Seward to Anchorage: BIG thumb up to Salmonberry Tours

[smattapup]

This might have been our best idea of the whole cruise.

 

We'd read enough posts about what a hassle the last day can be, slogging luggage around and being herded like cattle. So we cashed in the ship-to-shore transfer and used it as a down payment on our final excursion: a private tour that took us from the dock to the airport.

 

Along the way, we visited the Seward Sealife Senter, Exit Glacier, and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, had lunch 2,000 feet up the Alyeska Resort Tram in Girdwood, stopped along the way whenever we felt like it (once for a moose, a few other times just 'cuz we felt like gawking at that particular stretch of scenery), and still had time in Anchorage to visit more than a dozen different galleries, where we finally had the chance to buy some Native Art that didn't look like it had been fabricated in China. We were dropped off right outside the ticket counter at Ted Stevens Airport.

 

The whole thing was like having a buddy who lives there come get and show you the town....though you do have to pay the buddy at the end. Then again, considering some of my buddies, that's not all that unusual!

 

Since it's just you, the van and your guide, you can pretty much do whatever you want the whole day through. And the guides are just great: we had Candace (she runs the place). You don't meet many people who can tell you about working in Antarctica, or eating whale meat, from personal experience, but she can. And she'll take you anywhere you want to go...or you can just follow her recommendations.

 

They can also meet you in Anchorage for a quicker tour, or if you've got more days they'll slog you across the entire state.

 

http://www.salmonberrytours.com

 

Can't recommend it highly enough. Give 'em a call and tell 'em the Flatlanders sent you. And boy, does Wisconsin seem flat after a week in Alaska!

[copmom]

I have been on this board now, for several weeks trying to firm up our plans for our northbound cruise. One of my main problems was getting from Seward to Anchorage and killing time because we have a 10:40pm flight. A real hassle with five people and luggage. This is the first I have heard of this company, but it is good to know. Just today I finally booked a private tour with the Magic Bus. The owner, Tim, was very accomodating at a fair price. They will pick us up at 9am at the pier and we will visit many locations on the way to Anchorage. We will then see Anchorage, have dinner and finally arrive at the airport at 8pm. It sounds just like your tour, only with a different company. I will let everyone know after our trip how it was, but they have good reviews on this board. Thanks for the info..