How remote are Princess Wilderness Lodges?

[jebbs]

We are four couples booked on a 6 day Princess Cruisetour and then sail south on Coral Princess in June 2021. I’m doing some early 

research on the land portion. I can see our tour gives us some unscheduled time and hope to book a few activities. My questions involve the accommodations.....

How are the locations of the Princess Lodges?  Are their dining rooms the only option for meals?  Did you make advanced

dinner reservations? Does Lyft operate in these areas to go to off site restaurants?

We will be staying  1 night at Mt McKinley,  2 nights at Denali and 2 nights Copper River.

Any experiences you’d like to share will be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[rkacruiser]

41 minutes ago, jebbs said:

at Denali 

 

 

I can offer what I observed at Denali as to dining possibilities.  Last Summer, I stayed at a motel/RV park directly across from the HAL and Princess Denali properties.  In the area where my Nephew and I were, there were some small cafes and snack facilities.  The HAL hotel is next to the Princess hotel.  We had breakfast at the HAL hotel (since it was across the street from us) and it was a very good breakfast at a reasonable price.  I did not visit the Princess hotel, but at the HAL hotel, the rooms appeared to be in separate buildings behind the main Lodge where the restaurant was.  Princess' hotel may be designed the same way.  I don't know.  

 

Do not know about other dining options elsewhere in that area unless one had a car.  We drove to Healy, North of Denali, twice for dinner.  There were some good options there--and with a local flavor.  

[dfilpus]

At Denali, there is a local shuttle that goes from the Princess and HAL lodges to other restaurant areas in the vicinity.

 

Princess Mt McKinley and Princess Copper River are much more isolated. 

[Northern Aurora]

We have stayed at all three of these Princess properties.

 

The Denali Princess, as already noted, is positioned across from what is commonly called "Glitter Gulch," which is an area of gift shops and casual dining options.  It is on the same side of the Parks Highway as the HAL complex.  

 

The McKinley Princess is located off the Parks Highway and up a hill.  It is similar to the Denali Princess in which there is a main lodge building with restaurant and coffee options.  There is also another building with a more casual dining option.  The guest rooms are located in a complex of two level buildings.  The closest community is Talkeetna, which, depending on any road construction, is 45 minutes to an hour drive away.  

 

Unless it has been expanded the last three years, the Copper River Princess is much smaller than either the Denali or McKinley complexes.  It is located off the Richardson Highway, again, up a hill.  There is a dining room at the Copper River facility, but nothing else within walking distance.

 

Due to our wage and hour laws both Lyft and Uber were not legal in Alaska until several years ago then governor Walker signed legislation legalizing them.  But my impression is that, at least in the Interior of Alaska, is that they are a "hit and miss" type of service.  Whether there will be anyone offering Lyft, particularly in the Copper River area, in 2021 is an unknown.

[AKStafford]

As others have said: The Denali Princess Lodge is pretty well situated in Glitter Gulch. But the McKinley Princess & Copper River Princess Lodges are both very remote.

Any chance you'd consider dropping the Princess "cruisetour" and doing this  trip on your own with a rental car? That would give you the flexibility you are looking for in lodging, dining & activities. There's nothing you'll do on a cruisetour that you couldn't book independently; including staying at a Princess lodge.

[jebbs]

Thank you all for responding to my request.

This is a first time visit to Alaska, and the thoughts of doing it independently was too much for me to research and build consensus.  Traveling as four couple would be like trying to herd cats! Too ambitious for me.

We agreed to try Princess especially to sail southward on the Coral Princess. Deposited on this in February for June 2021.....hope we guessed right.....Covid-19, weather, health, it is all just luck, nothing planning can change!😎😎😎😎😎

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, jebbs said:

Thank you all for responding to my request.

This is a first time visit to Alaska, and the thoughts of doing it independently was too much for me to research and build consensus.  Traveling as four couple would be like trying to herd cats! Too ambitious for me.

We agreed to try Princess especially to sail southward on the Coral Princess. Deposited on this in February for June 2021.....hope we guessed right.....Covid-19, weather, health, it is all just luck, nothing planning can change!😎😎😎😎😎

 

Trying to manage a trip for 8 people?  A Princess tour was a wise choice.  Southbound on Coral Princess?  That's what I chose in 2019 and it was a great itinerary and an excellent cruise experience.  Coral Princess is well suited for an Alaskan cruise.  

[bottom-dragger]

8 hours ago, jebbs said:

  Traveling as four couple would be like trying to herd cats! Too ambitious for me.

 

 

my cat just threw up on the stairs, just thought i'd share

 

what the lovely ms b-d and i found out to work with groups was "this day is your day. you are responsible for planning all trips, meals, housing, entertainment, because today is not my day"

[Budget Queen]

On 6/14/2020 at 3:35 PM, jebbs said:

We are four couples booked on a 6 day Princess Cruisetour and then sail south on Coral Princess in June 2021. I’m doing some early 

research on the land portion. I can see our tour gives us some unscheduled time and hope to book a few activities. My questions involve the accommodations.....

How are the locations of the Princess Lodges?  Are their dining rooms the only option for meals?  Did you make advanced

dinner reservations? Does Lyft operate in these areas to go to off site restaurants?

We will be staying  1 night at Mt McKinley,  2 nights at Denali and 2 nights Copper River.

Any experiences you’d like to share will be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

I'd suggest -  you consider more time?   This is a marathon road trip.  🙂    Take a look at a map for more detail.      The Denali Princess-   is a good choice-  more important is to make sure you have the Tundra Wilderness tour-  included.     This has a lot of independent meal options you can just walk to-  including Subway.    Your other two  properties have very few off property options.     I would suggest-  if you just chose this itinerary without KNOWING the details of what you are going to see and do there-  you do so,  before final payment.    I suggest having a reason for selecting it-  outside of the thinking as a stop.  🙂    This comes at a time expense that could be used elsewhere.       With the McKinley Lodge-  the "highlight" is Denali-   which is seldom seen.  You don't mention your transit-  which makes a huge difference?    By train-  stay-  and enjoy Talkeetna-     if by bus-  plan carefully are you have a 2 hour shuttle-  round trip involved.    Otherwise there is - nothing-  at the lodge.   When I've stopped there-  all I see are-  the seating full, -  just sitting there.   

 

Copper River-  again,  very remote.    There may be a shuttle to Copper Center?   Not very pleasant with any number of people.    Major highlight is Kennicott and McCarthy.   by air is significantly more scenic.  🙂    Depends if your tour-  goes to Valdez?   And the amount of time you have there?    Only a small museum-  that is excellent if time limited.    But,  less than ideal with multiple bus loads.  

 

I would suggest a bit more research.  

 

I fully understand-  they near impossible dynamics there are with a group of 8-   but,  perhaps also look at an independent operator-   for a private group tour-  AND offering a better itinerary?     6 days is a very short time for your distance.    You're going to have a lot of transit.    A private group tour would offer far more.      www.anchorage.net