red stripe
Staff Captain
We have just returned from an Alaska Cruise-Your with HAL, and perhaps this might help anyone contemplating a trip there in the near future.
I expect that most of you heard about the road collapsing along the Denali Nature trail road? well, the holdup with them fixing it is because when they looked into it, they found that underneath that part of the road is a glacier! so it is doing what they do..it is moving. So rebuilding the road is out.
They have been looking at putting a bridge across the area, but they are running into 2 problems..
1. finding the money
2. finding a builder willing to take on the job.
So unfortunately do not look for any improvement in the near future.
In the meantime the tour only goes in about halfway and not the full 92 miles. This is a shame, as although you may see some wildlife along the way, you have nowhere near the chance you had with the full trip. Plus you miss some astounding views.
Much as we love Alaska, we will not be going back until this problem is solved.
We did do the White water rafting while in the Denali lodge, and it was great! four from our raft got thrown off and started down the rapids on our own. But they tossed us a rope and we finally made it back onboard.
I think that I brought home a gut full of glacial silt in the process
Other than that.. everything was just fine. Service may be a bit spotty at times, staffing is still a problem, but they are all working hard to get back on track.
Remember that to do the White Rail train, you do not need to book through the cruise line. you can get off the ship in the morning and walk down to the station and purchase your tickets.
Always when doing this ride, make sure of what is required. One tour option has you getting off and transferring to a bus for the return trip in Canada. Not a problem as long as you remember to take your passport lol
In Skagway the Jewel gardens is something that you can do on your own if you are so inclined, take the bus.. it is a very pretty gardens and tea room.
P.S..... just wish that when they tossed me the rope.. that they had actually tied it off! nothing like getting to the end of your rope while in the rapids.
I expect that most of you heard about the road collapsing along the Denali Nature trail road? well, the holdup with them fixing it is because when they looked into it, they found that underneath that part of the road is a glacier! so it is doing what they do..it is moving. So rebuilding the road is out.
They have been looking at putting a bridge across the area, but they are running into 2 problems..
1. finding the money
2. finding a builder willing to take on the job.
So unfortunately do not look for any improvement in the near future.
In the meantime the tour only goes in about halfway and not the full 92 miles. This is a shame, as although you may see some wildlife along the way, you have nowhere near the chance you had with the full trip. Plus you miss some astounding views.
Much as we love Alaska, we will not be going back until this problem is solved.
We did do the White water rafting while in the Denali lodge, and it was great! four from our raft got thrown off and started down the rapids on our own. But they tossed us a rope and we finally made it back onboard.
I think that I brought home a gut full of glacial silt in the process
Other than that.. everything was just fine. Service may be a bit spotty at times, staffing is still a problem, but they are all working hard to get back on track.
Remember that to do the White Rail train, you do not need to book through the cruise line. you can get off the ship in the morning and walk down to the station and purchase your tickets.
Always when doing this ride, make sure of what is required. One tour option has you getting off and transferring to a bus for the return trip in Canada. Not a problem as long as you remember to take your passport lol
In Skagway the Jewel gardens is something that you can do on your own if you are so inclined, take the bus.. it is a very pretty gardens and tea room.
P.S..... just wish that when they tossed me the rope.. that they had actually tied it off! nothing like getting to the end of your rope while in the rapids.