Post-cruise planning help...

[MauiMomma4]

Aloha! We finish our cruise in Seward at 5am on a Friday, and plan to return home on Tuesday. Haven't booked our flights yet, but my best guess based on flight schedules this year is that it'll most likely be an early AM flight Tuesday morning - which leaves me with 4 days of post-cruise exploring.

 

Hubby and I are travelling with the kiddos ages 9, 11, 13, & 19. None of us have been to Alaska, and will be excited at every new experience. Some of the things I've got on the list, so far, include:

 

Kenai Fjords cruise (looking at the 9 hour one, but worried that it might be too long?)

Seward SeaLife Center

Exit Glacier

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Seavey's Ididaride Dog Sled

Hatcher's Pass (hoping for some snow)

Kinkaid Park (hoping for a moose sighting)

 

I know it's totally subjective, but how long would you allocate for each stop? As a rough (really, really rough) plan:

 

Friday: Disembark, Kenai Fjords tour, spend the night in Seward

Saturday: SeaLife Center, Exit Glacier, Seavey's Ididaride Dog Cart Tour, possibly spend the night in Girdwood

Sunday: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Gold Creek Mine, spend the night in Anchorage

Monday: Kinkaid Park (skip if we've seen enough moose...), Hatcher's Pass, Matanuska Glacier, spend the night in Anchorage

Tuesday: Fly out

 

Suggestions from those in the know - too much? too little? If you were playing tour guide for our family - what would you do?

 

I appreciate the help - I know it's a long way away, but I've heard that you've got to book things super early for Alaska!

 

Thank you...:)

[AKStafford]

Monday might be a little full, but otherwise it looks like a great trip!

[MauiMomma4]

Thanks AKStafford! How much time would you allocate for each location?

[Budget Queen]

When is this trip? For "snow" you've got to look at being there before early June.

 

I'm assuming you are planning a car rental, a van may be difficult to obtain, so get that firmed up first before you think of solid plans.

 

There is no "time" to recommend. These activities can involve wide ranges. I instead suggest you just remain open and do the activities based on the priority interests, then add the lessor activities if you have time. It's a mistake, to "schedule" open ended activities with a group, in my opinion. You also have missed several, possible interesting stops, that may change your current ideas, especially with you mentioning it's a "long way away".

 

Your current "Saturday", allows only short times at three activities, and a 2 hour drive. Seavey's is a fixed time. "Sunday" is skimpy- for clarification- it's Crow Creek Mine, plenty of open time that may be beneficial to have stayed in Seward until this morning?

 

Your last day- I'm assuming you are considering a guided Matanuska glacier hike? I would schedule that in the am, allow 4 hours, then the open afternoon allows varied options.

 

Again, in my opinion, there is no need to firm things up at this point. You are touring a limited area. You could double book a hotel, if you can't decide staying in Girdwood or Seward, but your other days, would be fixed.

[outoftowner]

Your Sunday could be augmented with a visit to the Anchorage market. We enjoyed it in rain and sun. Interesting food and great place to find an Ulu knife.

 

Please go to the Matanuska Glacier and enjoy a guided trip. Your family will remember for years to come the wonderful experience. Quite different from Hawaii:)

 

Kenai Fjords cruise is one of our favorite excursions. Make sure you have enough memory space for photos.

[clc6p]

Aloha! We finish our cruise in Seward at 5am on a Friday, and plan to return home on Tuesday. Haven't booked our flights yet, but my best guess based on flight schedules this year is that it'll most likely be an early AM flight Tuesday morning - which leaves me with 4 days of post-cruise exploring.

 

Hubby and I are travelling with the kiddos ages 9, 11, 13, & 19. None of us have been to Alaska, and will be excited at every new experience. Some of the things I've got on the list, so far, include:

 

Kenai Fjords cruise (looking at the 9 hour one, but worried that it might be too long?)

Seward SeaLife Center

Exit Glacier

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Seavey's Ididaride Dog Sled

Hatcher's Pass (hoping for some snow)

Kinkaid Park (hoping for a moose sighting)

 

I know it's totally subjective, but how long would you allocate for each stop? As a rough (really, really rough) plan:

 

Friday: Disembark, Kenai Fjords tour, spend the night in Seward

Saturday: SeaLife Center, Exit Glacier, Seavey's Ididaride Dog Cart Tour, possibly spend the night in Girdwood

Sunday: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Gold Creek Mine, spend the night in Anchorage

Monday: Kinkaid Park (skip if we've seen enough moose...), Hatcher's Pass, Matanuska Glacier, spend the night in Anchorage

Tuesday: Fly out

 

Suggestions from those in the know - too much? too little? If you were playing tour guide for our family - what would you do?

 

I appreciate the help - I know it's a long way away, but I've heard that you've got to book things super early for Alaska!

 

Thank you...:)

 

I think this looks like an awesome plan! Good choices for kids!

[MauiMomma4]

When is this trip? For "snow" you've got to look at being there before early June.

 

 

 

I'm assuming you are planning a car rental, a van may be difficult to obtain, so get that firmed up first before you think of solid plans.

 

 

 

There is no "time" to recommend. These activities can involve wide ranges. I instead suggest you just remain open and do the activities based on the priority interests, then add the lessor activities if you have time. It's a mistake, to "schedule" open ended activities with a group, in my opinion. You also have missed several, possible interesting stops, that may change your current ideas, especially with you mentioning it's a "long way away".

 

 

 

Your current "Saturday", allows only short times at three activities, and a 2 hour drive. Seavey's is a fixed time. "Sunday" is skimpy- for clarification- it's Crow Creek Mine, plenty of open time that may be beneficial to have stayed in Seward until this morning?

 

 

 

Your last day- I'm assuming you are considering a guided Matanuska glacier hike? I would schedule that in the am, allow 4 hours, then the open afternoon allows varied options.

 

 

 

Again, in my opinion, there is no need to firm things up at this point. You are touring a limited area. You could double book a hotel, if you can't decide staying in Girdwood or Seward, but your other days, would be fixed.

 

 

We'll be there the first week of July in 2016. Someone suggested Hatchers Pass as possibility of seeing snow, but I guess weather varies by season and year. If there's no snow, I'm sure it'll still be beautiful views!

 

Is it not possible to go up the Matanuska glacier, or the state park there, on your own? Is a guide required?

[outoftowner]

You can go to the state park and wander a bit. We saw several people doing that but because they did not have the proper equipment, I.e. Crampons over boots, hard hat, we saw some MAJOR wipeouts. The ice often looks like dirt or is just under the dirt. You cannot go very far. Our guide took us way out onto the glacier and we enjoyed getting some amazing pictures.

It is like another world.

On our return drive to Anchorage we met a moose by the side of the road. It appeared to believe that if it could not see us, we could not see it. Kept hiding its eyes and face behind trees. Quite funny at the time.

[MauiMomma4]

My little boy has his heart set on a train ride. We've decided that we'll stick with the plan of getting a rental car in Skagway, and try to fit the train ride in at the tail end of the trip. We'll have a rental car in Seward and a rental in Anchorage. I figure that we'll have the time and cars to backtrack a little if we catch the train from Seward into Anchorage on Saturday evening.

 

I sure hope it's doable.

 

Any advice about changing the order of activities that I had previously mentioned once I add this train ride in?

 

Also...looking at the train ride - is the huge price difference between Adventure class and Gold class really worth it? My understanding is that even in Adventure class, you'll have access to a 2nd floor dome but no reserved seating in this class.

 

Thanks for your input!

[Budget Queen]

If everybody doesn't want to take the train- in Skagway, it is simple to just split up. Take a one way train in either direction, with the rest in the car. You are only going to be separate a couple hours. A whole lot of the rest of the trip, together.

 

This is a better use of time, if you don't happen to have a late departure. The White Pass, is historic and depending on the child's interest, the ability to ride outside in the vestibule could be a highlight. The train tracks are right on edges of drop offs, another "excitement" perhaps? You do need passports for both driving and the train.

 

Your mainland Alaska time is already short in my opinion.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Budget Queen

[Nancyquilts]

The longer Kenai fjords tour is the best, IMHO. You get much farther and are able to see more.

[~*Lou*~]

We were in Alaska in June, with 2 young children - I have a trip review here including our 7 days in Alaska post-cruise and we did a lot of the things you are planning - hope some of my review helps you in planning: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2221528

 

Lou :)

[stephaniekleinn]

I'm curious to find out how it went!

[MauiMomma4]

I'm curious to find out how it went!

 

Our trip isn't until next June/July but I'm so glad I started the planning process early. So much to see and do that's it's hard to narrow down the choices. I may still change my mind about some activities...we shall see! In any case, I'm certain that whatever we end up doing, it'll be awesome and exciting. 😊