After a Princess Cruisetour that ends in Fairbanks, we have a full day free until a 9:45PM flight. Any suggestions on how to fill the day?

I would rent a car and drive out to Chena Hot Springs,Chatanika, or up to the Arctic Circle (check with the rental car companies to see which routes are allowed, though)or take the Arctic Circle tour offered by Far North Tours. You can hop on a mail plane to the bush for the day as well, or stay in town, tour the University museum, large animal research institute (musk ox and reindeer) and the botanical gardens.

You definately need a car, nothing in Fairbanks is close by. NO car rentals will allow you to drive on the Haul Road except one independent in Fairbanks, but with ONE day you don't have enough time. Most Arctic tours won't have you back in time for your flight. So I would suggest local activities, request their visitor guide www.explorefairbanks.com

Actually the haul road is in the process of being paved and is not mostly paved to the Arctic Circle. I don't know if the rental car companies have changed their policies yet, but it is a pretty easy drive in a day.

That should be "now mostly paved to the Arctic Circle." Weekends are good days to drive it, since the large truck traffic is minimal. The area was extensively burned in the fires last summer (morels anyone?).

I was there end of August 04 and it is NOT paved, packed hard gravel that no major rental car agency will allow driving. As I recall the pavement ended around Joy?? Way short of the Arctic Circle.

I would instead suggest the fly/shuttle tours, with the toursaver.com 2 for one coupon an excellent deal, but you will need 2 added days, not enough time in one since the tours are 12 hours and leave about 1pm