2009 Itinerary
• Indicates day of cruising
Day 1: Alaska travel begins
Tauck's Grand Alaska travel adventure begins at 6:30 PM at The Hotel Captain Cook. A transfer is included from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to The Hotel Captain Cook, overlooking Cook Inlet, downtown Anchorage, and the Chugach Mountains. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner tonight.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: The Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage
Day 2: Alaskan traditions and a modern pipeline
Learn about the lifestyles, traditions, and crafts of Alaska’s indigenous tribes at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Take a different Alaska travel mode today on a flight to Fairbanks, established during the gold rush. See the Alaskan pipeline connecting Arctic oil fields with the Port of Valdez.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, Fairbanks
Day 3: Pan for gold and find out what happens at a salmon bake
Try your luck panning for gold at a local gold mine, and visit other cultural heritage sites in Fairbanks. Enjoy a salmon bake and musical revue at your riverside lodge this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, Fairbanks
Day 4: Paddlewheel boat trip
Cruise the Chena River on a historic paddlewheel boat, and then tour some of Fairbanks’ landmarks. Continue your Alaska travel through the state's interior to Denali National Park; your lodge overlooks the Nenana River.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Denali
Day 5: Explore Denali National Park
A highlight of any Alaska travel experience is a visit to Denali National Park, a six-million-acre UNESCO Biosphere Reserve highlighted by North America’s highest mountain, 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley. Look for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, and Dall sheep.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Denali
Day 6: Private glacier tour by floatplane
Experience the thrill of flying over glaciers, fjords, and mountain passes in a floatplane. Fly over the Chugach Mountains, Prince William Sound, and the glaciers of College Fjord.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: The Hotel Alyeska, Girdwood
Day 7: Resort relaxation, Alaska travel "101"
During your free day, choose an optional activity through your mountainside resort (at an additional cost) such as bear viewing, alpine trekking, river rafting, horseback riding, fishing, or golfing. Opt for the aerial tramway to the observation deck on Mt. Alyeska.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: The Hotel Alyeska, Girdwood
•
Day 8: Scenic rail journey
Travel the scenic
Alaska Railroad in a private dome car to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. Then watch for orcas, seals, and sea lions on a boat cruise through Resurrection Bay. Board your
Princess ship to launch the cruise portion of your Alaska travel adventure.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard
Princess
•
Day 9: Cruise Prince William Sound
Cruise through College Fjord, rimmed with 16 glaciers named for Ivy League colleges. Spot wildlife in Prince William Sound, harboring Alaska’s greatest concentration of tidewater glaciers. By night, take in a Broadway-style show, try your luck in the casino, check out the nightclub, or read in the library.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard
Princess
•
Day 10: Glorious Glacier Bay
Prepare to be awestruck by Glacier Bay National Park, an Alaska travel highlight. View blue-tinged ice cliffs towering over the sea, and hear the roar when they calve and crash into the water. Look for humpback whales, orcas, seals, and seabirds.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard
Princess
•
Day 11: Bald eagles & vintage rail trip
Explore historic Skagway, gateway to the Klondike gold fields. Then take a ferry cruise on Lynn Canal to Haines. Go rafting through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, hosting the world's largest concentration of bald eagles. Ride the exciting
White Pass & Yukon Route narrow-gauge railway built in 1898 during the gold rush. This vintage rail excursion heads up steep grades, around cliff-hanging turns, and over high bridges.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard
Princess
•
Day 12: Tramway views of Juneau
Tour the capital city of Juneau, set on a narrow strip of land between the Coast Mountains and the Gastineau Channel. Enjoy a private Tlingit presentation before a journey aboard a tramcar decorated by Tlingit artwork takes you to the top of Mount Roberts for views of Admiralty Island, Glacier Bay, and the Chilkat Mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard
Princess
•
Day 13: Totem poles & native culture
Today you'll dock in Ketchikan, the ancestral home of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes. See some of the city’s numerous totem poles, and watch local totem carvers at work. Catch a performance of traditional Tlingit and Haida dances. If you enjoy fishing, you may want to take an optional fishing excursion (at an additional cost).
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard
Princess
•
Day 14: Inside Passage cruising
Enjoy spectacular views of the Inside Passage from your stateroom, or a variety of decks and lounges. You can also swim in four pools, hear a nature presentation, play a board game in the library, work out in the fitness center, get a relaxing spa treatment, or check out the golf simulator.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard
Princess
Day 15: Bid Alaska farewell
Your memorable Alaska travel experience concludes as you disembark your
Princess ship in Vancouver.
Grand Alaska travel days end in Vancouver. Fly home any time; a transfer is included from the dock to Vancouver International Airport. Allow a minimum of two hours prior to departure flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
From Denali National Park to Glacier Bay,
don’t miss this grand Alaska travel adventure!
Inclusive Prices
Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel, lodge and cruise ship accommodations, motor coach transportation, sightseeing, admissions, shore excursions, port fees, the Alaska Head Tax, luggage handling, the on-tour flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks, the two railroad excursions aboard the
Alaska Railroad and the
White Pass & Yukon Route, wine with dinner aboard a
Princess cruise ship, and the services of Tauck Director and ship crew are included. Transportation from
Ted
Stevens
Anchorage
Airport to Hotel Captain Cook is included provided Tauck has received your flight arrival information at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the tour. If you arrive in
Anchorage after 11:00 PM, you would need to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel and retain your taxi receipt in order to receive proper reimbursement from the Tauck Director. One group transfer is provided from the
Princess that will arrive at 10:00 AM at
Vancouver
International
Airport on the last day of the tour.
Hotel, Lodge and Ship Accommodations – The tour price includes all hotel, lodge and ship accommodations with private baths. The Tauck standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from place to place, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort.
Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.
On board the
Princess cruise ship, you may dine whenever, wherever and with whomever you choose during regular dining hours, or you may choose the more traditional 5:30 or 8:30 seating for dinner.
Please let us know between four and six weeks prior to sailing of any special dietary requirements you may have. General dietary needs such as low salt or low cholesterol foods may be satisfied on board the ship by speaking with the dining wait staff.
Tauck Director – 'Grand Alaska
aboard Princess' is conducted by a Tauck Director who will remain with the group throughout the tour. Your Tauck Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tauck.
Gratuities Included – All appropriate gratuities for hotel, cruise ship and restaurant staff, and local guides are included.
No Options Sold - Tauck Directors sometimes assist with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but they will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed, pleasant experience for you.
Not Included
Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from Tauck for travel originating in the United States.
Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours – To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, Tauck will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through Tauck. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the
Extend This Journey section on this website and discuss it with the reservations agent when you book your tour.
Luggage Responsibility – Although every effort is made to handle guests’ luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Please refer to
Tauck Travel Protection for more information.
Personal Expenses - Phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, visa fees and services, vaccinations and other optional excursions and incidental extras are not included and may be significant.
Tauck Director Gratuities – The customary gratuity to the Tauck Director is not included. Gratuities should be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.
Additional Information
Airline Security Measures - In the U.S., you must provide identification in the form of a passport at the time of airport check-in for travel to international destinations. Your passport name
must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket or you may be denied boarding.
If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.
Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocket knife, cigarette lighter, or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the Transportation Security Administration website at
www.tsa.gov.
Air Services – Airfare may be purchased through Tauck for travel originating in the United States. By using Tauck's air services, you agree that Tauck, in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, is acting only as your agent and is not liable or responsible for any accident, death, personal injury, illness, property damage, delay or other loss or expense of any nature whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of any act of God, or any actions or omissions (including any failure to provide services) or default of, any carrier. All carriers are independent contractors and are not owned, managed, controlled or operated by Tauck. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline (and not Tauck), even if purchased through Tauck. Tauck is not liable for, and does not assume responsibility or accept claims with regard to, seat assignments, schedule changes, flight changes, cancellations, claims for a refund or reimbursement of airline ticket fees, or any other loss incurred by you for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation to, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar relief from creditors). Tauck must handle ticketing for Tauck's special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Special fares cannot be combined with any other promotional offer. Tauck's air services can only be purchased in conjunction with a Tauck tour. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be mailed with final documents. If you cancel or change your air before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply.
Cruise Regulations – Enclosed with the travel documents for this cruise are a
Passenger Immigration Form and a
Princess Passage Contract. Please read the
Princess Passage Contract prior to your departure. Please fill out the Passenger Immigration Form, one for each guest, before leaving home. Give this form to your Tauck Director at the welcome reception. PLEASE NOTE: the Passenger Immigration Form has instructions to return the form to the
Princess cruise line prior to sailing. That is NOT necessary. Instead please bring it with you.
Holiday and Museum Closures – Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed.
Itinerary Changes and Price Flexibility – Tauck pledges to make every effort to operate all tours as advertised. Tauck reserves the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary. Any savings realized by these changes will be refunded to passengers. Any resultant added expense will be covered by Tauck. Although not expected, prices on this website may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecast at the time of printing.
Journey Start and End Times are provided at time of booking. . The tour begins at 6:30 PM at the Hotel Captain Cook on the first day of the tour. You or your booking agent will be advised of any changes. The tour ends upon your arrival at 10:00 AM at
Vancouver
International
Airport on the last day of the tour.
Due to customs regulations, you may not be able to disembark the ship before 8:30 AM on the last day of the tour. The trip to
Vancouver
International
Airport from the ship’s dock (
Canada Place ) takes approximately 25 minutes. Also, due to the simultaneous disembarkation of other ships in port and the number of inbound and outbound flights at
Vancouver
International
Airport , it may take an hour or more to clear through check in and security. Therefore, we recommend that you do not schedule your departure flight prior to 12:00 noon.
Membership will be granted to all persons. Tauck reserves the right to terminate the tour of any persons who are abusive of others or whose behavior disrupts the tour.
Photography on Tour – Occasionally, we will use photographs taken by fellow guests or your Tauck Director on your tour for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify your Tauck Director at the start of your tour.
Preparing to Go
Air Conditioning - The motor coaches used on this tour are air-conditioned for your comfort. There is air-conditioning on the
Princess but none of the hotels included on this tour’s itinerary provides air-conditioning.
Clothing and Packing – The weather in Alaska is unpredictable. You will be visiting the warmer, dryer area of the interior and the cooler, wetter rainforest of the southeast coast. We suggest you pack clothing that can be layered for various weather conditions. Slacks, a sweater or fleece, a lightweight jacket and a rain coat are versatile clothes for touring, and comfortable "walking shoes" are a must! For those who chose the Point Barrow option, we suggest bringing a parka, hat and gloves. Temperatures in Barrow may range from 15 to 45 °F (-9 to 7 °C), and visitors should be prepared for the occasional extremes.
Tauck suggests that you dress for a cruise on the
Princess the same way you would for any stylish land-based resort. Casual sportswear, including shorts, lightweight pants and jogging suits, is the order of the day. We recommend you bring a sweater, a jacket or an all-weather coat for cool evenings, and for shore excursions. Due to unpredictable weather, don't forget a hat or visor and a collapsible umbrella. You'll also want low-heeled, rubber-soled shoes for strolling on deck, as well as comfortable walking shoes or sandals to wear while on shore excursions.
There are two designations of evening wear aboard the
Princess: Smart Casual and Formal.
- Smart Casual Evenings:
- Passengers dress as they would for a fine restaurant at home
- Skirts/dresses, slacks, and sweaters for ladies
- Pants and open-neck shirts for men
- Formal Evenings: (two)
- Evening gowns and cocktail dresses for ladies
- Tie and jacket, or suits for men
In the dining room, items such as cutoff tee-shirts, shorts, halter tops, and jeans are not permitted and shoes must be worn at all times.
Princess cruises require passengers to use cover-ups over bathing suits when entering the ship's public rooms.
Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available on board the Princess. Valet laundry is available at all hotels on this tour except for the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge where you will find coin-operated facilities. Hair dryers are not available at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription, or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.
Following is a list of recommended items to pack:
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A raincoat and umbrella
- Short and long-sleeved shirts
- Tee shirts / shorts and pants
- Jacket and tie for men, evening dress for women
- Sweater / light jacket
- Camera / lenses / batteries / plenty of film
- Binoculars
- Bathing suit
- Gloves and hat
- Parka for the optional Barrow excursion
- Insect repellent
- Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room or stateroom while traveling
Elevation - The maximum elevation on this tour is 3,900 ft (1,189 m).
Health - This itinerary is one of the more rigorous domestic itineraries Tauck offers. The adventurous journey includes several early morning starts, full-day excursions and many different modes of transportation, including airplane, railroad, cruise ship, boat tender, ferry, paddle wheel boat, river raft and tram car.
You should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances. There is a significant amount of walking through the gold mining attraction on day 3. On day 5, for the 6+ hour
Denali wilderness tour, you travel on a specially-geared converted school bus over unpaved roads – and the ride is bumpy! There is no air conditioning or lavatory on the bus; however, we do provide prearranged stops along the way at certain comfort stations. The
Denali tour is
not recommended for anyone with back problems. On day 6, the float plane used on the 3 hour adventure over the glaciers of College Fjord also does not have a lavatory.
The Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge has two floors and no elevator. If you have difficulty walking, be sure to advise your Tauck Director at the beginning of the tour so that rooms close to the public areas can be requested when possible.
As this itinerary is designed for those who are interested in a faster-paced, adventure-filled experience, if you have a medical condition which might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify Tauck as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
We are not able to accommodate wheelchairs on this tour. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to guests for walking, dining or other personal needs. Persons needing such assistance must be accompanied by an able companion who will assist them.
On board the Princess, smoking is allowed in passenger staterooms and most public rooms, but the show lounges, dining rooms and all food service areas are designated as non-smoking.
The medical center on the Princess is staffed by full-time British-registered doctors and nurses. In addition to daily office hours, they are available 24 hours a day in the event of an emergency. If you require medical services, charges for those services will be added to your shipboard account, and you will be provided with an itemized account to submit to your insurance company.
The
Princess cruise ship is registered in Bermuda. Please check with your insurer to learn if coverage applies outside the United States, or purchase appropriate travel insurance. If you need to bring and use syringes or other medical equipment onboard, we request that you bring a sharps box and that you contact the shipboard medical infirmary for disposal instructions.
No vaccinations are currently required for travel to
Alaska . For complete vaccination information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, , The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour, pre-recorded "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 877-394-8747 (toll-free in the ). You may also log on to the CDC Internet website at www.cdc.gov.
Luggage Restrictions:
Checked Luggage – General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
In addition, airlines have adopted more strict policies in enforcing size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, Tauck cannot be held liable to the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage size and weight may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers.
Tauck World Discovery cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage size, piece or weight policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home.
Carry-on Luggage - General:
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many intra-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and only those items you need handy during the day such as purses, make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or in the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may not allow for access during daytime travel.
Travel Document Requirements – 'Grand Alaska
aboard Princess' begins in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. and ends in Vancouver, Canada.
Currently, U.S. citizens and citizens of Canada, Mexico and Bermuda traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport or other WHTI-compliant documentation to enter (or depart) the U.S.
Beginning Jan. 31, 2008, the Department plans to move towards WHTI implementation at land and sea ports of entry by ending the routine practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship alone.
Citizens of the U.S. Canada,
Bermuda and will need to present the following to enter or depart the by land or sea:
- U.S. and Canadian Citizens
- Ages 19 and older: a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate
- Children ages 18 and younger: proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate
- Passports and trusted traveler program cards - NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST - will continue to be accepted for cross order travel
- Citizens from
Bermuda
- Passport issued by the Government of Bermuda or the U.K.
- Citizens from Mexico
- As under current entry requirements, Mexican nationals, regardless of age, must present a passport issued by the Government of Mexico and a visa, or a valid Form DSP-150, B-1/B-2 laser visa (Border Crossing Card).
- Trusted traveler program cars - NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST - will continue to be accepted for cross border travel.
Sometime during the summer of 2008, full requirements of the land and sea phase of the WHTI will be implemented. travelers entering the by land or sea must have a passport, a passport card or other valid travel document to enter to re-enter the U.S.
If you are frequent traveler to Canada from the U.S., you may benefit from the NEXUS program, as mentioned above, which is joint initiative between the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency that allows pre-screened and approved travelers faster processing at designated highway lanes in high-volume border crossing locations, at a NEXUS kiosk at Vancouver International Airport, and at certain marine reporting locations in the Great Lakes and Seattle regions. For further information, you may log on to the Nexus Internet site by clicking here.
If you are a citizen of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of Canada to determine what travel documentation will be required.
The White Pass & Yukon train excursion on day 11 from Skagway to British Columbia, Canada is a round trip journey that crosses the border into Canada but does not stop; therefore, there is no presentation of passports on this day.
We strongly recommend that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your tour. Also, we recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as the front and back sides of your driver's license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Travel with Children
Age Recommendations – Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, for each itinerary we have a minimum recommended age to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.
Babysitting – Tauck journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. However, our guests have occasionally inquired about babysitting services. If you are interested, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements, to ensure your precise needs are met. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer babysitting services that may be arranged on site; however, babysitting services are not guaranteed at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility – We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. For safety and security purposes, children under 18 years of age must be booked into a room with at least one accompanying adult. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with Tauck, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children
Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so.
CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.
All children who are citizens should also have a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptism record for ID. Children over the age of 14 are also required to have a photo ID.
Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, Tauck requires all guests to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information is available from each country’s consulate.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
Tauck is not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for any travelers, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard for these letters, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.
Destination Information
Cell Phones - We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that guests refrain from cell phone usage during motor coach travel, during group functions, when sightseeing and when the Tauck Director is addressing the group as a whole. There are usually many opportunities to make or receive calls at times when it does not affect others.
Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine whether your cell phone will operate in Alaska and Canada.
Currency and Exchange Rates - The U.S. Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into 100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are widespread and credit cards and travelers’ checks are widely accepted. Travelers’ checks should be taken in U.S. dollars to avoid hassles.
To obtain up-to-date currency exchange rates, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to the Internet website
www.oanda.com
Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – If you are not a U.S resident, you should contact an embassy or consulate of the U.S. to determine what customs regulations apply to your travel to the U.S. U.S. Customs and Border Protection maintains a website which may assist you in determining which laws apply. To access that website, click
here.
The individual states within the levy sales taxes on consumer goods and services. There is no federal tax system similar to the Value Added Tax system used abroad that would allow travelers who are not residents to obtain refunds of the sales taxes levied by each state.
On board the
Princess cruise ship, you may shop duty-free in their boutiques, which offer exquisite fine jewelry, exotic cruisewear, designer fragrances, and porcelain collectibles. Princess has a selection of duty-free liquor available for sale during your cruise, available for your trip home, and for passenger pickup on the last day the boutiques are open. If you wish to purchase liquor on board for consumption in your stateroom during the course of the cruise, a selection is listed in the stateroom information portfolio. Please ask your stateroom steward for details and he will be pleased to assist. The Princess Boutiques' Onboard Customer Service Department is located in Southern California to handle inquiries after the cruise.
Electrical Current – The electrical current in Alaska and on board the
Princess is 110V, 60Hz, AC, which accommodates standard U.S. plugs which have two flat pins or two flat pins and a round grounding pin. Travelers who bring electric devices that are not compatible should bring the appropriate adapters and converters.
Time Zones – Alaska is 9 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (or Greenwich Mean Time);
Vancouver is 8 hours behind. From early March through early November,
Alaska and
British Columbia switch to Daylight Savings Time and are 8 and 7 hours behind, respectively
.
To determine current time in major cities around the world, we suggest you log on to the Internet website,
www.timeanddate.com
Weather - Although the assumption is that Alaska is a land of snow and sub-zero temperatures, the Alaskan climate is actually extremely varied, caused by the state's six different topographic regions. The far north is extremely dry and very cold, with Arctic conditions and temperatures average about -20 °F (-29 °C), and the ground at Point Barrow remains permanently frozen to a depth of 1,330 ft (405 m). Summer temperatures in the lowlands are surprisingly high, averaging in the 60's °F (16° C), and they have been known to reach 90 °F (32 °C), and up. The southeast tends to be fairly moderate, with damp, rainy and sometimes mild conditions, with temperatures in July averaging 56 °F (13 °C), and temperatures in January averaging 30 °F (-1 °C), and the south and central areas tend to be similar, with slightly colder winter temperatures. Western Alaska tends to be rainy, while the Aleutian Islands in winter are damp and rainy, with fog. Heavy snows are common in the north and central regions of the state.
|
Average Temperature |
| |
Anchorage, Alaska
|
Fairbanks, Alaska
|
| Month |
Hi/Lo ºF |
Hi/Lo ºC |
Hi/Lo ºF |
Hi/Lo ºC |
| January |
22 / 9 |
-6 / -13 |
2 / -13 |
-17 / -25 |
| February |
26 / 12 |
-3 / -11 |
10 / -10 |
-12 / -23 |
| March |
34 / 18 |
1 / -8 |
26 / 1 |
-3 / -17 |
| April |
44 / 29 |
7 / -2 |
44 / 19 |
7 / -7 |
| May |
55 / 39 |
13 / 4 |
61 / 35 |
16 / 2 |
| June |
62 / 47 |
17 / 8 |
71 / 47 |
22 / 8 |
| July |
65 / 52 |
18 / 11 |
73 / 50 |
23 / 10 |
| August |
63 / 49 |
17 / 9 |
67 / 45 |
19 / 7 |
| September |
55 / 41 |
13 / 5 |
55 / 34 |
13 / 1 |
| October |
40 / 28 |
4 / -2 |
32 / 16 |
0 / -9 |
| November |
28 / 16 |
-2 / -9 |
12 / -2 |
-11 / -19 |
| December |
24 / 11 |
-4 / -12 |
5 / -9 |
-15 / -23 |
|
|
| |
Juneau, Alaska
|
|
| Month |
Hi/Lo ºF |
Hi/Lo ºC |
|
|
| January |
31 / 21 |
-1 / -6 |
|
|
| February |
34 / 24 |
1 / -4 |
|
|
| March |
39 / 28 |
4 / -2 |
|
|
| April |
48 / 33 |
9 / 1 |
|
|
| May |
56 / 40 |
13 / 4 |
|
|
| June |
62 / 46 |
17 / 8 |
|
|
| July |
64 / 49 |
18 / 9 |
|
|
| August |
63 / 48 |
17 / 9 |
|
|
| September |
56 / 44 |
13 / 7 |
|
|
| October |
47 / 38 |
8 / 3 |
|
|
| November |
38 / 29 |
3 / -2 |
|
|
| December |
33 / 24 |
1 / -4 |
|
|
|
Average Rainfall |
| |
Anchorage, Alaska
|
Fairbanks, Alaska
|
| Month |
Inches |
Millimeters |
Inches |
Millimeters |
| January |
0.7 |
17 |
0.6 |
15 |
| February |
0.7 |
19 |
0.4 |
11 |
| March |
0.5 |
13 |
0.3 |
9 |
| April |
0.5 |
13 |
0.2 |
5 |
| May |
0.7 |
18 |
0.6 |
15 |
| June |
1.1 |
27 |
1.7 |
43 |
| July |
1.7 |
43 |
2.0 |
50 |
| August |
2.9 |
74 |
2.0 |
50 |
| September |
2.9 |
73 |
1.3 |
34 |
| October |
2.1 |
53 |
1.0 |
26 |
| November |
1.1 |
28 |
0.8 |
20 |
| December |
1.1 |
27 |
0.8 |
21 |
|
|
| |
Juneau, Alaska
|
|
| Month |
Inches |
Millimeters |
|
|
| January |
4.8 |
122 |
|
|
| February |
7.0 |
178 |
|
|
| March |
3.5 |
89 |
|
|
| April |
3.0 |
75 |
|
|
| May |
3.5 |
88 |
|
|
| June |
3.4 |
85 |
|
|
| July |
4.1 |
105 |
|
|
| August |
5.4 |
136 |
|
|
| September |
7.5 |
192 |
|
|
| October |
8.3 |
211 |
|
|
| November |
5.4 |
138 |
|
|
| December |
5.4 |
137 |
|
|
To determine current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website,
www.weather.com
If You Have to Cancel
Cancellation Fees – Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in Tauck incurring costly penalties and cancellation fees from our travel and hotel providers. Therefore, if you have to cancel a confirmed booking, Tauck will charge you a cancellation fee according to when your cancellation notice is received in our
Norwalk, CT office. To help limit your liability, Tauck offers Tauck Travel Protection.
If you choose to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will have your cancellation penalties reduced. Click here for more details.
If you choose not to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:
60 days or more before departure
$950 per person (the cost of the deposit)
59-30 days before departure
50% of the cost of the tour per person
29-1 days before departure
100% of the cost of the tour per person
