HAL Alaska Cruisetour, Denali segment August 2015

[Pete Wells]

We are booked on an HAL cruisetour to Alaska in early August of 2015 with the cruise portion first and the Denali portion last. We will bus from Seward to Denali and stay at the McKinley Chalet. I understand that that is an 8 hour trip leaving at 0800 and arriving at 1700.

 

Most evening tour options depart at 1800 - that hardly seems to leave time to get off the bus, eat and shuttle to the Wilderness Center. What has been the actual experience of others?

 

We are looking at the Tundra Wilderness Tour for the following day but the listed departure times are confusing. They seem to have time brackets rather than specific times (0500-0900 in the AM and 1330-1530 in the PM). Does that imply multiple departure times or single arbitrary times selected at some point by the concessionaire?

 

We are leaving by train to Anchorage. What time do we leave the hotel to make the 0945 departure? Is there food on the train?

 

We have never been to Alaska (well, my medical evacuation from Vietnam landed there to refuel, but I don't count that) and we have never taken a cruise before.

[mapleleaves]

My understanding is that your cruiseline will assign you a time for the TWT shortly before the trip. Call HAL or your travel agent for verification.

 

If you want to avoid the mystery and choose a time to YOUR liking, skip the TWT entirely and book the Eielson shuttle instead. I think there are shuttle departures every 15 or 30 minutes. The shuttle only costs $35 so if HAL won't refund the TWT, it's not an expensive substitution. The shuttle actually goes further into the park than the TWT, makes the same stops, and the Visitor Center is great destination. It doesn't provide a snack so you'll need to pick up a sack lunch and drink from your hotel.

 

http://www.reservedenali.com/play/shuttle-buses/eielson-visitor-center.aspx

[Budget Queen]

We are booked on an HAL cruisetour to Alaska in early August of 2015 with the cruise portion first and the Denali portion last. We will bus from Seward to Denali and stay at the McKinley Chalet. I understand that that is an 8 hour trip leaving at 0800 and arriving at 1700.

 

Most evening tour options depart at 1800 - that hardly seems to leave time to get off the bus, eat and shuttle to the Wilderness Center. What has been the actual experience of others?

 

We are looking at the Tundra Wilderness Tour for the following day but the listed departure times are confusing. They seem to have time brackets rather than specific times (0500-0900 in the AM and 1330-1530 in the PM). Does that imply multiple departure times or single arbitrary times selected at some point by the concessionaire?

 

We are leaving by train to Anchorage. What time do we leave the hotel to make the 0945 departure? Is there food on the train?

 

We have never been to Alaska (well, my medical evacuation from Vietnam landed there to refuel, but I don't count that) and we have never taken a cruise before.

 

There aren't any independent "tours" that leave from the Wilderness Access Center. So not sure what you are looking at? Shuttle buses also only usually go once per hour.

 

Tours booked by the cruisetour, will fit into your timeframe, and leave from your lodge.

 

With a cruise tour, you can also expect the Seward/Denali bus to run at least another hour as there are rest stops.

 

Don't you already have the TWT included with your cruisetour? (HAL, offers it on most). If you book with the cruiseline, they assign the ticket times at random and run full buses, keeping groups together etc. IF you book the TWT independently, you pick your tour time.

 

The train leaves around noon. from Denali Park- 8 hours- approx arrival in Anchorage. You are best to be there an hour prior. The train has a dining car.

 

HAL, in the past has not refunded the Denali Park tour. So the entire cost of a shuttle would be a decision you'll have to make. That does require you to bring in and out all your own food and drink, and you getting yourself to the Wilderness Access Center.

[oaktreerb]

It sounds like you are on one of the Direct to Denali Cruisetours. You will travel with your tour group so all you have to do is follow the directions of your tour leader. When you arrive at Denali you will be given your room keys and will be told when to meet for the TWT. You will board TWT bus at the Chalets and return to the Chalets. Your tour director will let you know what time to be at the train station for your return to Anchorage. You can go to the train station with the group or meet your group at the train station if you want to spend some time at the National park visitor center right next to the train station.

 

Go into your booking on the HAL website and it will show what excursions and times are available for you to book. They will only schedule optional excursions for the time that you will have free in Denali. You can plan your free time around that.

 

The train has a dining car and you will have an option to eat lunch or dinner there. They usually have two seatings. This will be explained on the train.

 

It's pretty easy. Once you meet your tour leader it will all run very smoothly and you will have a wonderful time.

[Pete Wells]

Great response, thanks. This fills in all the blanks. I really appreciate your taking the time to lay this all out

[agabbymama]

Don't expect everything to be totally described in documents you receive prior to boarding. Times, nor hotel names were listed in our documents. Just a general description such as "meet your tour director prior to disembarkment in Skagway". Or "today will be by coach from Whitehorse to Dawson City". Or "board the Dome railcar from Fairbanks to Denali". There was never a mention of a specific time.

 

That said, HAL does a great job on the actual cruisetour. Once you meet up with your tour director, he is the one that lays out all the times, what is available to do, answer questions, etc. Each morning there was a flyer on our seats as to what we would be doing or seeing that day and sometimes history of the area of the town we were overnighting in.

 

If you encounter any problems along the way, the tour director is there to handle them, and they do, usually very quickly too. I had marked no upstairs, but when we arrived in TOK, we had been given rooms upstairs. Called the tour director and within 10 minutes, we had our new room downstairs. Then in Fairbanks we went to the Gold Dredge and discovered a long walking tour was included, so I talked to our tour director who arranged a meeting place for me to sit and wait for the group so I didn't miss the departure.

 

And be prepared, coach tours aren't for everyone. I loved our 11 day cruisetour and would do another in a heartbeat. My husband however didn't, he has said he would never do another one, he liked the cruise but not the coach tour. Too much structure/planning for him and the long days traveling on the coach.

 

Have a great trip!

[Pete Wells]

Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences!