White Pass Train Question?

[flasaltwater63]

Is there a big difference in price bookibg on boat compared to private company? Will be on the Norwegian Pearl in June of this year we are Floridians first time to Alaska, can't wait!! I'm trying to figure out which would be the most cost effective rout. How long is the excision taking the White Pass Train? Do they stop for lunch?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

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[DaKa2002]

Is there a big difference in price bookibg on boat compared to private company? Will be on the Norwegian Pearl in June of this year we are Floridians first time to Alaska, can't wait!! I'm trying to figure out which would be the most cost effective rout. How long is the excision taking the White Pass Train? Do they stop for lunch?

Thanks in advance.

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I suggest you look at the website to make sure you sign up for the excursion you desire:

https://wpyr.com/excursions/

 

The advantage of buying from the cruise line is that you get to board the train right by the dock.

 

One excursion needs no passport, is about 4 hours, with only water provided; it is round trip on the train.

 

We have done the excursion that went farther and longer, up into Canada - Bennet Station. Loved it! Did it twice - once in the spring and once in the fall. A passport is REQUIRED! That is a one way trip on the train, with the other half of the trip on a bus returning to Skagway. Switching between train and bus (or the opposite) is usually a 30-45 minute stopover. Total time is about 8 hours. A box lunch is provided, along with complimentary water.

 

I am not sure if the cruise line will off both of those excursions, as well as some of the other choices...

 

Enjoy your trip to Alaska!

[Kamloops50]

Some will offer a third option. You take the train one way to Frasier and one way by bus. This usually around 4.5 hours. The railway to the summit return is usually about 3.5 hours.

[Northern Aurora]

Just a quick comment about the White Pass & Yukon RR -- there is no food service actually on the train (i.e., no snack bar nor vending machines in one of the rail cars). You can bring food onboard, but can't buy any snacks on board. The WP&YRR staff will distribute bottles of water.

[SuperCrewBear]

Here's what we did in May '16. We were on the NCL Pearl for 10 days... (We loved the ship - not too big, not too small...) We took a tour with Dyea Dave Tours in Skagway where Dave himself picked us up at the dock about 7:45 AM - right near where the other passengers were loading on the train. Dave's tour bus was similar to a airport shuttle that holds about a dozen passengers. The next stop was the White Pass train office in the center of town where we picked up our tickets for the return trip to town from the Fraser stop in Canada. (I had bought the tickets online a few months before the cruise.) Then off we went - Dave talked along the way telling about things we were passing in town and along the highway. Our group was small (only four total this day) so we were able to make quick stops all along the way if something caught our eyes. When we got to the Yukon Territory border sign there was two LARGE bus loads of other cruisers lined up and waiting for their turn to have their pictures made - I would imagine that was a long wait for some people! We drove on by with the promise we could stop on the way back, no problem - on the return trip there wasn't a soul there but the four of us and Dave. NICE. Our ultimate destination was Emerald Lake but that was after we stopped in Carcross for lunch at a local owned bakery/sandwich shop - nice and better than something from a box. After lunch we had a little time to kill walking the town some (there's a pretty church nearby) or do some shopping. When Dave dropped us off at the train at the Fraser station he said he'd pick us up again in Skagway for a ride back to the ship or wherever in town we wanted to be dropped off - the ship is in sight from about anywhere in town so it's not much of a walk on back. All in all, we had a terrific time! Dave seemed like a personal friend by the end of the day and I highly recommend his tour. In fact, I and a couple friends who have never been on an Alaskan cruise before will be there this coming May '18 and are going to do it all over again!

 

Oh, along the way we happened to see a bear foraging near the side of the road - we were able to stop and take some pictures from the bus windows. Another time we saw a porcupine and did the same thing. I'm thinking the big buses would just wiz on past... (Dave said the big buses make so much noise that the animals will stay away from the highway...)

 

A bit of advice Dave gave me while we were talking during the winter is this: Taking the bus in the morning and the train back in the afternoon is a pretty good idea. The reason is it's often overcast/cloudy and foggy on the way up into the mountains - a good chance of not seeing much. In the bus you'll be up and over the mountains into clear weather fairly quickly. By the afternoon the poor visibility will have burned away for a more spectacular ride back on the train. And, dang, if he was right! When we stopped at the Alaska sign on the way over the mountains it was so foggy it's a wonder our pictures turned out. I know weather is unpredictable but I would trust him as a full-time, year-round resident of Skagway. He was bang on our day there. Otherwise, we had beautiful weather. We practically saw all four seasons in just a matter of hours that day.

 

An interesting aspect to Dave's tour is he 1) does not take credit cards of any sort, 2) he does not require prepayment or deposit of any sort, 3) you only pay him **AFTER** the tour and only if you're satisfied. He will take cash or a personal check as payment - again, no credit cards. How can you go wrong? When Dave dropped us off at the train in Fraser I was going to pay him then and there but he refused - he wanted to wait until we were back to town and then he wouldn't take our money until he dropped us off at the very end of everything. I thought he was a nice, funny and cool guy. I spoke to him a couple times during the winter prior to our cruise, asking a few questions - he actually called me to answer my email questions. I call this exceptional service.

 

We give Dave FOUR thumbs up!

 

The bakery where we had lunch: (Dave took this pic of me as a joke... Ha Ha)

 

Yukon Territory sign:

 

The church in downtown Carcross:

 

Emerald Lake:

 

A frozen lake from the train:

 

It's best to sit on the right of the train if going from Fraser back to town - you'll get the best views.

 

Good luck! No matter what you do, you're going to have a fantastic time!

 

P.S. Look into Spa Passes on the Pearl while on the trip - we enjoyed the large spa pool a lot.

[Mlb4chris]

Hi...

We're thinking of doing the same thing! Originally going the rental car route but decided with just the two of us I didn't want to bother.

 

My question is, how long was your day? My whole previous work life was doing business trips like this but for really long 8 hour tours (at least I was paid to do them) I'm so trying to stay away from anything over 4 hours in driving time, trian being an addition. Thanks so much for any info. I know I'm in the minority but I just don't want to spend all day on a tour.

[SuperCrewBear]

Hi...

We're thinking of doing the same thing! Originally going the rental car route but decided with just the two of us I didn't want to bother.

 

My question is, how long was your day? My whole previous work life was doing business trips like this but for really long 8 hour tours (at least I was paid to do them) I'm so trying to stay away from anything over 4 hours in driving time, trian being an addition. Thanks so much for any info. I know I'm in the minority but I just don't want to spend all day on a tour.

 

We were picked up about 7:45 AM and back to Skagway around 4:30 PM, I think. It wasn't grueling at all... Basically about 8-1/2 hours. We stopped about an 90 minutes for lunch, I think.

[hopestotravelmore]

We were picked up about 7:45 AM and back to Skagway around 4:30 PM, I think. It wasn't grueling at all... Basically about 8-1/2 hours. We stopped about an 90 minutes for lunch, I think.

 

Hi Super Crew. With your tour Can you stop at Carcross Crossing where the dogs are and the museum?

[SuperCrewBear]

Hi Super Crew. With your tour Can you stop at Carcross Crossing where the dogs are and the museum?

 

No, we didn't do that. With what we DID do, I don't see how much else could be fit into the day. Dyea Dave *might* have something though. I'd check their web page for details and you can always email them to inquire.

 

Good luck! :)

[Eaglecw]

I believe if you want to stop at Caribou Crossing Trading Post, to have lunch, look around the museum and the Husky puppies, they are always cute you’ll have to book that excursion though the ship. Dyea Dave doesn’t go there, too much of a tourist trap. Dyea Dave stops for lunch at the Carcross bakery.

[Helen-Miami]

Here's what we did in May '16. We were on the NCL Pearl for 10 days... (We loved the ship - not too big, not too small...) We took a tour with Dyea Dave Tours in Skagway where Dave himself picked us up at the dock about 7:45 AM - right near where the other passengers were loading on the train. Dave's tour bus was similar to a airport shuttle that holds about a dozen passengers. The next stop was the White Pass train office in the center of town where we picked up our tickets for the return trip to town from the Fraser stop in Canada. (I had bought the tickets online a few months before the cruise.) Then off we went - Dave talked along the way telling about things we were passing in town and along the highway. Our group was small (only four total this day) so we were able to make quick stops all along the way if something caught our eyes. When we got to the Yukon Territory border sign there was two LARGE bus loads of other cruisers lined up and waiting for their turn to have their pictures made - I would imagine that was a long wait for some people! We drove on by with the promise we could stop on the way back, no problem - on the return trip there wasn't a soul there but the four of us and Dave. NICE. Our ultimate destination was Emerald Lake but that was after we stopped in Carcross for lunch at a local owned bakery/sandwich shop - nice and better than something from a box. After lunch we had a little time to kill walking the town some (there's a pretty church nearby) or do some shopping. When Dave dropped us off at the train at the Fraser station he said he'd pick us up again in Skagway for a ride back to the ship or wherever in town we wanted to be dropped off - the ship is in sight from about anywhere in town so it's not much of a walk on back. All in all, we had a terrific time! Dave seemed like a personal friend by the end of the day and I highly recommend his tour. In fact, I and a couple friends who have never been on an Alaskan cruise before will be there this coming May '18 and are going to do it all over again!

 

 

 

Oh, along the way we happened to see a bear foraging near the side of the road - we were able to stop and take some pictures from the bus windows. Another time we saw a porcupine and did the same thing. I'm thinking the big buses would just wiz on past... (Dave said the big buses make so much noise that the animals will stay away from the highway...)

 

 

 

A bit of advice Dave gave me while we were talking during the winter is this: Taking the bus in the morning and the train back in the afternoon is a pretty good idea. The reason is it's often overcast/cloudy and foggy on the way up into the mountains - a good chance of not seeing much. In the bus you'll be up and over the mountains into clear weather fairly quickly. By the afternoon the poor visibility will have burned away for a more spectacular ride back on the train. And, dang, if he was right! When we stopped at the Alaska sign on the way over the mountains it was so foggy it's a wonder our pictures turned out. I know weather is unpredictable but I would trust him as a full-time, year-round resident of Skagway. He was bang on our day there. Otherwise, we had beautiful weather. We practically saw all four seasons in just a matter of hours that day.

 

 

 

An interesting aspect to Dave's tour is he 1) does not take credit cards of any sort, 2) he does not require prepayment or deposit of any sort, 3) you only pay him **AFTER** the tour and only if you're satisfied. He will take cash or a personal check as payment - again, no credit cards. How can you go wrong? When Dave dropped us off at the train in Fraser I was going to pay him then and there but he refused - he wanted to wait until we were back to town and then he wouldn't take our money until he dropped us off at the very end of everything. I thought he was a nice, funny and cool guy. I spoke to him a couple times during the winter prior to our cruise, asking a few questions - he actually called me to answer my email questions. I call this exceptional service.

 

 

 

We give Dave FOUR thumbs up!

 

 

 

The bakery where we had lunch: (Dave took this pic of me as a joke... Ha Ha)

 

 

 

 

Yukon Territory sign:

 

 

 

 

The church in downtown Carcross:

 

 

 

 

Emerald Lake:

 

 

 

 

A frozen lake from the train:

 

 

 

 

It's best to sit on the right of the train if going from Fraser back to town - you'll get the best views.

 

 

 

 

Good luck! No matter what you do, you're going to have a fantastic time!

 

 

 

P.S. Look into Spa Passes on the Pearl while on the trip - we enjoyed the large spa pool a lot.

 

 

 

Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!!

 

 

 

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