A Guide to Post-Cruise Land Tours in Alaska
With its sheer vastness and its remote, wild terrain, Alaska can feel like a logistically challenging place to visit: distances are long between sights, and they often require small planes, ferry rides, or rental cars to reach. Cruises offer excellent coastal access, sailing along rugged coastlines, past tidewater glaciers, and threading between islands in the misty Inside Passage maze. But many of Alaska’s wondrous sights and scenery are land-based, never to be seen from a cruise ship. Thankfully, there are many possibilities for touring Alaska’s wild and scenic inland areas before or after your cruise. If you’re solo but don’t want to travel alone, or you want to minimize itinerary planning and logistical stress, a pre- or post-cruise land tour might be the perfect option for you.
What is a post-cruise land tour?
Post- or pre-cruise land tours are multi-day tours run on a fixed itinerary, generally with a relatively small group. They are often motorcoach-based, with some other combination of transport mixed in. In Alaska, that is most notably the Alaska Railroad. They are run by both cruise lines and independent tour operators.
How long are post-cruise land tours?
Their duration is anywhere from a short two to three days (giving you quick highlights) to an extended eight to fourteen days for a deep exploration. The most common length is four to seven days, which gives you enough time to scratch below the surface of Alaska’s many wonders. Factors influencing the length include geography and the remoteness of your destinations, and transport; i.e., will you need to travel by rail, road, and/or small plane?
Deciding what length is best for you is a personal mix of budget, time, and interests. A shorter tour is efficient but you might only catch a glimpse of what Alaska has to offer. An extended tour will be immersive, but has a higher cost and time commitment.
Where do post-cruise land tours go?
Land tours focus on inland or logistically complex regions not accessible by cruise ship. There are a few very popular land extension itineraries that are easily added to a cruise journey. These visit Kenai Fjords National Park from Seward, where you can start or end a cruise; the small town of Talkeetna for outdoor adventures like flightseeing and jet boat tours; Denali National Park for wildlife and experiencing Interior Alaska; and Fairbanks, Alaska's second largest city. Some tours even venture into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, which is the nation’s largest national park (and quite remote).
One of the highlights of many land tours is the Alaska Railroad, which travels by Denali National Park between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Major cruise ship companies have their own domed rail cars, where you’ll sit on the second story of a double-decker train car and enjoy panoramic views of wilderness. Each car has its own dining room, where you can enjoy meals while watching the scenery roll by. Independent travelers can ride directly with the Alaska Railroad; all companies’ cars are connected in one long train.
What do land tours include?
While a cruise is all-inclusive, land tours are usually “almost” all-inclusive. Though it will vary based on company and tour, in general you can expect transfers, transport, accommodations, and guided experiences to be included. Breakfast is often covered, but other meals tend not to be; this can depend on your itinerary (for example, a guided full day tour may include lunch). Luggage handling and logistical coordination is also usually covered. The most typical exclusions are alcohol, gratuities, and optional excursions.
Is it better to do a land tour before or after your cruise?
You can add a land extension either before or after your cruise; there are a few factors to weigh when deciding when in your trip to add it. Travelers most commonly add a land extension after their cruise, as there’s never a risk of missing their ship, and it feels like a natural extension of the trip. Additionally, it’s a continuation of your vacation, rather than beginning the trip with logistics. A pre-cruise tour has its own advantages. You have a built-in buffer against travel delays, especially if you’re traveling to Alaska from afar. You’ll also start your trip with a deeper context of Alaska.
What are the benefits of doing a post-cruise land tour?
There are several strong advantages to organized land tours: logistical simplicity (no need to plan your itinerary, transport, or lodging), access to remote parks and regions that are challenging to coordinate solo; seamless transitions coordinated with cruise schedules; and guided expertise. If you’re a first-time visitor, a post-cruise land tour is an ideal option for seeing even more of Alaska.
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