The Princess Cruise line owns lodges in Alaska, which makes it easy to partake in both land and cruise options on one trip with one payment and transportation taken care of from boat to lodges. Land and cruise vacations are offered separately but are scheduled so that it is possible to go from one to the other. The line has two lodges near Mt. McKinley, one inside the Denali NP and another on the edge. A third lodge is near the Copper River. The fourth lodge is at the Kenai River. Princess also offers a "cruisetour" that combines seven day cruises with four days on land to Denali NP and Anchorage, with some going to Fairbanks. While on the cruise, the line has experts come on board to talk about an area's flora, fauna, history or culture. You can disembark at a town, sign up for side trips such as a glacier fly-over, or explore on your own once on the dock or in town. The same is true on land upon reaching the lodge. Prices vary by date and type of cabin, but as of April 2010 range from $2,000 to $2,500 before taxes and side trip add-ons.
Princess Tours
800 5th Ave., Suite 2600
Seattle, WA 98104
800-774-6237
princess.com
Part do-it-yourself, you tell Alaska Tours where you want to go and your available times. The company has cruise ships and escorted land tours or will arrange flexible accommodations and transportation. They have seven day cruises starting at $786 and small-ship four to five day cruises at about $1,100. Flexible land tours before or after the cruise can run from $538 to $2,332, depending on how many days it covers. Escorted land tours are from $632 to $5095, also depending on number of days.
Alaska Tours
507 E Street, Suite 206
Anchorage, AK 99501
888-252-7588
alaska.org
While different cruise lines pull in at Alaska's ports, trains between Fairbanks and Anchorage usually read Holland America along their sides. Cars on the train are booked by other lines, but to take a land and cruise combo, check out Holland America's itineraries, prices and ship sizes. Prices for summer 2010 range from about $1400 to about $2,400 before adding taxes and side trips.
Holland America Line
300 Elliott Ave. West
Seattle, WA 98119
877-932-4259
hollandamerica.com
