Which 5 day RCCL cruisetour is best?

[hwd2cs]

Could use some help....1st time in Alaska, June 2009 and trying to figure out which cruisetour to take. Anyone who has taken the cruisetours what are your thoughts? Which one should we take? Also, any recommendations on optional tours taken?

 

Thanks,

Linda:D

[cbowler]

Probably not the answer you want, but I'd say none. Do the land tour on your own. Doing it yourself offers more flexibility and less cost. With the help of these boards it's very easy to research and plan it yourself and is a lot more fun that just picking cruisetour #1, etc. Just my opinion though...I don't know your specific situation and needs.

[cbowler]

Also forgot to add my thoughts to your other question about excursions on board. I'm not sure what your ports are going to be but the ones we picked (and that get mentioned quite often here as being good tours) are Misty Fjords Floatplane with Island Wings in Ketchikan, whale watching with Harv and Marv in Juneau, and White Pass Rail and Bus excursion to the Yukon with Chilkoot Charters in Skagway.

[hwd2cs]

Thanks for your honesty. I will check into it. We are going to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Icy Strait Point. Any suggestions for the last port?

[cbowler]

Sorry - haven't been to Icy Strait Point. But I have seen several posts about it so if you do a search on this board you're sure to find something.

[maren91]

My SO and I are booked with F.I.S.H.E.S. after reading all of the amazing reviews about them on Cruise Critic, have fun planning. I too would vote for doing your own land tour. It has been so much fun planning and you can go where you want at your own pace and you can choose where you want to stay.

[vbmom87]

Could use some help....1st time in Alaska, June 2009 and trying to figure out which cruisetour to take. Anyone who has taken the cruisetours what are your thoughts? Which one should we take? Also, any recommendations on optional tours taken?

 

Thanks,

Linda:D

 

Many on this board recommend doing the land independently. We did a nine day independent land tour in June and were very happy we did.

 

However, if you are set on a cruisetour then make sure you thoroughly study what you are getting. The one thing mentioned over and over on this board is to make sure you avoid cruisetours that take you on the Natural History Tour in Denali. Minimally you want the Tundra Wilderness Tour. Many suggest you cancel the tour that comes with your cruisetour and book your own shuttle to Denali. There are many threads on this topic that you can do a search for.

 

Pay attention to how much time you are on the road and how much time is actually spent doing something. When I studied cruisetours I couldn't find one that included everything I wanted to see. Therefore, we planned our own trip. It was overwhelming at times, but in the end, it was a great vacation.

[wolfie11]

The latest Denali "scam" by the cruise lines is a cruise tour that includes a "Discover Denali" tour, where you are essentially dropped off at the visitor center just inside the park and then taken for a short hike. You never get more than 3 miles inside the park. Avoid this tour at all costs or make sure you have a full day in the park so that you can book a shuttle or TWT.

[Budget Queen]

With any cruisetour, go for as long as you can afford. 5 days will have a lot of time in transit. Look for a tour that includes 2 days at Denali Park. RCI does do a great job in Talkeetna, since they lodge right outside of town. :) A problem with RCI cruisetours is they usually miss completely Seward. It is a GEM and a big shame to just pass through when all the way there. This is a significant reason for independent consideration in my opinion.

 

Do your homework, no matter how you go. The more you know the better your choices will be for you. Head to your library. Take out Fodor's Alaska and Frommer's Alaska and Alaska by Cruiseship.

 

Avoid at ALL COSTS- any cruisetour that does NOT have the Tundra Wilderness tour. And even that is nothing I would choose, it is 10 miles less than my min. distance into Denali. :)

[bjksgk]

Linda - is there a reason you are only looking at the 5 night land tours? There are 2 6 night land tours that are really great #15 & #17. As budgetqueen said, Seward is fabulous and you are THERE - its terrible that none of the land tours give you time there except tour #17. There is very little price difference between the 5 and 6 night tours when book this far out. I found tour 17 gave the best of everything....A day in Seward, 2 nights in Denali, a night in Talkeetna and time in Anchorage. It was awesome!!!

[captjaneway]

I am booked w/RC on a 5 day cruisetour, (#2) It includes 2 nights in Denali, one in Talkeetna, 1 in Aleyska and 1 in Fairbanks. It also includes a bit of time in Seward. It does include the Discover Denali tour but as I still have a full day on my own I can explore farther in I think this sounds like a good all around choice.

[Budget Queen]

I am booked w/RC on a 5 day cruisetour, (#2) It includes 2 nights in Denali, one in Talkeetna, 1 in Aleyska and 1 in Fairbanks. It also includes a bit of time in Seward. It does include the Discover Denali tour but as I still have a full day on my own I can explore farther in I think this sounds like a good all around choice.

 

You will need to book any bus tour/shuttle in advance. There rarely is walk up space. With the tour buses, you need to be sure to verify the pick up location. I highly recommend the shuttle buses, with my min. distance in Eielson. However, you do have to get yourself back and for from the pick up point- the Access Center. The lodges do run shuttles, but verify the times. When you book be sure to state you are on a cruisetour, so as to not double pay the park access fee.

[Micki Dee]

I am booked w/RC on a 5 day cruisetour, (#2) It includes 2 nights in Denali, one in Talkeetna, 1 in Aleyska and 1 in Fairbanks. It also includes a bit of time in Seward. It does include the Discover Denali tour but as I still have a full day on my own I can explore farther in I think this sounds like a good all around choice.

 

I'm booked with the same tour on my Alaska cruise and it has the crappy Dicover Denali Tour included. I'm skipping that tour altogether and just doing my own thing for the 2 days that I'm in Denali. You can start booking Denali tours independently for next year on December 1st.

 

I'm also adding a couple of days after my cruisetour to go to Barrow and also take the Alaskan RR down to Anchorage and spend some time there.

[PennyAgain]

I don't think going to Alyeska (an off season ski resort) is worth your limited amount of time in Alaska. My opinion so take it for what it is worth.

[Micki Dee]

I don't think going to Alyeska (an off season ski resort) is worth your limited amount of time in Alaska. My opinion so take it for what it is worth.

 

DH & I want to go to Alyeska to go Para-gliding. This tour was the only tour that offered a stop in Alyeska, so that's why we chose it. Since we are taking extra days after our cruise tour also, I don't feel it's a waste to stop here for one night. However I value any and all opinions since I'm a first time Alaska cruiser. Your opinions and suggestions have given me lots of ideas on making my first trip awesome.:)

[Budget Queen]

DH & I want to go to Alyeska to go Para-gliding. This tour was the only tour that offered a stop in Alyeska, so that's why we chose it. Since we are taking extra days after our cruise tour also, I don't feel it's a waste to stop here for one night. However I value any and all opinions since I'm a first time Alaska cruiser. Your opinions and suggestions have given me lots of ideas on making my first trip awesome.:)

 

My suggestion. SINCE you are doing some independent touring, frankly you would be better off considering doing the whole thing independent. You will be backtracking and eating up time that could be better routed. I'm assuming your cruisetour, is out of Anchorage?? It could be better if you just added your Denali Park/Barrow transit in one with going out of Fairbanks, instead of going back and forth Denali Park??? It would be easy to go to Alyeska, booked on your own as well. As a suggestion, if northbound, you could spend your day in Seward- in my opinion, not to be missed, then take the train, getting off in Girdwood. Have your fun hand gliding (sounds great!!), then take the train to Anchorage. Continue with your Barrow and Denali park touring. (having been to Barrow, I wouldn't consider any day trips, just too short. I stayed 3 nights) If up there extended, consider maxing out your weight with food supplies. Expect triple costs. :)

[Micki Dee]

My suggestion. SINCE you are doing some independent touring, frankly you would be better off considering doing the whole thing independent. You will be backtracking and eating up time that could be better routed. I'm assuming your cruisetour, is out of Anchorage?? It could be better if you just added your Denali Park/Barrow transit in one with going out of Fairbanks, instead of going back and forth Denali Park??? It would be easy to go to Alyeska, booked on your own as well. As a suggestion, if northbound, you could spend your day in Seward- in my opinion, not to be missed, then take the train, getting off in Girdwood. Have your fun hand gliding (sounds great!!), then take the train to Anchorage. Continue with your Barrow and Denali park touring. (having been to Barrow, I wouldn't consider any day trips, just too short. I stayed 3 nights) If up there extended, consider maxing out your weight with food supplies. Expect triple costs. :)

 

I've thought about doing the whole land portion independent since I'm pretty darn good at planning, but we're traveling with another couple and I'm not sure if we could all agree on the same itinerary. That's why we picked the cruisetour. It had basically what everybody wanted and then my DH and I just added on the extra days for ourselves.

 

As for Barrow, I wish we had more time to spend there...I think it is going to be the highlight of the trip for my hubby. Due to work constraints, we can only take so much time off at that time of year. My DH's work is seasonal and his season starts in late May, so we're already pushing it being gone until June 6th.

[Budget Queen]

I've thought about doing the whole land portion independent since I'm pretty darn good at planning, but we're traveling with another couple and I'm not sure if we could all agree on the same itinerary. That's why we picked the cruisetour. It had basically what everybody wanted and then my DH and I just added on the extra days for ourselves.

 

As for Barrow, I wish we had more time to spend there...I think it is going to be the highlight of the trip for my hubby. Due to work constraints, we can only take so much time off at that time of year. My DH's work is seasonal and his season starts in late May, so we're already pushing it being gone until June 6th.

 

Only a suggestion, and especially with your limited time, compare routing this as one "tour". I'm certain you can make better use of your time. It is easy to duplicate cruisetours. My point is to customize the route and don't waste time backtracking etc, which you've got to be doing, booking these two separate segments. You can get custom routing information from this board.

 

As for your other couple, how much research work are they doing for this trip??? Maybe they would be interested??

[Micki Dee]

I talked to my DH about possibly cancelling the cruisetour portion and doing it all independently and he's not really keen on the idea.:confused: He's knows I'm a great planner(I plan all our vacations) and it'll probably save us some money, but he doesn't feel like "doing all the work" when he's on vacation. In other words, he doesn't want to do the driving. He'd rather take the the provided transportation included with the cruisetour, and not have any worries.

 

I've done so much research over the last year on Alaska that I'm sure I could plan us a great land tour.

 

Our final payment isn't due for 7 months, so I have time to work on him...maybe he'll change his mind.

[greatam]

I talked to my DH about possibly cancelling the cruisetour portion and doing it all independently and he's not really keen on the idea.:confused: He's knows I'm a great planner(I plan all our vacations) and it'll probably save us some money, but he doesn't feel like "doing all the work" when he's on vacation. In other words, he doesn't want to do the driving. He'd rather take the the provided transportation included with the cruisetour, and not have any worries.

 

I've done so much research over the last year on Alaska that I'm sure I could plan us a great land tour.

 

Our final payment isn't due for 7 months, so I have time to work on him...maybe he'll change his mind.

 

You don't have to drive. The train which can be booked independently, the Park Connection bus, the Homer Stage which moves between Anchorage, Seward and Homer. You may not get QUITE as intimate an experience not driving, but generally a more tailored experience for YOUR interests. There is a Grayline tour to Portage Glacier, the train stops in Girdwood. Lots of ways to duplicate a cruise tour WITHOUT driving. And you will STILL see more.

 

I agree with someone on another thread about cruise tours. You are NOT in a foreign country, you have no language or currency problems, you REALLY can't get lost (few roads-and ANC is easy to negotiate). Even making a phone call to/from the lower 48 entails no more than making a phone call from Arizona to Missouri.

 

And the experience of seeing something that NO ONE ELSE saw is PRICELESS.

[Micki Dee]

You don't have to drive. The train which can be booked independently, the Park Connection bus, the Homer Stage which moves between Anchorage, Seward and Homer. You may not get QUITE as intimate an experience not driving, but generally a more tailored experience for YOUR interests. There is a Grayline tour to Portage Glacier, the train stops in Girdwood. Lots of ways to duplicate a cruise tour WITHOUT driving. And you will STILL see more.

 

I agree with someone on another thread about cruise tours. You are NOT in a foreign country, you have no language or currency problems, you REALLY can't get lost (few roads-and ANC is easy to negotiate). Even making a phone call to/from the lower 48 entails no more than making a phone call from Arizona to Missouri.

 

And the experience of seeing something that NO ONE ELSE saw is PRICELESS.

 

Thanks for your input. I'm going to try and work on him. This is actually my birthday trip, so maybe I can convince him to do things my way.:)