Book pre-cruise w/HAL book ourselves

[Sugar&Buddy]

Justed booked Cruisetour (land 1st, then cruise) with HAL Day 1 - 07/21/2009. We want to do Kenai Fjords tour. HAL has one day pre-cruise arriving on 07/20/2009 including hotel and 6-hr Kenai Fjords tour on 07/21/2009 for a cost of $406/pp.

Thinking about doing two days pre-cruise arriving 07/19/2009.

 

 

Questions:

 

1) Should we book through HAL or book hotel & tours ourselves?

 

2) Is 2 full days in Anchorage too much?

 

The 07/20/2009 flight does not arrive in Anchorage until 4:30pm. We would have the evening, then Kenai Fjords for six hours on the 21st, then the evening in Anchorage.

 

Any thoughts?

[wolfie11]

If you are going to Seward for the KEFJ tour, why would you go back to Anchorage on the 21st and then back to Seward for your cruise? You would be better off staying in Anchorage on the 19th, going to Seward by bus or train on the 20th (~$70pp), taking a KEFJ cruise (~$130pp), staying in Seward that night (~$200 for room) and exploring Seward the next day (Exit Glacier, Sea Life Center, dog sled ride, etc.). The total cost would be around $550 - $600, far less than the $800+ HAL wants for the same thing.

[Sugar&Buddy]

If you are going to Seward for the KEFJ tour, why would you go back to Anchorage on the 21st and then back to Seward for your cruise? You would be better off staying in Anchorage on the 19th, going to Seward by bus or train on the 20th (~$70pp), taking a KEFJ cruise (~$130pp), staying in Seward that night (~$200 for room) and exploring Seward the next day (Exit Glacier, Sea Life Center, dog sled ride, etc.). The total cost would be around $550 - $600, far less than the $800+ HAL wants for the same thing.

 

 

 

This is our 1st time in Alaska and not familiar with the area. Maybe I was not clear in my post. Our land part of cruisetour is first. We are flying into Anchorage and leaving for our land tour by train from Anchorage.