Jewel - Seward Alaska

[rflan22]

Hi all. I have a group booked on the Jewel this summer doing the southbound cruise from Seward to Vancouver. We plan on taking the 6:45 AR train from Anchorage on embarkation morning, arriving in Seward sometime around 11:30. I've looked all through CC and cant seem to find an answer on this, can we board the ship for lunch and to drop off our carry-ons, and then get back off to explore Seward? We want to do a long hike that day and don't want to do it right off the train. 

Thanks! 

[GeezerCouple]

30 minutes ago, rflan22 said:

Hi all. I have a group booked on the Jewel this summer doing the southbound cruise from Seward to Vancouver. We plan on taking the 6:45 AR train from Anchorage on embarkation morning, arriving in Seward sometime around 11:30. I've looked all through CC and cant seem to find an answer on this, can we board the ship for lunch and to drop off our carry-ons, and then get back off to explore Seward? We want to do a long hike that day and don't want to do it right off the train. 

Thanks! 

 

What time is sailaway?

 

You'll need to be on board well before that time (definitely check your docs!).

 

Aside from whether you can get back off the ship after first going on that day, I'm not seeing how you could just be arriving at the Seward station at 11:30, then heading to the ship, going through the boarding process, having lunch, leaving the ship, and then still having time for a "long hike"...!?

... and still be on board as required?

 

GC

[YVRteacher]

Sailaway is 9:00pm so you’ll be fine.  I’ve done this trip many times and it’s a very easy and efficient port terminal (basically a warehouse).  I highly recommend a marine adventure into Kenai fjords if you can make that work.

[YVRteacher]

Just adding that sometimes cabins aren’t ready until 1:00pm so you may need to store your carry on luggage at the bar NCL sets up for this purpose.

[rflan22]

Sailaway is not until 9pm as YVRteacher stated. Thank you for the info!! 

 

Original idea was to hike Mt Marathon for some nice views of the ship, but i will look into Kenai fjords tours. Thanks again! 

[GeezerCouple]

4 minutes ago, rflan22 said:

Sailaway is not until 9pm as YVRteacher stated. Thank you for the info!! 

 

Original idea was to hike Mt Marathon for some nice views of the ship, but i will look into Kenai fjords tours. Thanks again! 

Good.

Glad you'll have time to spend in the Seward area.

We took that Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Seward, and then spent 2 days in Seward... eating some fantastic fresh halibut - yum!

 

We also took a long day excursion to the Kenai fjords, and it was spectacular.  But that was an all day excursion, early am til late afternoon.

 

Everything is gorgeous there.

Even the train had beautiful scenery, and it stopped a couple of times for special photo ops.

 

Enjoy!

 

GC

[YVRteacher]

Check out Seward Ocean Excursions.  They will be able to customize for your group.  Their Instagram account is great.

[magicsoccer]

If the Jewel doesn’t  leave till 9pm will they still allow boarding around 12 or wait until

later in the day?  
 

We are doing the same trip but hadn’t thought about being able to board early- that would be great.  Thank you for asking your question!

[YVRteacher]

They allow early boarding and you can then go do an excursion.  There is a shuttle service from the port into town.

[don't-use-real-name]

On 4/4/2022 at 2:56 PM, rflan22 said:

Hi all. I have a group booked on the Jewel this summer doing the southbound cruise from Seward to Vancouver. We plan on taking the 6:45 AR train from Anchorage on embarkation morning, arriving in Seward sometime around 11:30. I've looked all through CC and cant seem to find an answer on this, can we board the ship for lunch and to drop off our carry-ons, and then get back off to explore Seward? We want to do a long hike that day and don't want to do it right off the train. 

Thanks! 

You can do just as you have planned - train arrives 11:xx walk or take a shuttle to the ship

about 5 long blocks away - check-in register - security - board the ship - by this time the JEWEL

having arrived prior to 7:xx should be cleaned and ready for dropping your carryon bags -

then go grab a bite to eat - go ashore and do a walk a bit around town all of about 8-10 blocks

long and 2-3 wide. You could perhaps take an excursion to see the Exit glacier - be back by 7:xx

to board and go thru the mutiny ah er muster drill (newly improved) if you did not do it when

you boarded --- all this without breaking a sweat although "HINT" when the train arrives HURRAY

to the ship to avoid the bulk of the train guests jamming the check-in.

Your check-ed luggage checked at the Anchorage Depot will have already arrived by truck

while you where on the train and be in the process of getting to your stateroom.

 

Map LINK to show where the train depot corner of Port Ave and Hy 9 (blue camera icon)

4 block walk to Ferry Terminal Rd and 1 more block to the Cruise Terminal center right image

Zoom in for more detail - - -

 

Google Maps

 

[rflan22]

2 hours ago, don't-use-real-name said:

You can do just as you have planned - train arrives 11:xx walk or take a shuttle to the ship

about 5 long blocks away - check-in register - security - board the ship - by this time the JEWEL

having arrived prior to 7:xx should be cleaned and ready for dropping your carryon bags -

then go grab a bite to eat - go ashore and do a walk a bit around town all of about 8-10 blocks

long and 2-3 wide. You could perhaps take an excursion to see the Exit glacier - be back by 7:xx

to board and go thru the mutiny ah er muster drill (newly improved) if you did not do it when

you boarded --- all this without breaking a sweat although "HINT" when the train arrives HURRAY

to the ship to avoid the bulk of the train guests jamming the check-in.

Your check-ed luggage checked at the Anchorage Depot will have already arrived by truck

while you where on the train and be in the process of getting to your stateroom.

 

Map LINK to show where the train depot corner of Port Ave and Hy 9 (blue camera icon)

4 block walk to Ferry Terminal Rd and 1 more block to the Cruise Terminal center right image

Zoom in for more detail - - -

 

Google Maps

 

Wow! Thank you for such detailed information!!

[don't-use-real-name]

If the ship was at full occupancy when it arrived it is more in likely that some portions of

the ship may not be available for stashing your carry-ons in some staterooms.

It is quite a madhouse turning a ship around.

A lot depends on the guests disembarking to do that disembarking timely getting out of

their staterooms so the cleaning and resupplying can be done.

 

Going around and behind closed doors just doesn't help much - but if know your way around

on a ship and the doors are open - just drop in long enough to stash your carry-ons in a out of

the way corner closet under the bed - you should have good judgement to observe the 

progress of the cleaning and know where to leave your stuff - best chance if the cabin

attendant is still there or the vicinity to communicate and getting the introductions in.

 

Please bear in mind that all the cabin doors are open while cleaning - - -

DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES VISIBLE FROM THE PASSAGEWAY

Do not close the cabin door while the cleaning is in progress - leave that to the cabin attendant

 

Generally ships arriving early in the am may be available for occupancy at noon boarding.

Large mega ships more cleaning - more work may not make this possible so observe any

signage or closed doors partitions.

 

Your checked luggage arrives later after cabin cleaning is done - nothing like climbing over

and around luggage in the way !

 

Guests in (Full) Suites and Haven don't have to worry about this as they are escorted

to their staterooms.

[mapleleaves]

For the past several yrs, you would check your luggage at the Anchorage train depot, and you wouldn't see it again until it was on the ship, in your cabin.  There's a large white tent at the depot where you check your luggage; just tell the staff which ship, and they'll load it onto a truck headed to your ship.  

(luggage doesn't ride on the train)

 

Obviously things have been different for the past 2 yrs due to covid.  So call the RR and ask if this process is being continued.  Please post here, so that others will know.

[mapleleaves]

I emailed the RR and they said they are following the same process as in past yrs ...... check  your bags at the white tent, tell the handlers which ship you are on. They will load your bags onto your cruiseline's truck and the next time you see your luggage, it will be in your cabin.

[rflan22]

Thanks all for the great info!

 

Does anyone know which dock the Jewel goes to at each port? Im reading some stuff that's shows it sometimes docks far from the actual port (Ward Cove for Ketchikan as example). Our ports are Icy Straight Point, Ketchikan, Skagway and Junuea.

 

Im more so interested in those ports that don't dock right at the main port, are there easy ways of getting to port? 

[cruisingrandy]

Here are 2 websites that show what ships are in different ports each day

Cruise Ports Schedules 2022-2023-2024 | CruiseMapper

2022 Schedules | Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska (claalaska.com)

[YVRteacher]

Most NCL ships will be docking at Ward Cove. 

[jskinsd]

47 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Most NCL ships will be docking at Ward Cove. 

All NCL ships✌️

Edited April 11, 2022 by jskinsd

[bonvoyagie]

It sounds like NCL is trying to invest in AK like Princess and HAL have done in the past, it is just that the existing spots are already taken so NCL must move to where they are not - ie Ward Cove in Ketchikan. I have also read where NCL is investing heavy at Icy Point Strait and building a new terminal in Whittier (no more Seward). I wonder if they will also start building lodges in Denali.