Hi Bob and Mike
Mike - oops - yes, I wasn't really selling the September date very well, was I?! I'm sure it will be super. I just mention the mozzies because they are always a concern for me. I know the tour doesn't visit the National Park that you were interested in but Denali is really beautiful and the bus safari is great fun. Such a pity about the fly/drive though.
Bob - I hadn't noticed that the train was missing but yes, you're right, it looks like they've taken out the included half day journey on the Wilderness Express from Talkeetna to Denali. That's a real shame because it's a very similar experience to the Rocky Mountaineer, with equally spectacular views. On the plus side, I note that the Prince William Sound/Columbia Glacier cruise is now an included excursion - I'm pretty sure it was an optional extra for us. I'm sorry you are going to give it a miss but maybe they will change the itinerary again in a couple of years, as they did for the Rocky Mountaineer. Speaking of which - how many years have you had that one pencilled in for? Isn't it about time you booked it? ;)
As for Rapa Nui, well it really is a special place for me now. I know you are not a hiking man but this time I did the Poike peninsular - including scaling the sheer cliff to go deep inside Ana o Keke (a.k.a the Virgin Cave), hiked the beautiful North Coast again and also took on the 23kms between Tongariki and Vinapu on foot. In between I did a tour inside the lava tubes on the west coast, climbed Rano Kau and also did plenty more moai spotting. So, why am I going back? Well I've made quite a few friends there now and they all tell me that I haven't experienced Rapa Nui properly until I've been to the Tapati festival. I can't go next year because it clashes with Galapagos, so 2020 it is!
I've also got a WWII memorial coach tour (Auschwitz etc) this summer and Oberammagau in 2020 on the drawing board but after that....well I'm thinking about New Zealand and Nepal. To quote Mr Trotter "The world is my lobster, Rodney, the world is my lobster!!"
Fly safe and happy travels
Mandy