Alaska

[roketman]

Ok ,I figured if anyone could help me it would be someone here on the forum!
I need to book a cruise in July to Alaska celebrating my 20th wedding anniversary to the most wonderful women I know!!
I need some recommendations .I am interested in land and cruise .
I spoke to someone at the rally who’s mom plans these trips but can’t remember who !!
Help!!!
Thank you in advance
Ron

 

[GTdrummer]

I tried a lawsuit in Juneau once . No cruise but Gorgeous. In July be prepared for a LOT of sunlight--like over 20 hours a day. A lot better than Winter.

 

[MNJason]

You can't see much of Alaska from a boat.

 

[Joe Dozzo]

Cruise up to Seward and take the train to Anchorage. Then rent a car (or some flavor mobil home if you're so inclined; they have everything from pickups with cab-overs to monster Winnebago's) and drive up to Fairbanks (with stops in Talketna and Denali; skip Talketna if you're short on time) then down the "backside", Fairbanks to Valdez and then back to Anchorage. Minimum driving time is 10 days. For a lot more adventure, take the time to drive from Fairbanks up to Deadhorse / Prudhoe Bay (where the oils fields are). Stunning won't even begin to describe the sights you'll see.

And if you do come, I'd be happy to meet you in Anchorage for dinner!

 

[RALPHIE]

Holland-America Lines has a lot of packages cruising from Vancouver to Anchorage, with rail and other tours along the way and in Alaska.

 

[2112]

You can't see much of Alaska from a boat.

You definitely can't see it all or even most but you can see a lot, like glaciers, mountains (real), the biggest rain forest on our continent and maybe most spectacularly, the S.E. Archipelago of the inside passage. Leaving from Seattle or Vancouver will and going up between Vancouver Island and the mainland is a trip in it's own right.

 

[Ed Sims]

Rocketman - I lived in Anchorage for 14 years. I go there all the time. I'll be there at the end of July. If you cruise take the train from Skagway to Whitehorse. It can rain anytime in Alaska, & it does, but July is the driest month. May-June are spring, July is summer & August-Sept are fall. The rest of course is winter! It's a great place to visit but the weather never was what I like which is why I'm in CA.

Have fun,
Ed

 

[Ed Sims]

Here I am in July years ago on the Knik Glacier near Anchorage!

Sourdough Ed

PS Don't call it Mt Denali - it's Mt McKinley.

 

[Flatrod]

Roketman, If you are taking a boat you will miss 2/3 of Alaska. I'm with Joe, come on up to Anchorage, drive to Fairbank, back down to Valdez, then fairy over to Whittier, then turn left and run down to Homer then back to Anchorage. Pretty much see most of the state that way. But Fairbanks is only in the middle of the state. I have lived here in Anchorage for 41 years.

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Congrats on your 20th.

The cruiseships leave from either Seattle or Vancouver B.C. And the Alaska State ferry departs from Bellingham, Wa. (aka Eternal Home of E.P.)

Most are 5 - 6 day trips along the west coast of British Columbia and S.E. Alaska. And has been mentioned the voyage routes that go between the mainland and Vancouver Island will blow you socks off. So spectacular that the word doesn't so it justice.

If you two want to see more of Alaska, consider a one way cruise and spend some time exploring by car from an Anchorage home base. Kenai peninsula (i.e Copper River Salmon), Mt. McKinley, Valdez area etc.

But keep in mind that the distances on the map "look" close together but can be a really long way to drive.

call or send me a pm for more info. I know a couple of very experienced Alaska cruise agents.

 

[gzl]

Took Holland America Cruise from Seattle to Alaska, dog sledding on a glacier was a nice treat - Juneau I think. Also viewing killer whales was pretty neat, but can't remember the excursion city. HAL should have it. Nice cruise and my kids are still talking about it.

 

[MDT]

Is the drive from Vancouver to Alaska a waste of time?

 

[RALPHIE]

Is the drive from Vancouver to Alaska a waste of time?

It's tough - at least half the road (the AlCan from Dawson Creek to Delta) is always under repair due to frost heave and gas stations are few and far between. Beautiful scenery, but plan on camping as lodging is also spaced out. Gas prices are very high. It's an incredible journey, but plan a long time to enjoy it. The shortcut Stewart-Cassiar highway from Kitwanga up to Watson Lake is a firm dirt 2-lane, but cuts some miles off the journey. Actually, the hard dirt roads hold up better than the paved ones. Nice lunch place at Haines Junction (can't remember it's name). Take it slow over the washboard that builds up in the repair areas, and watch for potholes on the paved sections.

 

[Magic]

Lived almost three years in Anchorage and have some great memories and great pictures. Never went on a big boat cruise, but did a couple of long weekends on a private boat out of Seward and had some of the best time I've ever had. Also enjoyed spending a week at Kennicott Glacier Lodge in the Wrangle Moutains on the eastern side of Alaska. Off the beaten path, but a great place to sit around and take in all the sites or go out and explore the glacier and surrounding abandond mining camp. One thing that can play against you is weather and if it is rainy then most of the wonderful big views are out the window. Heard many people complain about the week of cloud cover and rain while they were on cruise ship or road trip in Alaska. Saw nothing and were miserable. When it is a clear day the sights are spectacular! Bugs can be a problem in some areas during the summer time too.

 

[Joe Dozzo]

It's tough - at least half the road (the AlCan from Dawson Creek to Delta) is always under repair due to frost heave and gas stations are few and far between. Beautiful scenery, but plan on camping as lodging is also spaced out. Gas prices are very high. It's an incredible journey, but plan a long time to enjoy it. The shortcut Stewart-Cassiar highway from Kitwanga up to Watson Lake is a firm dirt 2-lane, but cuts some miles off the journey. Actually, the hard dirt roads hold up better than the paved ones. Nice lunch place at Haines Junction (can't remember it's name). Take it slow over the washboard that builds up in the repair areas, and watch for potholes on the paved sections.

Hello Ralphie,

When was the last time you drove the Al-Can? I drove our then-new Taurus SHO up just last June and the road was in excellent condition. We started in Denver, calgary, Edmonton and onto the Al-Can at its start. From Vancover, I imagine you'd connect to the Al-Can in Fort Nelson and I don't know anything about that section (Vancover to Fort Nelson). True gas a a little bit more expensive but not 2X. Actually found plenty of very nice hotels all along the way... Not every 10 miles, but not every 500 either. And sufficient capacity that we never ran into anything fully booked. You're also right, some serious frost heave in some sections but we did not encounter any significant construction projects last summer. If one has the time or inclination, it's a long drive, but a great drive!

Joe

And unless I'm mistaken there really isn't any convenient way to drive along the coast from Vancover to Alaska - UNLESS you're considering the Alaska Maritime Highway, a combination of road / ferries.