ALASKA TRAVEL ADVICE
Whether you have been planning your trip to Alaska for years or made a last minute decision to travel, this information
is designed to give you an overview of some of the things you need to properly plan an Alaskan vacation.
Packing List
You should take into consideration some of these amenities when packing to enhance your experience.
- Vacation Documents
- Medication & Prescription info
- Personal ID
- Important phone numbers
- Travel alarm Clock
- Insect Repellant
- Binoculars
- Camera, Film & sturdy carrying case
- Well-marked luggage
- Warm clothes
- Comfortable shoes
- Guidebooks
Baggage
As your baggage will travel on many different modes of transportation; we recommend that you choose sturdy cases with
functional locks that have been properly tagged with identification inside and out. It is important to remember to keep
all valuables, medications and documents on your person - you will want a hand-carried piece of luggage. Hand-carried
baggage should be limited in size to that which will fit under an airline seat or 9 x 14 x 22 inches maximum.
Climate and Clothing
Alaska's climate is diverse and can range from sunny temperatures in the 80's to freezing temperatures at night.
The best strategy is to bring clothes that are suited to layering. This will offer the greatest flexibility in adapting
your clothing to the conditions of the day.
This average low/high temperature chart will give you an idea of what to expect.
Dress in Alaska is comfortably casual. Comfortable, supportive walking shoes are recommended for the often rough and
sometimes slippery terrain. If you intend to hike, lightweight hiking boots are suggested. The following items
should be included:
- Water-repellent coat or jacket
- Collapsible umbrella
- Rain hat
- Lightweight windbreaker
- Sweaters
- Warm scarf, gloves and socks
- Comfortable walking shoes or sneakers
Altitude
Many guests have concerns about the altitude in Alaska. Travel in Alaska is generally at lower elevations. For
example, the train depot in Denali National Park is 1700 feet. The maximum altitude in the Denali National Park is
3900 feet.
Medical
Princess requires written notification of medical conditions at the time the reservation is made. Please forward those
details to Tour Quality at 2815 2nd Avenue, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98121-1299. Please ensure that you and your doctor have
taken into consideration the itinerary you have chosen. Many of our shorter tours involve long days of touring and early
morning departures. Those with health problems often do better on longer, slower paced tours. If you have a medical history
of note, it is often helpful to travel with a history of pertinent medical records.
Travel Insurance
Princess strongly recommends the purchase of a travel protection program. For your convenience, Princess offers Princess
Travel Care and Princess Travel Care Gold, which provide an attractive combination of protection and flexibility. Coverage
does not begin until payment for the policy is made and the opportunity for purchase expires at the time final payment is
due.
Medical evacuation is expensive due to the remote location of our lodges; please ensure that you have protected yourself
with coverage for this potential occurrence.
Should you experience a delay traveling to your destination, your best course of action is to work directly with the airline
involved. This will be the most current source of information about possibilities for resolution. Princess acts as an agent only
in securing flight arrangements and cannot intercede on your behalf.
Princess Travel Care and Princess Travel Care Gold protection is the only compensation Princess offers should you have to cancel or cut short your Princess vacation.
Disabled Passengers
Princess requires notification in advance if you choose to travel with a wheelchair. We will send additional information to help
us determine how best to meet your needs. Many areas require advance planning to be ready to accommodate wheelchairs and we cannot
guarantee your needs will be met in the absence of this information. Travel on Princess Rail Service is limited to the lower level
where the dining room, disabled access rest room and viewing platform are located. Lift equipped motorcoaches, disabled access hotel
rooms and seating on the Princess Rail Tours Cars are all limited and need to be reserved in advance. Some itineraries in the more remote
parts of Alaska require that you fully understand the limitations so that you can make an educated decision about whether it is right
for you. We have a department designated to assist you in the coordination of these details so that you might relax and rest assured
that we are ready to provide you with a quality experience. Working together, Alaska has proved to be a very successful destination
for travel for those who use wheelchairs. If you have special requests or questions regarding accessibility, please have your travel
agent contact the Tour Quality department at (800) 365-5522.
Princess Rail Tours
You may travel aboard Princess Rail Tour Service on segments between Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali National Park and Fairbanks. If so,
relax aboard the private rail cars designed for your comfort and viewing pleasure while friendly attendants look after your requests.
The menu offered in the private restaurant aboard Princess Rail Cars includes selections at prices comparable to those at a fine
hotel restaurant. Meals appropriate to the time of day are served. Entrees are prepared to order on board by professional chefs using
only the freshest ingredients.
Tables generally hold four adults, two facing in each direction. It is customary to change places about half way through the trip to
allow a different perspective for all. The dining room accepts about one third of the guests in three different seating. Meal times are
assigned by your location in the car.
Travel time varies somewhat, but traditionally the schedule calls for 4 hours between Anchorage and Talkeetna, 4 hours between
Talkeetna and Denali National Park and 4 hours between Denali National Park and Fairbanks.
Shopping in Alaska
In both Alaska and Canada, you can find many unique gifts and mementos. We recommend that you carefully retain all shopping receipts
and origination seals to avoid difficulties in clearing customs. Souvenir ulus, Inupik Eskimo knives, need to be packed with checked
baggage. Otherwise, they will be confiscated at the airport security gate as they are considered weapons.
Smoking Policy
Princess Alaska Lodges are all smoke-free. Smoking onboard Princess Rail cars is limited to the viewing platform and is not
permitted inside the rail cars.
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