12:30am Alaska ship arrival-When can you disembark?

[Orangefan]

Looking at Alaskan cruises , I noticed that Princess arrives at 12:30am. When are you supposed to disembark? When does Princess start the transfer and where do they bring you?

What if you are flying in from Seattle and cruising south. Do you have to get the Princess transfer at the airport ? How does that change if you staying in Anchorage and need transport by Princess to the ship?

Thanks

Sali

[geoherb]

If a ship gets to a port in the middle of the night, disembarkation still wouldn't be until early morning--after you've had a chance to sleep through the night and then get up and eat breakfast. If you fly in to Seattle, you will be cruising north. It will be a round-trip cruise unless you're on the last cruise of the season, which would end in Vancouver. There are a number of options for getting from the airport to the cruise dock. Princess transfer would be my last choice because it cost more than the others, which include taxi and shuttle services. I'm spoiled because my brother and his wife live in Seattle. I get them to take us. All it costs is some packages of country ham.

[biker1972]

Princess includes airport/ship and ship/airport transfers in their first invoice unless you opt out. Anchorage to Whittier transfer probably worth the money they charge but others will disagree. Southbound cruises from Anchorage would mean a transfer from the airport to either Whittier or Seward. These transfers take several hours and should be arranged prior to your trip, either through the cruise line or independently. If you plan on arriving a day or more ahead or leaving a day or two later you might be better off trying to go independently, but you could still use the cruise line transfer on the start or end day of the cruise by knowing where to meet. The cruise lines have arranged special trains that run to/from the ports of Whittier or Seward and Anchorage airport for the summer months. There is a summer on train station at the airport and also the regular station downtown.

[Budget Queen]

Princess starts off loading passenger by 7am.

 

Whittier is 1 1/4 hours from Anchorage by road, and 2 hours by train.

 

I suggest you add some time to tour mainland Alaska, at the very least consider a Prince William Sound boat tour while in Whittier embarkment/disembarkment day. Spectacular glacier tour, far superior to anything seen from your ship.

 

There are Pincess transfers available, will either go to the airport or downtown Anchorage. Various independent transfers are available listings http://www.anchorage.net

 

There is also one way car rentals with Avis- this IS costly, but for some, makes excellent use of your time. You need to look at the value of your time, in "costs".

 

Alaska RR leaves 6pm every day, and fits in nicely with the Prince William Sound boat tour. Otherwise, it's a LONG "wait" in Whittier, since you would have little else to occupy your time in Whittier.

[TravelRookie]

Thanks for that link Budget Queen. We're planning on taking the train to Denali, not sure if we'll get the rail tour through Princess Lodges, might see if the prices are better using the coupon books for both the rail and the lodge stay. From the link, it looks like there's a Cruise Transfer & Transportation option available so we wouldn't need to use Princess in case we don't use their rail cars. Please correct me if I'm reading this wrong.

[mb6668]

Princess starts off loading passenger by 7am.

 

Whittier is 1 1/4 hours from Anchorage by road, and 2 hours by train.

 

I suggest you add some time to tour mainland Alaska, at the very least consider a Prince William Sound boat tour while in Whittier embarkment/disembarkment day. Spectacular glacier tour, far superior to anything seen from your ship.

 

There are Pincess transfers available, will either go to the airport or downtown Anchorage. Various independent transfers are available listings www.anchorage.net

 

There is also one way car rentals with Avis- this IS costly, but for some, makes excellent use of your time. You need to look at the value of your time, in "costs".

 

Alaska RR leaves 6pm every day, and fits in nicely with the Prince William Sound boat tour. Otherwise, it's a LONG "wait" in Whittier, since you would have little else to occupy your time in Whittier.

 

Who would you recommend for a Prince William Sound boat tour?

[Countrygirl44]

JMHO.....after six cruises to Alaska (by no means an expert...I learn something new each time to hopefully make me a better cruiser). I like the Princess Airport transfer to the ship(if I am flying in the day of the cruise...Heaven Forbid...but sometimes it is an O.K. decision...first flight out to destination in the early a.m. and a non-stop flight). Example CLT. to SEA ...leaves CLT at 7:40 arriving SEA at 10:18...back-up plan is flight leaving CLT at 9:30 arriving SEA around noon).

I get the luggage at baggage claim hand it over to the Princess Rep's and do not see it again until it arrives at my room. On the other end, disembarkment (we use EZ check, get our airline luggage tags and boarding pass...we were in the second or third group off the ship on August 05. Had a towncar waiting and was at the airport, through security and at the gate before 9:00 a.m. for a 1:10 flight.

Princess transfer from ship to airport in Whittier but not in Seattle is my opinion.