HELP !!Alaska Train Transfer Question - Getting Conflicting/Wrong Information????????

We are taking the RCCL Alaska Southbound cruise this coming summer. We want to take the train from Anchorage to the port.

We are not flying in to Anchorage and we are not staying at a hotel. We are staying with family. We JUST want to take the train.

Our travel agent who booked the cruise for us tells us that we would "meet the train" at 555 West 5th Street. Our daughter who has lived here for 15 years tell us that address is nowhere near the train station.

So, in order to get the "real" answer, I called RCCL which was a huge mistake. The person who I spoke with, whose accent I could barely understand, told me with full authority and certainty that out ONLY option is to go to the AIRPORT where RCCL representatives will meet us. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, my call was transferred to a voice mail box telling me to call back during business hours.

Can I get the correct story on this.

Thanks!

The RCCL rep was correct, but I understand the confusion. We went through the same thing on our cruise last June.

There’s actually a train station downstairs at the airport which the train leaves from.

It was some sort of boondoggle overpriced station that was built and never really used.

The only use (i think) is trains that take cruisers to Seward.

Don’t miss it. It’s a beautiful 6 hour ride to Seward - one of our favorite parts of the trip.

From downtown Anchorage the train leaves from the depot 411 First Ave.at 6.30 am. Check in 5.30 am

This is the Alaska Railroad, not the train Royal puts on from the airport

Ride A Train | Alaska Railroad

Alaska Railroad

I did this in May this year. Lovely journey.

You can book it yourself on line.

We did it the reverse direction on our own. The train is great. Enjoy your trip.

The RCCL rep was correct, but I understand the confusion. We went through the same thing on our cruise last June.

There’s actually a train station downstairs at the airport which the train leaves from.

It was some sort of boondoggle overpriced station that was built and never really used.

The only use (i think) is trains that take cruisers to Seward.

Don’t miss it. It’s a beautiful 6 hour ride to Seward - one of our favorite parts of the trip.

Yes...we arrived there by cruise train from the end of our north bound itinerary on RCI Radiance....Seward to ANC. As I remember the returning train back to Seward had many cruiser's waiting to board the train and it was approx 11:00am.

This cruise train transfer option can only be booked directly with RCI.

We are taking the RCCL Alaska Southbound cruise this coming summer. We want to take the train from Anchorage to the port.

 

We are not flying in to Anchorage and we are not staying at a hotel. We are staying with family. We JUST want to take the train.

Our travel agent who booked the cruise for us tells us that we would "meet the train" at 555 West 5th Street. Our daughter who has lived here for 15 years tell us that address is nowhere near the train station.

 

So, in order to get the "real" answer, I called RCCL which was a huge mistake. The person who I spoke with, whose accent I could barely understand, told me with full authority and certainty that out ONLY option is to go to the AIRPORT where RCCL representatives will meet us. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, my call was transferred to a voice mail box telling me to call back during business hours.

 

Can I get the correct story on this.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Fire the travel agent. Go online, find Alaska Rail, buy your tickets. Then call your TA and tell them to go find a job they can handle.

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Fire the travel agent. Go online, find Alaska Rail, buy your tickets. Then call your TA and tell them to go find a job they can handle.

 

 

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Who ever the RCI rep was that the OP eventually spoke with was correct about the cruiseline train transfer option..in that it does indeed only leave from ANC and must be purchased directly with RCI. No reason for the RCI rep to know or offer any other type of transportation since they are certainly not a TA.

Who ever the RCI rep was that the OP eventually spoke with was correct about the cruiseline train transfer option..in that it does indeed only leave from ANC and must be purchased directly with RCI. No reason for the RCI rep to know or offer any other type of transportation since they are certainly not a TA.

The OPs TA gave confusing (?) info. Which led to calls with RC. Who have nothing to do with the issue. My point is and was that, instead of blindly relying on a TA, the OP coulda/shoulda just gone online and booked seats on the train.

Apparently, there may be two trains from Anchorage to Seward...

The regular daily ARR train from downtown, and a cruise line chartered train from the airport station.

The former can be booked direct from the ARR website, and the latter only from the cruise line that charters it...

We are flying into Anchorage in June 2018, and staying two nights prior to taking the train to Seaward to board the Radiance. We are not doing a precruise tour.

I booked the train online through Alaska Railroad. We selected the Gold Dome service, which is supposed to offer a better view, more comfy seats, etc.

This is not through Royal...did I make a mistake? Do I need to book through Royal?

We are also flying into ANC before doing our own thing up to Denali. We have booked the Gold Dome service leaving at 6:45 AM from Anchorage Depot. on the Thursday morning. The cost for 2 was $424.00.

We have booked our own hotel in Seward and our own tour for Friday morning before boarding the ship.

There is no need to book anything via RCI IMHO.

555 West Street appears to be the Egan Convention Center which is likely a meeting place for COACH transfers to the ship.

Roy

We are flying into Anchorage in June 2018, and staying two nights prior to taking the train to Seaward to board the Radiance. We are not doing a precruise tour.

 

I booked the train online through Alaska Railroad. We selected the Gold Dome service, which is supposed to offer a better view, more comfy seats, etc.

 

This is not through Royal...did I make a mistake? Do I need to book through Royal?

No, just book a hotel downtown near the train station, as the train departs at like 6:30AM

JC

You need to contact your TA and discern whether they scheduled your train through RCI or via AlaskaRR.

If scheduled through RCI, you’ll get clear instructions in your Guest Ticket Booklet when it arrives.

We are flying into Anchorage in June 2018, and staying two nights prior to taking the train to Seaward to board the Radiance. We are not doing a precruise tour.

 

I booked the train online through Alaska Railroad. We selected the Gold Dome service, which is supposed to offer a better view, more comfy seats, etc.

 

This is not through Royal...did I make a mistake? Do I need to book through Royal?

You'll love the Gold Class....I did it in August, even declining a free bus transfer from Anchorage to Seward (by Crystal Cruises)

The Gold Class has all seating on the upper level of full length dome cars. There is a dining room and galley on the lower level. The food and drinks are included, as well as a souvenir pin....try to get the front seats in car 'A', for an "engineer's eye view"...;)

The regular class has seats in standard coaches, one of which has a small dome section, which is shared between three coaches....there is also an ala carte priced dining and lounge car in that section...

There are two trains, one departs from the airport (RCI) on cruise day, the other from the Alaska RR station in the northern part of Anchorage. We have done the Alaska RR station twice. It departs early in the morning, and gets you to Seward around 11:00AM to walk on to the ship. Many hotels even have shuttles that will take you to the train station. RCI will be there at the Alaska RR station to collect your luggage and put it on the ship. They set up a tent on the right side of the station to tag and ship your luggage via truck to the ship. You won't have to deal with your luggage until it arrives outside of your cabin.

I don't know what the current pricing is, but RCI airport train was always higher, and got you to the pier much later. The trip from the train station to Seward is beautiful, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Enjoy!

Thanks everyone...

We are staying at the Hilton, which is very close to the train station from what we understand. Maybe a block. We want to be close since we have to be at the train station so early in the morning.

We also paid the gold dome price of $424.00 for the two of us, booked directly thru Alaska Railroad

This is going to be one EXPENSIVE trip! But...this is a once and done bucket list trip. I'm much more of a warm weather girl ☀️!

Thanks everyone...

We are staying at the Hilton, which is very close to the train station from what we understand. Maybe a block. We want to be close since we have to be at the train station so early in the morning.

 

We also paid the gold dome price of $424.00 for the two of us, booked directly thru Alaska Railroad

 

This is going to be one EXPENSIVE trip! But...this is a once and done bucket list trip. I'm much more of a warm weather girl ☀️!

Getting over the river on the bridge will be difficult with luggage. See if they have a free shuttle you can sign up for when you check in.

There ra e several train options as stated above. One through Alaska railroad, which leaves Anchorage early and arrives at the ship early so that can pick up there passengers getting off the ship. The other option is through RCCL which has a specific time that leaves the train station from the airport. If you stay at one of the designated hotels that they offer, they will have a bus pick you up and take you to the train station. If you stay at another hotel, they will advise you to respond to one of their hotels for transportation to the train station. Best thing to do is stay at a hotel with free shuttle service to the airport and have them take you to the airport in the morning where you can pick up the train. Once at the train station, you will get a seat assignment if you go through RCCL. I agree with the others that the train ride is the only way to go. You can get drinks and food on the train. The food was pretty good for train food. Usually sit a a booth like table set up.

I stayed at the historic Anchorage Westward Hilton, with a nice view of the train station from my room. I simply rolled my suitcases the block and a half to the station....it's all downhill...;). In my case, the cruise line was not involved...I checked my baggage at the tent to Seward, and it went in the train baggage car. I claimed it trainside in Seward. I had planned to walk the two blocks over to the pier, but was surprised when a city owned school type shuttle bus gave us a free ride to the baggage check in at the pier....

I live in Anchorage, and the Egan Center at 555 5th Ave is the location several cruise lines use for staging to board coaches to/from the ships, and perhaps they’re using it to transfer you to the nearby train station as well. We were dropped off there after our train transfers on Princess a few times. The coaches take you directly to the train cars chartered by the cruise lines, and you board directly.

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We are flying into Anchorage in June 2018, and staying two nights prior to taking the train to Seaward to board the Radiance. We are not doing a precruise tour.

 

I booked the train online through Alaska Railroad. We selected the Gold Dome service, which is supposed to offer a better view, more comfy seats, etc.

 

This is not through Royal...did I make a mistake? Do I need to book through Royal?

You should be good. I did Celebrity Southbound this past June. I booked ARR directly, not through Celebrity. I took the hotel shuttle to the train. At the downtown train station they accepted my luggage with my Celebrity tags attached. A lot of folks didn't have their luggage tags ready which slowed the process down a bit. I had put mine on in the hotel like I do when cruising from the lower 48. Luggage goes by truck, not on the train. It was delivered directly to my cabin.

Once in Seward our train stopped 1/2 mile from the ship. They had free shuttle buses even though I didn't book the train through Celebrity. I chose to walk 10 mins to the ship. It was a beautiful sunny day and I wanted to stretch my legs after sitting on the train. There is another train that stops very close to the cruise terminal, perhaps that is the charter train when booked through the line.

The train was spectacular. I am so glad I booked it. It was an amazing way to start an Alaskan cruise. I've got a bunch of pictures from the train but I'm new to CC and still figuring out dealing with photos on this site.

No, just book a hotel downtown near the train station, as the train departs at like 6:30AM

 

JC

Following this too. Can anyone give a few suggestions of hotels near the Alaska Railroad train station.

We are taking the RCCL Alaska Southbound cruise this coming summer. We want to take the train from Anchorage to the port.

 

We are not flying in to Anchorage and we are not staying at a hotel. We are staying with family. We JUST want to take the train.

Our travel agent who booked the cruise for us tells us that we would "meet the train" at 555 West 5th Street. Our daughter who has lived here for 15 years tell us that address is nowhere near the train station.

 

So, in order to get the "real" answer, I called RCCL which was a huge mistake. The person who I spoke with, whose accent I could barely understand, told me with full authority and certainty that out ONLY option is to go to the AIRPORT where RCCL representatives will meet us. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, my call was transferred to a voice mail box telling me to call back during business hours.

 

Can I get the correct story on this.

 

Thanks!

very

 

very easy to book through the alaska railroad. I do it myself every time that i come. The depot has a station outside that will take all of your luggage and will take it down to the port and the next time you see it will be on the Radiance. I do this every time and there has been no issue. Since i take my two bottles of wine though i do not put that in a suitcase and send it- i put it in my tote and take it directly in with me when i check into the ship. https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/our-trains

Here is the depot address

411 West 1st Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501

PHONE: 907.265.2494; 800.544.0552