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Alaska Marine Hwy ferries

22 years ago

I'm looking at doing a tour on ferries with the Alaska Marine Highway System (www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs)

Anybody have any experience with them? We met somebody on the train who recommended the tours. We are two adults, no kids.

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Comments (6)

Ilene29
22 years ago
We are planing to go to Alaska this summer. Would like to hear about it to.
Ilene
molly_clover
22 years ago
About 20 years ago, my husband took the ferry up to Wrangell. He said it is very laid back. Bring a sleeping bag to sleep on the deck. Also wear your shoes to bed or someone will swipe them!
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My DD, SIL and I took a two week Cruisetour to Alaska this past June, and we had a great time. We did the tour first, started in Anchorage, then to Denali, Fairbanks, then by bus to Prudhoe Bay, and back to Anchorage for a one week cruise down the coast to Vancouver, BC. The only place we had mosquitos was in Coldfoot, on the way to Prudhoe Bay, otherwise, it was great. Be aware, Alaska is very wild and remote once you get outside Anchorage and Fairbanks. There are very few roads, and along the coast, the only way to get to some of the towns is by boat. There is a great Marine Ferry system, but you have to have a lot of time. Denali was very good, though it rained most of the time we were there. We took the Tundra Wilderness Tour into the Park, you pretty much have to take an escorted tour. We couldn't see the mountain, but on our flight back from Prudhoe Bay to Anchorage, the pilot circled Mt. McKinley, twice, so we all got a good look, and great pictures. Fairbanks is pretty small, but it's nice. We were there on June 21, for the Midnight Sun Festival - you can't do that too many places. We had over a week of non-stop daylight! The bus ride up to Prudhoe Bay was the best part of the trip. It is a wild place. We crossed the Arctic Circle and my SIL took a dip in the Arctic Ocean. I liked Anchorage, I would like to spend more time there. The best way to see the glaciers along the coast is to cruise, that's actually the only way to get into Glacier Bay National Park. It as a spectacular place. You can cruise in a big ship (we did Princess) or you can take on of the smaller cruise ships or connect up with a tour into the park. We stopped at Skagway, Junneau and Ketchikan, there are a few other towns along the coast that are worth visiting too, and there are some nice towns to visit along the Kenai Peninsula to Seward and Homer. There are some good websites, such as Alaska.com and TravelAlaska.com, as well as toursaver.com. If you are going to do a cruise, of course log on to Cruisecritic.com, they have a whole discussion board on Alaska, as well as forums devoted to individual cruise lines and ships. You will love the trip, I can't wait to go back. Here is a link that might be useful: What I did on my summer vacation
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janMD
22 years ago
We took the ferry from Valdez to Whittier a couple of years ago. It was a beautiful ride, although that day the weather wasn't so good. The ferry itself was large and comfortable.
trekker
Original Author
22 years ago
I found an article 'Seeing the 'real' Alaska by sailing Inside Passage'
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/entertainment/travel/s_124963.html
which also recommended this book: Adventure Guide to the Inside Passage & Coastal Alaska' by Ed & Lynn Readicker-Henderson. Found it at the library.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seeing the real alaska by sailing inside passage
sassyinak
20 years ago
If you don't want to sleep in a sleeping bag on the deck, reserve a stateroom. It is not luxurious, like cruise ships, but laid back and fun. You are sure to meet some interesting people and see wildlife. We saw many, many orca whales, eagles, puffins, sea otters. Bring medication if you get seasick.
cathyid
20 years ago
The ferry system is as it claims, part of the hiway system. It is not luxury travel, like a cruise liner. It is efficeint and comfortable. We have traveled it several times. It is cafeteriia eating, and if you are lucky, there are some comfortable chairs. Don't be lured into thinking that sleeping on the deck, or floor is a fun experience if you are over 30. LOL The staterooms are also very basic, but I would not travel without one. If you get motion sickness, make sure you get something for it. We have not been on in rough water while traveling the inside passage, but the movement still causes some discomfort for some people. Better to be prepared than miserable. We take our own food. You are allowed to go to your vehicle twice a day, but it is best not to have the need. The scenery is outstanding, and wildlife viewing at its best. The short trips or longer destination are enjoyable, if you know what to expect. Foot traffic is boarded before vehicles, so by th time the vehicles are parked below, the good locations have been claimed for seating or deck camping, and that usuallt means for the whole trip. Be prepared for cold and wet weather, even in warm weather months. Most important of all, is to enjoy the time. You can meet, some really great folks, as well as some real characters.

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