Welcome to LCT, D/M/D! Will this be your first Radisson cruise?

Welcome, D/M/D!

Dreps, the train schedule shows an evening trip into Anchorage, so we'd have all day to haul the luggage around Whittier and terrorize the citizens.

I'll be "going along with" whatever the group does, because Mark loves anything wildlife.

TV ALERT!

The Travel Channel
Friday, April 1, 9:00PM EST
"Secrets of Denali National Park"
10:00PM EST
"Secrets of Alaska's National Parks"

The special trains that Radisson ran between the Anchorage airport and Seward were not on the regular train schedule. Surely someone at B&K knows whether similar trains are running between Whittier and the Anchorage airport. As I said before, the train trip was spectacular--better than the road trip, but I have no idea if the train trip between Whittier and Anchorage is similarly spectacular.

Thanks for the welcome.

KarenS- Have sailed on Diamond and Mariner a few times.

Whittier Transfer - Unless Radisson has earlier train service, it will probably be better to hire shuttles to transfer to Anchorage. Takes less time, will be available at our schedule and should run around same price as the transfer train.

Just started looking last night, will try to get a hold of these companies to find out the fine details and see if they will customize for a group.
Other companies:
Alaska Railroad
http://www.alaskarailroad.com/
Alaska Group Tours
http://alaskagrouptours.com/Scheduled_Tours/Escorted_Tours/discover_denali_alaska.html

Will also look into price difference between 4 hour and 8 hour Denali bus ride. By the time we get there, locals should know how much wild life is visible this year and how far in you have to go to see it.

gf - Thanks for TV Alert will be sure to TIVO

Well, see, ya learn something every minute; I had no idea that the trains aren't on the regular schedule. Thanks! I wondered what in the world people were going to do for all those hours, in that small town.

Ngaire is in Africa, and Julie is covered up with all the invoicing; I think this group of "renegades" has just taken off with our own planning, like we are so good at doing.

Kathy, thanks for the alert. I think that program might help me decide if I am going to do Denali or not.

Here's another tour - 8 hour Tundra and Grande Denali Lodge. Not included, but sure it can be added (1 Night Anchorage and Whittier Transfer)
http://www.railsnw.com/tours/akrr/a1.htm

Anchorage to Denali Tour
3 days / 2 nights

Trip highlights:
* Denali Star Train round trip
* Two night accommodations in Denali
* Tundra Wildlife Tour
* Optional side trips & tours
* Alaska Railroad's best selling tour!

Itinerary
DAY 1 : Anchorage to Denali
Travel by rail from Anchorage to Denali, departing at 8:15 am aboard the Denali Star, arriving Denali 3:45 pm. Overnight at Grande Denali Lodge.

DAY 2 : Denali
Travel by bus through Denali National Park on the Tundra Wildlife Tour (6 - 8 hours), lunch is included. Overnight at Grande Denali Lodge.

DAY 3 : Denali to Anchorage
You might want to add a flightseeing or river rafting tour to your itinerary this morning, please click here for available tours or explore Denali on your own. Reboard the Denali Star at Noon for your return trip to Anchorage. The tour ends as you arrive Anchorage at 8:15 pm. Post trip lodging is available.

2005 Price:
September 6 - 11
2 Adults per room
$569

Thanks, DMD and welcome to LCT! Where in California are you? We are having a California Brunch on May 1st in Long Beach. Thanks for the good info.

The last trip you posted is pretty close to what I am getting the quote on. It appears to pick you up in Anchorage in the morning so you'd have to overnight there. I am getting a quote to motorcoach direct to Denali since the motorcoach is faster and it will make several stops for sightseeing. I am also including the Anchorage overnight stay post tour in the quote.
They will meet the ship, take us to Denali, two or three nights in Denali and One night in Anchorage.

ChatKat - We are located in Arcadia & San Clemente

Link to Denali Park Reservations - Shuttle & Tours
http://www.reservedenali.com/

We will probably opt. for the short 40 mile Polychrome Shuttle. Allows on and off privileges and traveling with 2 seniors citizens, I know they won't want to be on a school bus for more than 4 hours.

Here is info:

Whittier to Anchorage -approximately one and one half hours by motorcoach
Anchorage to Denali by motorcoach-approximately five hours (with a stop at Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla).

Anchorage to Denali by Alaska Railroad- seven and one half hours (this is a scenic train journey that departs Anchorage at 8:15am and arrives into Denali at 3:45pm).

Here is one suggested itinerary:

Day 1 Disembark your cruiseship in Whittier. Meet your Tour Guide and Driver. Travel through the longest one-way tunnel in North America (Anton-Anderson Memorial Tunnel, 2 1/2 miles). Travel north on the Seward Highway, stopping at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to see Alaska’s critters up close. As your journey north continues be sure to watch for Dall sheep playing high above on the rocky cliffs. Afternoon motorcoach tour from Anchorage via Talkeetna to Denali National Park. Tours staff on site at Denali. Overnight Denali.

Day 2 Travel deep into Denali National Park on the included, seven hour Tundra Wilderness Tour looking for grizzly bear, moose, caribou, sheep, and many other animals. Overnight at Denali National Park.

Day 3 Your morning is free for optional activities. Board the world famous Alaska Railroad for the trip to Anchorage. As you travel along the Susitna River, you may catch a glimpse of the majestic Mt. McKinley. Overnight in Anchorage.
Day 4 Your tour comes to an end with a courtesy transfer to the Anchorage airport for flight connections.(air booked on own)

End of Tour Services

Tour Enhancements

A meal program can be added to this program.
o Buffet Breakfast
o Denali Dinner Theatre
o Dinner on that Alaska Railroad

ChatKat - Great Job, sounds good to us.
(Motorcoach Up, Train Back)

I just now saw this, Kathy! It looks great, to me.

I will get the pricing on this with a buffet breakfast and the dinner theater option and dinner on the train, Hilton Hotel (close to airport)

You are the BEST Kathy - J

Kathy, were you a travel agent in another life? Thanks for all of your efforts. This looks wonderful.

Actually one of my jobs in high school, I worked for a real estate office who did travel too. He would have me look up the ticket info in the OAG, and then I'd drive to another agency about a mile away and I would prep the airline tickets there for the clients. I forgot that I did that. He had this huge Ford LTD (the biggest car ever made) and I had to drive it there. I hated it - I was 16 and had no car to use but his. So I was not really an agent.

Kathy - definitely works for us as well!

Dreps - thanks again for your contributions to our planning!

gf - I'll have to keep my eye out for that program and make sure to Tivo it!

Masaki

In case some of you decide to take the exclusive Radisson train cars from Whittier to Anchorage, the following is from the Radisson excursion site for Whittier. It seems similar to the special domed train cars we took from the Anchorage airport to Seward, though the trip is shorter. It was really terrific. Radisson transferred our luggage to and from the train. You could always begin your trip to Denali from the Anchorage airport--wouldn't be so long on a bus.
------------------------

Grandview Cruise Train transfer to Anchorage

Tour code: WHT6909.
Duration: 2½ Hours.


The best opportunity to spot wildlife and view majestic glaciers is aboard the Grandview Cruise Train to Anchorage. This unique transfer option to Anchorage is approximately 2½ hours in length and begins with a journey through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in North America. Light meal service and complimentary coffee service is
available on-board.

Please note: The train transfer time is 2½ hours and is only available to guests with flights from Anchorage airport after 2:00pm. Air/Sea guests holding RSSC transfer vouchers may upgrade to the train transfer for only $65.00. Guests wishing to participate in this exclusive train transfer are encouraged to contact their travel specialist for pre-booking.

Lee,

I notice you want to spend more time before or after MUSH. I see you already went to Victoria but have you seen the rest of Vancouver Island? It is beautiful. We spent a week there a couple years ago. The Pacific Rim National Park is well worth the drive - it takes about 5 hours from Victoria. Large gorgeous beaches, woods with trails, a couple of small cute villages with good places to eat, and a wonderful lodge built on the rocks on the beach called the Wickanninnish Inn(or something like that.) It has a great restaurant. The drive there is through mountains along streams - not scary. Just another suggestion.

Also, there are several small interesting islands to see. One of them has a huge art show each Saturday, I think.

Kathy, thanks for all your hard work.

gf, thanks for the information on Denali. We are TIVOing it as well.

I am still laughing about our LCT group. Diana laughs at how I like to plan our trips, but you guys are too much. First, we book the entire seventh deck and now it looks like we are well on our way to figuring out our pre and post cruise stays. This is great!!! I am so glad that we are going with y'all. This is the best.

:lct:

I heard from the Tour Company. We cannot have all meals or no meals as an option. We are too small. I said do the Breakfast Buffet, Dinner on the Train and Dinner Theater and other dinners you are on your own at the Restaurants.

We could do all inclusive, but, we could be all "fooded out" by the time we get there and some might want to just eat lightly and others still on hearty eating.

Kathy, I think that's still perfect.

IMO both the Travel Channel shows tonight were very worthwhile! The Nat'l Parks Alaska will be repeated Sun., 4/3 at 10:00AM ET, Denali at Noon that day. Other dates also in April, see Travel Channel website.

Wow - What a wonderful depiction of Alaska. Kathy, you did good at spotting this for us!

I'm still watching the Denali special as I'm typing this. Thanks for the tip, Kathy!

And to ChatKat - the meal options sound good to me as well. :)

Masaki

ChatKat - We are interested in doing a Denali Park fly over. Could you please find out what it will run through this company.

Thank You,
D / M / D

David,

I am waiting for the tour company to give me the basic pricing. I think the optional excursions will be via the Grande Denali directly. I will ask.