An Alaskan Cruise Tour is the Best Option for Cruising Alaska with Multi-Generations

The 11 Day Denali Explorer Cruise Tour offers the best of both worlds—land and sea. My family is active and enjoys nature, hiking, and exploring. The cruise tour allowed each of us to choose activities that fit best for our individual interests, and we were not disappointed with everything Princess offered.

Fairbanks

Our land portion started in Fairbanks, where we checked into the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. Although the rooms were basic, the lodge itself offered exceptional service and amenities. The food was fantastic, the patio overlooking the Chena River was a perfect place to enjoy your morning coffee or evening cocktail.

While in Fairbanks, we were able to learn about the Alaskan pipeline, pan for gold, cruise along the Chena and Tanana Rivers on the Riverboat Discovery, an Alaska sternwheeler, with a stop at a native Chena village—all part of the Princess cruise tour package. Panning for gold was full of laughs as each of us tried to pan the most gold. They even weigh your gold and tell you its value. My dad had the most, worth $40.

From Fairbanks, we took a coach bus to Denali National Park. Here, we checked into the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. The lodge was a small village of log cabin-styled buildings nestled among the mountains of Denali and on the Nanana River. The six dining options were fantastic and offered everything from local king salmon to pizza and pub burgers. Outdoor fire pits, walking trails, and terraces overlooking the river and mountains make it a truly beautiful place. But the best part was that the lodge is located just one mile from the Denali National Park entrance and has a shuttle to take you to various places in the park, including the visitor center and numerous hiking trailheads.

The cruise tour included a wilderness coach bus tour of the park. I highly recommend the upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness Tour as it takes you deeper into the park, ending at mile 43. It was a great way to see more of the park, mountains, glaciers, and wildlife. Although a little long at five hours, we all are glad we did the tundra tour. Seeing caribou and dall sheep in their natural habitat was pretty amazing, but the beauty of the park was truly spectacular.

Horseshoe Lake Trail, Denali National Park

We are a family who loves the outdoors and hiking was a high priority in Denali. We started with the Horseshoe Lake Trail. This was a 2 mile hike with a steep 250 stairway that took you to the level of the lake. It was simply stunning, and we were able to watch a moose splash in the water. Another trail took us over a small suspension bridge and part of the Nanana River. We only wished we had one more day in Denali to do more of the hiking trails.

Midnight Sun ATV Adventure Tour, Denali

The highlight of our time in Denali was the Midnight ATV Sun Adventure Tour that we booked through Denali ATV Adventures. In the summer, the sun sets around 12:15 am and rises at 3:45 am. Our ride started at 9 pm and ended around 11 pm, so we were able to see the sun starting to go down over the mountains. The tour guides were amazing and led us on adventurous trails through the mountains and creeks, stopping several times so we could enjoy the stunning views and take some pictures. Everyone loved this adventure!

Insider tips: Make sure to pre-purchase the meal plan for the land portion of your trip. The food in the lodges was excellent and the meal plan made it more affordable. Add an extra day in Denali if you plan to do some hiking!

The cruise tour included a scenic train ride from Denali to Whittier, where we boarded the Coral Princess for the cruise portion of our trip. We first boarded the train at the rail depot in Denali and relaxed on a nine ½ hour ride to the cruise port in Whittier. Although this sounds like a long ride, the time went by fast. The scenic route was beautiful. We crossed rivers and creeks and enjoyed forest, mountain, and glacier views. Pictures do not do it justice. The Alaskan landscape is absolutely breathtaking.

At the port, we boarded the Coral Princess, which became our home for the next seven days. The ship is smaller in size (to be able to go into Hubbard & Glacier Bay) but offered many daily activities—several pools and hot tubs, a basketball and pickleball court, casino, Teen Club, Kids Lounge, theaters for nightly entertainment, game room, library, and many restaurants, bars, and lounges. It was the perfect ship for multi-generations. The kids could easily hang out on their own (a lot of time was spent on the basketball courts!) or with the adults. The options provided a good balance for all travelers. The dining was fantastic and the staff was incredible friendly.

Celebrating 50 years in Glacier Bay National Park

I loved that the Coral Princess was small enough to maneuver into Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park. Because the weather was clear and beautiful the day we were in Hubbard Glacier, we could get within a mile of the glacier that stretches about 6 miles wide and rises 300–400 feet above sea level. Stunning! But Glacier Bay National Park blew us away. Snow-capped mountains, massive tidewater glaciers, fjords, and abundant wildlife (we saw bears, humpback whales, orcas, sea otters, sea lions, and porpoises) make the park a remarkable experience and one that every cruiser must do!

Hubbard Glacier

Our cruise stopped at three different ports—Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. Princess offers a variety of port excursions that we took advantage of. Since we were a group of 12, the excursion options allowed us to pick what was best for everyone and no one was left disappointed. Below are a few excursions we recommend at each port and other highlights not to miss!

Skagway:

Yukon Expedition and White Pass scenic railway: Some of us enjoyed the scenic drive along the Klondike Highway, witnessing the magnificent mountains, lakes, and waterfalls that make up the Yukon landscape. The 27 mile journey through White Pass in a vintage railcar was spectacular. You ride the edge, and the views are breathtaking. Insider Tip: Skip the paid “dog sled ride” that is offered.

Musher’s Camp and Dog Sled Experience: The rest of the group had a fun ride on the dog sled pulled by Alaska Huskies. Some of these dogs have even won the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. They were also able to interact with the puppies and take a 4x4 Unimog (monster-style truck) to a lookout point over the Dyea tidal flats. It is no wonder that this is one of the highest-rated dog sled excursions in Skagway!

Musher's Camp, Skagway

Insider tips for Skagway: Stop in the Red Onion Saloon for a reindeer fart shot and a brothel tour! The Skagway Brewing Company is a great spot for lunch. It is known for its halibut, fish and chips, and craft beers!

Juneau

Mendenhall Glacier float trip: The rafting trip begins at Mendenhall Lake, which is surrounded by mountains and the Mendenhall Glacier. Ten of us embarked on the paddle raft and had a fantastic time! We paddled through the calm lake, took in the scenery, and learned about our guide. Then we headed down the Mendenhall River and through some rapids. This is a fun, adventurous trip with low-level rapids.

Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Quest: This was a great way to experience Mendenhall Glacier and to embark on a whale-watching cruise in Auke Bay. Seeing the humpback and killer whales up close is an unforgettable experience! Insider Tip: Whale sightings are guaranteed in June through August! If you have not been on a whale-watching tour, Juneau is the place to do it!

Mendenall Glacier Float, Juneau

Insider tips for Juneau: Grab a famous duck fart shot at the Red Dog Saloon (they even have an outdoor walk-up bar for the shots)! Enjoy some free samples at Taku Smokeries (the gift shop is great too)! And don’t miss the hot spot for king crab—Tracy’s King Crab Shack. There is a location near the port, but I recommend taking the 10 minute walk to the original crab shacks for a more authentic experience. It is pricey but is a must-do if you like crab!

Tracy's Crab Shack, Juneau

Ketchikan

Saxman Native Village, dance performance, and totem park: Three family members experienced traditional song and dance, learned about canoe and totem pole making, and visited totem pole park. Insider Tip: My family said that this excursion was much better than it sounded and really enjoyed it!

Rainforest Canopy & Zipline Adventure: For the adventure seekers of the group, ziplining through the lush rainforest of Ketchikan was a must! A memorable experience, for sure!

Ketchikan Salmon Fishing: Some of the group went to Knudson Cove Marina. A local guide took them fishing for salmon in Clover Passage. We didn’t catch any salmon (only two king salmon, and neither were legal size). But we saw a humpback whale that came close to the boat and watched eagles fly over us all the time.

Salmon Fishing, Ketchikan

Insider tips for Ketchikan: Wander Creek Street and stop in the Alaska Fish House for lunch or chowder!

If Alaska is on your travel bucket list, make it happen! Princess is the highest-rated cruise line for Alaska cruises and offers cruises and cruise tours. As a Travel Advisor, I completed the Princess Academy and became an Alaska Expert prior to picking the cruise option best for our family. The 11 day Denali Explorer was perfect for a multi-generational family trip to celebrate my parents’ wedding anniversary. It offered the best of Alaska (don’t miss out on Denali National Park or Glacier Bay National Park) and provided excellent excursions for every age and area of interest. We would all go again in a heartbeat!

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