AK, cruise or fly and drive

[timberland]

My MominLaw has a timeshare package and we can get an AK cruise for around a grand per person. Was wondering if I would miss a lot by being stuck on a boat and would be better off just flying in and renting a car to run around and see some sights. I think the cruise package includes a train ride to Denali. Would like to get some fishing in if possible, even if its at a port stop. Thoughts and ideas?

 

[Trial153]

Alaska Cruises with extended in land itinerary and excursions really are super if your going with your wife and family. I would seriously consider it if you have the opportunity

 

[Kevin Dill]

My wife and I will be in AK in 3 weeks to do a free-lance road trip. We avoided the cruises and promotions, but that's us. We don't like to be part of the shuffling crowd...it's not our way. We'll be driving to various towns, attractions, regions, etc. We can do as we please and adjust on the fly. Anchorage, Homer, Seward, Whittier, Valdez, Tok, Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Denali...all on our own time schedule. We've had friends do the cruise and they liked it. They also said once was enough and they wouldn't do another one...not enough feet on the ground in the interior. We like diners, breweries, local stuff and the ability to meet people.

The down side is expense. $150-$225/night for hotels or cabins. SUV rental of minimum $1,800. Fuel and food higher than most places. Ferry fees, Denali flightseeing, park admission, etc...it adds up. The cruise would be cheaper and easier. We think we'll have the trip of our lives and do it our way. 3 weeks and counting!

 

[colonel00]

That's a tough one. Typically I believe, like Kevin, that you can do so much more on your own. Depending on how you plan it and deals you can find, you can spend a week+ camping on the road system really cheap too. However, since it's a "mom" trip, perhaps the cruise option isn't that bad.

I guessing that you will most likely cruise up from Seattle or Vancouver and hit some ports for 7 days or so. Then you will port in Seward or Whittier and go up to Denali for a few days. Then you will probably fly out of Fairbanks or Anchorage to go home. That or the whole trip works in reverse. Anyway, don't forget to factor those flight costs into the trip cost. That could be another $600 or much more per person depending on where you live.

 

[bbrown]

If you are just looking to have a good trip, see some neat stuff along the way and not worry about any logistics than a cruise is good option especially if you add the land portion. If you do the cruise spring for the exterior rooms or better yet get a balcony. DO NOT GET AN INTERIOR ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My wife and I did the Alaskan cruise for our honeymoon and while it was perfect for that but it is not the way to see Alaska. It was a great trip - I bet we spent half our time just hanging out on the balcony from our room watching things go by and we got to see some cool things while having absolutely no responsibility but I doubt if we will ever do another Alaskan cruise. Every time we got to port it felt like cattle heading to the slaughter line - I even moo'd a few times. At the time we were only 25 and we were by FAR the youngest on the boat except for kids (prolly grand kids). Hell Karaoke was the happening event each night but that even died off by 11pm. I really wish we would have added the land portion of that trip but just could not swing any more money or time off at that point.

We are heading back up next year to really get to experience the state and all it has to offer and at this point we are planning on flying up, renting an RV and cruising around for 10 days with only minimal plans.

 

[Finch]

I can chime in here. The wife and I did an Alaskan cruise (Princess) as our last hoorah before our first child was born. We went in August in 2012 and left out of Seattle. We cruised through Juneau, Skagway, Ketchican, the Misty Fjiords, and Victoria, B.C. We had beautiful weather and although in SE AK, we had zero rain and perfect weather. We had some awesome excursions which were not booked through the cruise line (less crowded and better IMO). We went whale watching (6 person boat compared to the double deckers that look overly crowded), we fished for salmon, rented a jeep and drove to the Yukon, and did a float plane ride in Ketchikan.

It was probably the best vacation we'll ever have. Having said that, I don't think we'd do another cruise to Alaska. If there's a next time, I think we'll fly in and do our own thing. BUT for a first time trip, a cruise is hard to beat if you have good weather and plan some good excursions. Check out my pics from our cruise and maybe it will tempt you to do a cruise yourself. Good luck!

https://picasaweb.google.com/117708...authkey=Gv1sRgCIWTs8CFv_eAlwE&feat=directlink

 

[jhall239]

Having done both,
I'd fly and drive again before taking another cruise. The cruise gave us just enough of AK to want to go back
I dont regret the cruise at all and may do another but for now it's fly and drive. We rented an RV and did our own thing and had a blast

 

[Kevin Dill]

As a general description: We're flying into Anchorage and spending 4 days driving around the south...Kenai, Soldotna, Homer, Seward, Whittier etc. Next we take a 6 hr ferry to Valdez and a day there. Onward the next day to Tok and a cabin waiting. After that it's a VRBO cabin in Fairbanks for 7 days. While there we will hit Chena Hot Springs, Angel Rocks, Circle and several other targets. Brewpubs and restaurants will always be a priority. We're taking a couple days to drive down to Denali/Talkeetna for a tour...the only way we can see the mountain up close. I just scheduled a 2 hour turbo Otter flight and glacier landing with K2 Aviation. A pilot-friend is going to take my wife out for a Super Cub ride one day. After all this fun ends, she is flying home and then I head out on a 10 day caribou hunt by myself. Alaska is such a playground for us 48ers!

 

[colonel00]

^^^This! I need to find myself a pilot friend

One thing I will mention, the ferry from Whittier to Valdez is a fun ride but it can be pricey when all said and done, especially if you bring your car. Even with the fast ferry which takes I think 3+ hours for the trip, with all the time for the tunnel, check in, loading, unloading, etc. eats up a chunk of a day. Still worth doing once but keep that in mind.

I think the biggest question to the OP is what does your MIL really want to do? You can get back up there and romp around the playground as Kevin so aptly describes it but try to cater to things that are more her speed. I have friends that I keep trying to get up to Alaska but they are set on doing a cruise as they just don't have interest in camping, fishing, hiking or any of that.

Now, on the downside, the cruise can really suck if you catch the wrong weather. It will still be a great getaway but much of the scenery may be obstructed by clouds and fog. That's just one of those risks though.

Here is a video I put together from a couple years ago. The first part of the trip was my girlfriend's first visit to Alaska. We did a power tour in 3 days. We flew into Anchorage and visited the conservation center on the way to Whittier to take the ferry to Valdez. You can see some video of the dreary day we had for the ferry. On the second day we left Valdez and made our way to Fairbanks. Day 3 had us coming back down through Denali back to Anchorage to drop her off and pick up the boys. It was a lot to do but I didn't want to overwhelm her with lots of camping and other stuff that she may not enjoy. I can say though, that she was hooked and we went back for a week last year and are planning over a week this year.

Anyway, this may give you a glimpse of what you can do if you get away from an organized trip. But, as Kevin mentioned before, it can get pricey if you will need to pay for lodging every night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip4tpR1p7dM&list=PLBKdeZk-1fL0fALX_JHi5eim5YXc5OSu0

 

[Lonearcher]

Timberland,
Sounds similar to a trip my mother in law took all of us on a few years back. It cruised the inner channel, the water was like glass the whole way. Great trip including the train ride to Denali. But If I had to do it over I'd fly and rent an RV and take my time. The cruise tour schedule on the layovers had us up at 5am everyday to travel to the next location did not go over big with the kids. Remember it is light out pretty much all the time, at least in July.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Any trip to Alaska beats not going at all! Cruises are incredibly popular there for a number of reasons. Two of the biggest reasons people choose to cruise are cost and simplicity. Alaska is obviously huge and you'd need a year-long vacation to see most of it. Doing your own thing (flights, cars, rv, hotels, routing, fees, meals, fuel, attractions, etc) involves a LOT of research and planning. It can be confusing and hard to choose or compromise. Doing a cruise eliminates almost all of that and allows you to just be a passenger/observer. My wife will quickly tell you that I'm just far too independent to go that route. We've never done a package vacation or trip and probably never will. The cost is often more when you go at it this way...the way we do it...but we can stop anywhere we please. I don't think the tours stop at Fast Eddy's, Skinny Dick's or the Wild Catch Café. There are no spruce needles or moss to lay on aboard a luxury liner.

 

[Kevin Dill]

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