Itinerary
JULY 1 - 14, 2027
Day by Day
Thursday, July 1
Depart for Anchorage
Departing on Thursday morning gets us into Anchorage between 12:00 pm and 11:00 pm depending on the flight you choose. This leaves time for getting settled on Thursday evening and touring Anchorage on Friday. We have rooms at the Hotel Captain Cook on Thursday & Friday evening.
Our cruise fare includes ground transfer from the airport to our hotel. We still need to confirm how late this runs on Thursday evening for Carol & Gary who are getting in later.
Flight options are still being investigated.
Friday, July 2
Anchorage Sightseeing
Friday is open for touring Anchorage or the surrounding area. We are booked for the Turnagain Arm, Conservation Center and Glacier Small Group tour with pickup at 9:00 am. Sites include Turnagain Arm to see beluga whales, Portage Glacier, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Chugach State Park and lunch at Girdwood Brewery.
The tour runs until about 3:00 pm. We will return to the Hotel Captain Cook after the tour. Friday evening is open.
Saturday, July 3
Bus to McKinley
Depart 9:00 am - enjoy a scenic motor coach journey as you travel along the George Parks Highway. After your arrival at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, you can choose to take an excursion, walk the many trails around the lodge or relax and take in the views from the Great Room. The bus ride is approximately 3 hours. Arrive by 1:00 pm.
Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge Mile 133 Parks Highway Denali State Park, AK 99683 Phone: (907) 733-2900 Check-in time is 3:00pm and check-out is 11:00am.
Sunday, July 4
All Day at McKinley
The lodge is located south of the Denali National Park near the Chulitna River. This is a full day to explore or relax at the lodge. Most excursions pick you up directly at the McKinley Princess Lodge (check your tours for details) and the lodge provides shuttle service to the town of Talkeetna (approximately 1 hour ride) for a cost of $10 round-trip. There are 2 restaurants onsite and a gift shop.
Monday, July 5
Bus to Denali
Depart McKinley lodge at 9:00 am, taking a motor coach to Denali. Your luggage will be transported to Denali for you and will not arrive until early evening. It's recommended to keep any clothing and footwear for activities, rain jacket, travel documents and medications with you. Travel time is approximately 2 1/4 hours to Denali, arriving around 11:30 pm. The afternoon is free to get settled at the lodge, explore the surrounding area and take short excursions.
Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge Mile 238.9 Parks Highway Denali National Park, AK 99755 Phone: (907) 683-2282 Check-in time is 4:00pm and check-out is 11:00am.
Tuesday, July 6
All Day at Denali
All day to explore the surrounding area of Denali and Denali National Park. The entrance to Denali National Park is only a mile away. Excursions include ATV rides, Fat Tire truck tours, Jeep tours, adventure hikes, eBike rentals and more. You also can enjoy views of the park from one of the decks overlooking the Nenana River.
As part of our cruise tour, we are automatically booked on a morning Denali Natural History Tour. This is a 4-5 hour narrated tour into Denali National Park. Princess does not offer a refund of this tour should you choose not to take it.
Wednesday, July 7
Train to Whittier
Depart the lodge at 7:45 am to get to the train depot. The train departs at 8:15 am and is a 10 hour scenic ride, arriving in Whittier at 6:30 pm.
Your luggage will be transported for you. Keep personal items and necessities with you. Also keep your cruise documents and passport in your possession which will facilitate check-in when you get to Whittier. Luggage storage on the train is limited to the area immediately beneath your feet. Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase while on the train.
The Coral Princess sets sail from Whittier at 8:30 pm.
Thursday, July 8
Hubbard Glacier (scenic cruising)
Arrive at Hubbard Glacier at 3:00 pm. Hubbard is the largest tidewater glacier in North America. Most passengers stay on the ship as we sail through the area. It's a chance to see the glacier with mountain backdrops. The area around Hubbard Glacier is known for its wildlife - whales, harbor seals, otters, brown bears, moose and black-tailed deer, and a wide variety of seabirds.
There is an excursion offered (off-ship), but you will see most everything from our ship. DTA does not believe the excursion is necessary to enjoy the sites of the area.
Depart 8:00 pm.
Saturday, July 10
Skagway
Arrive at 6:00 am. Skagway is a historic frontier town at the northern tip of the Inside Passage, famous for its role as the gateway to the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush.
We are signed up for the White Pass Scenic Railway Tour, a round-trip ride from 9:00 am - 11:45 am. This leaves the afternoon for exploring the town of Skagway or going on a hike. Some hikes are within walking distance of town.
We depart Skagway at 8:30 pm.
Sunday, July 11
Juneau
We arrive in Juneau 6:30 am. Juneau is Alaska's capital and is only accessible by boat or plane. There are no roads into Juneau.
All 8 of us are booked on the Alaska Tales Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Watching Tour at 9:00 am. It is a 4.5 hour tour and includes 45 minutes at Mendenhall Glacier and 2 hours of whale watching. Read tour details here.
We depart Juneau at 4:15 pm.
Monday, July 12
Ketchikan
We arrive in Ketchikan at 10:00 am. Ketchikan is Alaska’s southern most cruise port and is widely known as the "Salmon Capital of the World."
There are many excursion options including wildlife tours and Misty Fjords National Monument. Hessmans are booked on a 12:00 pm Misty Fjords flight with Island Wings. Farwicks and DeTamples are booked on a 2:00 pm Misty Fjords flight.
We depart Ketchikan at 5:00 pm.
Wednesday, July 14
Vancouver, Canada
We arrive in Vancouver at 7:30 am. Princess includes ground transfer from the cruise terminal to the airport should you choose to fly home.
For those who plan to spend the rest of the day or following days in Vancouver, it offers a lot to see including Stanley Park, Gastown, Granville Island, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Whistler and day trips to Victoria.
Downtown hotels offer the convenience of tour pickups but are expensive. For example, one of the better options is the Days Inn Downtown, which can still run $288 per night. Hotels near the airport can run $220 per night.
BC Ferries offers transportation to Victoria with options that include bus transfers called the BC Ferries Connector (get on bus in Downtown Vancouver and drive onto ferry). Ferries generally depart every hour.
There is a 4:45 pm Amtrak Cascades train from Vancouver Pacific Central Station to Seattle King St. Station, arriving at 9:10 pm for a $50 fare. Hammonds, Hessmans and DeTamples are planning to take the train to Seattle.