Alternative to Alaskan cruise

[Rogillio]

With all the excitement about a DCL Alaskan cruise, I might get kicked of the board for posting this but I don't see the draw of an Alaskan cruise. A few years ago I saw some pictures of glaciers and put that on my bucket list of things to see. So we looked into an Alaskan cruise. The only cruises we'd been on were DCL Caribbean cruises so we tried to imagine spending a week on a ship in Alaska. Obviously there would be no beach time. No pool time either. Couldn't image laying out by the pool working on the sun tan. In fact, the only thing I see going out on deck for was to look at the glaciers. I thought that would be awesome....for a few hours....but not 7 days!

So we changed plans. We flew into Anchorage and got a rental car. Over the next week or so we:

Toured Anchorage, the Alaskan Mint and Earthquake museum
Drove to to Aleska ski resort and took a tram to the to of the mountain
Drove 2.5 miles through a one-way tunnel to the town of Wittier, AK
Spent two days in Seward on the coast
Took a day cruise to Fox island, saw whales, sea otters, sea lions and glaciers calving
Hiked to the Exit Glacier and stood on top of the glacier
Drove to Denali National Park, rented bikes and rode bikes in the park
Spent a few days in Fairbanks and took day trips to the Artic Circle, the Alaskan Salmon Bake, Pioneer village, the ice museum, the University of AK museum
Went to a gold mine and learned how to pan for gold
Got gold fever and went panning for gold at midnight - in the land of the midnight sun
Drove to Delta Junction
Stood by the Alaskan Pipeline
Rode horses
Rented a cabin in the middle of nowhere near a beautiful lake


Anyway, this was a wonderful family vacation and we feel like we really got to experience Alaska. I think cruises to Alaska are over-rated and we saw all the glaciers we wanted to see on a one day, day-cruise out of Seward. Nevertheless, for many people, the cruise is as much about the ship as it is about the ports of call. I'm sure the DCL Alaskan trip will be awesome! But if you want to experience Alaska instead, I'd suggest a different approach. We book all of our hotels on-line before our trip, brought a Frommer's Alaska book and mined the gems. If anyone is interested in our detailed trip report, PM me with an email address and I'll send it to ya.

~Mike

[itutorfortravel]

We love DCL and are going on our second DCL cruise soon. However, it really is more about the ship experience versus the ports for us. So, when deciding whether to do a DCL cruise, I look at how much I will enjoy the ship's activities and whether I feel I am getting a good price.

On the other hand, if I really want to experience a Caribbean island, I fly there and spend time. We've done that a couple times to Grand Cayman and have also gone to Key West more times than I can count. I agree, you get to know so much more about a place by going there and immersing yourself in it for more than a few hours. And those land-based trips I have enjoyed every bit as much as my DCL cruises.

I'm glad we went on the DCL Eastern itinerary in April and are doing that one again in December. DH and I went on that itinerary years ago on RCCL, but doing it again with our DD reminded me of how much there is to do in St. Thomas and the surrounding islands, not just for us as a couple but for us as a family. So, we are already talking about planning a land-based trip to St. Thomas in the next couple years, and I think we will have an absolute blast!

So I think the cruises are good for getting a taste of a place. Maybe it will inspire a person to do a land-based trip there. But I agree, if you really want to experience a destination, there's no way to do it in a few short hours in port, you have to spend several days taking in all it has to offer.

[Rogillio]

I just never could get my head around walking on the deck with long pants, sneakers and a jacket. Most all my deck 9 time on our cruises have been shorts, tee-shirt and flip-flops.

I'm smiling now as I think about laying on the deck in a swim suit soaking up the rays and watching someone make an ice skulpture on the mid-ship stage. I don't think that is gonna have the same appeal w/o the sun beating down making the ice glisten as it melts.

~Mike

[itutorfortravel]

Originally Posted by Rogillio

I just never could get my head around walking on the deck with long pants, sneakers and a jacket. Most all my deck 9 time on our cruises have been shorts, tee-shirt and flip-flops.

I'm smiling now as I think about laying on the deck in a swim suit soaking up the rays and watching someone make an ice skulpture on the mid-ship stage. I don't think that is gonna have the same appeal w/o the sun beating down making the ice glisten as it melts.

~Mike

No doubt, I have thought the same thing. Particularly if there's no pool weather for DD to enjoy the Mickey slide, she's not gonna be thrilled about it.

And how about a cool tropical drink? Just not the same when it's already frosty outside! On the other hand, some nice liquer flavored coffee drinks do sound yummy too...hmm, thinking this might be an adult cruising opportunity!

[Cmbar]

I am with you.... Gosh the thought of paying those outrageous prices to go to a place that is COLD!! UGH! How awful. I am sure the bears and glaciers are really neat to see, I also know that they are simply that... bears and glaciers. I can see them on the Discover chanel! I want sun and sand and relaxing, not packing jackets and rain gear. NO thanks!!

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Friends of mine rented a motor home and camped (did some minor hotel stays) for a week.

They had a fabulous (all be it packed) week.

Highlights included catching salmon (can't say that would be on my list as far as the physical catching and subsequent fish murder --which was then cooked at a restaurant or their campground or some place.

They visited some parks....

I wish I can remember what else they did.

Outside of airfare (That was frequent flyer miles)--I don't think they spent more than $1500-$2000 for their family of 6 that went on the trip. (half of that was the camper I believe!)

Sounded much more like my cup of tea!

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Mike--outside of airfare, can you share with us what your trip cost and for how many people? Thanks!

[NancyIL]

Your Alaska land trip sounds great. I loved my Alaska cruises, but I enjoyed the 9-day land trips with a rental car after two northbound cruises even more. I hope to return to Alaska in 2011 for a land trip, and I might tack on a southbound cruise at the end - if the price is right.

If seeing glaciers is important, you might not see any on this itinerary. The Wonder will cruise along Tracy Arm Fjord, which is beautiful - but many ships never make it to the glaciers at the end due to ice or lack of time. For anyone on DCL to Alaska, I urge you to see Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, as it may be your only opportunity to see a glacier.

["Got Disney"]

Originally Posted by Rogillio

I just never could get my head around walking on the deck with long pants, sneakers and a jacket. Most all my deck 9 time on our cruises have been shorts, tee-shirt and flip-flops.

I'm smiling now as I think about laying on the deck in a swim suit soaking up the rays and watching someone make an ice skulpture on the mid-ship stage. I don't think that is gonna have the same appeal w/o the sun beating down making the ice glisten as it melts.

~Mike

This is so where I am at. I want to go see Alaska and want to do it with Disney and will book it. However, we most likely will change it to the Dream. The itinerary sounds dull compared to other cruise ships like the RCC 13 day in a 1 bedroom suite for the same price as a cat 6(5B)that is 7 days on DCL.

My boys spend a ton of time outside during the Disney cruises, they will be in doors more. After all we are from San Diego we hate the coldAlaska is a cruise we definitely want to take. And I think it would be most fun on Disney....but the Dream is a coming and we so want that also.

My boys and DH say...Alaska sounds great but the warmth and 14 days total sounds better on the new ship. We are due a WDW stay. And dont ya just love CC

Decisions decisions.....

Doing Alaska by train has been something we have wanted to do also. WE could not wait for DCL to do Alaska or Hawaii and now...well.....no Glacier Bay. Bummer.

[Rogillio]

Originally Posted by Lisa loves Pooh

Mike--outside of airfare, can you share with us what your trip cost and for how many people? Thanks!

We were there for 12 days. The rental car and gas was about $600. Our hotels ranged from about $80 to $193 for the Grand Denali Lodge. Food was pretty much like it would cost back home in Alabama....maybe a little bit higher. So some meals were at nice restaurants or Salmon Bakes and some were at the subshops and cafes. The day cruise was under a c-note pp and included and salmon bake on Fox island. I don't remember how much the El Dorado gold mine cost but that was really cool. We took a train ride into a real gold mine and then they gave us all a big bag of dirt and we sat at a sluice and they taught us how to pan gold. We all found gold! We took the flakes and had them put in a little glass pendant for my wife...uh, exept for my son's gold flakes, he would NOT part with his treasure. We then found places that were open to the public where you could pan for gold for free. Very cool to stand in an icey creek looking for little fleks of gold.

I don't have a grand total for the trip and really, it depend on how much you eat out at nice restaurants and the type of hotels you book. I think the musuem at the Univercity of Alaska was like $4 pp. The ice musuem in Fairbanks maybe $7. The tram to the top of Aleska ski resort $10 pp and included a box lunch at the top. Hiking to Exit Glacier was free as were other parks and such like the Alaskan Pipeline rest area thing. The Arctic Circle is a long drive up the Dalton Highway....that is of course free. You cross the Yukon River on the way up.....my son insisted we stop and pan for gold there. The Arcitc circle was kinda like Chevy Chase in Vacation and their Grand Canyon stop/overlook..."yup....Arctic Circle...hmmmm...ok, lets go".

~Mike

~Mike

[pensfan8771]

I am going on the 7 night alaskan on July 12th. and for all you that don't want to go to alaska because you would have to bring your jeans, hoodies, coats, etc., the average temperature in Alaska around the summer time is around 60-70 degrees like your standard low's for like the west coast in the summer. and that sounds perfect in my books so that should not be a factor in your decision. I mean heck, even most of Caribbean cruises on DCL its very breezy and cold outdoors during the night that I wear a hoodie everyday after I leave dinner on my cruises

["Got Disney"]

Originally Posted by pensfan8771

I am going on the 7 night alaskan on July 12th. and for all you that don't want to go to alaska because you would have to bring your jeans, hoodies, coats, etc., the average temperature in Alaska around the summer time is around 60-70 degrees like your standard low's for like the west coast in the summer. and that sounds perfect in my books so that should not be a factor in your decision. I mean heck, even most of Caribbean cruises on DCL its very breezy and cold outdoors during the night that I wear a hoodie everyday after I leave dinner on my cruises

I see that was your first post....welcome to the DIS

[Melrosgirl]

Originally Posted by pensfan8771

I am going on the 7 night alaskan on July 12th. and for all you that don't want to go to alaska because you would have to bring your jeans, hoodies, coats, etc., the average temperature in Alaska around the summer time is around 60-70 degrees like your standard low's for like the west coast in the summer. and that sounds perfect in my books so that should not be a factor in your decision. I mean heck, even most of Caribbean cruises on DCL its very breezy and cold outdoors during the night that I wear a hoodie everyday after I leave dinner on my cruises

That will be heavenly considering where I'm from in mid-July it's 90 degrees and humid. Perfect! Just like going to the Caribbean in January...it's "only" 80 degrees but back home it's 30 degrees!

[tink,too]

Originally Posted by pensfan8771

...the average temperature in Alaska around the summer time is around 60-70 degrees...

Sounds like summer to me!

So, if we book an Alaska cruise with DCL, look out for us - we'll be the family wondering the decks in shorts and tee's while all you folks used to warmer climes are wrapped up for the colder weather!

[pensfan8771]

we will be the same wearing t shirts and shorts in alaska!