Alaska Land + Cruise
Jul 4th, 2025 | 03:56 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
Alaska Land + Cruise
Following is a summary of our Alaskan trip for both those interested in how things went and for those who are considering a similar trip:
As it with most trips, there were both positives and negatives but overall, the trip was wonderful.
Flew from Boston to Seattle and spent several nights with family. We go there often and always have a great time with family and friends.
We then flew to Anchorage and rented a car (SUV) and drove the Seward Highway to Seward for two nights. The scenery was spectacular. Tip: I always rent a SUV so that we are higher in the seats to enjoy the scenery.
In Seward, we checked into the Lodge at Resurrection Bay. The owners, Michelle and Daryl are wonderful. Their property is right on the bay with amazing views. They provide a buffet breakfast with everything you would want. We explored the town and ate at the Cookery. Had an amazing fresh Halibut dinner. Tip: Book the Lodge well in advance, e.g., 6 months+. Tip: Regarding the Cookery, they are highly recommended. As mentioned, the fresh Halibut was delicious but expect long waits and you will be rushed once you pay your bill. So, the trick is, never pay using the QR code. Use your physical credit card and don’t provide it until you are completely finished. We unfortunately paid using their QR code and had not finished our drinks. Once the waiter was informed (automatically) that we had paid and had received his tip, he rushed us out.
The next morning, we went Kayaking on the bay through Kayak Adventures Worldwide. It was just my wife and I and the guide. At times the waves became a little nerve racking but overall it was wonderful kayaking amongst the sea otters. Would highly recommend this to anybody. They make safety the priority and ensure a wonderful experience. After the early morning Kayaking, we hiked Exit Glacier and were fortunate enough based on the timing to join a Ranger-guided hike to the glacier. Very informative and beautiful. The next morning we enjoyed another buffet breakfast and drove back to Anchorage via the Seward Highway.
In Anchorage, as part of our Holland American land cruise package we stayed at the Captain Hook hotel, the only 5-star hotel in Anchorage. Holland made a great choice based on the location and hotel. We arrived earlier than check in so they stored our luggage and we returned the car and walked, by choice, 5+miles back to the hotel from the airport enjoying the neighborhoods. When we returned, our room was ready so we changed and then went out and rented e-bikes from Pablo’s Bike rental and rode the Tony Knowles 22-mile round trip coastal trail. Also highly recommended. At night we had a great dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse. I had made reservations 2 months in advance and reservations are a must. Tip: Make reservations in advance for the Glacier Brewhouse. They only allow you to make reservations a few weeks in advance so reach out to the manager via email and make a special request. You will be glad you did.
The next morning, Holland transported us to the train station for the long train ride via the McKinley Express with domed windows to Denali National Park. Great scenery but it was a long ride. Saw limited wildlife but enjoyed it tremendously. We were the few fortunate that got to see Mt. Denali. We had beautiful weather throughout. For first timers I would recommend the land portion of the cruise. It’s a great experience but now that I have done it, I would move on to other things as opposed to repeating it.
Stayed at the Holland America Denali Lodge which is right outside the park. Based on the timing of the arrival all we really had time to do was check in, explore the property and had Pizza at Prospectors which is right across the street from the hotel. Outstanding pizza and draft bears.
On the following day, our land cruise package included the 5.5 hour Tundra Wilderness tour which they assign you times. Our time was 2:30pm in the afternoon so in the morning we hiked the Horseshoe Lake trail which was fantastic. Saw limited wildlife but did get to see a Beaver. The only issue regarding the stay in Denali was the fact that Holland doesn’t do a great job with the schedule, e.g., you could arrive in the evening from Anchorage, eat your dinner and then have a 5:00am Wilderness tour. The people we talked to that had to do this said they were falling asleep on the tundra tour. On the other hand, we were fortunate to have the later tundra tour but at the expense of not having enough time to do more hikes than we did. Tip: work with your cruise carrier to fully understand the timing of your schedule so that you may plan appropriately. Also, prepare for non A/C rooms if you stay at the Holland Denali Lodge. A nice property and excellent location. They have a square that offers restaurants (limited) and shops. We had Halibut fish and chips at Kartsens Pub. Highly recommended.
In Denali we did see several moose, Dall sheep, bald eagles, and Caribou but no bears or wolves. It’s hit or miss but this appeared to be more common of what you would see unless you go backpacking far into Denali.
The next morning we were transported via the Holland America motor coach first thing in the am to Whittier to board the cruise ship. It was very comfortable and air conditioned but it was long, i.e., approx. 8+ hours. We did have a stop a little past halfway for a hosted lunch. The driver made it fun and kept us interested.
Boarding the ship was a breeze. We went to our stateroom that included a veranda. Highly recommended to get the veranda. We had so many opportunities to sit out there and enjoy the scenery.
The ship was fantastic. Holland does a wonderful job in ensuring your safety and comfort. Plenty of dining and drink options. We chose the Have it All Package which included all you can drink although it really is 15 drinks per day per person for anything $11 or less. Anything above that is charged to you at the end. Specialty coffees, bottled water, beer, wine, cocktails, a choice of a specialty dining, WIFI, and a shore excursion were included. Tip: it is well worth the Have it All package even if you have just a few drinks per day. There were plenty of dining options including the Lido buffet which is open for most of the day and night. We chose to dine in the Main Dining room with a table of six each night at 7:30 except the first night which was a welcome dinner at the Lido café and the one night we are at the Pinnacle specialty restaurant. Tip: reserve your specialty restaurant(s) well in advance to ensure you have the time you wish. The Pinnacle was outstanding. Their specialty is steak although you have several other offerings. We ate breakfast at the Lido café every morning. There are so many options for food. Overall the food was very good. My favorite for breakfast was the made to order omelets. Although there was plenty of salmon available all day, I expected more fresh Alaskan fish than what was offered. The ship offers many programs and activities throughout the day for all interests. Entertainment was above average including comedy, music, and dance.
The cruise included Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, stops in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and the Inside Passage before ending in Vancouver. The ship was extremely comfortable, i.e., no rocking or swaying. I’m sure the weather and the calm of the seas plays a major role in that.
For shore excursions we did:
Skagway: the White Pass railway. Very scenic but another train ride. Takes you above 2800’.
Juneau: we did the Mendenhall Glacier hike including Nugget Falls which is very short and then other trails right from the Visitor Center. This was fantastic. Tip: you may want to include the Whale Watch along with the Mendenhall glacier. Some guests did and some saw some whales close up while others saw some from a distance. We had thought we would have seen many whales on the cruise and unfortunately, we only saw one during a dinner. Some guests did see several but it depends where you were at the time.
Ketchikan: we did the Great American Lumberjack show. This is somewhat corny but it was a lot of fun. Tip: make sure you bring your rain gear especially for Ketchikan. They hardly see any sun.
Service was impeccable throughout.
My favorite part of the ship was the Crow’s nest that is on the very top floor in the Forward section with outstanding views. This is where the specialty coffees are. They also serve all other drinks as well. This is also where they have a guide including Rangers at times that do a narration of where you are and look for wild life.
Tip: try to reserve a stateroom midship or as close to midship as possible. We stayed in the Forward section right near midship. As mentioned, we didn’t experience any discomfort whatsoever. I have heard that you may experience some rocking if you stay too forward or too aft. Also, suggest you stay on either decks 6,7, or 8. We stayed on deck 7. The important thing is to know where are the restaurants and bars located from your stateroom. You don’t want to be right above or below one of them.
Holland did a fantastic job all around. Again, highly recommended. I would absolutely use them again.
In summary, I would not have done anything different in terms of the planning. I would absolutely go back to Alaska and on another cruise; but one that went to other ports for something different. I would sail from Alaska to Vancouver but that is more based on where we prefer to end the trip. I would not do the land cruise again because once is enough. Beautiful but long transportation.
Want to thank everybody again who helped me throughout the planning process. Next big trip is France and that Forum has helped similarly.
Thank you all and please let me know if you have any specific questions. It's now my turn to help. W
As it with most trips, there were both positives and negatives but overall, the trip was wonderful.
Flew from Boston to Seattle and spent several nights with family. We go there often and always have a great time with family and friends.
We then flew to Anchorage and rented a car (SUV) and drove the Seward Highway to Seward for two nights. The scenery was spectacular. Tip: I always rent a SUV so that we are higher in the seats to enjoy the scenery.
In Seward, we checked into the Lodge at Resurrection Bay. The owners, Michelle and Daryl are wonderful. Their property is right on the bay with amazing views. They provide a buffet breakfast with everything you would want. We explored the town and ate at the Cookery. Had an amazing fresh Halibut dinner. Tip: Book the Lodge well in advance, e.g., 6 months+. Tip: Regarding the Cookery, they are highly recommended. As mentioned, the fresh Halibut was delicious but expect long waits and you will be rushed once you pay your bill. So, the trick is, never pay using the QR code. Use your physical credit card and don’t provide it until you are completely finished. We unfortunately paid using their QR code and had not finished our drinks. Once the waiter was informed (automatically) that we had paid and had received his tip, he rushed us out.
The next morning, we went Kayaking on the bay through Kayak Adventures Worldwide. It was just my wife and I and the guide. At times the waves became a little nerve racking but overall it was wonderful kayaking amongst the sea otters. Would highly recommend this to anybody. They make safety the priority and ensure a wonderful experience. After the early morning Kayaking, we hiked Exit Glacier and were fortunate enough based on the timing to join a Ranger-guided hike to the glacier. Very informative and beautiful. The next morning we enjoyed another buffet breakfast and drove back to Anchorage via the Seward Highway.
In Anchorage, as part of our Holland American land cruise package we stayed at the Captain Hook hotel, the only 5-star hotel in Anchorage. Holland made a great choice based on the location and hotel. We arrived earlier than check in so they stored our luggage and we returned the car and walked, by choice, 5+miles back to the hotel from the airport enjoying the neighborhoods. When we returned, our room was ready so we changed and then went out and rented e-bikes from Pablo’s Bike rental and rode the Tony Knowles 22-mile round trip coastal trail. Also highly recommended. At night we had a great dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse. I had made reservations 2 months in advance and reservations are a must. Tip: Make reservations in advance for the Glacier Brewhouse. They only allow you to make reservations a few weeks in advance so reach out to the manager via email and make a special request. You will be glad you did.
The next morning, Holland transported us to the train station for the long train ride via the McKinley Express with domed windows to Denali National Park. Great scenery but it was a long ride. Saw limited wildlife but enjoyed it tremendously. We were the few fortunate that got to see Mt. Denali. We had beautiful weather throughout. For first timers I would recommend the land portion of the cruise. It’s a great experience but now that I have done it, I would move on to other things as opposed to repeating it.
Stayed at the Holland America Denali Lodge which is right outside the park. Based on the timing of the arrival all we really had time to do was check in, explore the property and had Pizza at Prospectors which is right across the street from the hotel. Outstanding pizza and draft bears.
On the following day, our land cruise package included the 5.5 hour Tundra Wilderness tour which they assign you times. Our time was 2:30pm in the afternoon so in the morning we hiked the Horseshoe Lake trail which was fantastic. Saw limited wildlife but did get to see a Beaver. The only issue regarding the stay in Denali was the fact that Holland doesn’t do a great job with the schedule, e.g., you could arrive in the evening from Anchorage, eat your dinner and then have a 5:00am Wilderness tour. The people we talked to that had to do this said they were falling asleep on the tundra tour. On the other hand, we were fortunate to have the later tundra tour but at the expense of not having enough time to do more hikes than we did. Tip: work with your cruise carrier to fully understand the timing of your schedule so that you may plan appropriately. Also, prepare for non A/C rooms if you stay at the Holland Denali Lodge. A nice property and excellent location. They have a square that offers restaurants (limited) and shops. We had Halibut fish and chips at Kartsens Pub. Highly recommended.
In Denali we did see several moose, Dall sheep, bald eagles, and Caribou but no bears or wolves. It’s hit or miss but this appeared to be more common of what you would see unless you go backpacking far into Denali.
The next morning we were transported via the Holland America motor coach first thing in the am to Whittier to board the cruise ship. It was very comfortable and air conditioned but it was long, i.e., approx. 8+ hours. We did have a stop a little past halfway for a hosted lunch. The driver made it fun and kept us interested.
Boarding the ship was a breeze. We went to our stateroom that included a veranda. Highly recommended to get the veranda. We had so many opportunities to sit out there and enjoy the scenery.
The ship was fantastic. Holland does a wonderful job in ensuring your safety and comfort. Plenty of dining and drink options. We chose the Have it All Package which included all you can drink although it really is 15 drinks per day per person for anything $11 or less. Anything above that is charged to you at the end. Specialty coffees, bottled water, beer, wine, cocktails, a choice of a specialty dining, WIFI, and a shore excursion were included. Tip: it is well worth the Have it All package even if you have just a few drinks per day. There were plenty of dining options including the Lido buffet which is open for most of the day and night. We chose to dine in the Main Dining room with a table of six each night at 7:30 except the first night which was a welcome dinner at the Lido café and the one night we are at the Pinnacle specialty restaurant. Tip: reserve your specialty restaurant(s) well in advance to ensure you have the time you wish. The Pinnacle was outstanding. Their specialty is steak although you have several other offerings. We ate breakfast at the Lido café every morning. There are so many options for food. Overall the food was very good. My favorite for breakfast was the made to order omelets. Although there was plenty of salmon available all day, I expected more fresh Alaskan fish than what was offered. The ship offers many programs and activities throughout the day for all interests. Entertainment was above average including comedy, music, and dance.
The cruise included Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, stops in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and the Inside Passage before ending in Vancouver. The ship was extremely comfortable, i.e., no rocking or swaying. I’m sure the weather and the calm of the seas plays a major role in that.
For shore excursions we did:
Skagway: the White Pass railway. Very scenic but another train ride. Takes you above 2800’.
Juneau: we did the Mendenhall Glacier hike including Nugget Falls which is very short and then other trails right from the Visitor Center. This was fantastic. Tip: you may want to include the Whale Watch along with the Mendenhall glacier. Some guests did and some saw some whales close up while others saw some from a distance. We had thought we would have seen many whales on the cruise and unfortunately, we only saw one during a dinner. Some guests did see several but it depends where you were at the time.
Ketchikan: we did the Great American Lumberjack show. This is somewhat corny but it was a lot of fun. Tip: make sure you bring your rain gear especially for Ketchikan. They hardly see any sun.
Service was impeccable throughout.
My favorite part of the ship was the Crow’s nest that is on the very top floor in the Forward section with outstanding views. This is where the specialty coffees are. They also serve all other drinks as well. This is also where they have a guide including Rangers at times that do a narration of where you are and look for wild life.
Tip: try to reserve a stateroom midship or as close to midship as possible. We stayed in the Forward section right near midship. As mentioned, we didn’t experience any discomfort whatsoever. I have heard that you may experience some rocking if you stay too forward or too aft. Also, suggest you stay on either decks 6,7, or 8. We stayed on deck 7. The important thing is to know where are the restaurants and bars located from your stateroom. You don’t want to be right above or below one of them.
Holland did a fantastic job all around. Again, highly recommended. I would absolutely use them again.
In summary, I would not have done anything different in terms of the planning. I would absolutely go back to Alaska and on another cruise; but one that went to other ports for something different. I would sail from Alaska to Vancouver but that is more based on where we prefer to end the trip. I would not do the land cruise again because once is enough. Beautiful but long transportation.
Want to thank everybody again who helped me throughout the planning process. Next big trip is France and that Forum has helped similarly.
Thank you all and please let me know if you have any specific questions. It's now my turn to help. W
Jul 14th, 2025 | 05:54 AM
#7
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
Also forgot to mention that mosquitos were not a problem. We only had to apply the repellent during one ranger-led hike at Exit Glacier in Seward. This was because the ranger would stop and times and provide some information. The repellant (non-deet) worked great. No bites! Highly recommend you bring some just in case. Also purchased the bug nets in case we needed them but we never did. I'll keep them since they take up basically no space just in case for the next trip.
Thanks, W
Thanks, W
Trending Topics
Jul 19th, 2025 | 05:53 PM
#9
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,985
Likes: 0
WarrenWST Thanks for this report! Very informative! We are going next month (self-drive land tour). May I ask which rental car company you rented from? I am curious about the sea kayaking tour. I have done kayaking in lakes and (very calm) river, but never in the sea, so I'm super nervous about it. We might do that in Homer instead of Seward but just want to ask if you have any tips or other suggestions re: Sea kayaking?
Jul 20th, 2025 | 06:25 AM
#10
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
Hi YK.
We rented from Budget and everything went smooth to myu surprise based on previous experience renting cars. No attempt to upsell us or anything. They actually had the model car that they advertised, i.e., Toyota RAV 4. Usually they say a type of car or similar and we always get the "similar" but this time it was the actual car. There were no lines so it was a in and out. It is advised to inspect the car thoroughly (you probably know this) and to take pictures and videos of it before you leave. I also highly recommend to take a picture of the license plate so in case you are somewhere where you are registering in and they ask the plate number you will have it.
I check the rental prices periodically on Expedia and will reserve the lowest total rate. I change my reservations if I find a lower rate. Budget and Alamo tend to have the lowest prices as well as Thrifty (not sure Thrift is there) but most of them are all good. I used to rent from Enterprise until their prices went sky high. Same for Avis. Hertz, IMO was always high.
In terms of kayaking, we had only kayaked once before on a mild pond. I was nervous at first going out on the bay. The thing that freaked me out the most was the skirt that they affix by clipping on to keep you dry. I understand why they do it but it did make me nervous in case we tipped over. However, I think the most important thing is having a guide that makes you comfortable in case there are any issues. We had a tremendous guide. She was young but quite experienced. I can recommend Kayak Adventures Worldwide in Seward because they took great care of us.
I hope you have a great time and please reach out if I may help in any way.
Thanks, W
We rented from Budget and everything went smooth to myu surprise based on previous experience renting cars. No attempt to upsell us or anything. They actually had the model car that they advertised, i.e., Toyota RAV 4. Usually they say a type of car or similar and we always get the "similar" but this time it was the actual car. There were no lines so it was a in and out. It is advised to inspect the car thoroughly (you probably know this) and to take pictures and videos of it before you leave. I also highly recommend to take a picture of the license plate so in case you are somewhere where you are registering in and they ask the plate number you will have it.
I check the rental prices periodically on Expedia and will reserve the lowest total rate. I change my reservations if I find a lower rate. Budget and Alamo tend to have the lowest prices as well as Thrifty (not sure Thrift is there) but most of them are all good. I used to rent from Enterprise until their prices went sky high. Same for Avis. Hertz, IMO was always high.
In terms of kayaking, we had only kayaked once before on a mild pond. I was nervous at first going out on the bay. The thing that freaked me out the most was the skirt that they affix by clipping on to keep you dry. I understand why they do it but it did make me nervous in case we tipped over. However, I think the most important thing is having a guide that makes you comfortable in case there are any issues. We had a tremendous guide. She was young but quite experienced. I can recommend Kayak Adventures Worldwide in Seward because they took great care of us.
I hope you have a great time and please reach out if I may help in any way.
Thanks, W
Jul 21st, 2025 | 12:06 PM
#12
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,985
Likes: 0
Hi YK.
We rented from Budget and everything went smooth to myu surprise based on previous experience renting cars. No attempt to upsell us or anything. They actually had the model car that they advertised, i.e., Toyota RAV 4. Usually they say a type of car or similar and we always get the "similar" but this time it was the actual car. There were no lines so it was a in and out. It is advised to inspect the car thoroughly (you probably know this) and to take pictures and videos of it before you leave. I also highly recommend to take a picture of the license plate so in case you are somewhere where you are registering in and they ask the plate number you will have it.
I check the rental prices periodically on Expedia and will reserve the lowest total rate. I change my reservations if I find a lower rate. Budget and Alamo tend to have the lowest prices as well as Thrifty (not sure Thrift is there) but most of them are all good. I used to rent from Enterprise until their prices went sky high. Same for Avis. Hertz, IMO was always high.
In terms of kayaking, we had only kayaked once before on a mild pond. I was nervous at first going out on the bay. The thing that freaked me out the most was the skirt that they affix by clipping on to keep you dry. I understand why they do it but it did make me nervous in case we tipped over. However, I think the most important thing is having a guide that makes you comfortable in case there are any issues. We had a tremendous guide. She was young but quite experienced. I can recommend Kayak Adventures Worldwide in Seward because they took great care of us.
I hope you have a great time and please reach out if I may help in any way.
Thanks, W
We rented from Budget and everything went smooth to myu surprise based on previous experience renting cars. No attempt to upsell us or anything. They actually had the model car that they advertised, i.e., Toyota RAV 4. Usually they say a type of car or similar and we always get the "similar" but this time it was the actual car. There were no lines so it was a in and out. It is advised to inspect the car thoroughly (you probably know this) and to take pictures and videos of it before you leave. I also highly recommend to take a picture of the license plate so in case you are somewhere where you are registering in and they ask the plate number you will have it.
I check the rental prices periodically on Expedia and will reserve the lowest total rate. I change my reservations if I find a lower rate. Budget and Alamo tend to have the lowest prices as well as Thrifty (not sure Thrift is there) but most of them are all good. I used to rent from Enterprise until their prices went sky high. Same for Avis. Hertz, IMO was always high.
In terms of kayaking, we had only kayaked once before on a mild pond. I was nervous at first going out on the bay. The thing that freaked me out the most was the skirt that they affix by clipping on to keep you dry. I understand why they do it but it did make me nervous in case we tipped over. However, I think the most important thing is having a guide that makes you comfortable in case there are any issues. We had a tremendous guide. She was young but quite experienced. I can recommend Kayak Adventures Worldwide in Seward because they took great care of us.
I hope you have a great time and please reach out if I may help in any way.
Thanks, W
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Glenn
United States
21
Sep 25th, 2002 04:41 PM
best
United States
10
Aug 27th, 2002 07:10 PM
