Regent flights from NY to Anchorage

[tallship]

Thanks, it is helpful info

We will do the first night in Anchorage and the second in Seward. Still get a rental car and enjoy our two days to the fullest. Nana- so looking forward to meeting up with you very soon. We arrive in Barcelona Sunday afternoon.

[nana541]

Thanks, it is helpful info

We will do the first night in Anchorage and the second in Seward. Still get a rental car and enjoy our two days to the fullest. Nana- so looking forward to meeting up with you very soon. We arrive in Barcelona Sunday afternoon.

 

Tallship looking forward to our adventure too, we arrive in Barcelona Saturday afternoon.... Look for the very short, roundish:) redhead and my handsome DH of course!

[cruiseej]

Ok, so I spent the evening scouring the web and am a bit undecided between a day trip from Anchorage to Whittier versus Seward. I am also trying to decide whether to stay one night in Anchorage and then one night in Seward. Currently have booked 2 nights hotel in Anchorage using points versus staying one night in Anchorage and then the second night pre-cruise at the Holiday Inn Express in Seward which will be about $300 all in. Is is too far to drive into Seward for a day trip? Is Seward better than Whittier?

Both have cruises departing for the day.

 

Tallship, the first time I was in Alaska, for a conference in Anchorage, I did drive down to Seward in the morning, took a day cruise, stayed overnight, and drove back to Anchorage the next morning. Most of the drive between Anchorage and Seward is very scenic, and re-tracing that route didn't bother me at all. But if you've decided to spend your second night in Anchorage instead of Seward, then I'd agree with Dave -- covering that route three times in about 24 hours is a lot of driving!

 

So I'd drive to Whittier instead -- it's less than half the distance -- and take the 26 Glacier cruise there. As I said previously, I think the Kenai Fjords trip out of Seward is slightly better for wildlife and sightseeing, but the Whittier trip is very nice as well, and it will hopefully get you up close and personal with Surprise and Barry Glaciers. It's definitely worthwhile, in my opinion. After the cruise, you can stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center before returning to Anchorage (or you can do this the following day, when you'll come past here enroute to Seward). You might get your best views along Turnagain Sound in the early evening on this return trip. (This time of day is when I got the first photo in post #14 above.)

 

Then, the following day, you'd retrace your path as far as the Whittier (Portage Glacier) road and then continue south the remaining 80 miles to Seward. Depending how early a start you get out of Anchorage on the day of embarkation, you could make a short stop to walk up to Exit Glacier, just before you enter Seward). Or you could visit the SeaLife Center in Seward. (Seeing the small town of Seward itself doesn't take very long!) Or visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center if you didn't do it the previous day. Or you could make a stop at the Alyeska resort in Girdwood, about 40 miles south of Anchorage; if the skies are clear, you can take the tram up to the top of the mountain, and if not, The Bake Shop there has great cookies and sweets, or can be a nice late-breakfast stop. (While I know many of us plan and plot to be able to board the ship as soon as possible, in this port, I'd use your time to see as much as you can of Alaska rather than spending the afternoon on the ship sitting around waiting to get in your suite -- just my $.02. ;) )

 

-- Eric