alaska landtour/cruise clarification

[mya603]

Just to clarify (I don't want to be caught unaware when I get there) I am taking the land tour first in May and then the cruise. I know my large suitcase will go to the ship from the hotel in Anchorage when I leave on the land tour. My smaller case for the land tour-will it meet me on ship the day we get there or will I get to pick it up and take it on board when I board? If not, as seems to be what I'm picking up on, I need to have a carry on with me every day on land tour? The only other tours I've been on I only had one suitcase so I always had a carry on that I could leave on the bus while off touring something. So I'm wondering about this one. I know probably stupid questions to some people, but I need to know! Thanks everyone!

[birdiebill]

We have done Alaska Cruisetours two times. Princess handles all the luggage. So you CAN have one suitcase that contains clothing and items only for the ship that Princess will take as you start your land tour. That suitcase will meet you on the ship. You also CAN have one suitcase that contains clothing and items that you need for the land portion. That one will be transported by Princess from lodge to lodge.

 

We have always had a small tote bag that contains any medications, passports, important papers, I-pads, a collapsible umbrella, etc that we want to have access to. We carry that on the train/motorcoaches that Princess uses to transport us while we are on the land tour.

[Pia1913]

Just to clarify (I don't want to be caught unaware when I get there) I am taking the land tour first in May and then the cruise. I know my large suitcase will go to the ship from the hotel in Anchorage when I leave on the land tour. My smaller case for the land tour-will it meet me on ship the day we get there or will I get to pick it up and take it on board when I board? If not, as seems to be what I'm picking up on, I need to have a carry on with me every day on land tour? The only other tours I've been on I only had one suitcase so I always had a carry on that I could leave on the bus while off touring something. So I'm wondering about this one. I know probably stupid questions to some people, but I need to know! Thanks everyone!

 

We did 8 days land before the cruise. Yes, whatever you tag "meet me on the ship" will be waiting for you when you board. Your smaller case travels with you on the bus (in cargo hold) and you have it at every lodge. In our case, we stayed at four different hotels. Whatever personal stuff you have (purse, ipad, phone, etc) would be with you on the bus.

[mya603]

Okay. Thank you!:)

[Thrak]

We did 8 days land before the cruise. Yes, whatever you tag "meet me on the ship" will be waiting for you when you board. Your smaller case travels with you on the bus (in cargo hold) and you have it at every lodge. In our case, we stayed at four different hotels. Whatever personal stuff you have (purse, ipad, phone, etc) would be with you on the bus.

 

Did you do the connoisseur tour? We're planning to book an Alaska cruise tour next year and I'm pushing for the connoisseur but my wife is unsure.

[nukesubsailor]

Did you do the connoisseur tour? We're planning to book an Alaska cruise tour next year and I'm pushing for the connoisseur but my wife is unsure.

 

I am not Pia, but a group of 12 of us did the 8-day connoisseur tour last July.

We all agreed that that is the only way to go if you can spare the time and money. It was fantastic and Princess takes all the hassles out of the travel.

You will get a daily schedule of times where you need to be ready for events such as transportation, included meals, excursions, etc. They really spoil you.

[Pia1913]

Did you do the connoisseur tour? We're planning to book an Alaska cruise tour next year and I'm pushing for the connoisseur but my wife is unsure.

 

See Nuke's response above. Can't imagine why your wife would be unsure. It's a no brainer. Let them lead you and think for you. Princess has this down to a science. It was a great 8 days.

[mya603]

So what I'm seeing is I need a large tote along with my small purse to carry with me on land portion while my overnight bag is stashed in cargo hold of transport and will meet me in my room at lodge? What will I do with my tote will I'm on my excursion? I've booked the flight/glacier landing in Denali.

[birdiebill]

A quote from Princess' FAQ on Alaska Cruisetours regarding tote size:

 

Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure.

 

We purchased our tote from a national department store chain. We even use it on our Caribbean cruises to carry our essential items on the plane.

Edited February 13, 2015 by birdiebill

[Kybabe]

DH bought a backpack when went to Alaska. He carried it when we went on excursions. He didn't mind the backpack but didn't want to fool with a tote. Great for me! Then I just had my cross shoulder bag.

[RoobyDoo]

So what I'm seeing is I need a large tote along with my small purse to carry with me on land portion while my overnight bag is stashed in cargo hold of transport and will meet me in my room at lodge? What will I do with my tote will I'm on my excursion? I've booked the flight/glacier landing in Denali.

 

It depends on what you're planning to carry in your tote bag. Like many of the others have stated, I also use a backpack as my "tote bag" for things like rain pants, rain jacket, camera, etc.

 

The Princess transport bus (and/or train) will only be transporting you from lodge to lodge. It may stop for lunch or scenery photo ops along the way. But it does not transport you directly to your excursions. You will depart for your excursions from the lodge, so there is no need to leave your tote bag on the transport bus during excursions. But, like many of us, you'll probably want to carry along a tote bag or backpack when you're out on excursions. For greater convenience, you should think small tote rather than large tote; again it depends on what you plan to pack in it.

 

One other thing to consider: the flightseeing planes and helicopters will not allow passengers to carry bags/totes on the aircraft, due to safety regulations. Most, if not all, companies will lock up your bags in their office during the excursion.

[Kinkacruiser]

We are doing the connoisseur after the cruise in May. If you are allowed one suitcase each for the land tour portion, is there plenty of room on the bus for 2 large cases or should I be economical and pack what we'll need for the land tour into one suitcase and have the second one meet us at the last lodge (Fairbanks)?

We're B2B2B from FLL so will have summer clothes, formal/evening clothes and evening clothes.

Thanks in advance.

[New York Nana]

Everyone has their preferred way to do this, but the following is from our personal experience on a June 2011 pre-cruise land tour.

 

1. DH and I each had one large suitcase (27"-29" sized) that we tagged "meet me on the ship".

2. DH and I each had one small suitcase (24" airplane carryon sized) that we tagged "take with me tonight"

3. DH and I each carried a small backpack that we kept personal, electronic and nice to have items. (Medicines, laptop, cameras, snacks, stowaway jkts, cell phones, etc)

 

We were given the tags at the start of our tour in Fairbanks when we arrived at the airport. We tagged our bags (not including the backpacks)and left them outside our hotel room early our first morning. (Fairbanks Princess lodge)

 

The large bags were transported directly to the ship and not seen till we arrived in our cabin on board 6 days later.

 

The small bags were transported directly to the next hotel (Denali Princess) and were in our room when we checked in that evening. They are transported by truck and are not placed on either the bus or train that transports YOU.

 

Our backpacks went with us. We travelled by bus from Fairbanks to Denali. Prior to, we went on the riverboat tour. We were given the option to leave items on board the bus.. It was locked and we would be re boarding it after the tour.

 

OTHER OPTIONS:

Friends we traveled with used only ONE LARGE suitcase each. They did NOT use the "meet me on the ship" tags. Their suitcases were transported to the hotels just the same as our small bags were. They were also transported to their cabin on board the ship. They also used backpacks for personal items to take with them each day.

 

We DID see airplane sized carry on luggage being handed to the bus drivers, who placed them in the bus storage area. We also saw people have this sized luggage stored on the trains while we travelled between Denali and McKinley lodges, as well as from McKinley to Whittier.

 

Space on board the bus for your personal items were no different than a typical charter bus with space above and under the seat.

 

Space on the trains depended on the style car you were in. Our first train (rail car) had forward facing seats and ample space under the seats. Our second train had 4 seats facing each other with a table between and VERY limited space under the table.

 

At no time was anyone's luggage being measured for size. They offered to assist pax in storing bags during each leg of our trip.

 

I hope this information helps those planning a land tour in Alaska. However you decide to do it-you will NOT regret it!

 

My 'hard to please' DH was blown away by the efficiency of Princess' logistical system in moving people and property. You can be assured of having a ' no worries' trip!

[Opua Kiwi]

A question please.

We are doing b2b land tours.

 

Cruise

Land tour finishing at Anchorage Hotel (the one Princess uses)

Next day start another land tour

Joining ship via catamaran in Whittier.

 

Only 2 bags.

Thinking of sharing one to follow us around, while the other is "join me on the ship"

 

How will that work with making sure it joins us on the ship after the SECOND land tour ??

 

Thanks

Edited February 13, 2015 by Opua Kiwi

[Sheaboys]

We are doing the connoisseur after the cruise in May. If you are allowed one suitcase each for the land tour portion, is there plenty of room on the bus for 2 large cases or should I be economical and pack what we'll need for the land tour into one suitcase and have the second one meet us at the last lodge (Fairbanks)?

We're B2B2B from FLL so will have summer clothes, formal/evening clothes and evening clothes.

Thanks in advance.

 

We are doing connoisseur after our cruise which leaves 5/30 out of Vancouver. My husband will have one bag and I will have one bag, I figure after the cruise, I will move everything we need for the land part into one bag and the stuff we don't need into the other bag to meet us in Fairbanks. They are 36" long duffles. I hope that is not too big for the land part. We will carry a backpack too.

[WEGL81]

Whatever you do make sure your bag that goes with you on the land tour is sturdy as it will get beat to heck. Mine didn't make it through the land tour and I ended up having to buy a new suitcase to travel home.

[Kinkacruiser]

Whatever you do make sure your bag that goes with you on the land tour is sturdy as it will get beat to heck. Mine didn't make it through the land tour and I ended up having to buy a new suitcase to travel home.

 

I that case, perhaps it's better to take just one case rather than have both suitcases "beat to heck". Thanks for the heads up.

[caribill]

We are doing the connoisseur after the cruise in May. If you are allowed one suitcase each for the land tour portion, is there plenty of room on the bus for 2 large cases or should I be economical and pack what we'll need for the land tour into one suitcase and have the second one meet us at the last lodge (Fairbanks)?

 

Your luggage that goes "with you" from lodge to lodge may not be on the bus or train that you are on.

 

When we did the Princess tour, the "with you" luggage was transported on trucks.

 

So, yes, there will be room for the one suitcase you are each allowed to travel "with you".

 

But unless what you will need on the land trip will not fit into just one suitcase, it may be more convenient to just have one "with you" and let the second one meet you at the end of the tour.

 

Why have to worry about unpacking and packing two suitcases at each location instead of just one?

[Opua Kiwi]

Where do the "join me on the ship" bags stay ?

Is it at Whittier ?

[Kinkacruiser]

Your luggage that goes "with you" from lodge to lodge may not be on the bus or train that you are on.

 

When we did the Princess tour, the "with you" luggage was transported on trucks.

 

So, yes, there will be room for the one suitcase you are each allowed to travel "with you".

 

But unless what you will need on the land trip will not fit into just one suitcase, it may be more convenient to just have one "with you" and let the second one meet you at the end of the tour.

 

Why have to worry about unpacking and packing two suitcases at each location instead of just one?

 

Sound advice caribill. Many thanks.:)

[Talisker92]

We did it 2 separate years. We cruised first, but then wanted a better view of the real Alaska, so we took a land tour.

The story and pictures are on our website

http://stevekathytravels.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/alaskaexplorer2011.pdf

We are always happy to answer any questions.

Notice: Take sleep masks. it may be light until 10 PM