Mt. McKinley or Copper River
 

Planning first trip to Alaska and trying to decide on Cruisetour. Need help on deciding whether to choose the land tour which includes 2 nights at Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge or the tour which includes 2 nights at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. Both include 2 nights Fairbanks, 2 nights Denali, 2 nights Kenai. Thanks.

You need to determine what YOU want to occupy your time with?? There is very little to do at the McKinley lodge, especially without a car and 2 nights, so that would be my last choice.

There also is little point in spending 2 nights at Copper Princess, UNLESS you are going to get into the Wrangels- and a negative, it misses out on Valdez. IF you are taking the ferry, Princess, also misses the ball here too, if it still includes the fast ferry?

Be certain to have the Tundra Wilderness tour in Denali Park.

Can you change from Mt. McKinley Princess to Denali Princess? If so I would prefer that option.

Denali Princess is at the entrance to the Park, while the McKinley Princess is far south of the Park, close to Talkeetna. I think it's 105 miles south of the Park entrance (though it does have great views of Mt McKinley on clear days). As BQ says "There is very little to do at the McKinley lodge" except take whatever expensive tours are offered. More things to do if you are at the entrance to the Park, IMO.

Not a lot to do at the Kenai Princess either come to think of it (we stop by for lunch sometimes driving from Homer to Anchorage and the lodge is nice enough but this is a pretty isolated area near Cooper Landing). I'd rather have a rental car and stay in either Homer or Seward on the Kenai ... I haven't been to Copper River so can offer no advice on that option.