BTimmer's Almost Live Land/Sea Alaska Cruise (7/23/23-8/25/23)

[oakridger]

8 minutes ago, USN59-79 said:

 why did you choose to take a ship out of Vancouver? 

 

Hi @USN59-79 I'm not Tim but hope you don't mind if I add my perspective here.  For me to fly to Seattle is much cheaper and easier from SFO than YVR.  I always choose to cruise to Alaska from Vancouver because the ship goes through the inside passage on the way north and then south again.  It's so gorgeous sailing where you can see both sides of the passage as opposed to sailing from Seattle in more open ocean west of Vancouver Island.  Less chance of choppy seas on the inside passage also.

The bonus is that Vancouver is great to visit before and/or after the cruise!!  (Seattle is too)

 

I'm interested to hear what @Btimmer answers.

 

~Nancy

[Btimmer]

17 minutes ago, USN59-79 said:

I have very much enjoyed your report, Tim and envy you having a young grandson to share the trip with you.  One question:  Since you live so close to the cruise terminals in Seattle, why did you choose to take a ship out of Vancouver?  We live in Kitsap County, and have done both, but only chose Vancouver when we couldn't do the same thing from Seattle.

Ray

I really prefer the inside passage route which leaves out of Vancouver.  Plus it was the specific north bound itinerary we wanted.  However I strongly prefer the southbound itinerary because we sail the inside passage in the daylight.

[Btimmer]

Currently we're in the Anchorage Museum

and Jakob's report is: "This is really cool" in response to all of the hands on exhibits. His favorite was the bubble creator.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Btimmer

[woodinville cruisers]

I sent you an email.

Mary

[Btimmer]

We had a very nice train ride to Denali with spectacular weather.  Great views of the mountain from the train.  It's totally clear this year compared to last year.  Tomorrow is an early start for our Tundra tour.  

Denali

 

our train car (we rode on Princess train cars up 

 

 

IMPORTANT TIP

 

Consider eating over at the Princess Lodge or Village.  We couldn't get in any of the HAL restaurants, but got right in to Fanny Q's (just like last year).  Also Princess has a kid's menu. There's a free shuttle back and forth between the properties and the TWA food vouchers are good in either location.

[Btimmer]

Today's Tundra trip was very nice and we had spectacular weather to sight see in.  Here are a few pictures.  My blog is updated with much more detail.

 

Mt Denali

 

Faux vintage tourist car

 

Cuteness

 

Sled dog team

ptarmigan 

 

[bcummin]

I enjoyed reading "Denali to Fairbanks" on your blog this morning, Tim.

Barbara

[Haljo1935]

The Denali pix are beautiful - nice the weather was on your side!!

[Btimmer]

On this last day of our sea/land cruise we did a riverboat cruise on the Chena River, a miner's lunch and an afternoon visit to the #8 dredge and a very nice dinner in the Westmark Latitude restaurant.  
 

It's been a terrific multigenerational cruise and land trip organized by TWA but using all Holland America transportation and one of their hotels (Westmark).  It was nice being pampered without having to arrange pretty much anything. My brother and his multigenerational group are a week behind us on the Nieuw Amsterdam and are having a similar experience.

 

Here are a few pictures from today.

 

Discovery III

 

DISCOVERY

 

cache at Chena Village

 

Low end of a Chena River housing

 

High End of housing on the Chena River

 

remains of old shipyard

 

Gold Dredge

 

In the control room of the dredge 

 

Along the pipeline

 

Jakob's 'go to' meal of calamari & lettuce

 

Angela's halibut

 

My sirloin steak

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Btimmer

[Btimmer]

We're home now and it was a great cruise and land tour.  If I were to recommend such a tour, I would recommend the southbound triple Denali so that there is more time in Denali, less time in Anchorage, and a southbound daytime cruise on the Inside Passage.

 

If you have any last questions, post them here.  And be on the lookout for our upcoming big voyage of the year starting in October, 2023.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Btimmer

[oakridger]

Thanks for this fun report.  Your grandkids are lucky to be able to cruise with you and their grandmother.  

 

Where is the big voyage in October going??  I'll be watching for your report no matter where it is!!

 

~Nancy

[Btimmer]

2 minutes ago, oakridger said:

Thanks for this fun report.  Your grandkids are lucky to be able to cruise with you and their grandmother.  

 

Where is the big voyage in October going??  I'll be watching for your report no matter where it is!!

 

~Nancy

I'm keeping it a mystery for now but you'll see another "Btimmer's Almost Live" thread closer to our start date on this HAL thread.

[CNSJ]

A good report as always.

 

We did a similar trip (Southbound though) last year.  Always looking for bargains, I combined my first and only Casino deal (HAL Southbound Alaska to Vancouver) with a 5 Day (4 night) Princess Lodges tour from Fairbanks to Anchorage by train - we added an extra day in Fairbanks at start.  As it was a tour, they provided all transfers and coordinated all the train reservations.  In a few cases we were the only ones transferring, so they sent a private van.  A well run organization.  Luggage was moved from hotel to hotel and just showed up at the right place etc.  We stayed at Princess Denali Lodge in the Denali park area - just like those on a Princess Cruise Tour.

 

We did self-coordinate our transfer from Anchorage to Whittier, but that was easy and inexpensive.

 

A great trip.  

[Btimmer]

5 hours ago, CNSJ said:

A good report as always.

 

We did a similar trip (Southbound though) last year.  Always looking for bargains, I combined my first and only Casino deal (HAL Southbound Alaska to Vancouver) with a 5 Day (4 night) Princess Lodges tour from Fairbanks to Anchorage by train - we added an extra day in Fairbanks at start.  As it was a tour, they provided all transfers and coordinated all the train reservations.  In a few cases we were the only ones transferring, so they sent a private van.  A well run organization.  Luggage was moved from hotel to hotel and just showed up at the right place etc.  We stayed at Princess Denali Lodge in the Denali park area - just like those on a Princess Cruise Tour.

 

We did self-coordinate our transfer from Anchorage to Whittier, but that was easy and inexpensive.

 

A great trip.  

That's a nice way to do the southbound.  We prefer to use the Princess facility and restaurants in Denali and we happened to use a Princess rail car going north from Anchorage.

[Blackduck59]

Thanks for your great posts, they are so pleasant to read. My wife and I are thinking of a land/sea tour in future. We are interested in something that includes the Yukon. I spent 7 weeks there in 1977 and my wife has wanted to go there as well. Thanks for any insight anyone can give.

Again @Btimmer thanks for your excellent reports.

[Btimmer]

5 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Thanks for your great posts, they are so pleasant to read. My wife and I are thinking of a land/sea tour in future. We are interested in something that includes the Yukon. I spent 7 weeks there in 1977 and my wife has wanted to go there as well. Thanks for any insight anyone can give.

Again @Btimmer thanks for your excellent reports.

Thank you for your kind words.

 

There are a number of Land/Sea options that include the Yukon.  We've not done those because I've ridden my motorcycle twice to Alaska and enjoyed the Yukon that way.

[oaktreerb]

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Thanks for your great posts, they are so pleasant to read. My wife and I are thinking of a land/sea tour in future. We are interested in something that includes the Yukon. I spent 7 weeks there in 1977 and my wife has wanted to go there as well. Thanks for any insight anyone can give.

Again @Btimmer thanks for your excellent reports.

We’ve done the Yukon 3 times through the years and highly recommend.  Take the most days you can if you are doing a HAL tour.   Whitehorse on some tours is just an overnight which is OK because Dawson City is the most interesting and has some wonderful Parks Canada programs.  If you get some daytime hours in Whitehorse it has a lot to offer, too.  The tours have been shortened through the years but they still have a journey host which adds to the fun and cohesiveness of the travel group.  With one itinerary we enjoyed having an overnight in Skagway before we joined the ship.  If you can arrange to get to Bennett Lake, it’s a great add on.

[Blackduck59]

30 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

We’ve done the Yukon 3 times through the years and highly recommend.  Take the most days you can if you are doing a HAL tour.   Whitehorse on some tours is just an overnight which is OK because Dawson City is the most interesting and has some wonderful Parks Canada programs.  If you get some daytime hours in Whitehorse it has a lot to offer, too.  The tours have been shortened through the years but they still have a journey host which adds to the fun and cohesiveness of the travel group.  With one itinerary we enjoyed having an overnight in Skagway before we joined the ship.  If you can arrange to get to Bennett Lake, it’s a great add on.

Thanks so much for your info. I spent 7 weeks in the Yukon in 1977, I spent considerable time in Whitehorse and I'm very interested to see what has changed. I was also in Dawson City, of course I was under age so no Diamond Tooth Gerties back then. I spent 2 of those 7 weeks at a bush camp outside of Carcross so I would like to see what Carcross is is like now. I somehow think that may have to be before or after the official cruise tour.

[Btimmer]

A couple days after we returned from our trip I felt a bit "off".  Today I self tested positive for COVID-19.  I just have a slightly sore throat, congestion, and tiredness.  Jakob and Angela appear to be fine. 

 

It looks like some self quarantining is in order for a bit.

[oakridger]

Oh dear!!  🤒    Take care of yourself and get well quickly!  I'm glad Jakob and Angela are okay.

 

~Nancy

Edited August 9, 2023 by oakridger

[Blackduck59]

Sorry to hear about your positive test. Be safe, get well soon. 

[scubacruiserx2]

On 8/7/2023 at 6:07 PM, Blackduck59 said:

Thanks so much for your info. I spent 7 weeks in the Yukon in 1977, I spent considerable time in Whitehorse and I'm very interested to see what has changed. I was also in Dawson City, of course I was under age so no Diamond Tooth Gerties back then. I spent 2 of those 7 weeks at a bush camp outside of Carcross so I would like to see what Carcross is is like now. I somehow think that may have to be before or after the official cruise tour.

 

We were in Carcross in September and here's some photos and a link to other areas around Carcross .

 

 

They called this area the Carcross Desert

 

 

The Carcross Church

 

 

 

The Emerald Lake 

 

 

 

The rest of our trip to Alaska , and to the Panama Canal and all the way to Ft. Lauderdale 6 weeks of photos and videos on the Neiuw Amsterdam can be found if you click on the link below .

 

 

Thank you @Btimmer  for sharing your trip and fine photos with us . We hope that you get well soon and all the best to you , Jakob and your wife .

 Joe and Pat 😊🙂

[Haljo1935]

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[Blackduck59]

Is that a paved road and a concrete curb in that photo of Carcross? Things have changed in the 46 years since I was there.🤔😉

Edited August 10, 2023 by Blackduck59
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