3 day RC cruisetours-differences?

[royalcruz]

I'm looking to book a trip to Alaska on a 2018 cruise tour with Radiance.

 

I notice that there is a huge price difference between 10 night Alaska wildlife express, which ends in Anchorage (Seward-Talkeetna-Denali-Anchorage), and the less expensive 10 night Alaska interior express, which ends in Fairbanks and also includes a wilderness tour (Seward-Denali-Fairbanks-Fairbanks). These are 2 post cruise tours for the same cruise. I looked at several different dates and there is always a big difference.

 

Does anyone know if it is worth spending $1000 more on the wildlife express, and are there any "must sees" that I would miss if I took the interior express? The descriptions are all so similar on the 3 day tours, despite the differences in locations.

 

 

I also posted this on the Royal Caribbean board but Alaska questions there get few responses.

Thank you so much for your help.

[mapleleaves]

You need to post links to each itinerary or cut and paste......we dont know the details of every tour.

I WILL say ....with short cruisetours most of your time is spent in transit, with little time at each location for any sightseeing. ie you nedd 2 nites at denali in order to take a shuttle or tour into the park. So ypu need to find out the travel details ....is travel by bus or traain?when do you arrive and depart each day?

[mapleleaves]

to give you an idea of travel times:

- your 1st itinerary (Seward-Talkeetna-Denali-Anchorage). By bus it's about 6 hrs from Seward to Talkeetna, 2 1/2 hrs Talkeetna to Denali, 5-6 hrs Denali to Anchorage.

 

- your 2nd itinerary (Seward-Denali-Fairbanks-Fairbanks). By bus it's about 9-10 hrs from Seward to Denali, 2 1/2 hrs from Denali to Fairbanks).

[CCJack]

Boy, $1000 difference seems like an awful lot to me. I don't know why. Given that I would be signing up for the cheaper one !

 

We went on a RC cruise-tour - I think it was 11 or 12 night.

 

The only thing I can add is that Talkeetna was maybe our least favorite stop, although our lodge was real nice and had great views, the town is real small and must be an acquired taste that I never acquired !! But of course - just my opinion.

 

We had a great time on our RC cruise tour... I hope you do too!

[donaldsc]

Boy, $1000 difference seems like an awful lot to me. I don't know why. Given that I would be signing up for the cheaper one !

 

We went on a RC cruise-tour - I think it was 11 or 12 night.

 

The only thing I can add is that Talkeetna was maybe our least favorite stop, although our lodge was real nice and had great views, the town is real small and must be an acquired taste that I never acquired !! But of course - just my opinion.

We had a great time on our RC cruise tour... I hope you do too!

 

+1. We visited Talkeetna on our driving trip in AK. As far as I was concerned, the visit was not worth the time it took us to drive from the main highway to town. However, some people love the place. Different strokes.

 

DON

[Budget Queen]

I'll be blunt, I find the 3/4 day add on tour, pretty worthless. As noted, a huge amount of time is in transit. Simply NOT enough time for Alaska.

 

the highlight is Denali- for scenery and wildlife. the TWT and NHT are lacking with my only recommendation being the shuttle bus to at least Eielson, being grossly superior.

 

Educate yourself on the details. It is not enough to just list places. Far more important is the - time and inclusions. Think carefully- what you want out of your Alaska visit? Would you choose to visit Disneyland and never getting into the park- past Main Street? That is essential what you are getting with some cruisetours.

[CCJack]

Another thing to consider is the interior express trip seems to go mostly in one direction whereas the wilderness express doubles back and heads back to anchorage. This adds a couple more hours of driving on the wilderness express on an already tight schedule. Something to consider. Although 3 days may not be enough, it is better than 0 if this is what your timing allows. I know we frequently have to cut our trips shorter than what we would like due to the fact that my wife and I work (bummer) and have to get back to work !

[Budget Queen]

Another thing to consider is the interior express trip seems to go mostly in one direction whereas the wilderness express doubles back and heads back to anchorage. This adds a couple more hours of driving on the wilderness express on an already tight schedule. Something to consider. Although 3 days may not be enough, it is better than 0 if this is what your timing allows. I know we frequently have to cut our trips shorter than what we would like due to the fact that my wife and I work (bummer) and have to get back to work !

 

With short time, usually independent touring offers far better scheduling and the ability to include priorities. Way too many cruise tours, "waste" time at places of little interest at the expense of others. One example is Denali- with limited time, the priority may be better spent there, than at another location with nothing to do. I find the cruise tours, severely lack the ability to take advantage of the port of Whittier or Seward, which are both gems for some priorities of glaciers and wildlife. Sad to just past through looking out a window in some cases.

 

Just trying to offer the ideal itinerary options for planning. :)

[CCJack]

With short time, usually independent touring offers far better scheduling and the ability to include priorities. Way too many cruise tours, "waste" time at places of little interest at the expense of others. One example is Denali- with limited time, the priority may be better spent there, than at another location with nothing to do. I find the cruise tours, severely lack the ability to take advantage of the port of Whittier or Seward, which are both gems for some priorities of glaciers and wildlife. Sad to just past through looking out a window in some cases.

 

Just trying to offer the ideal itinerary options for planning. :)

 

 

I am wondering if cruise lines do this so they can increase the number of "stops" listed in the brochure. For people unfamiliar with the area, a trip with 4 stops may seem more attractive than one with 3 but with longer stays at one stop.

[Budget Queen]

I am wondering if cruise lines do this so they can increase the number of "stops" listed in the brochure. For people unfamiliar with the area, a trip with 4 stops may seem more attractive than one with 3 but with longer stays at one stop.

\

 

No, it's done due to distances and with Denali- there is limited lodging so in the case of Princess they hold them up in Princessland at what "sounds" like the same place. There have been posts in the past where people had no clue they couldn't get into the National Park from the McKinley Princess.

 

but time and distance, actually determines a lot of itineraries.

[AKStafford]

I'm one of those who advocate for doing Alaska land tours DIY instead of the prepackaged cruisetour. I drove tour bus for two summers for Holland America/Westours here in Alaska. With a coach with 40 some people on on, just getting everyone off at a stop takes 15 minutes and 15 minutes to get everyone back on. Multiply that by several stops a day and you have hours of precious time wasted.