are the new Alaska Princess rail cars in service yet?

[puli]

Anyone back from an Alaska cruise tour that involved riding the train to or from Denali Lodge to the Whittier cruise pier?

 

In April I was told by the Princess Lodge and Land Tour Department that they are in the process of replacing the 4 seated table arrangements with 2 by 2 coach seats and that by 2018 all cars will be re- designed.The goal for 2017 was to have 6 of the 10 new cars in operation.

 

Just wondered if anyone could confirm .

[Potstech]

Last May we were in the 2 X 2 car with Observation on top and dining in the lower area. Confortable but a little tight. Had a bar on the upper deck with various pay drinks and a few snacks.

[puli]

Last May we were in the 2 X 2 car with Observation on top and dining in the lower area. Confortable but a little tight. Had a bar on the upper deck with various pay drinks and a few snacks.

Were you in a Princess car or a HAL car?

 

how was the storage space for your carry-ons? I suppose everything had to fit under the seat in front of you.

[Potstech]

Princess car. Not much for carryon. Would only bring what you absolutely need. We both carried a small bacpack with our ipads, phones, a camera, some water and a small snack.

[azbirdmom]

We rode the train from Denali to Whittier a week ago Saturday and were pleased to be seated in one of the Princess cars with the new two seat arrangements.

 

We were concerned about stowage space below our seats as we have fairly large rolling backpacks that house our CPAP machines, laptop, and other devices but they fit nicely under our seats turned around with the wheels forward. They also asked us when we boarded if they would like us to stow our carry ons which we declined but it was a nice touch.

 

The seats were comfortable and there were two electrical outlets and two USB ports for each of the two seat combos.

 

The train we were on had 5 cars. The first was for Alaska Railroad Gold Star passengers, the next two had the two seat arrangements, and the final two had the old tables with 4 seated per table. I know that some of those traveling in groups were seated at the tables but I don't know what criteria they use for assigning the seating.

[puli]

thanks for the update...hopefully by 2018 all the cars will be the new 2X2

[cruzrbachoua]

Oh that sounds great....that way no one has to ride backwards and there are no arguments over sitting at the table when sitting with strangers. Glad to hear this.

 

Do the 2X2 have a pull down tray like they do on airplanes?

[Thrak]

Oh that sounds great....that way no one has to ride backwards and there are no arguments over sitting at the table when sitting with strangers. Glad to hear this.

 

Do the 2X2 have a pull down tray like they do on airplanes?

 

My question exactly. We weren't exactly seated with "strangers" as we did a connoisseur cruise tour and were seated with folks from our group. Actually, our entire car was part of our group. :) We had a great lunch (included) and drinks and the table made it very easy so I have to wonder about eating with the new seating.

 

 

Our waiter made me a great "Moosey Mary". :cool:

 

[azbirdmom]

Oh that sounds great....that way no one has to ride backwards and there are no arguments over sitting at the table when sitting with strangers. Glad to hear this.

 

Do the 2X2 have a pull down tray like they do on airplanes?

 

Yes they do plus a seat pocket. Here's a few pictures:

 

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2017 by azbirdmom
Added pictures

[cruzrbachoua]

Yes they do plus a seat pocket.

 

SWEET! Thanks for the info. We will be going in 2020 so hopefully all will be done by then and we are hoping to do the connoisseur tour...plus this way if DH falls asleep I wont feel so bad him falling asleep at a table for 4 and now will just be us ...

[Essiesmom]

Yes they do plus a seat pocket. Here's a few pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

Getting an error message trying to view your pics...But I see them when I hit the reply arrow...EM

[Essiesmom]

Ahhh..I see the pics finally appeared. EM

[cruzrbachoua]

Nice plenty of room for our backpacks that we plan on bringing....dumb question...they still have the domed glass ceilings right?

 

Thanks for the pics

[azbirdmom]

Nice plenty of room for our backpacks that we plan on bringing....dumb question...they still have the domed glass ceilings right?

 

Thanks for the pics

 

Yes they do! One more picture - this one is of the Gold Star car and not quite the same as the Princess car but the topper is identical.

 

[azbirdmom]

Ahhh..I see the pics finally appeared. EM

 

It wasn't you - it was me. I copied the wrong links and edited to redo them. Sorry!

[cruzrbachoua]

Yeah that is awesome! Cant wait...

[azbirdmom]

Here's one in the actual car that shows the windows:

 

[cruzrbachoua]

fabulous!

[SewMuch]

Thanks for the great pictures. Do you stow your stuff under your own seat, or under the seat in front of you like on an airplane?

[azbirdmom]

Thanks for the great pictures. Do you stow your stuff under your own seat, or under the seat in front of you like on an airplane?

 

Under your own seat. Otherwise the very front row would have nowhere to stow their carry ons. I actually asked that very question when we first boarded and the seating scheme is so new the person I asked had to check with someone else.

[Lucky TGO]

Thanks for sharing. I like the photos.

Tony

[caribill]

..... the final two had the old tables with 4 seated per table. I know that some of those traveling in groups were seated at the tables but I don't know what criteria they use for assigning the seating.

 

When we had the table setup, we were assigned to a specific table. The first two people assigned to a table got to choose which two seats to use.

[lidojohnny]

Was on the train from Whittier to Denali on May 13. Took about

nine hours. Platform is good for photos. Had champagne

and snacks before we got there. Seats great, on second level.

Also brought back pack only. Should have used the option

of forwarding other luggage to Denali, misread it. Would not take train again. Bus much shorter.

[azbirdmom]

When we had the table setup, we were assigned to a specific table. The first two people assigned to a table got to choose which two seats to use.

 

Yes that's how it worked last year when we had a table. We were the first two to arrive then and didn't hog the window as some people do. What I meant by my comment was that I don't know how they are determining which people are seated in the cars with the tables vs. in the ones with the new two seat arrangements. There were two cars of each type on May 27th and I wasn't sure how they are deciding who gets seated in which car.

[Animal65JJJ]

Our first cruise coming up in September, '17. Cruise tour in Alaska. Island Princess. These excellent photographs suggest the seat pitch is tighter as on an airplane vs what I remember on Amtrak. I'm 5'11". And I like to stretch my legs. Are those footrests under the seat ahead of you? I understand seating is assigned but on a southbound rail trip from Talkeetna to Whittier, is the scenery on one side of the train significantly better?