Seward to Anchorage - question about logistics

[Sigyn]

We disembark from our Celebrity cruise on July 14 in Seward and want to spend one night in Anchorage before flying home. If we take the Celebrity train transfer from Seward to Anchorage, it takes us directly to the airport. How would it work if we simply book the train ourselves to Anchorage? Has anyone done this who can explain the process to me? Would we have help transferring our luggage from the ship to the train? I've already booked us into a hotel in downtown Anchorage. 

[Northern Aurora]

The Alaska Railroad does daily runs to Seward during the summer.  These runs are to/from the Seward train station to/from the Alaska RR Anchorage station which is downtown.  These runs do not stop at the Anchorage Airport; only the cruise line chartered early morning runs go to the Anchorage Airport.

 

You would book the Seward to Anchorage downtown rail station directly with the ARR.  The distance from the Seward cruise terminal (think warehouse) to the Seward ARR station is not far at all.  Many folks just walk between them.  Double check the ARR website, but in the past the Seward ARR station has been the only ARR station which allowed folks to check their luggage early in the day.  Seward also is very compact so easy to explore on foot.

[Ashland]

If you book the train transfer with your cruiseline that arrives at the airport you can easily pick up your luggage (they'll have it in one designated location) and be on your way.

[AKStafford]

The Alaska Railroad operated train runs in the evening. You'd have the day to explore Seward.

[Sigyn]

20 hours ago, AKStafford said:

The Alaska Railroad operated train runs in the evening. You'd have the day to explore Seward.

I've been to Seward before and I don't recall there being anything there to see. 

[Northern Aurora]

4 hours ago, njsmom said:

I've been to Seward before and I don't recall there being anything there to see. 

 

SeaAlaska Center, Exit Glacier, small boat cruise looking for whales and other wildlife, sea kayaking  ......

[Coral]

5 hours ago, njsmom said:

I've been to Seward before and I don't recall there being anything there to see. 

Must not have looked too far! Seward is amazing.

 

I would rather spend the day in Seward than Anchorage.

Edited January 7, 2023 by Coral

[Northern Aurora]

Ooooh  -- for those are are interested in dog mushing the Seavey family (think Iditarod mushers) have a program in which folks can visit their kennels.  How did I miss that in my post #6!  But of course, Seward does not have a Diamonds International store nor a Tanzanite International store either.  Just stores owned by Alaskans who hire locals and feature local artisans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Coral]

8 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

But of course, Seward does not have a Diamonds International store nor a Tanzanite International store either.  Just stores owned by Alaskans who hire locals and feature local artisans.

Well - in that case, I probably wouldn't like Seward!! 🙂 LOL!!!

 

I have a friend who is up there in age and absolutely LOVED Ididaride (Seavey's place)! This was probably right before COVID -2019 or so but they said they completely re-did the place and couldn't stop raving about it. It was one of the highlights of their trip.

Edited January 7, 2023 by Coral

[Sigyn]

12 hours ago, Coral said:

Must not have looked too far! Seward is amazing.

 

I would rather spend the day in Seward than Anchorage.

I must not have. It was 24 years ago. My memory isn't what it used to be. 🙂 

[Coral]

5 minutes ago, njsmom said:

I must not have. It was 24 years ago. My memory isn't what it used to be. 🙂 

I think I was first there in 2002. 

 

If you simply got off of a ship and took a transfer to Anchorage (or vice versa) - you would have missed Seward. I have to say the vast majority of people who start or end in Seward miss this amazing small town. They don't know what they are missing. 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Coral

[Glaciers]

11 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

But of course, Seward does not have a Diamonds International store nor a Tanzanite International store either.  Just stores owned by Alaskans who hire locals and feature local artisans.

 

It is refreshing that with all of the cruise traffic, Seward still has some semblance of Alaska without the unnecessary touristy glitz. A bit more like Sitka in those terms.

[GTJ]

On 1/5/2023 at 4:03 PM, njsmom said:

If we take the Celebrity train transfer from Seward to Anchorage, it takes us directly to the airport. How would it work if we simply book the train ourselves to Anchorage? * * * Would we have help transferring our luggage from the ship to the train? I've already booked us into a hotel in downtown Anchorage. 

There are three practicable options. (1) The train transfer offered by Celebrity departs Seward in the morning, and is well-timed timed for Celebrity's passengers. It departs from the cruise vessel terminal itself, but it arrives at the airport, so you would need to make your way downtown. The Anchorage transit bus system, known as "People Mover," provides that transfer service on its route 40 service, every 15 minutes (the ride itself is less than half an hour) at low cost. (2) A second train offered by the Alaska Railroad departs Seward in the evening, at 6:00 p.m. This train departs from the railroad station, a short distance from the cruise vessel terminal. While this train does go directly to downtown Anchorage, you would have to hang around all day in Seward--nearly 12 hours--to avoid having to take the half-hour bus ride from the airport to downtown. Maybe you would like to see something in Seward to occupy your time . . . but this is a rather long wait. (3) Use the bus transfer offered by Alaska Cruise Transportation. It departs from the cruise vessel terminal in the morning, about 8:00 a.m., and goes directly to several hotels in downtown Anchorage. Objectively, this is the easiest, least expensive, quickest, and best-timed alternative, but many people traveling from Seward to Anchorage prefer the train over the bus.

[Sigyn]

I called Celebrity to ask about adding the train from Seward to the airport to my cruise, and the customer service rep said that there wasn't a train option available for our July 7-14 cruise. She said the only option was by bus, and the bus would either take us from the ship terminal to the Anchorage airport, or to the Anchorage city center, which is what I chose since we're spending the night in Anchorage. The cost per person was $78. Compare that to the train, which if I booked independently doesn't leave the station until 6 pm, arriving in Anchorage at 10:15 pm, and is $119 pp for the "adventure class" and $243 pp for the gold service.

 

So I booked the bus. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by njsmom

[GTJ]

40 minutes ago, njsmom said:

She said the only option was by bus, and the bus would either take us from the ship terminal to the Anchorage airport, or to the Anchorage city center, which is what I chose since we're spending the night in Anchorage. The cost per person was $78.

You also have the option of booking bus transportation yourself, without Celebrity being an intermediary. Alaska Cruise Transportation charges $68 one-way between Seward and the airport on your cruise vessel arrival day.

[Sigyn]

1 hour ago, GTJ said:

You also have the option of booking bus transportation yourself, without Celebrity being an intermediary. Alaska Cruise Transportation charges $68 one-way between Seward and the airport on your cruise vessel arrival day.

good to know!

[Northern Aurora]

2 hours ago, njsmom said:

I called Celebrity to ask about adding the train from Seward to the airport to my cruise, and the customer service rep said that there wasn't a train option available for our July 7-14 cruise. .......

 

I have never heard of Celebrity NOT offering the train transfer option.  I wonder of the X rep didn't understand the question.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

I have never heard of Celebrity NOT offering the train transfer option.  I wonder of the X rep didn't understand the question.

I agree. Some of these reps are not trained well.

[MrsC825]

18 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

I have never heard of Celebrity NOT offering the train transfer option.  I wonder of the X rep didn't understand the question.

I just spoke with Celebrity.  The rep stated that the only transfer available was by bus for our Aug 18-25 2023 trip.  

[don't-use-real-name]

7 minutes ago, MrsC825 said:

I just spoke with Celebrity.  The rep stated that the only transfer available was by bus for our Aug 18-25 2023 trip.  

Call back for a 2nd OPINION - not having the train option puts a tremendous burden on

providing BUS transportation - a train option can take the place of ten or more buses and

make the luggage handling a great deal easier smoother !

[GTJ]

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

Call back for a 2nd OPINION - not having the train option puts a tremendous burden on

providing BUS transportation * * *

What was reported here is that the Celebrity representative said that the only available transfer is by bus. I interpret that to mean that there might be a charter train transfer, but it is unavailable. Maybe sold out or otherwise insufficient capacity. Maybe Celebrity doesn't have its systems fully in place yet. Maybe some other reason. It is possible that the unavailable status might change. A different representative . . . or a different day. Do try again: it won't hurt.

[Sigyn]

I'll call and talk to a different representative. Agreed. Can't hurt!

[Mountaineer0313]

On 1/6/2023 at 4:29 PM, njsmom said:

I've been to Seward before and I don't recall there being anything there to see. 

 

Say what? Seward is a great little town with lots to do and see.

[Kathscof]

I like that the tours are meant for “day trippers” and they all fit between the morning and afternoon trains.  I did Radiance from Seward last year and am doing it again this year, and we are doing the Ididaride after arriving from Anchorage on the train and then the Kenai Fjords tour the next day, then the Sea Life Center before getting on the ship! I love Seward and I was only there for about 36 hours last time 🙂 

 

Don’t rush out of town after getting off the ship!  The Fjords tour is better and cheaper than any excursion from the ship to a glacier, and it’s such a fun day! 

[Coral]

31 minutes ago, Kathscof said:

I like that the tours are meant for “day trippers” and they all fit between the morning and afternoon trains.  I did Radiance from Seward last year and am doing it again this year, and we are doing the Ididaride after arriving from Anchorage on the train and then the Kenai Fjords tour the next day, then the Sea Life Center before getting on the ship! I love Seward and I was only there for about 36 hours last time 🙂 

 

Don’t rush out of town after getting off the ship!  The Fjords tour is better and cheaper than any excursion from the ship to a glacier, and it’s such a fun day! 

I agree. Seward is amazing.