawson City. My best advice is to take the tour that offers two nights in each location. An overnight in Skagway is fun as you are there after all of the ships have pulled out. You can take the tour with the 7 day cruise or do the land first and pick up the ship in Skagway for a four day cruise. Either is fine....just make sure the cruise includes Glacier Bay. You can also check on the offerings of Gray Line of Alaska. This is essentially a HAL/Princess land tour. They will coordinate with HAL cruises but probably do not coordinate with the four day short cruise option. All of these land tours are very well organized but for the most part do not include meals. You will have well informed guides and drivers who enjoy the adventures being provided. I have take the Yukon land tour 2x and enjoyed them both even though there had been changes and the changes are still occurring. If HAL gets out of the Yukon Cruisetours the business will probably be picked up by HAL's Gray Line Tours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted February 7, 2014 #6 Share Posted February 7, 2014 HAL has made changes to their Yukon tours to save travel time. Now instead of being bused from Fairbanks to Dawson City you will fly saving two days on the bus and missing an overnight in Tok. You will have more time for activities in Dawson City. My best advice is to take the tour that offers two nights in each location. An overnight in Skagway is fun as you are there after all of the ships have pulled out. I have stayed overnight in Tok on an AK driving trip. You are missing nothing by missing Tok. The place is not a great tourist destination. DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted February 7, 2014 #7 Share Posted February 7, 2014 What makes you think that HAL is getting out of the Yukon Cruisetours? They have scaled back these tours, significantly, and not added anything back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjrpar Posted February 7, 2014 Author #8 Share Posted February 7, 2014 They have scaled back these tours, significantly, and not added anything back. Interesting comment, could you please elaborate. Seems to a novice like me to be a real interesting trip. We have always been interested in late 1800s history and the recent mini-series on the Klondike just fueled that interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaktreerb Posted February 7, 2014 #9 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Interesting comment, could you please elaborate. Seems to a novice like me to be a real interesting trip. We have always been interested in late 1800s history and the recent mini-series on the Klondike just fueled that interest. I loved the mini-series and although it was filmed on location in Alberta it brought back memories of our Yukon experience. HAL has cut back on all of their Cruisetours in at least the past 10 years since I have been touring. I think it comes down to profits. A lot of what was included on Cruisetours is now sold as separate excursions in Alaska. The flight from Fairbanks will by-pass Chicken, Tok, Eagle, and the top of the World Highway. None of those really figure into the Yukon experience. Fires and bad roads impacted the Eagle decision but the trip on the Yukon River from Eagle to Dawson City was amazing. The ferry across the Yukon river to Dawson City was interesting. Now you will fly in. The Yukon experience really doesn't start until you reach Dawson City or Skagway. In Dawson City you will take a cruise on the paddle wheeler on the Yukon. You will see where the Klondike and Yukon rivers come together. Dawson has a wonderful museum, Robert service cabin! Jack London cabin, old buildings, and see what permafrost can do to buildings. You can see old gold mines and go into the Tombstone territory. I would rent a car if I were there for two days now. The bus ride to Whitehorse has some interesting stops. You will see Five finger rapids. Carcross is interesting but they have left out one of the best parts of the trip which was Lake Bennett. The train ride from Carcross to Lake Bennett is amazing, lunch, and then on to Skagway. Coming down the mountain into Skagway the view is fantastic. With the overnight in Skagway you can still take a Lake Bennett excursion. Skagway also has a wonderful museum. Here you will actually see a representation of what the miners had to carry with them into the Yukon. In Skagway you should drive out to Dyea and take the hike on the start of the Chilkoot (sp) trail. I!m tired of trying to type in this iPad. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agabbymama Posted February 7, 2014 #10 Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) I have stayed overnight in Tok on an AK driving trip. You are missing nothing by missing Tok. The place is not a great tourist destination. DON Now, we thoroughly enjoyed Tok, meeting the locals and seeing the pups. They also had some cabins, we actually thought about going back and renting one of the cabins, and the restaurant at the Westmark was great (almost like home cooking). We also enjoyed the stop in Chicken, the restrooms were a hoot. So different strokes for different folks. Take a close look at HAL cruisetours, they do a wonderful job and you aren't alone on the lonesome highway. But as another poster suggested, be sure to select the 2 nights at a destination. I didn't, and regretted that we only had 1 night in most overnights. Dawson City was truly amazing, we were so glad to have 2 nights to wander around there. My sister-in-law saw a restaurant for sale, and took down all the information. She was seriously considering buying the place and moving (we LOVED it that much up there). Unfortunately when we got home and she checked into it, it was only the name and the equipment that was for sale. It was a nice sum of money and no building or land, so she gave up that idea. Have a great trip! Edited February 7, 2014 by agabbymama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Aurora Posted February 8, 2014 #11 Share Posted February 8, 2014 HAL has made changes to their Yukon tours to save travel time. Now instead of being bused from Fairbanks to Dawson City you will fly saving two days on the bus and missing an overnight in Tok. Our local newspaper in Fairbanks published several articles regarding HAL's changes in their tour packages. What was amazing was that they tried to make the changes without confirming that there would be adequate staffing of customs agents at the Fairbanks International Airport to handle their folks flying in. In any event, I have the impression that the changes are being made to maximize the amount of sales through excursions and sales in HAL gift shops, versus driving the passengers from one point to another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Aurora Posted February 8, 2014 #12 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I have stayed overnight in Tok on an AK driving trip. You are missing nothing by missing Tok. The place is not a great tourist destination. DON In all fairness to Tok, I don't think that the folks who live there are particularly interested in becoming a second "Glitter Gulch." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted February 8, 2014 #13 Share Posted February 8, 2014 A friend did this tour: http://www.kissalaska.com/klondike-gold-rush.html#.UvWKwP3w604 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted February 8, 2014 #14 Share Posted February 8, 2014 (edited) A friend did this tour: http://www.kissalaska.com/klondike-gold-rush.html#.UvWKwP3w604 As much as I hate to admit it, for a tour - it looks pretty good. You stay inside Denali at Kantishna. You travel on a small boat which is much better than the big cruise ship behemoths. You stop in a bunch of very interesting small towns. The only problem which would stop most of the people on CC is the price - but then again small boat cruising which I love is always expensive. Can you see most of the CCers paying more than $9000 per person for the cheapest cabin on an 18 day CruiseTour on a ship that absolutely no amenities - no showroom, no gambling, no entertainment, no spa, etc. I have done a similar trip and would do it again but most would not. BTW - I did not mean to insult Tok. We stayed there overnight and it was a pleasant enough place but not a tourist destination. DON Edited February 8, 2014 by donaldsc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted February 8, 2014 #15 Share Posted February 8, 2014 As much as I hate to admit it, for a tour - it looks pretty good. You stay inside Denali at Kantishna. You travel on a small boat which is much better than the big cruise ship behemoths. You stop in a bunch of very interesting small towns. The only problem which would stop most of the people on CC is the price - but then again small boat cruising which I love is always expensive. I am not sure if this is the exact trip but it is pretty close to what my friends did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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