Alaska Cruise + Land Tour: What We Loved, What We Learned, and What I’d Do Differently
A port-by-port recap of our Princess northbound cruise from Vancouver to Fairbanks.
A personal recap of our Princess Alaska cruise and land tour, including port highlights, excursion ideas, lodge notes, packing tips, and what I’d tell a friend before booking.
Trip Snapshot
Cruise Line: Princess Cruises
Route: Vancouver to Whittier
Land Tour: Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks
Trip Length: 7-night cruise plus 5-day land package
Time of Year: May
Best Surprise: The weather
Favorite Excursion: Whale watching in Juneau
Biggest Tip: Pack layers, bring binoculars, and leave room for flexibility
Our Alaska cruise was a true bucket-list trip.
We sailed northbound from Vancouver to Whittier with Princess Cruises, then added a land package through Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks. We went in May, which meant cooler weather, fewer crowds in some areas, and long daylight hours.
We were fortunate to have beautiful weather the whole trip, which is not always the norm in Alaska. We did miss peak bear and northern lights season, but we gained peaceful days, clear views, and a wonderful first look at Alaska by sea and land.
The Alaska cruising season begins in earnest in May and generally ends in September. You can find a variety of cruises, including round-trip cruises from ports such as Vancouver, Seattle, and San Francisco. Several cruise lines also offer southbound and northbound directional cruises that start or end in Alaska. The advantage of a directional cruise is the ability to add on a cruise tour and enjoy Alaska by land. We decided to take advantage of a good deal by booking one of the first northbound cruises on Princess, starting in Vancouver, and adding a 5-day land package. We were fortunate to have ideal weather days throughout the cruise, not once having to pull out our umbrellas, which is a rarity. There were a couple of things we didn’t see, which could be a benefit if we went later in the summer. That would be seeing the bears and the northern lights. The experts were saying that in May, the bears are just coming out of hibernation. Also, later in the summer, the salmon are running, and that is when the bears can be found out looking for food. A better chance to see the northern lights on a cruise happens as the summer progresses around mid-August, when less daylight leads to darker night skies.
Take a quick 17-second peek at our amazing trip!
Vancouver: Boarding Day Tips
Sailing out of Vancouver, the cruise port is surrounded by many dining options and is walkable on the day of departure if staying within 4 or 5 blocks. We arrived at about 11:30 AM, and there were already lines. If you already have your medallion, you can skip one line in the process. Your room on the ship may not yet be accessible when you first board, so be sure to explore the ship and check out the different areas, including the spa and sanctuary, where you can take tours. Food will be available as soon as you board, so there is no need to grab lunch before getting on the ship.
Ketchikan: Creek Street, Trails, and Excursion Ideas
After a sea day, the following day, our first stop was Ketchikan. We did not plan any excursions at this stop. Since we were the first ship in port that day, we decided to head out early to Creek Street to get pictures before the crowds showed up, which they did with three more ships in port later in the morning. Creek Street is such a charming walk along the river where the salmon swim upstream (during season), and there are so many cute shops and buildings to enjoy. After walking through Creek Street, we headed to Married Man’s Trail, which took us up to the highest point and had the best views. At the top of the trail is Cape Fox Lodge, where you can get a cup of coffee or, if it's later in the day, enjoy a cold drink on their Eagles Nest patio with beautiful views of the town and water. A popular excursion was the lumberjack show. They have a grandstand where they offer multiple shows each day and perform a variety of competitions. However, if we were to return, one of the excursions we would definitely do and suggest is the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour. If you’ve seen Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel, the ship you board was previously featured on an earlier season. You can watch the crab-catching process onboard, but the coolest part we heard about and saw from the pictures of the people who did it was the bald eagles. The ship passes near an island home to an Indian tribe and a bald eagle reserve. It offers opportunities to see the eagles up close as they fly around in search of food. All of these activities are easily reachable on foot from the cruise ship. If you are interested in seeing bears, Ketchikan would probably be the best port among our stops to see them. For this tour, you would be taken to a nearby rainforest sanctuary.
Juneau: Whale Watching and the Tram
The next stop is in Juneau, Alaska’s state capital. Although the downtown area is not the best for sightseeing, it is the place to see whales. We booked through a small local business, Harv & Marv, and loved every minute of it. If you are interested in whale watching, you will be picked up at the cruise port and taken to a marina, where you meet your captain and get on the boat. It is pretty much a guarantee that you will see whales. We did, but unfortunately, we didn’t see any up-close tail flips or belly flops. We did see a couple of tail flips in the distance and several long glides along the water that showed just how big they were. We were on a smaller boat with four other people, which was great because it was so quiet that you first heard the spout and then saw a whale spraying water before surfacing. We were there on a rare sunny day, but the captain said that he thought the whales were more active when it was raining, and the water was a little choppy, so don’t be discouraged if you encounter rain on this excursion. Juneau also has a glacier that many people drive to see. As we were driving to the marina, they pulled over so we could see it in the distance and take pictures. We decided not to venture out to it after our whale-watching tour, although many did. Juneau also has a tram that takes you to the top of the town with great hiking trails and views of the water. The tram line can be a bit long, so be sure you have enough time to get up and back down without missing any scheduled activities.
Skagway: E-Bikes, Waterfalls, and Fried Dough
Almost everybody here is taking the narrow-gauge train. Since we were catching a train later in the trip, we decided not to take this 2.5-2.75 hour trip. The reviews we heard were mixed, with many saying it was a very pretty ride but that seeing wildlife was hit-or-miss. We decided to get off the ship early again to get some pictures downtown before the crowds appeared. We were the second of four ships at the port on the day we were there. We had planned to just walk to Lower Reid Falls, but decided to stop by Klondike Bikes, a local e-bike store, to see if they had any bikes available for rent. They did, although they were sold out by the time we got back, so it’s best to reserve these ahead of time if interested. We ended up riding them to the waterfall and to a scenic overlook where you can see the ships in port. You can also rent an electric car here as well. The other excursion we heard about was an adventure park with ziplines, though we didn’t meet anyone who actually went. Another popular thing amongst tourists is stopping by Klondike Doughboy for fried Alaskan bread. Basically, a huge, flat, fried dough with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top. Definitely big enough to share! A nice treat after hiking and biking.
Glacier Bay: A Day for Binoculars
The next day was spent in Glacier Bay National Park. The ship never stops, but US National Park rangers actually climb aboard the ship and offer commentary as you sail through the park. It’s a good day to keep an eye out for the glaciers and various wildlife. We brought binoculars and had fun looking for wildlife and other surprises throughout the day.
Whittier to Talkeetna: Train Day
The last stop was Whittier, which was where our cruise ended. There was no time to see what was around there as we walked directly to the train, which left early in the morning for the start of the land portion of the tour and a 5-hour trip to Talkeetna. Princess took care of moving all large bags to each destination. On the train, you don’t have room for more than a small backpack. You will be able to walk around the train and stretch your legs or visit the observation car with a bar that you can walk to.
Talkeetna and Princess Mt. McKinley Lodge
TALKEETNA is a town that all mountain climbers know about because, if you plan to climb Denali Mountain, the tallest mountain in North America, you are required to first check in and register at the ranger station here. From the train, coaches (we learned that a coach has a bathroom and a bus does not) were waiting to pick us up and transport us 5 minutes over to the town center. The town has shops and restaurants. We did a quick walk through town and then headed back to the shuttle area to catch a coach to our first destination, the Princess Mt. McKinley Lodge. Others spent more time in Talkeetna and raved about the local food and shopping. There are coaches that leave on the hour to and from Talkeetna and the Princess Mt. McKinley lodge.The ride takes about 50 minutes. We received our room key on the coach so we could go directly to our room once we arrived. Our room hadn’t been serviced yet, so we dropped off our backpack (our large luggage was delivered straight to the room) and went back to the main lodge to hang out. The Mt. McKinley Lodge is in a secluded area that resembles a church camp. There are hiking trails around the property, and naturalists offer nature walks and talks. If you are looking for more action, you will definitely want to check out the available excursions, most of which start in Talkeetna and can be booked ahead of time before your cruise or at the lodge. At the main lodge, they have a large deck that overlooks Denali Mountain. As for dining options here, there is a sit-down restaurant, a coffee/pastry bar for breakfast, a bar & grill, and separate sit-down restaurants open for lunch and dinner. After two nights here, we were then transported by coach to the Princess Denali Lodge. This coach ride is about two hours, with a stop along the way to stretch our legs.
Denali: Lodging, Excursions, and ATV Adventure
The Princess Denali Lodge sits adjacent to the main highway, which offers more dining and shopping options. We actually never ate at any of the restaurants on site at the lodge, as we fell in love with the pizza and beer at Prospectors Pizza, which is across the street, and decided to go back the next day for pasta. As part of our tour package, we were provided a Natural History Tour. This is a 4-4.5-hour bus tour through Denali National Park. We decided not to take advantage of it mainly because we didn’t want to be on a bus that long. Reviews seemed mixed, with not many people seeing much wildlife along the way. In this same link, you will also find that the National Park Service offers the Tundra Wilderness Tour. Friends we talked to who took this one said it goes deeper into the park than the Natural History Tour and that they actually saw quite a bit of wildlife, including a bear. We decided to go on a Polaris ATV side-by-side adventure instead. We were picked up at the lodge and driven to the facility for helmet fitting and instructions. There is an extensive network of trails, and the side-by-side ATVs were actually pretty comfortable and a lot of fun. You will get dirty, especially if you are further back in the line. We stopped a couple of times for photo ops, then at a small dining area they operate, where they served a very nice five-course family-style meal before heading back to the starting point. Later that night, we hiked about 1.5 miles to the Denali National Park sign for fun photos. After two nights at the Princess Denali Lodge, coaches transported us to Fairbanks, which was another 2-hour ride with a stop in a town along the way to stretch our legs. In Fairbanks, we were taken directly to the Riverboat Discovery (https://www.riverboatdiscovery.com/). This boat ride was also included in our package. It’s a 3-hour boat ride with a stop for a walking tour of a local Indian village. Along the boat ride, we got to see a seaplane take off and see where sled dogs are trained, along with a demonstration. At the dock, lunch, snacks, and drinks are available for purchase (you will be hungry!). Once back, we took the coach to the last lodge, the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge.
Fairbanks: Riverboat Discovery and Final Night
This lodge is located across from the airport, and there aren’t many dining options. There is a restaurant on-site, but we thought it would already be too busy, so we never even looked into it. The Pump House is a pub across the river that we saw on the riverboat ride that looked intriguing, but would have required a car to get there, and by the time we looked into Uber, prices were $40, so we ended up just walking down the road to a restaurant called Pikes Landing that we saw driving from the riverboat to the lodge. The food wasn’t bad, but certainly wasn’t the best. This is also where the LOVE ALASKA sign is for a fun photo op. We had an early flight the next morning, so after a short walk, we went back to our room. We did set our alarm, however, for midnight to see the sun that was out at that time for the first time of the year. When you are ready to depart, you should have already received the suggested time to catch the shuttle to the airport for your flight. The airport is about 7 minutes away. You can have any checked luggage sent to the airport ahead of time, then pick it up and check in when you arrive.
Notes
Your required gratuities on the ship are already covered if you upgrade to a Princess Plus or Princess Premier package.
It is not required, but ever since we started cruising, we have also provided a tip to our steward, who takes care of our room for the week on the ship. We usually give it to him or her on the first day we arrive, since they often stop by to introduce themselves. They obviously appreciate it, and I feel like we benefit as well throughout the week.
On the train to Talkeetna, each car has a guide who points out things along the way and answers any questions. The coach drivers at each lodge are also good about pointing things out along the way, so we ended up tipping them as we left the train and the coaches.
If you do any excursions, you might also want to keep some tip money on hand for the captains and tour guides as well.
Because Alaska was just opening back up for tourists in May when we went, we experienced some slow kitchens and staff working out the kinks on the land portion. I would expect things to be running much more smoothly as the summer progresses.
If interested in any of the excursions, most of the ones above can also be booked directly through Princess. We ended up booking everything directly with the vendors, but there is a security booking through Princess, especially if there are any complications getting back to the ship. Princess will wait before departing for any excursions booked through Princess, but they will not necessarily wait for any other issues that are not booked directly with them.