Seward to Anchorage ?

[Doerthoch]

Hi,

Going on northbound cruise in May, ending in Seward.

Ship docks at 5:30 AM, not sure what time we would disembark, this is our first cruise.

We originally thought we'd take the train and head up to Anchorage, but if I'm reading the train schedule correctly, there is only 1 train at 6:00PM to Anchorage. Could that be?

 

We aren't sure if we are staying the night in Anchorage yet, making air line reservations next week.

 

Not if I want to hang around in Seward until 6:00, any other suggestions to getting to Anchorage? I thought the train ride would be nice and we'd see a lot more.

Thanks for your help, I'll be posting quite often since I'm s newbie... :)

[theloo]

We are taking a tour of Kenai Fjords, which I think a lot of people do. If you take a 6-hour tour, you'd be able to make it to the train at 6. You can also rent a car, but one-way rental is expensive ($150 per day or so). You can also take a bus tour. Lots of options!

[Doerthoch]

What tour are you taking? What do you do with your luggage for the 6 hours?

[mapleleaves]

Seward is an easy place to spend time until the 6pm train. Besides the Kenai Fjords day cruises, you can stroll around the harbor, visit the Sealife Center, take a shuttle to Exit Glacier, kayak, fish. There's also a free shuttle that runs thru town.

Look at the town web site for ideas: http://seward.com/

If you want to get to Anchorage sooner, try Park Connection Bus and Seward Buslines. Or rent a car from AVIS, the only vendor in town. Or independent transfer or ship transfer.

 

p.s. if you take the train, you can check your bags at the depot for the day while you do the Kenai Fjords cruise. Or the vendors will hold your luggage in their office if you choose a method other than the train.

Edited January 31, 2014 by mapleleaves

[theloo]

I agree with the above post, Kenai Fjord tours offered to keep my luggage for the day and drop me off where I'm staying overnight.

[Ashland]

You could book the cruiseline train transfer option....That train leaves from right next to where the ship docks at 7:30am and arrives right to the doors of the Anchorage airport (ANC) at 11:30am and is $105.00pp a great 126 mile narrated train trip (we have done this twice) and you claim your luggage once there..so you can either stay on in Anchorage (using your own transportation/taxi/hotel shuttle etc. to get into town) or have a flight out that same day but it can't be scheduled any earlier than a 2:30pm departure time.

 

Another option is booking the cruiseline bus transfer option which arrives a bit earlier...and is priced just a little less than the train transfers.

 

We are going to be on the May 30th northbound RCI Radiance cruise and have opted this time to use a private bus company (due to the fact that we have a 1:30 sameday flight home) "Alaska Cruise Transportation Company" at $42.00pp that also leaves from right next to the ship at 8:00am and the first stop is ANC at 10:45am...this bus then will continue on into town and stops at various locations/hotels...

 

You can check out their website for any info you might need...This is the most economical option we have found.

 

Best of luck and enjoy your cruise & any post-cruise plans.

[kittysnme]

Save your money and book the Alaska Railroad. The cruise train is pulled the regular railroad anyway. It's cheaper and you have more options to move around.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Forums mobile app

[donaldsc]

We are taking a tour of Kenai Fjords, which I think a lot of people do. If you take a 6-hour tour, you'd be able to make it to the train at 6. You can also rent a car, but one-way rental is expensive ($150 per day or so). You can also take a bus tour. Lots of options!

 

How many are you and what is the train cost per person? I have driven the route several times and have enjoyed it very much. But then again, you have to realize that I hate trains.

 

DON

[Doerthoch]

The train is 140.00 pp for the Gold Dome service, 85.00 pp if not.

[Doerthoch]

I dint realize there were 2 different rail systems, I thought the Alaska rail that left at 6:00 was the only one.:)

[donaldsc]

The train is 140.00 pp for the Gold Dome service, 85.00 pp if not.

 

That means that if there are 2 of you, you break even if you rent a car. More than 2, you come out ahead. And you avoid being trapped on the train which is worth to me any amount of money. Did I mention that I hate trains and love driving?

 

DON

[Rina155]

Thank you for this information. I think I would rather take the 6pm train to Anchorage and then taxi to airport as our flight leaves at 11:57pm so we should have plenty of time to arrive and check into the airport. Looks like with this option would have more room and not have to rush around in the am to catch the train the cruiseline transfer offers.

 

I was able to walk around Anchorage on our last cruise and am thinking I would enjoy seeing Seward this time around.

 

:)

[DT1304]

I loved Seward, and spent the day there after my cruise doing a full day tour including summer dog cart ride, exit glacier, salmon hatchery, lunch etc.

 

Then we took the 6pm train to Anchorage which was amazing.

 

One thing to consider though....

 

We got to Anchorage at about 10:15pm. After picking up luggage and waiting for ages to get a cab (although in fairness we needed a large cab as there were 5 of us with lots of luggage) we eventually only got a cab at about 11:30pm to get to our hotel.

 

If you have the same type of problems getting a cab, you may be too late to the airport!

[Doerthoch]

We will be staying in Anchorage after Seward so we won't have to rush to the airport. The train ride seems like a winner.:D

[Coral]

We will be staying in Anchorage after Seward so we won't have to rush to the airport. The train ride seems like a winner.:D

 

The train is wonderful. Seward is wonderful. Win, Win!

[Rina155]

I loved Seward, and spent the day there after my cruise doing a full day tour including summer dog cart ride, exit glacier, salmon hatchery, lunch etc.

 

Then we took the 6pm train to Anchorage which was amazing.

 

One thing to consider though....

 

We got to Anchorage at about 10:15pm. After picking up luggage and waiting for ages to get a cab (although in fairness we needed a large cab as there were 5 of us with lots of luggage) we eventually only got a cab at about 11:30pm to get to our hotel.

 

If you have the same type of problems getting a cab, you may be too late to the airport!

 

What month were you there? Also do you remember the day of the week arriving? We plan to check our bags all the way through on cruise ship so am hoping we make it on time to make our flight...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - now Free

[DT1304]

What month were you there? Also do you remember the day of the week arriving? We plan to check our bags all the way through on cruise ship so am hoping we make it on time to make our flight...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - now Free

 

We were there the first week of June, but I really do not remember what day of the week it was.

 

We stayed the night and then got a flight the next morning to LA to begin the long journey home.

 

One thing in Seward that i can highly recommend, is the all day tour run by Seaveys. it was a definite highlight of our trip.

 

http://www.ididaride.com

 

You welcome to check out my review that I did too. It has lots of info pre Alaska that you can skip forward through to see the Alaska part.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1864345&highlight=alaska

[Rina155]

We were there the first week of June, but I really do not remember what day of the week it was.

 

We stayed the night and then got a flight the next morning to LA to begin the long journey home.

 

One thing in Seward that i can highly recommend, is the all day tour run by Seaveys. it was a definite highlight of our trip.

 

http://www.ididaride.com

 

You welcome to check out my review that I did too. It has lots of info pre Alaska that you can skip forward through to see the Alaska part.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1864345&highlight=alaska

 

WOW what a great review! I just finished reading most of it. AMAZING. You gave me some great ideas and validation to ones I already had decided on. There will only be two of us needing taxi to airport, so hopefully we will make it in time. It appears from your review it was a Friday you were in Seward as you left from Vancouver on a Friday. This will be the same for us as we are on Celebrity Line. Again thank you for the link to your review, you did an amazing job and appears you and your family had a very enjoyable trip!