Friday, January 13, 2017

Alaskan Dream Cruises Introduces Land Tour Extensions on 2017 Inside Passage Cruises

The Alaska Native-owned, small-ship cruise line Alaskan Dream Cruises will offer guests a chance to combine their 2017 cruise vacations with land packages to Denali National Park and Preserve, Seward, Valdez, Anchorage and Fairbanks through a new partnership with John Hall’s Alaska.

Passengers aboard Alaskan Dream Cruises’ “Alaska's Glacier Bay and Island Adventure” itinerary spend seven nights cruising the famed Inside Passage between Sitka and Juneau on the Chichagof Dream. Now they can extend their stay in Alaska on one of two John Hall’s Alaska land itineraries: the 7-night “Denali Explorer” or the 8-night “Grand Slam Alaska.”

“Over the years guests have asked us for our recommendations on how to continue their journeys on land,” Alaskan Dream Cruises Senior Vice President Jamey Cagle said. “We are thrilled to join hands with another longstanding, family owned Alaska operator that emphasizes local experiences and small-group sizes. As a locally owned company, our mission is to help guests experience the true Alaska. John Hall's Alaska will help us showcase the diversity and beauty of Alaska in areas beyond where we cruise.”

Both the 7-night “Denali Explorer” and the 8-night “Grand Slam Alaska” travel by deluxe motor coach and the Alaska Railroad with a group of no more than 42 guests. Spending time deep within the wilderness of Denali National Park and Preserve, both trips explore Southcentral and Interior Alaska and offer a wide-array of premier excursions in Alaska’s larger cities like Anchorage and Fairbanks, as well as in small towns like Valdez, Seward and Talkeetna. Days are filled with activities, such as flightseeing over Denali, North America’s largest peak; visiting a dog mushing kennel; and taking a private jet boat tour into Devil’s Canyon. Meals are included, as well as accommodations at award-winning properties. A John Hall's Alaska land tour manager accompanies guests on every adventure providing educational enrichment, a local’s point-of-view and assistance in searching for Alaska's big five: moose, caribou, bear, Dall sheep and wolves.

Both land packages begin and end in Anchorage and pair perfectly as pre-cruise tours. After the tour, guests can make a connecting flight from Anchorage to either Sitka or Juneau, where Alaskan Dream Cruises adventures begin. Guests who are looking for a post-cruise tour or who are on other Alaskan Dream itineraries can speak with an Alaskan Dream Cruises reservation specialist about trip coordination.

These cruise and land tour combinations are available between June 2 and Sept. 3. Prices for the land tours start at $5,270 and include a hotel night and breakfast during the transition between land and sea. Rates for the seven-night “Alaska's Glacier Bay and Island Adventure” cruise start at $3,990. Accommodations on the ship, all meals during the cruise, scheduled shore excursions, airport transfers, use of recreational equipment and standard onboard services are included. Detailed information on these land and cruise packages can be found at alaskandreamcruises.com.

The Alaska Native-owned cruise line specializes in providing guests with an insider’s view and local experiences in Southeast Alaska. Itineraries combine not-to-miss destinations, like Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and Tracy Arm Fjord, with more remote natural areas and small Native villages. Wildlife viewing, wilderness exploration and cultural experiences are prioritized, with flexible itineraries allowing ship captains to alter plans when extraordinary wildlife viewing opportunities arise. On each Alaskan Dream Cruises itinerary, guests can take advantage of daily educational presentations by naturalists and cultural heritage guides who share unique perspectives on the area’s natural wonders, culture and history.

On board each ship, meals are prepared to highlight local ingredients and wild Alaska seafood, and can be paired with Alaska spirits. Even the soaps and shampoos in guest cabins are Alaska-made products. With its largest ship holding up to 74 passengers, Alaskan Dream Cruises offers a casual atmosphere and an insider’s view of Alaska’s Inside Passage. The company was launched in 2011 by the Allen family, members of the Tlingit Kaagwaantaan clan. The Allen family also founded Allen Marine, Inc., a boat building company, in 1967, and Allen Marine Tours, which offers day cruise tours to travelers in Alaska’s Inside Passage.

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