Whitter to Anchorage

[tobecool]

Hi,

 

we are sailing with Princess early July and end up the cruise at Whitter. On the itinerary, it's said "arrive at Whitter 12:00am", so does it mean that we'll be at the port at night? and we can disembark any time in the morning? our flight is at night from Anchorage, so we have a whole day there. Can you please give us any recommendation to do in a day? can we take a train from Whitter to Anchorage? or we'd better rent a car and pick it up as soon as we disembark and have a day trip? where we'd better go?

thanks.

[AkSusan]

Hi,

 

we are sailing with Princess early July and end up the cruise at Whitter. On the itinerary, it's said "arrive at Whitter 12:00am", so does it mean that we'll be at the port at night? and we can disembark any time in the morning? our flight is at night from Anchorage, so we have a whole day there. Can you please give us any recommendation to do in a day? can we take a train from Whitter to Anchorage? or we'd better rent a car and pick it up as soon as we disembark and have a day trip? where we'd better go?

thanks.

You won't be disembarking until the morning. I've gone the other way (Anchorage to Whittier) but I know that others will pipe up and tell their experiences when they started letting them off in Whittier.

 

The one thing about Whittier is that it lies behind a multi-use tunnel (train or car) so you go into Whittier on the whole hour and come out on the half hour.

 

You could take a Prince William Sound Glacier cruise and then head to town on the Railroad, but with that said I don't know what time your flight is, and it's recommended you do the 1 1/2 to 2 hours before hand getting to the Anchorage airport.

 

The train comes back through Whittier and leaves there at 6:45 p.m. to arrive at Anchorage at 9:15 p.m.

 

There is only one car rental agency in Whittier and that's Avis. So when you look at prices you'll have a drop off fee because you'll be leaving it in Anchorage and not in Whittier.

 

If you take a transfer in you could always do some sightseeing in downtown Anchorage including the Anchorage Museum http://www.anchoragemuseum.org/ or the Alaska Native Heritage Center runs a shuttle from several areas of downtown (the summer schedule isn't out yet) out to the center http://www.alaskanative.net/

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[Putterdude]

We rented a car from Avis in Whittier and returned it to Whittier as we did a back to back. We picked up the car about 8 am, enjoyed our drive and found it useful to visit the Alaska Game Preserve and the Alaska Native Heritage center both of which are a long way out of Anchorage.

[AkSusan]

We rented a car from Avis in Whittier and returned it to Whittier as we did a back to back. We picked up the car about 8 am, enjoyed our drive and found it useful to visit the Alaska Game Preserve and the Alaska Native Heritage center both of which are a long way out of Anchorage.

:confused:I don't think that 12 minutes from downtown to the Native Heritage Center is a long way out of Anchorage. Now I agree with the Wildlife Center, as that's about an hour or south of town!

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[tobecool]

You won't be disembarking until the morning. I've gone the other way (Anchorage to Whittier) but I know that others will pipe up and tell their experiences when they started letting them off in Whittier.

 

The one thing about Whittier is that it lies behind a multi-use tunnel (train or car) so you go into Whittier on the whole hour and come out on the half hour.

 

You could take a Prince William Sound Glacier cruise and then head to town on the Railroad, but with that said I don't know what time your flight is, and it's recommended you do the 1 1/2 to 2 hours before hand getting to the Anchorage airport.

 

The train comes back through Whittier and leaves there at 6:45 p.m. to arrive at Anchorage at 9:15 p.m.

 

There is only one car rental agency in Whittier and that's Avis. So when you look at prices you'll have a drop off fee because you'll be leaving it in Anchorage and not in Whittier.

 

If you take a transfer in you could always do some sightseeing in downtown Anchorage including the Anchorage Museum http://www.anchoragemuseum.org/ or the Alaska Native Heritage Center runs a shuttle from several areas of downtown (the summer schedule isn't out yet) out to the center http://www.alaskanative.net/

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

 

Thanks, Susan.

 

yes, the Prince William Sound Glacier cruise is one of our choice. but is it still interesting after the cruise from Glacier? how long will it take to this cruise? how far is it from the port? after this cruise, you mean we can take a train to Anchorage? where can we book the train ticket? while we do the cruise in Whitter, where we leave our luggages? Is the train going to Anchorage airport directly or should we take bus form the train station? if we have time left in Anchorage after the Prince William Sound Cruise, and we want go to any one the museum, where can we leave our luggage?

 

Sorry for so many questions, I'm kind of worry to do this plan. not as easy as what we did in caribbean.

 

Thanks for your help!!!!

[AkSusan]

Thanks, Susan.

 

yes, the Prince William Sound Glacier cruise is one of our choice. but is it still interesting after the cruise from Glacier? how long will it take to this cruise? how far is it from the port? after this cruise, you mean we can take a train to Anchorage? where can we book the train ticket? while we do the cruise in Whitter, where we leave our luggages? Is the train going to Anchorage airport directly or should we take bus form the train station? if we have time left in Anchorage after the Prince William Sound Cruise, and we want go to any one the museum, where can we leave our luggage?

 

Sorry for so many questions, I'm kind of worry to do this plan. not as easy as what we did in caribbean.

 

Thanks for your help!!!!

 

Here are the companies that run the PWS cruises - look at their websites for their times and how long the cruises are - http://www.princewilliamsound.com/

http://www.26glaciers.com/

http://www.majormarine.com/alaska-day-cruises/prince-william-sound-glacier-cruise/

 

You could also inquire if they would store your luggage too.

 

To book the train tickets, you can do it through the Alaska Railroad -http://www.alaskarailroad.com/travel/Reservations/tabid/94/Default.aspx

 

No, the train will not go to the airport but to the downtown depot. There is no bus that goes down there, so you'd have to take a cab, which would probably run in the $25 or so range.

 

Sorry, can't help on if you get to town and want to do something without your luggage.

 

People do this type of touring every day during the summer up here. It's very easy to book and go. Lots of these companies have been in business for years.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[tobecool]

Here are the companies that run the PWS cruises - look at their websites for their times and how long the cruises are - http://www.princewilliamsound.com/

http://www.26glaciers.com/

http://www.majormarine.com/alaska-day-cruises/prince-william-sound-glacier-cruise/

 

You could also inquire if they would store your luggage too.

 

To book the train tickets, you can do it through the Alaska Railroad -http://www.alaskarailroad.com/travel/Reservations/tabid/94/Default.aspx

 

No, the train will not go to the airport but to the downtown depot. There is no bus that goes down there, so you'd have to take a cab, which would probably run in the $25 or so range.

 

Sorry, can't help on if you get to town and want to do something without your luggage.

 

People do this type of touring every day during the summer up here. It's very easy to book and go. Lots of these companies have been in business for years.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

 

Thanks for so many details, Susan.

 

I'll do more homework.

 

THanks

[tobecool]

I checked with all three operators, it sounds like they are all back to the port late afternoon. i don't think in this case, we have time to visit Anchorage nay more, but going directly to Anchorage airport.

 

Now the question is the coach or the train from Whitter to Anchorage is so fixed, I mean schedule, can we rent a car or take a taxi or any other ways back to Anorage? Or even directly to the airport?

 

Thanks.

[AkSusan]

I checked with all three operators, it sounds like they are all back to the port late afternoon. i don't think in this case, we have time to visit Anchorage nay more, but going directly to Anchorage airport.

 

Now the question is the coach or the train from Whitter to Anchorage is so fixed, I mean schedule, can we rent a car or take a taxi or any other ways back to Anorage? Or even directly to the airport?

 

Thanks.

The only place to rent a car is Avis, so you'd have to check to see if they have cars available for that time and plus there will be a substantial dropoff fee.

 

There are no taxis in Whittier. I think the cost for a taxi to come from Anchorage and then take you back would be outrageous as it's about 60 miles or south of town :eek:

 

All three of the companies that do the PWS glacier cruises also have transportation sections on their websites that could get you to Anchorage after their cruises. Though I'm not sure where they drop off, it may not be the airport. But you can always call and talk to them.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)