Alaska land, cruise tours

[devmer]

Has anyone ever done an Alaska land/cruise tour? I'm thinking about doing this in a couple of years (need time to save up) and I was wondering if it would be better just to do the cruise and plan my own time in Alaska or was the land tour worth it? Any helpful tips or experiences would be appreciated. This would be for my whole family meaning I would be bringing my 2 kids who be between the ages of 11-13 as well as me and my husband.
Thanks,
Dawn

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I have been there a couple of times.

the first time I drive up with a truck/camper and used the Alaska state ferry to get to some of the destinations. the total cost for three weeks was less than a one week cruise ship.

the second time we went, we flew to bellingham washington, took the alaska state ferry (with cabin) and then rented cars at some destinations and stayed at bed and breakfasts.

planning is VERY easy, especially if you go to the state of alaska site:

http://www.travelalaska.com/

and of course the ferry site:

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.shtml

just about every city has a tourist bureau, and a lot of time they will send you free maps and discounts.

one funny thing we noticed, when we were in some shops, if you want to buy something, wait until the cruise ship tourists have to leave, all the prices go down as much as 70 percent!

the second trip was two weeks, and once I got the cabins and sailing schedule down for the ferry, a few phone calls and web site visits, and we had everything booked.

stayed at denali park, went on a helicopter tour and landed on a glaicer, etc. etc.

lots of fun!!

 

[MM27]

I've been to Alaska twice. The first time was a 7 day cruise only out of Vancouver. The second time we did a cruise/tour for 15 days. We started in Fairbanks and did a combo of train and motorcoach down to Seward. We did an overnight in Denali, Talkeetna, Anchorage, Girdwood and then on to Seward where we picked up the cruiseship.

I enjoyed the land portion a lot, but that being said, I probably would have enjoyed it more if I was able to drive it myself and go at my own pace. While it never felt rushed, there's just so much to see in Alaska. I know I'll be back, so it's not that big of a deal.

Our cruise stopped in Hoonah (Icy Strait Point), Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau and ended in Vancouver.

I would highly recommend a dog sled tour. We did ours out of Skagway. We did a helicopter ride to the glacier and then did the dogsled ride there. It was expensive, but well worth the money. Also, if you kayak, there is no better place to do it than Alaska. When I went on my first trip we made a stop in Haines and did a kayak tour there. It was unbelievable. So quiet and peaceful sitting in the middle of the water watching the bald eagles fly above you. You realize how small you are in the grand scheme of things.

 

[jlmarr]

Has anyone ever done an Alaska land/cruise tour? I'm thinking about doing this in a couple of years (need time to save up) and I was wondering if it would be better just to do the cruise and plan my own time in Alaska or was the land tour worth it? Any helpful tips or experiences would be appreciated. This would be for my whole family meaning I would be bringing my 2 kids who be between the ages of 11-13 as well as me and my husband.
Thanks,
Dawn

We did one of the Royal Caribbean tours and had a great time. First was the 7 night cruise Vancouver to Seward (7 nights), then a 4 night land tour. The land tour included a flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks past Denali, and train travel on RCI's private cars (attached to the Alaskan railway train). Pix here:

http://homepage.mac.com/jlmarr/PhotoAlbum33.html

http://homepage.mac.com/jlmarr/PhotoAlbum34.html

This worked well for us since it was our first time to Alaska, and the tour guide narratives on the buses and trains were very helpful and informative. I don't think we could have gotten the breadth of experience if we had planned it ourselves, but on a return trip we might try that if we ever get up that way again. (We have other destinations on our Bucket List, might not make it back.)

 

[devmer]

Thank you everyone. I appreciate all your tips.