Cruise with land portion on our own - help

[js4rq]

I had posted a previous thread "Holland America itineraries help :)" but now I have an entirely different question! :)

 

Depending on our budget, we are looking at possibly doing a 7 day cruise and land portion on our own instead. This would be cheaper than doing the 14 day cruise.

 

We probably wouldn't be hiring a car, but would be looking at Seward and Denali National Park. We'd be booking the land portion ourselves as this is cheaper than doing a land tour through the cruiseline.

 

Because Seward and Denali National Park are in opposite directions, we would need to go through Anchorage, is that correct? Depending on flight arrival times etc, we will probably stay in Anchorage on the first night.

 

If not, we could stay there on our way from Denali National Park to Seward or in the reverse. Unless you have other recommendations, ie stay in Talkeetna? :cool:

 

Thank you! :D

[Alaskanb]

Need a lot more information before we can help:

Land or cruise first? Where does your cruise leave from?

What year and month are you looking at?

You need a good map to see distances and time involved. How do you plan to travel without a car?

[js4rq]

We'd be looking at July next year. We would be looking at doing the land portion first, before the cruise. We are looking at doing a cruise from Seattle return.

 

We can catch the train and motorcoach between Anchorage and Seward or Anchorage and Denali. I know Denali is further away, but I want to see if we can do both Seward and Denali, without doing a cruise tour. :confused:

 

If not, we'd only be going to one place, and that would probably be Seward.

 

Any advice?

Edited March 22, 2016 by js4rq

[mapleleaves]

Without a car, I assume you'll use the train and/or buses. Trains are slow and have 1 departure per day so quite limiting. The Park Connection Bus has 2 departures per day during peak periods.

 

First, here is a transportation map that shows main destinations:

http://www.alaska.org/assets/content/maps/Transportation_Map.pdf

 

And this chart provides distances and travel times.

http://www.alaska.org/advice/mileage-chart

 

There might be a cruise contracted train from Seward that leaves at 7/8am, as opposed to the usual 6pm departure. Check with HAL.

OTOH spending the day in Seward is highly recommended.

 

One of the drawbacks with train/bus is that you are limited on where you can stay. You will need lodging that is close to the depot or provides transportation. That's especially true in Denali where you also need a transfer to the park. You may need to stay at a cruisetour hotel. Or use the Denali Salmon Bake Shuttle. There is also a taxi service. $$$$

A car gives you the freedom to stay anywhere, stop for wildlife sightings, or make detours to other points of interest.

[mapleleaves]

So you're doing land travel, then flying Anc or Fairbanks to Seattle to do a RT cruise?

[mapleleaves]

Maybe a package with the railroad would be an easy answer.

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/

 

Park Connection Bus:

http://www.alaskacoach.com/

 

There are also land packages in the Alaska.org link I posted earlier.

[js4rq]

We will check out the Park Connection Bus and see what rail packages are available.

 

For Anchorage to Seward, we were looking into the Narrated wildlife transfer with Seward Alaska bus for $59pp, with photo stops and they also stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre.

 

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

[mapleleaves]

The Denali forum of tripadvisor.com used to have a list of hotels that provided shuttle service. Don't know if it's updated but it's a starting point. The Princess Lodge is always a fall back point since they have shuttles to/from the depot and to/from the park.

The Denali Salmon Bake shuttle is an option for getting to the park;

And the taxi. (listed on the Denali Chamber of Commerce web site)

[Cruise_More_Often]

The Grande Denali has a shuttle service.

 

The Alaska Railroad has some very interesting packages.

 

mapleleaves, your help is very much appreciated!

Edited March 22, 2016 by Cruise_More_Often

[Alaskanb]

So you're doing land travel, then flying Anc or Fairbanks to Seattle to do a RT cruise?

That has me really confused also!

[js4rq]

Sorry for the confusion! We plan on land travel, flying from Anchorage to Seattle to do a RT cruise, or in reverse, whichever is cheaper!

 

Upon doing more research, there may just be too much travelling involved with going to Denali, even by train/bus. We'd be happy with just going to Anchorage and Seward on this trip I think, especially as we may be going to NYC as well.

[mapleleaves]

Sorry for the confusion! We plan on land travel, flying from Anchorage to Seattle to do a RT cruise, or in reverse, whichever is cheaper!

 

Upon doing more research, there may just be too much travelling involved with going to Denali, even by train/bus. We'd be happy with just going to Anchorage and Seward on this trip I think, especially as we may be going to NYC as well.

 

If the land portion is only Seward and Anc I think I'd skip it the land portion entirely. That would save your extra flight and some travelling.

 

Or consider a more efficent use of time and do a one-way cruise with 7 day land.

 

I don't know if it's cheaper for you to fly Australia to Seattle or Vancouver or Anchorage, but for the sake of an itinerary lets say Seattle. Fly into SEA, overnight, then take the train or bus to Vancouver to board the ship.

Land portion:

Day 1 disembark ship. Overnight (o/n) Seward. Exit Glacier and Sealife Park, or take a 6 hr Kenai cruise.

day 2 narrated transfer to Anchorage. Afternoon to sightsee. o/n

day 3 train to Denali 8:15am - 4pm. o/n

day 4 shuttle to Eielson Visitor Center o/n

day 5 10am sled dog demo, Savage River hike o/n

day 6 bus to Anc 7am - 1:30pm

 

You even have an extra day left! Add it to Seward or to Denali or stop in Talkeetna on your way to Denali.

Flights leave from Anc to Seattle almost hourly ... 3 hr flight.

 

Does that seem too hectic or too much travelling?

 

 

 

.

[js4rq]

Thanks for that, mapleleaves!

 

That itinerary sounds doable!

 

I'll have a look into the flights and the one way Alaska cruises.

 

Thanks again! :D

[mapleleaves]

You're welcome ... glad that it helped. Obviously there can be many variations but it's a good starting point for your planning.