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judyf
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I realize this thread was started quite some time ago...but I wanted to bring it back up to the top because I think it has a lot of valuable information that is still relevant. (All of the tours/excursions we did 2 years ago are still available.)

 

I know this is the time of year that many people are starting to plan in earnest for their Alaskan cruises coming up next summer (myself included!) and sometimes it is just hard to know where to start. I remember how lost and frustrated I was when we began planning our first trip to Alaska...I felt like I was working a puzzle but couldn't get the pieces to fit!!

 

Hopefully reading through itineraries that others have done will give people some ideas and a place to begin (and even share) their own planning. ALSO...if you were one of the lucky ones to have visited Alaska this past summer (2016), please share what you did...not a trip report or anything, just a day-by-day list of activities/tours.

 

 

Day 1: Travel from home to Fairbanks

Arrive in Fairbanks

 

Day 2: Fairbanks

Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor's Center

Riverboat Discovery Tour

 

Day 3: Travel from Fairbanks to Denali

Alaska Railroad: Denali Star

Pick up Rental Car

Visit the Denali Visitor's Center

Drive to Mile 15 and take a hike in the park.

 

Day 4: Denali

Flight into Denali with Kat Air

Shuttle bus back to the park entrance

 

Day 5: Travel from Denali to Anchorage

Alaska Railroad: Denali Star

 

Day 6: Anchorage

Drive to Portage Lake

Take the Portage Glacier Cruise

Stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Canter

 

Day 7: Anchorage

Something (museum?) TBD

Lunch at the Glacier Brewhouse

Segway Tour of Anchorage

 

Day 8: Travel from Anchorage to Seward

Alaska Railroad: Coastal Classic

Alaska Sea Life Center

Sea Kayaking

 

Day 9: Seward

Kenai Fjords cruise

 

Day 10: Cruise starts

 

Day 11: Hubbard Glacier (cruising)

 

Day 12: Juneau

Whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier photo safari

 

Day 13: Skagway

Hike and River float trip

 

Day 14: Icy Straight Point

Whale and Marine Mammals Cruise

 

Day 15: Ketchikan

Historic Ketchikan Trolley

Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure

 

Day 16: Inside Passage (cruising)

 

Day 17: Disembark, Travel home, and start dreaming of the next cruise! :-)

 

 

 

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What a cool thread! Here's mine and if anyone has feedback, I would love to hear it.

 

06/21-22/17- Seattle sightseeing; Maxwell Hotel

06/23/17 - Train to Vancouver; Vancouver sightseeing; Pinnacle Vancouver Harbourfront

06/24/17 - Board Coral Princess; sailaway from Vancouver

06/25/17 - Sea Day

06/26/17 - Ketchikan: Misty Fjords Wilderness Cruise

06/27/17 - Juneau: Flightseeing to Taku Lodge; Mendenhall glacier and tram time and weather permitting

06/28/17 - Skagway: Chilkoot Yukon Rail and Bus Tour

06/29/17 - Glacier Bay

06/30/17 - College Fjord

07/01/17 - Disembark; shuttle to Anchorage; Turnagain Arm drive to Seward; Bell in the Woods B&B

07/02/17 - Kenai Fjords Boat Cruise; Alaska Sea Life Center

07/03/17 - Exit Glacier; Wildlife Conservation Center; drive back to Anchorage; Tony Knowles Trail or Trolley Tour; overnight Marriott at the airport

07/04/17 - Fly home from Anchorage

Edited by Beachiekeen
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Here's a summary of activities from my southbound Alaska cruise this summer. If you're interested, check out my trip report for detailed recollections and photos.

 

Juneau - Level 3 Extended Glacier Trek with Northstar Trekking

 

Skagway - Triple Adventure Tour with Sockeye Cycling and Skagway Float Tours, Red Onion Saloon tour, hike to Lower Dewey Lake

 

Icy Strait - Cannery museum, oceanside walk into Hoonah

 

Ketchikan - Dolly's House, Tongass Museum, Lunch Creek Trail and Totem Bight Park Tour with Wild Wolf Tours

 

Vancouver - Grand Tour with Cycle City Tours

 

Seattle - EMP Museum, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Mt. Rainier

Edited by Rydain
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Previous

flew into Seattle & took Amtrak to Vancouver

Went to Vancouver Aquarium prior to cruise.

Ketchikan - wandered on our own (Creek Street, totem/eagles)

Skagway - Beyond Skagway with Becky (into Yukon Territory)

Juneau - Tracy Arm excursion then Mendenhall Glacier

Glacier Bay

Train back to Seattle

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Next time

(Unsure how early we will fly into Seattle a day or 2, We plan on spending a day at Mt. Rainier)

Day 0 Embark Seattle

Day 1 scenic Cruising

Day 2 Ketchikan - flight tour to Anan Creek to see bears (Plan B Lumberjack show, funicular/Married Man's Trail)

Day 3 Scenic Cruising - Tracy Arm

Day 4 Juneau - Mendenhall & if the weather permits Mt. Robert's Tram

Day 5 Icy Strait Point - wander on our own

Day 6 Scenic Cruising

Day 7 Anchorage - meeting a friend who has a day planned for us

Day 8 Homer - Alaska Coastal Studies tour

Day 9 Kodiak - Flight to see bears (Plan B - Fort Abercrombie)

Day 10 Scenic Cruising - Hubbard Glacier

Day 11 Sitka - National Park & Science Center on our own

Day 12 Scenic Cruising

Day 13 Victoria - wander on our own

Day 14 return to Seattle

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  • 2 weeks later...

My itinerary is still very much a work in progress, but thought I would post what I have so far. I would love to have input on what we have planned, alternate ideas, and some help filling in the blanks.

 

We are booked on a 14-day cruise on the NCL Sun. This is a one-time itinerary that sails from San Francisco up to Alaska and then returns to Vancouver as the Sun transitions to Alaska for the regular summer sailings. The unique itinerary is what attracted us to this cruise AND the fact that we had a very large credit to use following our Pride of America cruise to Hawaii this past March. (That cruise took place immediately after the ship was in drydock. All passengers received a credit in the amount of 50% of their cruise costs as compensation because not all of the work was finished on time. We were a day late leaving and construction continued throughout the cruise.)

 

This will be our 2nd cruise to Alaska and also 2nd time visiting San Francisco. Any rental cars have already been reserved as well as tours mentioned below. Here is what we have so far…

 

May 13 – Fly to San Francisco. Spend evening walking around Fisherman’s Wharf near our hotel. Looking forward to clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl for dinner!

 

May 14 – Purchase all day MUNI pass and take cable cars to Chinatown and other parts of the city. Alternate plan…rent bikes, ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and return on ferry.

 

May 15 – Board NCL Sun

 

May 16 – Sea Day

 

May 17Astoria, Oregon (8:00 – 4:00). Rent car and drive down the coast to Seaside and Cannon Beach. If time permits, climb to the top of the Column and have fish & chips from the Bowpicker (a boat turned into a food stand.)

 

May 18 – Sea Day

 

May 19Ketchikan (8:00 – 4:00) Explore the shops on Creek Street and walk Married Man’s trail. Kayak tour at 11 am with Ketchikan Kayak Company. (Six ships are in port this day so we wanted to get away from the crowds. Last time did Misty Fjords flightseeing with Family Air.)

 

May 20Sawyer Glacier in a.m. and then Juneau (2:00 – 10:00). Rent car from Juneau Car Rental and drive to Mendenhall Glacier. Hike to Nugget Falls and also walk the Trail of Time. Continue on to Shrine of St. Terese and Eagle Beach. Time and weather permitting, go up Mt. Roberts on tram.

 

May 21Glacier Bay

 

May 22Skagway (7:00 to 9:00) Avis rental car to drive the Yukon Highway possibly stopping at the Yukon Suspension Bridge and Tagish Lake Kennel for a sled dog demonstration. Go at least to Emerald Lake stopping in Carcross for lunch.

 

May 23Icy Strait Point (8:00 – 5:00) Glacier Wind Whale and Wildlife Excursion at 8:30. Following tour, explore Hoonah and walk the trail back to the ship stopping in shops near the port.

 

May 24Hubbard Glacier

 

May 25Sitka (7:00 – 4:00) UNSURE of what to do here. Possibly walking tour through city and stopping at the National Historical Park to see totems and then Raptor Center? Taxi to Fortress of the Bear?

 

May 26Prince Rupert, BC (1:00 to 10:00) UNSURE of what to do here.

 

May 27 – Cruise Inside Passage

 

May 28Nanaimo, BC (8:00 to 6:00) UNSURE of what to do here. Maybe rent car and drive to Cathedral Grove and stop at Coombs Market? Take shuttle bus and explore town? (This is our 40th wedding anniversary!! Will probably try and book one of the NCL specialty restaurants to celebrate.)

 

May 29 – Disembark in Vancouver. Take taxi to hotel (The Burrard) and drop off luggage. Weather permitting, use hotel bikes (free) and explore city/Stanley Park. For lunch, find place that serves poutine.

 

May 30 – Take Skytrain or taxi to airport for 1:00 pm flight back to MSP.

 

 

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Here's ours for 2017. Taking the 1B pre-cruisetour and almost all private excursions with exception of tickets to ride tram to top of Mt Roberts in Juneau

 

6-Jun Flight from Tampa to anchorage - ANCHORAGE MARRIOTT

7-Jun RAIL AM - ANCHORAGE TO TALKEETNA

7-Jun COACH TRANSFER, TALKEETNA TO DENALI

7-Jun DENALI PARK VILLAGE - Husky Homestead tour

8-Jun DENALI extended Tundra Wilderness Tour

8-Jun TALKEETNA ALASKAN LODGE

9-Jun ALASKA WILD LIFE CENTER

9-Jun SEWARD, ALASKA - Board Radiance depart 8pm

10-Jun HUBBARD GLACIER (CRUISING)

11-Jun JUNEAU, ALASKA Helicopter/Dog Sled With Extra Landing on glacier. For afternoon - Mt Roberts Tram

12-Jun SKAGWAY, ALASKA Dyea Dave Emerald Lake and WPYR Train back to Skagway for walk around

13-Jun ICY STRAIT POINT, ALASKA - F.I.S.H.E.S. whale watching

14-Jun KETCHIKAN, ALASKA Island Wings seaplane flightseeing

15-Jun INSIDE PASSAGE (CRUISING)

16-Jun VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA flight back to Tampa

Edited by JeffKoz
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Sailing 4/30/17 on the Carnival Legend.

 

4/28/17: flying from Boston to Seattle, nonstop leaving 10:35 am and arriving 1:54 pm in Seattle. Gotta love gaining hours flying east to west! Meeting up with friends in Seattle that night to have dinner.

 

4/29/17: picking up a rental car to drive the 4 hours to Vancouver. Not sure what time we will head there as it depends if we want to do any sightseeing in Seattle with our friends.

 

4/30/17: boarding the Legend in Vancouver!

 

5/2/17: at Tracy Arm Fjord (or Endicott, if weather doesn't allow). Doing an excursion through the ship where we get on a smaller ship and head closer towards the glacier for better viewing.

 

5/3/17: Juneau; we have a whale watching tour on a 6-person boat booked through Harv and Marv's Outback Alaska. I booked this so that we could escape being on a crowded boat with many other people. Looking for the more personalized experience, and they have great reviews.

 

5/4/17: Skagway; we are booked on the Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion With 15-Minute Dogcart Experience through Chilkoot Charters and Tours. I booked this rather than the train ride via the ship because rather than taking the train both ways, you are bussed the other way, allowing for stops where you can see wildlife and take pictures. Plus, we get to see the doggies!

 

5/5/17: cruising Glacier Bay!

 

5/6/17: Ketchikan; I have nothing booked, and I don't know if we will book anything. We may just walk around town. If we do book anything it would be a lumberjack show or a tour of one of the places with totems.

 

5/8/17: the sad task of disembarking and flying home.

 

5/9/17: unpacking and enjoying a last day off before going back to work.

 

5/10/17: the onset of PCD (Post Cruise Depression) begins.

 

5/11/17: hopefully booking another cruise or simply planning for the next booked one!

Edited by bakersdozen12
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Sailing 4/30/17 on the Carnival Legend.

 

4/28/17: flying from Boston to Seattle, nonstop leaving 10:35 am and arriving 1:54 pm in Seattle. Gotta love gaining hours flying east to west! Meeting up with friends in Seattle that night to have dinner.

 

4/29/17: picking up a rental car to drive the 4 hours to Vancouver. Not sure what time we will head there as it depends if we want to do any sightseeing in Seattle with our friends.

 

4/30/17: boarding the Legend in Vancouver!

 

5/2/17: at Tracy Arm Fjord (or Endicott, if weather doesn't allow). Doing an excursion through the ship where we get on a smaller ship and head closer towards the glacier for better viewing.

 

5/3/17: Juneau; we have a whale watching tour on a 6-person boat booked through Harv and Marv's Outback Alaska. I booked this so that we could escape being on a crowded boat with many other people. Looking for the more personalized experience, and they have great reviews.

 

5/4/17: Skagway; we are booked on the Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion With 15-Minute Dogcart Experience through Chilkoot Charters and Tours. I booked this rather than the train ride via the ship because rather than taking the train both ways, you are bussed the other way, allowing for stops where you can see wildlife and take pictures. Plus, we get to see the doggies!

 

5/5/17: cruising Glacier Bay!

 

5/6/17: Ketchikan; I have nothing booked, and I don't know if we will book anything. We may just walk around town. If we do book anything it would be a lumberjack show or a tour of one of the places with totems.

 

5/8/17: the sad task of disembarking and flying home.

 

5/9/17: unpacking and enjoying a last day off before going back to work.

 

5/10/17: the onset of PCD (Post Cruise Depression) begins.

 

5/11/17: hopefully booking another cruise or simply planning for the next booked one!

I see you are flying out of Boston. We are looking for a park and fly motel ...June 2017. Any ideas?

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  • 1 month later...

In honor of our 25th Wedding Anniversary, my wife and I are taking an Alaskan cruise followed by an on our own Alaska land tour. Our itinerary is:

 

Day 1 – Arrive Vancouver Airport at 10:30am. We are staying at Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport. Hopefully we can drop our luggage off and then head over to explore the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site and surrounding area. If we have enough ambition we will take the Canada Line into Vancouver.

 

Day 2 – Bring luggage to Star Princess and the explore Stanley Park before boarding cruise ship. Still debating between Canada Line and taxi to get from the Radisson to Canada Place. Aboard ship, we will need to learn our way around the ship.

 

Day 3 – Scenic Cruising.

 

Day 4 – Ketchikan – Take the city bus to explore the area.

 

Day 5 – Juneau – We are taking the whale watching photo tour through Princess in the morning. Maybe do the Mount Roberts Tramway and hiking in the afternoon.

 

Day 6 – Skagway – We are taking the Emerald Lake tour with Dyea Dave Tours.

 

Day 7 – Scenic cruising Glacier Bay.

 

Day 8 – Scenic cruising College Fjord.

 

Day 9 – We are taking the direct transfer to Anchorage and renting a car. After stocking up on supplies we will explore the Seward Highway as we travel to Seward where we have reservations for three nights.

 

Day 10 – Major Marine’s Kenai Fjords 7.5 hour cruise (cyber Monday special).

 

Day 11 – Halibut charter.

 

Day 12 – Return to Anchorage with sightseeing along the way including the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Overnight in Anchorage.

 

Day 13 – Drive to Healy exploring the sights along the Parks Highway. We have reservations for two nights in Healy.

 

Day 14 – Wonder Lake Shuttle bus in Denali.

 

Day 15 – Return to Anchorage with sightseeing along the way.

 

Day 16 – 12:45pm Flight home.

 

Thanks to all who have posted trip reports and reviews. The trip reports and reviews have been very helpful in planning our vacation.

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In honor of our 25th Wedding Anniversary, my wife and I are taking an Alaskan cruise followed by an on our own Alaska land tour. Our itinerary is:

 

Day 1 – Arrive Vancouver Airport at 10:30am. We are staying at Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport. Hopefully we can drop our luggage off and then head over to explore the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site and surrounding area. If we have enough ambition we will take the Canada Line into Vancouver.

 

Day 2 – Bring luggage to Star Princess and the explore Stanley Park before boarding cruise ship. Still debating between Canada Line and taxi to get from the Radisson to Canada Place. Aboard ship, we will need to learn our way around the ship.

 

Day 3 – Scenic Cruising.

 

Day 4 – Ketchikan – Take the city bus to explore the area.

 

Day 5 – Juneau – We are taking the whale watching photo tour through Princess in the morning. Maybe do the Mount Roberts Tramway and hiking in the afternoon.

 

Day 6 – Skagway – We are taking the Emerald Lake tour with Dyea Dave Tours.

 

Day 7 – Scenic cruising Glacier Bay.

 

Day 8 – Scenic cruising College Fjord.

 

Day 9 – We are taking the direct transfer to Anchorage and renting a car. After stocking up on supplies we will explore the Seward Highway as we travel to Seward where we have reservations for three nights.

 

Day 10 – Major Marine’s Kenai Fjords 7.5 hour cruise (cyber Monday special).

 

Day 11 – Halibut charter.

 

Day 12 – Return to Anchorage with sightseeing along the way including the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Overnight in Anchorage.

 

Day 13 – Drive to Healy exploring the sights along the Parks Highway. We have reservations for two nights in Healy.

 

Day 14 – Wonder Lake Shuttle bus in Denali.

 

Day 15 – Return to Anchorage with sightseeing along the way.

 

Day 16 – 12:45pm Flight home.

 

Thanks to all who have posted trip reports and reviews. The trip reports and reviews have been very helpful in planning our vacation.

 

I have not read through all the replies, so this might have been suggested already. Have you checked into Landseatours? They will pick you up at your hotel with your bags. They will take you on a great tour of Stanley Park and other places before your cruise and get you too the ship before you set sail and the price probably wont be much more that your fare for getting downtown and then getting too the ship. I have used them before and they are wonderful. In Ketchikan is where you will want too have your camera ready too take pictures of the Eagles as they are very numerous there. Look for white golf balls in the trees going in and out of the town, that will be them. Once again, sorry if this is a repeat of any advice. My biggest tips--start taking sea/sick meds a day before the cruise to prevent if from happening and please don't over pack. You wont need about half of what you think you will take. Wear good well broken in shoes. Feet that hurt are the last thing you want on this wonderful cruise. Happy sailing.

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Day 1. Drive to Los Angeles overnight at LAX Marriott

Day 2. Fly to Anchorage over night Courtyard Anchorage Airport

Day 3 Using Rust's Flying Service to fly to Katmai National Park for bear viewing. Over night again at the Courtyard.

Day 4. Pick up Avis rental car. Play the day by ear. Explore Anchorage or head north and east on the GlennHighway. One more night at the Courtyard.

Day 5 drive to Talkeetna and explore on the way. Staying at an AIRBNB?

Day 6 using K-2 Aviation for a Grand Tour Of Denali with Glacier Landing. Rest of day for laundry and explore. Staying at same AIRBNB.

Day 7.Drive to GIrdwood. Staying at an AIRBNB. Explore.

Day 8 drive to Whittier and go on 26 Glacier Cruise back to Girdwood for the night.

Day 9. Drive to Anchorage stopping at every thing we missed. Overnight at Courtyard Anchorage Airport.

Day 10. Return Rental car. Use Alaska Cruise Transportation to transfer to Seward and get on the ship.

Day11. Hubbard Glacier

Day 12. Juneau. Rented a car. Juneau Car Rental Company.

Day 13. Skagway. Rented a car with Avis. Using Murry's Guide. Heading to Canada

Day 14 icy Strait Point. Nothing special planned.

Day 15 Ketchikan. Nothing special planned

Day 16 cruising

Day 17 Vancouver. Private transfer to airport. Fly to LAX. Drive home.

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