I Visited Holland America Line’s Denali Lodge in Alaska and Loved It

I recently had the opportunity to spend several nights at Holland America Line’s Denali Lodge in Alaska. The lodge is located just outside of Denali National Park and is part of their cruisetours in the 49th State.

I have previously been on several cruises to Alaska but have never stayed in a cruise line lodge. When Holland America Line invited me to visit their Denali Lodge, I was excited to see and experience what their cruisetours were all about.

For those who aren’t familiar with Holland America’s cruisetours, they are extra days on land that can be added to select cruises to Alaska. You can add on anywhere from two to 10 days to their seven-day Glacier Discovery cruise. These are the one-way cruises between Vancouver and Whittier.

The cruisetours can be done before or after the week-long cruise, but I think I personally prefer to do it after the cruise.

The cruisetours include the train ride up to Denali, the Tundra Wilderness Tour, and a stay at the Denali Lodge, located one mile from the entrance to Denali National Park.

Here is my experience staying at the lodge (post-cruise), what I loved, and reasons why you should consider a cruisetour to Alaska.

Train

The cruisetour starts with a 10 hour train ride on the McKinney Explorer from Whittier, Alaska, where the cruise ends, to Denali.

It’s a two-story train with assigned seating up top and a restaurant and small lounge area on the bottom deck. There is also area where you can go outside to get some great photos or just some fresh air.

In the photo below, you can see the small lounge area and the part of the railroad car where you can go outside.

Lodge

Holland America Line’s Denali Lodge is located right next to the Nenana River and next door to Princess Cruises’ Wilderness Lodge. My first thought after arriving at the lodge was “I could stay here for a week”.

I stayed in the Cottonwoods building facing the river and I absolutely loved it. My first morning there, I stepped outside and saw a moose and her baby grazing beside the river. You never know what wildlife you will see here.

The buildings are spread out over 60 acres, but they have shuttles that will take you around the property so you don’t have to walk. There are 28 different buildings that you can stay in, 11 up top by the Main Lodge and 17 down below by the river. I was told that the older 11 buildings up top are being torn down and replaced.

My favorite part of the entire property was Denali Square, it is the main social hub of the lodge. There are two dining options here, several shops that include an Artist in Residence, firepits and live music at night.

The two dining options at Denali Square are Karsten’s Public House and the Music of Denali. The Music of Denali is a family-style dinner show with a fun musical about the history of Denali. I really enjoyed dining at both.

There is also a walking trail along the river that I spent time on each morning while sipping on my coffee. It was a great way to kick off each day that I was there.

Denali National Park

One of the best features of Holland America’s Denali Lodge is that it’s only a mile away from Denali National Park. You can walk to it or take the free shuttle that runs every 30 minutes. I walked the first day and took the shuttle the second.

I spent several days at the park, hiking trails and just enjoying the beauty of Alaska. 

Horsehead Lake Trail is one of the most popular trails to hike and it was gorgeous. It’s a trail that I would definitely hike again on my next visit.

Excursions

Holland America Line includes a free excursion for everyone staying three or more days at the lodge. The Tundra Wilderness Tour is a bus ride that explores the beauty of the national park and the wildlife that lives there.

There are also a good variety of excursions that you can book while you are staying at the lodge so you can experience more of Alaska. I booked the Denali Glacier Landing by Helicopter tour and it was one of the most incredible tours I’ve done on a cruise/land tour.

The ride to the glacier gave us incredible views of the mountains and wildlife. We saw a herd of 150 caribou on the ride to the glacier and along with a waterfall.

We landed on the Yanert Glacier and spent 20-25 minutes walking around on it before heading back.

The tour is a bit pricey but I highly recommend it. It’s an experience you’ll talk about for years.

Why Stay in a Lodge?

My favorite part of staying at the Denali Lodge was that you aren’t confined to short days in port like you are while on the cruise portion of the trip. You get more time to explore Alaska and I also found it more relaxing.

You don’t have to worry about rushing and getting back to the ship before it leaves. If you’re out hiking in Denali and want to stop and enjoy the views for as long as you want, you can. The sun didn’t set until after midnight when I was there so you really can make the most of each day.

I also loved sitting by one of the many firepits at night, having a drink, and talking to other travelers.

The cruisetours offered by Holland America Line range from nine- to 18-days in length, including the cruise. This gives you the flexibility to book the right amount of time in Alaska that you want.

After taking this trip, I honestly believe this is the best way to see Alaska. You can visit glaciers and ports on the cruise and then get more of an in-depth look at Alaska on the land portion of the trip. You get the best of both worlds.