Have you been on a HAL Alaska land tour?

[Lalof]

We are doing a land/sea cruise next summer. We are advised there is a food package available for the land part. Is it worth it? If we don't get the package, is there any type of restaurant we can eat at while at the Denali resort?

 

Thanks

[Crew News]

33 minutes ago, Lalof said:

We are doing a land/sea cruise next summer. We are advised there is a food package available for the land part. Is it worth it? If we don't get the package, is there any type of restaurant we can eat at while at the Denali resort?

 

Thanks

In my opinion, the meal plan is not worth the cost.  It does not cover all meals and you have to eat the most expensive items on the menu plus dessert to get close to your money's worth.

 

The Kartsen House restaurant on the Denali property is a good value and within walking distance from the lodges.  A shuttle bus will pick you up near our lodge and take you to the top of the hill for a more expensive steak restaurant.  Here is a map of the McKinley Resort:

 

 

Here is a link to HAL's Alaska Travel Tips to help in your planning:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/marketing-assets/manage-my-cruise-already-booked/faqs/Tour_Tips.pdf

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Crew News

[dfilpus]

The McKinley Chalet Resort, which Holland owns, has several restaurants at various price level. The food plan simply prepays for meals at those restaurants. The Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge next door has multiple restaurants at various price levels. Across the highway is a strip of restaurants and gift shops at all levels of price. 

[oaktreerb]

I agree with @Crew News the meal package is not worth it for most people.  

[Alphen]

Can anybody tell me if HAL excursions that are bought as extra on the land portion of a Land/Cruise tour with HAL, count towards the mariner cruise day status towards a higher mariner star level, or are only excursions that are part of the cruise segment counted?

[Crew News]

7 hours ago, Alphen said:

Can anybody tell me if HAL excursions that are bought as extra on the land portion of a Land/Cruise tour with HAL, count towards the mariner cruise day status towards a higher mariner star level, or are only excursions that are part of the cruise segment counted?

All land days count as well as all HAL excursions purchased for the land portion of the cruisetour toward Mariner points.  Note that at the end of the cruise/cruisetour, HAL has routinely rounded up to the next $300 limit to complete a full credit day.

Edited October 17, 2021 by Crew News

[Alphen]

3 minutes ago, Crew News said:

All land days count as well as all HAL excursions purchased for the land portion of the cruisetour toward Mariner points.  Note that at the end of the cruise/cruisetour, HAL has routinely rounded up to the next $300 limit to complete a full credit day.

Thanks, I knew about the land days counting, just had not read anything about the excursions bought during this part would count.

[Crew News]

Just now, Alphen said:

Thanks, I knew about the land days counting, just had not read anything about the excursions bought during this part would count.

FWIW I strongly recommend the Fly Denali excursion with a landing in the mountains.  The downside is that you are folded like a pretzel with your knees in your chest unless you get lucky and are chosen to sit with the pilot.  I have had both opportunities.  Note the dashboard of the aircraft come nearly to your forehead thus making photos out the side window the only option. Here is a link to my photo from both views:  Fly Denali Photos

 

[Alphen]

2 minutes ago, Crew News said:

FWIW I strongly recommend the Fly Denali excursion with a landing in the mountains.  The downside is that you are folded like a pretzel with your knees in your chest unless you get lucky and are chosen to sit with the pilot.  I have had both opportunities.  Note the dashboard of the aircraft come nearly to your forehead thus making photos out the side window the only option. Here is a link to my photo from both views:  Fly Denali Photos

 

Tnx for the tip, will look at the photos on larger screen later.

[Crew News]

2 minutes ago, Alphen said:

Tnx for the tip, will look at the photos on larger screen later.

[Alphen]

3 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Is it the "Denali Flightseeing with Glacier Landing by Airplane", or the "Denali Summit Flight"? Had seen many other HAL info on your website earlier, but not this info yet.

[Crew News]

59 minutes ago, Alphen said:

Is it the "Denali Flightseeing with Glacier Landing by Airplane", or the "Denali Summit Flight"? Had seen many other HAL info on your website earlier, but not this info yet.

Both of my flights have been "Glacier Landing" with the first landing scrubbed due to the fog.  The landing was uphill with the plane turning around in the snow for a downhill takeoff.  Ranks right up there with Skagway dog sledding in the snow for favorite excursion.

[PigsCanFly]

I agree with the others re: the dining package not being worth the cost.  We ended up with several excursions that included meals and only ate a breakfast and lunch at the resort.  

[quack2]

8 hours ago, Crew News said:

FWIW I strongly recommend the Fly Denali excursion with a landing in the mountains.  The downside is that you are folded like a pretzel with your knees in your chest unless you get lucky and are chosen to sit with the pilot.  I have had both opportunities.  Note the dashboard of the aircraft come nearly to your forehead thus making photos out the side window the only option. Here is a link to my photo from both views:  Fly Denali Photos

 

Photo opportunities are a lot better if you're flying in an Otter as opposed to a Beaver.  As you said, the Beaver is just too cramped.

[cenmn18]

On 9/29/2021 at 1:37 PM, Lalof said:

We are doing a land/sea cruise next summer. We are advised there is a food package available for the land part. Is it worth it? If we don't get the package, is there any type of restaurant we can eat at while at the Denali resort?

 

Thanks

We found the food package worthwhile. It took the uncertain, scrambling around to find a place to eat away as well as giving us the ablity to eat something other than pizza or subs . We enjoyed being able to try entrees without counting pennies and treat ourselves to dessert. Tracking the cost of our food selections and comparing to the food package cost, we saved over $200.00.  I recommended it to another party traveling on Princess and they also found it helpful and worthwhile.

Sidenote: The agent I spoke to when booking this option (2019) told me there were a set number of food packages per land tour. 

[Sue from Canada]

On 10/17/2021 at 12:02 PM, Crew News said:

FWIW I strongly recommend the Fly Denali excursion with a landing in the mountains.  The downside is that you are folded like a pretzel with your knees in your chest unless you get lucky and are chosen to sit with the pilot.  I have had both opportunities.  Note the dashboard of the aircraft come nearly to your forehead thus making photos out the side window the only option. Here is a link to my photo from both views:  Fly Denali Photos

 

WOW!  Stunning photos.  I'd never fit in one of those small planes. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Alphen]

13 hours ago, cenmn18 said:

We found the food package worthwhile. It took the uncertain, scrambling around to find a place to eat away as well as giving us the ablity to eat something other than pizza or subs . We enjoyed being able to try entrees without counting pennies and treat ourselves to dessert. Tracking the cost of our food selections and comparing to the food package cost, we saved over $200.00.  I recommended it to another party traveling on Princess and they also found it helpful and worthwhile.

Sidenote: The agent I spoke to when booking this option (2019) told me there were a set number of food packages per land tour. 

Thanks for the food input, we had been thinking of buying it too, but now already have 3 tours with dinner included in the land portion and will now probably only do the breakfast meal package.

[BellaAnna]

How do you request a meal package for the land part of the trip!

Edited October 25, 2021 by BellaAnna
Misspelled

[Crew News]

1 minute ago, BellaAnna said:

How do you request a meal package for the land part of the trip!

I just contact my HAL PCC.

[Alphen]

7 hours ago, BellaAnna said:

How do you request a meal package for the land part of the trip!

We do not have PCC with HAL Rotterdam, but indeed by contacting HAL.