R2L: Seattle Gold Rush Alaska Cruise Tour

[ron1946]

Looking for someone that has completed and can answer questions about the 16 Day HAL R2L: Seattle Gold Rush Alaska Cruise Tour. Basic information for this Cruise/Tour seems to very lacking. We are booked for August 16th, 2016 and have many specific questions. Thanks in Advance!

[oaktreerb]

It's the same as the Y2L that I did last year except we started in Anchorage and ended in Vancouver. HAL will provide transportation for your group from Seattle to anchorage at the beginning and from Vancouver to Seattle at the end. HAL adds the R to designate round trip Seattle. Doesn't this go to Dawson City and Whitehorse with a 4 day cruise at the end? I highly recommend it.

 

What do you need to know?

[ron1946]

Doesn't this go to Dawson City and Whitehorse with a 4 day cruise at the end? I highly recommend it.

 

What do you need to know?

 

Yes it does go to Dawson City and Whitehorse, spending two nights in Dawson City and one in Whitehorse before proceeding on to Skagway for two nights and picking up the Volendam there.

 

I had some specific question for Seattle that I don't know if you can answer but here they are. Where will we meet a rep to get the shuttle for the Hilton Airport hotel. Is there someone at baggage claim, or a central location for the hotel shuttles?

 

Also are there baggage limitations on the flight from Seattle to Anchorage. For example, will the "To the Ship" baggage be picked up in Seattle or Anchorage? Extra baggage charges?

 

I am "assuming" that once we arrive in Anchorage and meet our Tour Host, everything will be provided for the remainder of the trip, or is it "passed out" each day/night?

 

What can we expect on the four day cruise from Skagway to Vancouver? Formal nights? Mariner's luncheon, etc.

 

From what I have read so far, doesn't seem like meal vouchers are worth the cost. Comments?

 

Thanks for your help/answer to any of these questions.

[oaktreerb]

There will be a HAL/Princess rep at the airport in Seattle. When you complete your cruise documents you will tell HAL what flight you are coming in on and they will be looking for you so that you can be transferred to your hotel. You will receive information as to where to meet the next day for your flight to Anchorage. At your Anchorage hotel (Westmark or Hilton) you will meet with your Journey Host who will give you your itinerary and answer any questions you may have. That person will travel with your group and make sure you are given a packet with information and room keys prior to each stop on your journey.

 

We were not allowed to do "direct to the ship" with our luggage (I think it was because we had to carry our luggage through Canadian customs.) We packed one suitcase for the ship and had our land clothes in a separate suitcase, plus our backpack. Each evening the suitcases would be in our room so the only thing we had with us during the day was a backpack size carryon. There were no luggage restrictions on our flight from Fairbanks to Dawson City.

 

I do not recommend the meal package as it restricts you to the Westmark hotels and there are so many other places that you will want to try. The food at the hotels is good but you are in each location for several days and there are lots of options. Check out TripAdvisor for each location.

 

You will join the ship in Skagway and your journey host will take you by bus to the ship. If you want to plan an excursion for that morning let your host know and you can join the ship at a later time. They will transport your luggage for you.

 

Once you get to the ship you will be directed to the showroom where you will get your room keys and complete the normal check in process. You will also be told when your lifeboat drill will take place. Then you can head to your room and/or go to the Lido for lunch. If you want to go back out you can also do that.

Our ship was at the railroad dock so it was somewhat of a walk back to town.

 

From there it is a normal cruise. You will see your group members around the ship but there are no organized activities outside the normal ship activities. There will be one formal night and we also had a Mariner's luncheon.

[ron1946]

Oaktreerb:

 

Thanks so much for all the info. You have been very helpful. As we continue to plan, I may ask some additional questions probably location specific. Appreciate your input so much!

Edited November 12, 2015 by ron1946

[Cyclebum]

We did the R1L this past spring, so the first day is the same as yours. You will take the Hilton shuttle to the hotel after meeting the HAL rep at the airport. Next morning you will take that same shuttle back. Reserve your time at the hotel front desk so you aren't late because of a full shuttle. You will have to pay baggage fees to Alaska Airlines for all the bags going to Alaska. Watch your weight tools overweight is pricey. Your "meet me on the ship" bags will be taken from you after your flight lands in Alaska. We did not get the meal plan and didn't see much in savings plus it does't cover Seattle. We also added a day on each end to accommodate the flight schedules for us and not be rushed. Enjoy the trip.

[ron1946]

Thank You Cycle Bum. What cities did you tour and your opinion/excursions on these stops. Recommend any good restaurants?

[Cyclebum]

Thank You Cycle Bum. What cities did you tour and your opinion/excursions on these stops. Recommend any good restaurants?

 

The R1L does not go to the Yukon but we overnighted in Anchorage and recommend the Hard Rock for breakfast as we were pleasantly surprised by it. You have 3 nights in Denali like we did so try the pizza place on the other side of the highway, Prospector Pizza. They had 50 beers on tap it seemed. Lynx Pizza (lodge side of the street)between the McKinley and princess lodge OK. We had clear skies the day of the train so we saw Denali off and on for quite a while. Resorts have several choices for eating, good not great, and breakfasts seemed overpriced, IMO. Preferred Nenana Grill over Trading Post at Mckinley Chalet. While there we saw the huskies, did the Tundra tour and white water rafting. Riverboat excursion in Fairbanks had a big family style lunch. Again a couple of hotel possibilities in Fairbanks, we got Pikes Lodge, food there OK and they had trouble, IMO, handling the crowd. Yukon part was not in our tour but the ship at Skagway south is the same. White Pass RR, Juneau was whales, rainforests and glaciers and Ketchikan was missy fiords by plane, all good. You'll be tired by the end of the cruise but you'll love it. Our ship was the O'dam.

[ron1946]

Thanks again, Cyclebum!

[agabbymama]

Try Klondike Kates in Dawson City. Biggest, juiciest hamburger I've ever had.

 

The meal package isn't for savings, it's for convenience. We only had 1 overnight at most locations on our tour, and after riding on the coach all day, we were usually ready to eat as soon as we arrived into town (approx. 5:30-6:30 each day). There really wasn't a planned stop or anything convenient for lunch. Snacks we had pre-purchased (chips, peanuts, ice cream) were the norm. HAL did provide 3 lunches (I think) along the tour route.

 

When we arrived into Whitehorse, the tour director named a number of places close by for meals. We tried them all and with 1 to 2 hour waits, kept moving on. By 8:00 we ended up at a Subway before returning to the hotel. After that, we decided to just eat at the hotel as their restaurants seemed more equipped to handle the crowds from the coaches. Many on our tour (2 coaches) had purchased the vouchers (we hadn't, thinking we could eat cheaper on our own) and the servers were surprised when we said cash.

 

With 2 nights at the different towns, you may be more inclined to visit the local establishments, but you may end up at the hotel restaurants anyway.

The hotel restaurants usually had a breakfast buffet for $14.95 and a dinner buffet for $28.95. HAL offers the meal plans, but you aren't forced to take it, but remember, you will pay more for meals than in the lower 48.

 

Have a great trip to Alaska, it is an awesome destination!