Although Alaska’s 2021 cruise season remains uncertain, John Hall’s Alaska Cruises & Tours is offering small group tours and a new private day catamaran sailings this year. The family-owned operator is running all of its Alaska-based land tours from March through September with new COVID-19 responsible protocols in place.
Small group tours with a maximum of 24 guests that travel through Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, Prince William Sound, Kenai National Park and more will return, including these itineraries:
· 7-Day Denali Explorer: From Anchorage, guests head north to search for wildlife in Denali National Park and Preserve, visit an Iditarod dog kennel, ride the Alaska Railroad and explore the quirky town of Talkeetna. An additional day cruising through Kenai Fjords National Park looking for whales, sea otters, puffins and more completes the experience. Prices start at $5,159 pp.
· 9-day Grand Slam Alaska: Beginning in Anchorage, travelers take a day cruise through Prince William Sound, spotting glaciers and marine wildlife on the way to the small coastal town of Valdez. An exciting road trip past Wrangell-St. Elias National Park ends in Fairbanks, where guests learn about Alaska Native culture and visit a dog mushing kennel. The next few days are spent immersed in Kantishna, located deep in Denali National Park and Preserve, before returning to Anchorage via the Alaska Railroad. Prices start at $6,299 pp.
· 11-day Untamed Alaska: Combining immersive experiences in Denali National Park and Preserve, exploration in quirky Talkeetna, a ride on the Alaska Railroad and a day cruise through Prince William Sound with time in the small fishing community of Cordova, this itinerary packs in wildlife and glacier viewing opportunities with time for adventures like kayaking, hiking, gold panning and more. Prices start at $7,799 pp.
John Hall’s Alaska is also debuting its 7-day Platinum Catamaran itinerary this summer, an immersive experience in Southeast Alaska via privately chartered small vessel. The new itinerary allows for guests to explore Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, the historic Gold Rush town of Skagway, the Alaska Native-owned wilderness port Icy Strait Point, Tracy Arm Fjord and more during day trips on the boat, while overnights are spent on land in Juneau and Sitka. Prices start at $2,455 pp, dbl occupancy.
“We wanted to create something truly groundbreaking and different as an alternative to large ship, overnight cruise travel,” said John Hall’s Alaska CEO and president John Hall Sr., in a press statement. “The catamaran itinerary mirrors the exclusive, intimate explorations we offer with our interior land tours. Guests can expect to witness a variety of marine wildlife along the way like whales, seals, otters and more.”
Whether on land or at sea, John Hall’s Alaska is actively working to ensure that guests have a safe motorcoach, tour and small vessel experience. The operator implemented extensive COVID-19 mitigation protocols by limiting its tour group sizes to no more than 24 guests, introducing socially distanced seating, cleaning touch surfaces multiple times per day, and fog cleaning the motorcoach in operation every evening upon completion of the day’s activities. In addition to following guidance provided by the Alaska travel health advisories, guests must arrive with proof of a negative molecular-based COVID-19 test result to travel within the state, wear a face mask while traveling in groups and on motorcoaches and take proper sanitary precautions throughout the trip.
John Hall’s Alaska trips include all meals, accommodations, activities, baggage handling and transportation in the tour packages.
For more information, visit kissalaska.com.
