Lake Bennett or Yukon husky puppies

[Cruz Doggie]

Hi we are going on our first cruise in August on the Celebrity Solstice and are going to book an excursion through Chilkoot Charters while in Skagway. They offer a couple of bus/White Pass Train excursions which look great with both going to Lake Emerald. One also goes to Lake Bennett while the other is the Yukon Rail and Bus which does not go to Lake Bennett but it includes the husky puppy camp stop. Can anyone please give their recommendations? I think the husky camp might be fun but don't want to miss Lake Bennett if is something not to miss (photography is a main interest). Thanks!

[huskyguy]

Photography takes many forms, but if scenic photography is more your interest than pictures of husky puppies, then the Lake Bennett train is where you'll want to be. The 26-mile-long lake is simply awesome, and I ride that leg pretty much once a year, even though my own huskies can't come along :)

[DougH]

My vote is also for Lake Bennett. The scenery along this portion is very nice and can only be viewed from the train. The farther you get from Skagway the better the scenery gets, the people that take the shorter train trips miss the best parts.

[Cruz Doggie]

Thank you so much for your replies! We will decide today and looks Like Lake Bennett it will be!

[marysb]

My vote is also for Lake Bennett. The scenery along this portion is very nice and can only be viewed from the train. The farther you get from Skagway the better the scenery gets, the people that take the shorter train trips miss the best parts.

 

We are renting a car a Skagway. I thought the views from the highway were pretty similar with the benefit of stopping when you want. Are the views that much different on the train from the highway? We took the train up and back to the summit on our last trip, so we have "experienced " the train.

[huskyguy]

We are renting a car a Skagway. I thought the views from the highway were pretty similar with the benefit of stopping when you want. Are the views that much different on the train from the highway? We took the train up and back to the summit on our last trip, so we have "experienced " the train.

 

From Log Cabin north, the railway is in a different valley to the west of the route the highway goes through, and the views are much different. I agree with DougH that much the best of the train route is north of the summit where most people turn around.

[bonvoyagie]

I did the Lake Bennett trip in 2012 and loved it. The history of the town is very interesting and is presented in a slide show after lunch, you can then take a tour of the town site - the only remaining building (besides the depot) is the church - it is very interesting and very photogenic, as is the lake.

[Cruz Doggie]

We did decide on the Lake Bennett tour - thanks to everyone for your help!

[Lealei]

We did decide on the Lake Bennett tour - thanks to everyone for your help!

 

We are also sailing in August with the Celebrity Solstice (leaving from Seattle). I have been wondering the same Lake Bennett excursion with Chilkoot but I am worried about the time schedule.

 

The ship is scheduled to leave at 6 PM and if I have understood right we have to be onboard latest 30 minutes before that. It is Tuesday so according to Chilkoot web page the excursion ends at 4.45 PM.

 

I am confused with this ship time - shore time thingy. I tried to google but I am not sure about the results is there a time difference or not. It looked like the ship's time could be one hour more than the local time in shore so then it would mean that the tour comes back too late? Is this true or is the ships time always the same than local time when cruising in Alaska?

 

By the way, how much that "Bennet scenic journey" costs?

 

Please advice the newbie :)

[sherryf]

We are also sailing in August with the Celebrity Solstice (leaving from Seattle). I have been wondering the same Lake Bennett excursion with Chilkoot but I am worried about the time schedule.

 

The ship is scheduled to leave at 6 PM and if I have understood right we have to be onboard latest 30 minutes before that. It is Tuesday so according to Chilkoot web page the excursion ends at 4.45 PM.

 

I am confused with this ship time - shore time thingy. I tried to google but I am not sure about the results is there a time difference or not. It looked like the ship's time could be one hour more than the local time in shore so then it would mean that the tour comes back too late? Is this true or is the ships time always the same than local time when cruising in Alaska?

 

By the way, how much that "Bennet scenic journey" costs?

 

Please advice the newbie :)

 

Ship time = Shore time in Alaska. Always. If the tour ends at 4:45, they will get you back on time and you will be able to get back on the ship by 5:30 for a 6:00 departure. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

The Bennett scenic journey is about $230 per person and includes lunch.

[Budget Queen]

We are renting a car a Skagway. I thought the views from the highway were pretty similar with the benefit of stopping when you want. Are the views that much different on the train from the highway? We took the train up and back to the summit on our last trip, so we have "experienced " the train.

 

Yes, very different.

[Budget Queen]

We are also sailing in August with the Celebrity Solstice (leaving from Seattle). I have been wondering the same Lake Bennett excursion with Chilkoot but I am worried about the time schedule.

 

The ship is scheduled to leave at 6 PM and if I have understood right we have to be onboard latest 30 minutes before that. It is Tuesday so according to Chilkoot web page the excursion ends at 4.45 PM.

 

I am confused with this ship time - shore time thingy. I tried to google but I am not sure about the results is there a time difference or not. It looked like the ship's time could be one hour more than the local time in shore so then it would mean that the tour comes back too late? Is this true or is the ships time always the same than local time when cruising in Alaska?

 

By the way, how much that "Bennet scenic journey" costs?

 

Please advice the newbie :)

 

Alaska is ONE time zone, which you change to, before you get to Skagway. It is one hour behind in Canada, BC and Yukon which you go through if going to Emerald lake, but this has nothing to do with the tours starting and ending in Skagway.

 

Verify your port times directly with the vendor. And go with their advice, always.

[Lealei]

Thanks for the advice! We contacted the vendor and booked the Lake Bennett tour. Looking forward to it! :)