Excursions Planned for June cruise

[murpher]

I just want to say "Thanks" to everyone for your comments on activities for the different ports. Your suggestions/reviews have really gotten me excited about our Alaska cruisetour on the Celebrity Millennium (7 nights Northbound with 4 day land tour). This will be our first Alaska cruise, trip was really planned for DH. I'm more of the sun, pool and magaritas type of vacation person. :D

 

Cruise excursions planned:

 

Ketchikan - Misty Fjords flightseeing booked with Island Wings for our husbands. Wives are having a shopping etc day.

 

Juneau - Mendenhall shuttle to glacier, Mt. Roberts Tram

 

Skagway - White Pass Railway (probably through cruise ship on this one)

 

Icy Strait Point - whale watching booked with FISHES

 

Land tour pre-planned: Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna then Anchorage for the last night.

 

Thanks again!

[Yukon]

Excellent choices for port excursions, but I suggest that your cruisetour covers far too many miles in too little time. With 1 night at Denali you're not going to get far enough into the park to see much (you'll be on the Natural History Tour).

[Mparis184]

Is the Tundra Wilderness Tour better than the Natural History Tour?

 

You can upgrade for $60pp and take the TWT and make arrangements with Princess for the other tour. It leaves a bit earlier in the AM than the NHT but I think it will be worth the additional $$ to get further into the park.

 

Marion

[Budget Queen]

Is the Tundra Wilderness Tour better than the Natural History Tour?

 

You can upgrade for $60pp and take the TWT and make arrangements with Princess for the other tour. It leaves a bit earlier in the AM than the NHT but I think it will be worth the additional $$ to get further into the park.

 

Marion

 

Not all cruisetours can be upgraded, you have to have the time.

[Budget Queen]

I just want to say "Thanks" to everyone for your comments on activities for the different ports. Your suggestions/reviews have really gotten me excited about our Alaska cruisetour on the Celebrity Millennium (7 nights Northbound with 4 day land tour). This will be our first Alaska cruise, trip was really planned for DH. I'm more of the sun, pool and magaritas type of vacation person. :D

 

Cruise excursions planned:

 

Ketchikan - Misty Fjords flightseeing booked with Island Wings for our husbands. Wives are having a shopping etc day.

 

Juneau - Mendenhall shuttle to glacier, Mt. Roberts Tram

 

Skagway - White Pass Railway (probably through cruise ship on this one)

 

Icy Strait Point - whale watching booked with FISHES

 

Land tour pre-planned: Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna then Anchorage for the last night.

 

Thanks again!

 

You have a very nice, varied shore excursion selection. However, I'm with Murray, if you have the Natural History tour, you have selected a very poor choice for Denali Park. Since this is usually the highlight of touring Alaska, you are definately shortchanging yourself. I suggest, if you do have the NHT, to take a long hard look at why you are going to Alaska and consider alternative plans.

[murpher]

Thank you for the comments and suggestions. I am going to look into the Denali tours.

 

I do want to add that - we didn't pick the land tour portion - the schedule is what we got from the TA so I didn't know this was a "very poor choice."

 

This exchange didn't end how I expected but I am going to stay positive as I know why we selected Alaska. When I got home last night my DH was watching shows about Alaska on the travel channel so I know he is ready to go.

[Yukon]

I do want to add that - we didn't pick the land tour portion - the schedule is what we got from the TA so I didn't know this was a "very poor choice."

 

That is precisely why TAs are so often trashed here - so many of them sell people things that they know nothing about :( And that's why the relatively few folks who find CruiseCritic get better trips :)

[Mparis184]

Not all cruisetours can be upgraded, you have to have the time.

 

I called Princess because our itinerary did not give us enough time to take the TWT tour. They said they can arrange for us to get the tour at 6AM returning to the lodge at 2PM to give us enough time to get our 3PM bus to McKinley Lodge. I am going to be tired of bus travel after this trip. I believe it is a MUST DO and did not want to settle for the NHT. Princess is being accommodating.

 

Marion

[Budget Queen]

Thank you for the comments and suggestions. I am going to look into the Denali tours.

 

I do want to add that - we didn't pick the land tour portion - the schedule is what we got from the TA so I didn't know this was a "very poor choice."

 

This exchange didn't end how I expected but I am going to stay positive as I know why we selected Alaska. When I got home last night my DH was watching shows about Alaska on the travel channel so I know he is ready to go.

 

It appears, perhaps, you do not understand the significant difference in Denali Park options. It may not matter to you, so ignore posts that aren't of interest to you. I have no way of knowing this. Just my take on posts, I'm assuming that people are choosing their cruisetours, it's extremely rare that someone would not be doing this and leaving it up to a TA.

[karatemom2]

Thank you for the comments and suggestions. I am going to look into the Denali tours.

 

I do want to add that - we didn't pick the land tour portion - the schedule is what we got from the TA so I didn't know this was a "very poor choice."

 

This exchange didn't end how I expected but I am going to stay positive as I know why we selected Alaska. When I got home last night my DH was watching shows about Alaska on the travel channel so I know he is ready to go.

 

Murpher welcome to Cruise Critic. It looks as if you have already discovered what a valuable resource it can be for planning your cruise. But at times it can be a bit frustrating as well. Most people are just trying to be helpful but I can understand how interpretations can be difficult, especially when you are just reading words in a post as opposed to having a conversation. I don't think anyone meant to make you feel bad about a trip that you should be looking forward to with great excitement but I can see where some of the comments might seem a bit off-putting.

 

We love Alaska and are planning our third trip this summer. We have just cruised so far, but are looking forward to a day when we can incorporate a land tour as you are doing. In my experience there are always choices you make, some better than others when planning a vacation and you do the best you can to plan something that works for you. It sounds as if you have a plan in place, and no matter what I'm sure you will have an amazing experience in Alaska. Will you see everything there is to see? Not by a long shot. That's why you will leave wanting to come back again. Please don't feel discouraged by the responses you have received as I know they were provided in the spirit of offering help and advice. I hope you have a truly amazing Alaska vacation!!

[murpher]

karatemom2, Yukon and Mparis184 - as a new poster thank you for your help, suggestions and encouraging words.