Alaska Cruise Aug/Sept of 2017

[Patty Kott]

Has anyone recently been on a land/cruise package of Alaska? Any suggestions on cruise line or what to see on land? Also any travel agency's that deal mainly or a lot with Alaska packages. Tried a few travel agency's already and they knew about as much as I did nothing.

Any info. would be greatly appreciated. Planning on going towards end of summer of 2017. Also most people told me it is better to do land then sea, any thoughts? Also any recommendations for what cruise line to go with? was looking at Princess and Celebrity?

[sassyredhat]

We haven't taken any land ones, but we are booked for our 3rd Alaska cruise for Sept 2017.

We are booked on the Grand Princess sailing from San Francisco.

Our last one was with Princess also. The first one was with Holland America. PCL is a pretty good cruise line, and it's my understanding that they get priority berths and excursions.

 

We aren't allowed to recommend travel agents here on the boards, so I don't know how to advise you about that. :confused:

 

If you decide to just do the cruise, without the land portion, I would do the Inside Passage itinerary.

 

Patti

[Working 2 Cruise]

Princess and Holland America are the best cruise lines for Alaska for several reasons, one of which is they both go to Glacier Bay and Celebrity does not.

[satxdiver]

The number of ships allowed to enter Glacier Bay is limited. Princess and HAL have the authority to enter and it is not to be missed. You will be in a bay with glaciers on all sides and they will be calving (large pieces breaking off and falling into the water). The first cruise I was on HAL and the second on Princess. I will be going again in late July 2017. I went the last time to Tracy Arm and did not like it so I recommend not taking that cruise.

 

I have not taken the land tour in AK but have been there four times and did my own tour. I rented a car in Anchorage and drove it to Denali and Fairbanks to the north and Homer to the southwest. There are several hotels just outside Denali and within walking distance of the visitor center. Just be sure to book everything early (cruise, hotel, auto etc) as they all book up early.

[Sea Hag]

We did Princess' "Off the Beaten Path" cruisetour a few years back and loved it. Stayed at Copper River Princess Lodge and Denali Princess lodge. Great trip across Alaska between Copper River and Denali. Took the park shuttle into Denali instead of a tour, and that was wonderful.

 

On the cruise portion, we went to both Glacier Bay and College Fjord.

 

Great trip!

[jd019]

Vim doing the Off the Beaten Path cruise tour through Princess July 2017. I read a lot on the Alaska board.

 

SeaHag- can you tell me about the long haul from Copper River lodge to Denali? Any wildlife or just scenery? Narration? How was lunch?