Luggage plan for land-first cruisetour?

[tooleyweeds]

DW and I are doing the 11-night Seattle Double Denali (R6L), starting May 17 with an overnight in Seattle, followed by a flight from Seattle to Anchorage on May 18 for the land portion.  The cruise portion starts in Whittier on May 21.

 

I've read in other threads that a small suitcase and a small hand-carryon are good choices for the land portion, and that a more substantial suitcase can be dedicated to packing for the cruise portion.  Does that plan work for our itinerary?  How do our suitcases for the cruise portion get to Whittier from Seattle?  Do we just turn them over to HAL in Seattle?

[Alphen]

5 hours ago, tooleyweeds said:

DW and I are doing the 11-night Seattle Double Denali (R6L), starting May 17 with an overnight in Seattle, followed by a flight from Seattle to Anchorage on May 18 for the land portion.  The cruise portion starts in Whittier on May 21.

 

I've read in other threads that a small suitcase and a small hand-carryon are good choices for the land portion, and that a more substantial suitcase can be dedicated to packing for the cruise portion.  Does that plan work for our itinerary?  How do our suitcases for the cruise portion get to Whittier from Seattle?  Do we just turn them over to HAL in Seattle?

Have you gone through the pdf on the HAL website already? It might give you some answers, there is a luggage chapter there on page 5 (I have attached it here).

 

We did a longer 18 night and had some pre cruise luggage options, but during the land portion, we were informed that we had a choice, keeping all of your luggage all the way, or shipping them via HAL to the ship, regarding specific cruise luggage. This was specific to our land-cruise tour and available when reaching our first US stop (Fairbanks), after doing Yukon (Canada) first.

 

You may find some tips in our tour narrative;

 

 

Tour_TipsAlaska2023.pdf

Edited March 28, 2023 by Alphen

[Mary229]

You can bring a single suitcase of standard size for under bus storage and  a very small carry-all for on the bus, at your seat storage, this should be similar to what you would use for under seat storage on a plane.  Everything else should be shipped ahead with HAL.  This is per person.  
 

I used my 24 inch and daypack.  DH used a 26 inch and daypack.  We did not do any ship ahead 

[tooleyweeds]

6 hours ago, Alphen said:

Have you gone through the pdf on the HAL website already? It might give you some answers, there is a luggage chapter there on page 5 (I have attached it here).

 

We did a longer 18 night and had some pre cruise luggage options, but during the land portion, we were informed that we had a choice, keeping all of your luggage all the way, or shipping them via HAL to the ship, regarding specific cruise luggage. This was specific to our land-cruise tour and available when reaching our first US stop (Fairbanks), after doing Yukon (Canada) first.

 

You may find some tips in our tour narrative;

 

 

Tour_TipsAlaska2023.pdf 1.05 MB · 0 downloads

Thank you!  I think that pdf will answer my questions.  I had been on that FAQ page yesterday, but went right to the search box, overlooking the link to the pdf.

 

I enjoyed your live review last year when we were deciding which tour to take.

[tooleyweeds]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

You can bring a single suitcase of standard size for under bus storage and  a very small carry-all for on the bus, at your seat storage, this should be similar to what you would use for under seat storage on a plane.  Everything else should be shipped ahead with HAL.  This is per person.  
 

I used my 24 inch and daypack.  DH used a 26 inch and daypack.  We did not do any ship ahead 

Thank you!

[Alphen]

1 minute ago, tooleyweeds said:

Thank you!  I think that pdf will answer my questions.  I had been on that FAQ page yesterday, but went right to the search box, overlooking the link to the pdf.

 

I enjoyed your live review last year when we were deciding which tour to take.

You are welcome. Be aware, we found our luggage arrangements to differ from the ones stated in the PDF. They can be itinerary specific. In our case, the PDF said we had to separate our luggage in Fairbanks (land and cruise luggage), but during the tour it turned out to be an option. We chose to keep our luggage all the way, fortunately, the only handling of luggage you have to do, is put it outside your room when required and it will be either in your room, or waiting outside your room, upon arrival at hotel(s).

[kickboxrca]

On 3/28/2023 at 7:55 AM, Alphen said:

You are welcome. Be aware, we found our luggage arrangements to differ from the ones stated in the PDF. They can be itinerary specific. In our case, the PDF said we had to separate our luggage in Fairbanks (land and cruise luggage), but during the tour it turned out to be an option. We chose to keep our luggage all the way, fortunately, the only handling of luggage you have to do, is put it outside your room when required and it will be either in your room, or waiting outside your room, upon arrival at hotel(s).

 

This was our experience last summer as well.  We were prepared to only take one bag to Denali, but were told that NOPE - we take them all with us.  I would definitely travel lighter than you think you need.  Even though HAL handles the luggage all the time, it was super annoying to have the big bags to haul in and out of the room (definitely a first world problem0.

 

Enjoy your trip - definitely a trip of a lifetime!

[tooleyweeds]

5 minutes ago, kickboxrca said:

 

This was our experience last summer as well.  We were prepared to only take one bag to Denali, but were told that NOPE - we take them all with us.  I would definitely travel lighter than you think you need.  Even though HAL handles the luggage all the time, it was super annoying to have the big bags to haul in and out of the room (definitely a first world problem0.

 

Enjoy your trip - definitely a trip of a lifetime!

Thank you!

[Alphen]

4 hours ago, kickboxrca said:

 

This was our experience last summer as well.  We were prepared to only take one bag to Denali, but were told that NOPE - we take them all with us.  I would definitely travel lighter than you think you need.  Even though HAL handles the luggage all the time, it was super annoying to have the big bags to haul in and out of the room (definitely a first world problem0.

 

Enjoy your trip - definitely a trip of a lifetime!

That again maybe a difference along all of the land/cruise and cruise/land combinations that exist, we definitely were offered the choice; either have it transferred from Fairbanks directly to the ship, or have it with us on our stops at Fairbanks, Denali and Anchorage.