Trip Report from Dawn Princess and Private Land Package

[whenzuc]

Our trip report- Private land tour from Anchorage, then Dawn Princess- Southbound 6/5/04

First of all, thanks to all who helped us plan this trip. If it wasn’t for Corky at 1Anchorsaway.com and Budgetqueen we would have stuck to our original itinerary of the Princess land tour with 3 nights on Land. Were we glad that we didn’t. Pricing was equivalent to the Princess land package, but the tour was far superior and even included flight seeing.

We are two couples, mid to late 40’s, and enjoy planning trips independent of large tour groups. We used 1Anchorsaway.com to book a private land package. Corky is a local travel agent/private guide who spent three days with us in the Chickaloon, Talkeetna and Denali, and then in Anchorage to end our tour. We planned each aspect of our trip with Corky. The four of us originally booked the tour, and then another couple ended up joining our tour group. They actually added another two days upfront to the land package, so we joined them in progress. There were only six people in our tour group- Corky maxes her tours out at 7 or 8. Following is a summary of the MAJOR highlights of each day’s tours on land, and then a summary of the cruise.

Day 1 After landing in Anchorage, we were picked up late afternoon in a private luxury van, and we went directly to Chickaloon to glacier trek the Matanuska Glacier. There were two guides there and we had a terrific time. No experience necessary in order to enjoy- we brought fleeces, gloves, and sunglasses. The guides taught us everything we needed to learn in order to take our walking hike onto the glacier- they provided crampons, boots if needed, and a ski pole. We spent about 1 ½ hours- 6 of us with 2 guides!! We were jealous of other couple that was on our tour, as they were lucky enough to go jet boating to Knik Glacier as well as rafting on the Matanuska River before we arrived. We would have definitely added another day before the cruise had we known that there was so much to do in the area. Unfortunately, we had no time to fit everything in. From there we drove on to Talkeetna in order to get an early start the next morning. We slept at the Talkeetna Lodge.

Day 2 Talkeetna The weather the next day was not good at all, so we went on a jet boat on the Talkeetna River all the way up through the canyons. Later that day, we were scheduled to go on a flight seeing tour with a glacier landing, but it was canceled due to the weather. We arrived in Denali, had dinner and then slept at the Grand Denali Lodge.

Day3 Denali. We went on the Tundra tour at Denali. The bus ride was fine. We could not have taken this tour had we taken the Princess package. We did see many animals, and the views were breathtaking. Our friends wanted to do something more active, so our guide, Corky, took them whitewater rafting and flight seeing over Denali. We met up at 4 PM for our ride to Anchorage. Nothing like riding in a luxury vehicle for check-in at the Captain Cook. Unfortunately, this is where our private tour ended.

Day 4 Anchorage/Whittier Our bellboy told us to check our luggage as independents with the Princess cruise ship passengers who were staying at the hotel. We had our own transfer arrangements away from the Princess package, but we had our luggage taken with the group luggage by the bellboy. It was great not worrying about our luggage in the limo.

We walked around Anchorage in the morning, as we didn’t plan on leaving for the ship until 3:30. In retrospect, we found the souvenir shopping in Anchorage superior to any of the ports that we visited during the entire cruise. We would have bought all of our gifts before we set foot on the cruise ship if we only knew.

We took a limo to Whittier, which was less than the cost of the Princess rail for 4 passengers. It was much more relaxing for us than traveling as a large group. We got the limo driver from the hotel concierge prior to arriving.

 

Cruising- Dawn Princess We boarded the ship at about 5 pm. Check-in was very smooth, and it was truly a treat having all of our luggage waiting for us in the room. We had a balcony room on the Aloha deck. It was small, but our entire NY baggage fit in just fine. We enjoyed having the balcony views.

The first 2 days were spent at College Fjord and then Glacier Bay. The glaciers were amazing. The weather was great- high 60’s –low 70’s most of the day. We had on warm-ups, while people next to us were swimming in the pools which were heated to 90 degrees.

Touring at Ports- On the third day we went to Skagway where we rented an Avis car and drove to Carcross using Murray’s milepost. The views were spectacular for the entire ride to Carcross. We went horseback riding - we had previously made reservations with Joni, at Yukonhorses.com. Her horses are clean and in excellent shape. It was a great riding with her, and she offered us soft drinks and cake when we finished riding. We rode up to Emerald Lake and on trails that she created. The next day we went Whale watching with Orca Enterprises and Captain Larry. The boat was a perfect roomy size for 23 of us, and then Orca and Corky coordinated a helicopter ride with a glacier landing with Coastal. They dropped us off at the airport in order to maximize our time in Juneau. The flight was awesome- not to be missed- the walk was amazing- the blue color in the glaciers cannot be described. The next day we went flight seeing with Southeast Aviation, and we used the discount coupon in the Toursaver book- We did the Misty Fjords float plane flight, and we landed in the water next to a tiny little island. Both flights were great and different. Our friends went fishing on a small boat for 6. They caught 24 fish collectively and arranged to send the fish home -smoked and cleaned for $100 per family.

 

We found the shopping at each port to be too commercial for us, and we did not go into any of the jewelry stores at all. It is important to plan activities at each port- Corky our tour guide helped us to arrange our itinerary at the ports as well.

 

As far as the on ship activities were concerned, we took 4 privately booked computer classes: photo editing1 and 2. Web design, and digital photography. The teacher was actually a bit weak, but none the less we learned a bit. Since we were a group of four, it was advantageous for us to book private lessons, and pay by the hour. We also signed up for wine tasting which was a lot of fun. Our friends bought 4 pieces of art at the auctions on board.

 

We were not overly dressed on board. On formal nights, the guys wore sports jackets with ties. Anything goes. We had personal dining, and managed to "arrange" to get the same table by the window each evening.

 

When we disembarked in Vancouver we again took a limo again, as it was cheaper and more comfortable than taking the Princess bus transfers. Disembarkation was quick and very organized.

 

In summary, our trip was great, but it would not have been as exciting if we would have taken the land package from the cruise ship. 1Anchorsaway.com and Corky were definitely the way to go. Personalized luxury at the nearly the same pricing as a Princess land package. My good friends have all ready booked their family with Corky next month. We would consider bringing our children on this land package and then skip the cruise entirely in the future. There is much to do when using Talkeetna as one of the anchor towns for touring. Corky's breadth of experience in the region outpaces any other travel agents that we had dealt with. Email me if you want any more details of our trip.

Wendy whenzuc@aol.com

[whenzuc]

I was on the Sun Princess- Not the Dawn Princess

[Jenifire]

Wendy

 

How far in advance did you book the land portion of your trip? We just got back from our cruise and we want to go back for a land only trip in 2006. Was there anything about the land that you wouldve skipped?

Jenny

[whenzuc]

Jenifire- It's not what i would have skipped- If I knew when I booked what I know now, I would have spent more time doing the less commercial stops, and more time doing things like the glacier trekking, air boating, and other activities that the cruise ships did not offer on their land packages- at least in these towns.

WE woud definitely go back with our kids, and do a land only with the travel agent. The cost of having a small group- near private tour was comparable in cost to that of the cruise line land tours without the crowds of people, but with personalized service. We planned every aspect of the few days, from meal stops to activities etc. Let me know if you need any more info- email.

[Budget Queen]

My planning is usually about 90 days out and never a problem with my reservations. But you also can do this independently without a "tour" extremely simple to arrange with a rental car and B&B's. Few roads in Alaska, no way to get lost. :) Necessary first- head to your library and take out Alaska travel books, especially good is Frommer's Alaska and Fodor's Alaska, also THE MILEPOST. I have gone on far more interior trips but with 10 Alaska cruises- the numbers are up there for me- AND always something new EVERY trip, including next month!!!!