Been x 2 both times on cruises. I think cruise the best way to go. You get to see the most with the least amount of hassle and can get off for many great shore excursions. The ships will truly give you the up close and personal experience with nature.
You will love Alaska. We cruised May 2016 on the Celebrity Millennium. We booked most of our port excursions on our own using suggestions through Cruise Critic (like TripAdvisor for cruising). We did not have a land stay with the cruise but that can be booked if you have the time. You must be prepared for varied weather conditions. It can be chilly and rainy but the view will always be awesome. Keep us posted on your progress. If you need more details after you commit, feel free to reach out. Good luck!
Celebrity Cruises was awesome. Did the 7 day cruise once and 10 day the second time. If you can, find one that includes the Tracy Arm passage. The most incredible scenery I've ever seen.
We did a trip over land. Flew into Anchorage and drove down to Homer/Seward, then headed up to Wasilla and Denali. I loved the land trip b/c the landscape is just amazing!! we booked overnights in Anchorage and Wasilla, then just found places to stay in Homer. We did a flight over Denali park as it was closed to cars for the season. The wildlife we saw on the drive was incredible--beluga whales, bears, moose--all right by roadside. Now since it was off-season (Sept) the roads weren't crowded at all. We took a lot of side trips to little towns. Best vacation ever. You will love it! Agree with Deb on the weather--prepare for rain, snow and heat 😉
We did a trip over land. Flew into Anchorage and drove down to Homer/Seward, then headed up to Wasilla and Denali. I loved the land trip b/c the landscape is just amazing!! we booked overnights in Anchorage and Wasilla, then just found places to stay in Homer. We did a flight over Denali park as it was closed to cars for the season. The wildlife we saw on the drive was incredible--beluga whales, bears, moose--all right by roadside. Now since it was off-season (Sept) the roads weren't crowded at all. We took a lot of side trips to little towns. Best vacation ever. You will love it! Agree with Deb on the weather--prepare for rain, snow and heat 😉
I concur with what's already been said about Alaska...definitely try to do a land/cruise vacation versus just a land vacation. You get to see some of the smaller towns which are picturesque. Also, while some of these towns are close, they could be several hours apart by land because there are few roads through the mountains.
Things to keep in mind if you do cruise Alaska--it's going to be colder on the water than on land. It can be comfortable temperatures on land, but when you're on the desk of a cruise ship, you will need hat, gloves, coat, etc.
We saw plenty of right whales on our cruise, but it was particularly great when the ship sailed through a pod of humpback whales, including some youngsters, as we finished up dinner one night.
We took a Disney cruise to Alaska. My kids were age 8 and 11 and they loved the Disney cruise! We loved all of the experiences and scenery of Alaska! We got off the ship at Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. Each had a variety of cool things to do. In Skagway, we took a walk through the cute touristy town. Then, we went on a train ride of the countryside. It was cool, but we didn't feel it quite lived up to the hype we heard. In Juneau, we went up the tramway, which led to a stunning view from above Juneau on an amazing nature hike! In Ketchikan, it was the salmon hatchery and the totem poles that caught our attention. Again, we did a lot of walking and ate fresh salmon at a quaint restaurant right by where the ship docked. It really was a great trip! We went in August and the weather was pleasant, but cool. The Disney cruise was out of this world! The glaciers at the Tracy Arm fjord were unbelievable - a rare place/experience! Highly recommended. 🙂
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Been x 2 both times on cruises. I think cruise the best way to go. You get to see the most with the least amount of hassle and can get off for many great shore excursions. The ships will truly give you the up close and personal experience with nature.
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1 ReactionCruise Line? How many days? Thanks!
You will love Alaska. We cruised May 2016 on the Celebrity Millennium. We booked most of our port excursions on our own using suggestions through Cruise Critic (like TripAdvisor for cruising). We did not have a land stay with the cruise but that can be booked if you have the time. You must be prepared for varied weather conditions. It can be chilly and rainy but the view will always be awesome. Keep us posted on your progress. If you need more details after you commit, feel free to reach out. Good luck!
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1 ReactionCelebrity Cruises was awesome. Did the 7 day cruise once and 10 day the second time. If you can, find one that includes the Tracy Arm passage. The most incredible scenery I've ever seen.
Oh...and if you can, spring the extra expense for a balcony. For Alaska, it's worth every extra penny.
We did a trip over land. Flew into Anchorage and drove down to Homer/Seward, then headed up to Wasilla and Denali. I loved the land trip b/c the landscape is just amazing!! we booked overnights in Anchorage and Wasilla, then just found places to stay in Homer. We did a flight over Denali park as it was closed to cars for the season. The wildlife we saw on the drive was incredible--beluga whales, bears, moose--all right by roadside. Now since it was off-season (Sept) the roads weren't crowded at all. We took a lot of side trips to little towns. Best vacation ever. You will love it! Agree with Deb on the weather--prepare for rain, snow and heat 😉
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2 ReactionsI agree that the Tracy Arm passage is stunning - well worth cruising for!!!
I would love to drive or flyover Danali! Glad you had a great vacation. Alaska is truly breathtaking!
I concur with what's already been said about Alaska...definitely try to do a land/cruise vacation versus just a land vacation. You get to see some of the smaller towns which are picturesque. Also, while some of these towns are close, they could be several hours apart by land because there are few roads through the mountains.
Things to keep in mind if you do cruise Alaska--it's going to be colder on the water than on land. It can be comfortable temperatures on land, but when you're on the desk of a cruise ship, you will need hat, gloves, coat, etc.
We saw plenty of right whales on our cruise, but it was particularly great when the ship sailed through a pod of humpback whales, including some youngsters, as we finished up dinner one night.
We took a Disney cruise to Alaska. My kids were age 8 and 11 and they loved the Disney cruise! We loved all of the experiences and scenery of Alaska! We got off the ship at Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. Each had a variety of cool things to do. In Skagway, we took a walk through the cute touristy town. Then, we went on a train ride of the countryside. It was cool, but we didn't feel it quite lived up to the hype we heard. In Juneau, we went up the tramway, which led to a stunning view from above Juneau on an amazing nature hike! In Ketchikan, it was the salmon hatchery and the totem poles that caught our attention. Again, we did a lot of walking and ate fresh salmon at a quaint restaurant right by where the ship docked. It really was a great trip! We went in August and the weather was pleasant, but cool. The Disney cruise was out of this world! The glaciers at the Tracy Arm fjord were unbelievable - a rare place/experience! Highly recommended. 🙂