Seward vs. Whittier

[DD]

We're getting off a Princess ship in Whittier, and then we have a week of self-drive touring. Right now my plan is to transfer to Seward, do a day cruise to the Kenai Fjords, and then take the 6 pm train to Anchorage. Here are my reasons. I'd like some opinions as to if I'm making a mistake.

 

I REALLY, REALLY wanted to experience the Alaska RR. It took a lot of convincing for me to go with the self-drive option. I know it's a better option over taking the AKRR to Denali, so I went with renting a car. That having been said, I thought the best way to get my AKRR fix was to do the Seward-Anchorage portion.

 

Am I missing out of Whittier and a tour there? I realize that the transfer from Whittier to Seward is expensive; however, that's not really factoring into my decision. It's not the expense of the transfer that concerns me, it's whether or not I'm making a mistake by not staying with a tour out of Whittier followed by the train from Whittier to Anchorage.

[Budget Queen]

Only my opinion, but the mistake you are making is not spending a night in Seward. The touring options are superb. Not sure if you have anything planned, but, you are looking at a rushed time.

 

Certainly Whittier boat tours are also superb, and grossly superior to the cruiseship glacier experience. Only you can decide what you want to do with your time.

 

I suggest, before getting into reservations, you get your whole routing, and Interior Alaska itinerary in place. Make sure it's what you want. :)

[vbmom87]

 

I suggest, before getting into reservations, you get your whole routing, and Interior Alaska itinerary in place. Make sure it's what you want. :)

 

Sometimes you just don't know what you want until you have been somewhere. I know we did not plan the tour out of Whittier because we were concerned that we might be overdoing the "boat" thing. We had never been on a cruise, so that was 7 days on the water. (We had been violently seasick once on a ferry). We were taking the Tracy Arm boat tour from Juneau and the Northwestern Fjord tour out of Seward. In the planning phase there was no way to predict how we were going to react to all those boat trips. We felt we had enough boat time planned for one trip. Once we were in Alaska I realized we should have planned a tour out of Whittier. It did cross my mind when we started our land tour to give up the day drive along the Turnagain Arm and to Hope and try to book a tour to Whittier. However, in the end, we did the drive. There was just no way for me to predict ahead of time that we would have been fine with all those boat trips. Knowing what I know now, we would have probably enjoyed the boat tour out of Whittier better than the Northwestern Fjords tour. We did learn that we enjoy scenery more than wildlife.

 

To the OP: IF you have to pick only one, it is a difficult decision. We absolutely loved Seward and the train ride from Seward to Anchorage was a true highlight of our 18 day vacation. Good luck in your decision making.

[lmt1022]

JMO - Is there any way you could do both? Maybe do the Whittier tour and then head to Seward - stop at Exit Glacier or the Sea Life Center (folks have talked about PJ's Taxi service for this?). Then take the Kenai tour. Then you can take the Railroad back to Anchorage and rent a car from there?

 

I have not done either, yet but we are doing both this July and looking forward to them. I have read that they are quite different?