Aurora Viewing Lodge

Good lights, driver/van lacking

Lights were AWESOME. Van and driver on the other hand were lacking. Extremely hard to get in and out of van,no hand holds and no assistance except a stool. Ground was VERY muddy but driver had us walk about 100 yards thru deep mud instead of picking us up at back door as other driver did for his guests. This part definitely needs improvement. Maybe some gravel?

via Tripadvisor

Unsuitable Substitute Site; Untrained Guide

We booked this excursion with Holland America Line and considered the experience to have been so much less than the excursion description to be arguably fraudulent, and we are seeking a refund/compensation. From photos posted by other reviewers, it appears we were taken to a substitute location rather than to the regular viewing lodge. We instead were taken to the "clubhouse" of the Midnight Sun Golf Course on the north side of Fairbanks. It's an aged facility with well-used cheap dining room furniture. Our driver/guide was not even aware of the experience description and did not even attempt to provide any storytelling or explain anything about the aurora. The ~13 guests were picked up at our hotel in a 10 to 20 year old van, and we arrived at the clubhouse around 10:30pm. Upon walking in, the driver told us that best viewing likely wouldn't start until after midnight so make yourself comfortable. He offered us an included sandwich and a bottle of water and, being under 21, said he could sell guests only non-alcoholic drinks; there were no hot beverages as mentioned in the activity description. The driver/guide then proceeded to sit at table by himself and pop up to look outside every 20 or 30 minutes to check for aurora activity, but the forecast was for zero to low probability of aurora activity, and that proved to be the case through my party's early departure from the location at 1:30 am. There were none of the described furniture or billiards, just a few hand-me-down games in a condition one might expect to find in a home where the kids had grown up and moved years before. The only furniture were the cheap dining room chairs, so your choices were between uncomfortable seating and standing. The indoor temperature was alright. The driver/guide said the excursion provider's policy prohibited his curtailing the experience before the 3am scheduled end time unless there was consensus among the guests to return early. We had one holdout among the ~13 guests who seemed hopeful we'd see the aurora, so we called an Uber for my party at 1:30 am for the $30 ride back to our hotel. My wife contacted the provider requesting a response and refund and they have yet to acknowledge our communication for over 48 hours.

Response from the operator: Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to provide such detailed feedback. We sincerely apologize for your experience and understand your profound disappointment. To provide context regarding the venue, our operations recently had to transition away from our previous lodge location. We are currently auditing our partner descriptions and imagery with cruise line partners to ensure complete transparency. We want to ensure your request is addressed immediately and properly coordinated. Please email their management team directly with your booking confirmation number and the name on the reservation so they can expedite the resolution Sincerely, Alaska Wild Lights Management Team

via Tripadvisor

Sit on a hard chair and wait

I don’t know if we’ll see the lights tonight even so this is wildly over priced. What we got - a ride to a golf course club house that has wood chairs and tables, a bottle of water and cold sandwich and an invitation to sit and wait. One kid ( under 21) as our driver and aurora lookout. No interpretation, no stories just sitting in hard chairs. Our driver Sully is kind and trying hard but I think he got stuck with us - did a coworker skip out ?

via Tripadvisor

Equinox Night was FANTASTIC!

Savvy was a great tour guide. Lady Aurora really showed herself!! Fantastic night! Great information given. It was about -25 so with the rental gear only my face was cold. I went inside and warmed up when needed. Thanks for a PERFECT night!

via Viator

Aurora Lights at the Lodge

It was a wonderful tour. Our guide was very nice, talkative, and helpful. We got to learn more about Fairbanks and the Aurora lights through him. We also got to see a spectacular show of the lights that night. We were very lucky.

via Tripadvisor