Our Alaska CruiseTours are now Called Land+Sea Journeys
HAL fans, if you’re thinking about taking one of of popular Alaska CruiseTours, we wanted to share with you that we rebranded them and they are now called Land+Sea Journeys!
This change reflects substantial program updates designed to appeal to the desires of today’s travelers. Now our guests will have more opportunities than ever to explore and personalize Great Land vacations.
Land+Sea Journeys offer the benefit of combining the “must-see” of Denali National Park with the “seldom seen” wonders of the Yukon, including one- or two-night stays in the heart of the Klondike Gold Rush Country. We are employing a refreshed approach to add to guests’ leisure time so they can further engage in their own personal discoveries and experience more highlights en route.
Perhaps the most significant program enhancement for 2014 is a convenient one-hour flight that brings Fairbanks, Alaska, and Dawson City, Yukon, closer together — replacing up to two days of motorcoach travel and a hotel overnight. Other notable elements include a new McKinley Explorer dome rail schedule between Anchorage and Denali that departs later in the morning northbound to Denali and arrives before dinnertime nearly three hours earlier heading southbound to Anchorage.
Between Denali and Fairbanks, luxury motorcoaches will provide swifter service that maximizes the guest experience in both destinations. At Westmark Fairbanks, Anchorage and Skagway, Holland America Line has begun substantial renovations that will include extensive room updates, soft goods, hotel decor and some expansion in the Skagway property.
Check out the new Land+Sea Journeys. This change should be reflected on our website by the end of the month!
We took the cruisetour through the Yukon in 2006 and loved it!! We wanted to take my brother and his wife with us as we go back next summer. I was disappointed that the same trip is not available. The Yukon Queen on the river, Eagle, Chicken, Tok, the highway, seeing the Northern Lights from our hotel in Tok was amazing!. Yes, the bus ride is long, but it’s what you make of it. Not interested in taking my family on a flight from Fairbanks to Dawson City, etc. The “roadtrip,” along with the stories of the Alaskan highway, etc. was a huge part of the great experience!!
I recently did a sea and land cruise, loved it. One sees so much of the country and the people. So sorry to see that one would be bused from Fairbanks to Denali, the train is the only way to go and the food was good and reasonable. If one is to fly from Dawson to Fairbanks can we have a tour on the Top of The World Hwy. It was still snowed in when I was in Dawson. As other Alaskans have said, we had winter and no spring, straight into summer. Would do the trip again.
I am very interested in seeing Alaska. Do you offer any single supplements? Would like more info, Please.
My husband & I have been to Alaska twice, but not as far as Denali. He’s bugging me to go again and include Denali. This new Land + Sea Journey has me very interested and I will really check into it. At age 80 and in good health there’s no time like the present.
I’m addicted to Alaska, its like potato chips, can’t have just one. Can’t wait to review new itineraries.
My wife and I took the inside passage to Glacier Bay on our honeymoon cruise, and we’re looking forward to booking a Denali tour for our 5-year anniversary. These new options sound interesting.
We just finished a cruise with HAL to Seward a couple weeks ago. It was my son’s first cruising and he loved it. We did a land part with Knightly Tours to get to Nome, Barrow, and Purdue Bay/Deadhorse , while it included lots of flying there was a van tour on the Dalton Hwy back from Purdue Bay to Fairbanks. All of it was great! We saw a Mother grizly bear with two cubs in the wild, as well as my first time seeing Muskox..along with Dall sheep, red fox, and of course lots of caribu in the wild. Also, it was an experience to be in the “camps” at Purdue Bay and Coldfoot. Wiseman and the native village in the Brooks Range that can only be reached by air are not to be missed. The Bush plane flying is exciting and wonderful. Nothing like flying between two mountains which are close. As this was my third trip to Alaska, I want to see more of the State. Next one will include the Aleutian Islands and Kodiak probably, though I have fallen in love with the Far North.
Never been to Alaska & anxious to visit there–would like info on your 2014 summer Alaskan tours, know nothing about them or Alaska! Though had a beautiful experience on the HAL Mediterrean Tapestry cruise!
We went on the cruise/land tour in the summer of 2011. For us, two days in Dawson City is a must. We so enjoyed the history and relaxing atmosphere there. The bus ride from Dawson to Fairbanks was extremely interesting, especially riding along the Top of the World Highway, stopping in Chicken, staying in Tok and experiencing the state in a way you can’t in a plane. I guess we just enjoyed the ride and the group on our bus. We were more interested in the journey than quickly getting from place to another.
I agree that an earlier arrival in Anchorage is a real benefit. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the entire land tour and would like to do the very same tour again next year.
Just finished one of these tours. I thought the land portion (on the motorcoaches) was a very significant part of seeing Alaska. The state is a large place! It is pristine wilderness – or a big empty – depending on one’s point of view. I, for one, am very glad I got to do the motorcoach portion and would have been sad to miss it. It is a pity that this part must be eliminated entirely.
never been to Alaska. would like to here more about it specially the train ride. lenny migs .
This sounds much, much better than what you have offered before!
I would like to know how long the stay is in the Yukon portion of the trip?
Sounds like a very good trip. Will there be any connections from any port in Florida? I have flown before, to connections in other states, but really prefer boarding in Florida, and continuing to Alaska. Preferably round trip to Florida.
Would like to hear more.
Looking forward to seeing more information.
Will there be a financial savings for booking now for the 2014 season?
I am not into air planes, I love to see the country that’s why we like the cruise tours, part of the excitement is to see the land and the way people in Yukon and Alaska live. I was disapointted when they cut the rail trip on the W.P. & Y. RR back to Fraiser instead of the train journey to Carcross with lunch at Lake Bennett. so lets keep the motorcoach and the trains ikt is a big part of the Yukon-Alaska Adventure, along with the longer tundra tour into Denali, I might ever go for staying at the lodge deep in Denali. also want to return to the lower 48 staes by ship rather than by air. Ed. O’Brien, Easton NH
We were not on a motorcoach for two days straight. When on the motorcoach we stopped in some very neat little towns for snacks and photo opportunities. Tok was a wonderful little town overnight stop. The staff at the Westmark Hotel and Restaurant were some of the best we encountered. They were there to serve us and our needs. We loved these little towns!! We wanted to see Alaska and the best way to see Alaska is by train and motorcoach. What can you possibly see in the air? I remember seeing the Dawson and Fairbanks airstrips, so I am assuming these are very very small planes and that you will have to clear customs at either Fairbanks or Dawson City. There will be no first class, beverage and snack service, and possibly no steward or stewardess on these flights. Personally I am glad I took the Land/Cruise this year as the motorcoach and the trains were very comfortable and the scenery was priceless.
My wife and I just completed the Cruise tour and heard that HAL was discontinuing the longer bus portion of the trip. Yes, some of the food was expensive, but the idea of going to Alaska is to SEE Alaska. The scenery was gorgeous on the train to Fairbanks and the two day bus ride was great. Granted, my wife and I at 50 years old were younger than most of our fellow travellers. The ride is only boring if you make it that way. I feel sorry for the hard working folks in Tok, Chicken, and other spots along the ride that depend on tourism to make a living.
Glad to hear you are improving Westmark hotels, the one at Denali is not good, too many steps for older clients and waiting for the shuttle too long.
What happened to Chalet up on the top from 8 yrs. ago., it was great and great view. We’re in a valley or hole now.
please send info on the new streamlined land-sea tours
Looking forward to more info, however I’m still disappointed you no longer offer the Prudhoe bay option/excursion
This upgrade sounds like a wonderful idea. The last time we traveled to Denali we had to take the motor coach. It was very uneventful, and a long ride in a motor coach – which is a nice word for a bus. I am looking forward to reading more about this new concept, as we are planning on returning to Denali in the near future.
WE have been on a HA cruise to Alaska before; very nice, but this one with the land tour addition should be a great one. I look forward to hearing more about this.
Who benefits the customer or the company I COULD see more from a motorcoach than the air.
We thoroughly enjoyed our 3 days on the train. The scenery was spectacular. I am not sure your decision is a good one.
I agree with Sandy Long Train and boring Bus rides and Long train rides can be exhausting…
Did this once on a princess land & cruise trip. Want to do again,this time on HAL. Looking forward to more info.a beautiful trip.
Send me some good news for the solo traveler in regards to Alaska-Land tours.
Will you be offering “pick and choose” itinerary choices? I would love to take the train day trip from Anchorage down the Kenai Peninsula, a trip to Homer to visit Kirsten Dixon’s lodge and restaurant, and a tour on the ferry system. Also, some flightseeing in order to eliminate hours of travel on a bus. Looking forward to seeing your new schedules at the end of the month.
Looking forward to more info hoping to go next year
Sounds like what I’m looking for – just so the price is not exorbitant. I’ll look forward to learning more.
We’ve been yearning to return to Alaska. Will look forward to seeing your changes on the website.
Sounds exciting been on sea and on personal land tour, only not to all places mentioned above,anxious to here more.
Will you ever provide a trip to Nome? We just finished the Alaska and Yukon 16 day tour.
Sounds great. Can’t wait to see the offers .
Since your saving so much time flying to Dawson City, are you adding the wonderful town of
Homer????????
Will give us more time to explore so we can maybe see up close wildelife for better pic,s
the train ride was the best
Will give us more time to explore so we can maybe see up close wildelife for better pic,s
I have made two cruises to Alaska, as of yet not seen Denali Park…a MUST see on next cruise !!
sounds very interesting. I don’t have any problems with road or rail journeys. I
Enjoy the as long as the scenery is interesting. I’ve been to Dawson City several times and enjoyed myself immensely but I do want to see Denali. Do the rail and air journeys reduce the time we have there? I would prefer to have more time in Denali.
Great idea – Combining both Yukon, Alaska and sea without the long coach and/or train rides is fantastic for a 1st time exploration of these sights. You can always go back at a future date, if so inclined, and see the sights you missed. What airline are you planning on using between Dawson and Anchorage? Are you planning on stopping at Ketchikan or Prince Rupert to get to Dawson?
Please send me more information about this. I am finally interested in exploring the idea of taking an Alaskan cruise ( a nice cruise). Thanks, Pam
What do you have available for 2014? The dates advertised are already past. But, we might be interested in a 2014 land and sea tour.
Will look for this info at end of month; not a fan of motor coach; rail ok if not for days on end. Sounds good.
I disagree – after our last HAL cruisetour, we spent soooo much time riding buses and trains that we were exhausted and vowed ‘never again’! I’ll take a short plane ride over hours of boring buses and paying $$$ to eat on the train!
Sounds good, would like to hear more about it.
nice idea – a upgrade and providing better service but people who hate flights going to places should be provided by motorcoach?