Princess Transfer Whittier to Anchorage

[stevo7fgg]

My boss is sending my wife and I on our first cruise - next week's northbound on the Coral Princess - for 20 years of service. He's been very generous in covering all costs - cruise, airfare, hotel, OBC, spending money, and Princess transfers from airport to hotel to ship and from ship to airport in Anchorage. 

Our flight home doesn't leave until 8pm, leaving us almost all day to explore Anchorage. The only problem is our luggage. With the Princess transfer, will we be able to leave our luggage at the airport with the Princess reps while we explore the city? If so, is there a time that we have to collect our luggage by? 

Edited August 14, 2019 by stevo7fgg
Typo

[mstoltz]

We just got back from the Northbound Cruise August 2nd.  When you leave Whittier they will either take you to the airport or to a Princess tour place downtown.  Due to our departure times we went to the airport.  Other folks went downtown.  I assume they would keep your luggage safe downtown, as that is the purpose of the downtown location.  At the airport there was a large room where the luggage is stored.  You had to show an ID to access your luggage there.  So if your luggage goes to the airport, it's safe there as well.

[mstoltz]

Hmm, the more I think about it, I bet all the luggage goes to the airport.  It's placed on a separate truck.  The luggage storage area is adjacent to the entrance to TSA.  

[frugaltravel]

You should be at the airport 2 hours before departure, so by about 6pm.  

 

Lots to see/do in Anchorage.  You could also rent a car for a day and head out of the city.  Matanuska Glacier is a 2 hour drive NE of Anchorage.  You can get a 2-3 hour guided hike on the glacier for about $100/person.  Talkeetna is a 2 hour drive north.  Great views of Denali if it is visible, lots of great eateries too.  Or you can head back south along Turnagain Arm for lots of things to do.

 

[stevo7fgg]

Thank you all very much!

[patrickmoran]

Go downtown on the P bus. P rents a convention center there. They will store your luggage while you tour Anchorage. P has hourly buses to the airport which are free, I believe. 

As an alternative, you could probably pay an upcharge and take one of P's tours of Anchorage area that includes drop off at the airport.

[Mike45LC]

Princess sends your checked bags (the ones you set outside your cabin the night before) directly to the airport.  You need to claim your baggage once you get to the airport, and check your bags in with the airline.

 

You and your carry-off bags go to the Convention Center downtown.  You can check your carry-off bags there while you explore Anchorage.   There will be buses running from the Convention Center to the airport throughout the day -- complimentary.

 

This is very well done by Princess!

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

Congrats on the free cruise!! Yes, Princess will store your luggage for you at the airport. They’ll take you to the Egan Center downtown to explore during the day, and you pick the shuttle time you want to take to the airport, keeping in mind hat the last shuttle usually leaves at 5 or 6 PM. You then pick up your luggage at the airport, close to where you’re dropped off. Easy peasy. 👍

 

Some recommenced ideas for your day in Anchorage...lunch at Glacier Brewhouse or a Tia’s reindeer dog at her stand on 4th Ave, take a one hour trolley tour around several areas of Anchorage, take the free shuttle to the zoo to see some Alaskan animals, take the free shuttle to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, shop at the multitude of gift shops, or tour the Museum downtown. 

 

Have fun!

[Eileen G]

We used their transport in May and we rented a car for the day. We left our luggage at the airport in the secure room. We had to claim it by 7 PM. It worked great.

[stevo7fgg]

Great info and recommendations! Thank you!