Princess Transfer from Anchorage to Whittier

[Woodside Lady]

Has anyone done it recently?  We are scheduled to do it in 5 days and from what I have picked up from the local Princess reps it sounds like it will be a bit chaotic.  They said people sleep in the Anchorage airport so they can get their boarding ticket at 8AM when the first bus doesn't go until noon.  They said if you don't do that kind of thing, plan on not being on either the noon or 1PM bus.  We thought this would be the simple solution but I'm wondering if I can find another alternative at this late date and cancel it.  This is not how I envision starting a vacation.  Please tell me you have had a better experience.  

[AJSkarbo]

Are you staying overnight in Anchorage? My friend took the shuttle in July and she said it was very easy. They went to the convention center instead of the airport and were on the ship around lunch time. we were on a cruise tour on met them on the ship about 2. 

[SCX22]

https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/

 

They are a 3rd party transfer provider from Anchorage to Whittier.  Highly recommended.  I have used them twice.  Buses start picking up from Anchorage hotels at 9:00 a.m., makes a pick up from Anchorage airport at 10:00 a.m., and arrives in Whittier before noon (highly dependent on Whittier tunnel schedule).  Reservations and availability are available through the website--just make sure you choose the transfer going in the correct direction.

[Steelers36]

11 hours ago, Woodside Lady said:

Has anyone done it recently?  We are scheduled to do it in 5 days and from what I have picked up from the local Princess reps it sounds like it will be a bit chaotic.  They said people sleep in the Anchorage airport so they can get their boarding ticket at 8AM when the first bus doesn't go until noon.  They said if you don't do that kind of thing, plan on not being on either the noon or 1PM bus.  We thought this would be the simple solution but I'm wondering if I can find another alternative at this late date and cancel it.  This is not how I envision starting a vacation.  Please tell me you have had a better experience.  

Agree with post #3.  Have a decent night in the hotel and take your own transport to the ship.

 

[Coral]

What time does your flight get in?

[NavyVeteran]

We are staying one night in an Anchorage hotel before transferring to Whittier. Because of the long transfer to Whittier, this is one of the few times that we booked a Princess pre-cruise hotel. Before everyone replies, I know I'm spending more money, but I am paying for the convenience. They have two options - a bus transfer and a rail transfer. I booked the rail transfer even though it's more expensive because I thought it would be more comfortable. The pre-cruise hotel package includes transfer from airport to hotel, transfer from hotel to rail depot, train from Anchorage to Whittier, and luggage handling.

Here is a description of the rail transfer from my Travel Summary: "Rail: Anchorage to Whittier: For nearly 2 1/2 leisurely hours aboard the Glacier Discovery train, you'll travel on Alaska's historic railway gliding past rivers, lakes, waterfalls and glaciers. The train features single-level cars with picture windows and a dining car that offers delicious food available for purchase. The train departs Anchorage at 10:00 a.m. and arrives into Whittier at 12:30 p.m."

This timing looks good, since boarding begins at 12:30 pm. We may be onboard in time to get to the MDR before 1:30 pm to eat lunch.

I don't know if Princess sells the rail transfer without the hotel stay.

[voljeep]

Captain Cook?

[Torfamm]

If you decide to cancel the ship’s transfer I can recommend this transfer with tour as an option. https://www.salmonberrytours.com/tour/anchorage-to-whittier-transfer-and-tour/

[TW6cruiser]

27 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

We are staying one night in an Anchorage hotel before transferring to Whittier. Because of the long transfer to Whittier, this is one of the few times that we booked a Princess pre-cruise hotel. Before everyone replies, I know I'm spending more money, but I am paying for the convenience. They have two options - a bus transfer and a rail transfer. I booked the rail transfer even though it's more expensive because I thought it would be more comfortable. The pre-cruise hotel package includes transfer from airport to hotel, transfer from hotel to rail depot, train from Anchorage to Whittier, and luggage handling.

Here is a description of the rail transfer from my Travel Summary: "Rail: Anchorage to Whittier: For nearly 2 1/2 leisurely hours aboard the Glacier Discovery train, you'll travel on Alaska's historic railway gliding past rivers, lakes, waterfalls and glaciers. The train features single-level cars with picture windows and a dining car that offers delicious food available for purchase. The train departs Anchorage at 10:00 a.m. and arrives into Whittier at 12:30 p.m."

This timing looks good, since boarding begins at 12:30 pm. We may be onboard in time to get to the MDR before 1:30 pm to eat lunch.

I don't know if Princess sells the rail transfer without the hotel stay.

We did this last summer.  I agree we paid much more for the hotel (two nights) but for us it was worth the hotel pick up from the airport but more importantly the transfer to the train and the train ride to the ship.  We also signed up for an excursion to a glacier from the Princess reps at the hotel.  

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, NavyVeteran said:

We are staying one night in an Anchorage hotel before transferring to Whittier. Because of the long transfer to Whittier, this is one of the few times that we booked a Princess pre-cruise hotel. Before everyone replies, I know I'm spending more money, but I am paying for the convenience. They have two options - a bus transfer and a rail transfer. I booked the rail transfer even though it's more expensive because I thought it would be more comfortable. The pre-cruise hotel package includes transfer from airport to hotel, transfer from hotel to rail depot, train from Anchorage to Whittier, and luggage handling.

Here is a description of the rail transfer from my Travel Summary: "Rail: Anchorage to Whittier: For nearly 2 1/2 leisurely hours aboard the Glacier Discovery train, you'll travel on Alaska's historic railway gliding past rivers, lakes, waterfalls and glaciers. The train features single-level cars with picture windows and a dining car that offers delicious food available for purchase. The train departs Anchorage at 10:00 a.m. and arrives into Whittier at 12:30 p.m."

This timing looks good, since boarding begins at 12:30 pm. We may be onboard in time to get to the MDR before 1:30 pm to eat lunch.

I don't know if Princess sells the rail transfer without the hotel stay.

FYI, the ship will start boarding well before 12:30pm - could be more like 11:00am. 

 

But, by the time you arrive, the initial crowd will have boarded and you should be able to breeze on whenever you get there from the train station (>12:30pm).  I would think you could make it into the DR under the wire.

 

[NavyVeteran]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

Captain Cook?

Yes.

[waltd]

We did the package many years ago.  We flew in Late from Los Angeles.   A rep. was waiting and put us in a taxi to the hotel. After we checked in at Captain Cook we had to find a luggage cart and take our bags to the room.   Everyone else had gone home.   The bus transfer the next morning was easy.   Nice drive.   

I think we would try the train  next tune if available.   The bus seating was cramped;,  I'm tall.   And the bus was cold.  Some didn't bring any type of wrap with them  on the bus and were uncomfortable.   I think the train would be a bit more enloyable. 

[Woodside Lady]

We flew in 6 days ahead of the cruise and are touring Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula on our own.  We have a hotel booked at the Anchorage airport (not through Princess) for the night before.  We are supposed to take the Princess transfer on Wednesday.  Last night we had dinner at Fletcher’s at Captain Cook (good and fast service) and I spoke with the Princess rep there.  Her description was roughly as scary as the rep at the airport except from there you go to the convention center at 10 to get on the noon or 1pm bus.  Another company (not Princess) says they do the transfer, you have an actual reservation time and their buses have bathrooms.  

[lindberg]

You can book Alaska rail online for about $95/ person.  I did this on Aug 20, 2023.  I had taken an 11 day Princess cruise tour then a 7 day HAL southbound cruise.  It was very easy.  I took an Uber for $10 from the Capt Cook to the rail station.  You check in your luggage at the railroad station with your cruise luggage tags on your bags, then you dont see them again until they show up at your door on the ship.  The rail /cruise line handles your luggage.  Easy-peasy.  Just do it yourself online at Alaska Rail.

We arrived at Whittier a little after noon and was on the ship by 12:30.

Edited September 10, 2023 by lindberg

[phyteng]

On 9/10/2023 at 1:47 PM, lindberg said:

You can book Alaska rail online for about $95/ person.  I did this on Aug 20, 2023.  I had taken an 11 day Princess cruise tour then a 7 day HAL southbound cruise.  It was very easy.  I took an Uber for $10 from the Capt Cook to the rail station.  You check in your luggage at the railroad station with your cruise luggage tags on your bags, then you dont see them again until they show up at your door on the ship.  The rail /cruise line handles your luggage.  Easy-peasy.  Just do it yourself online at Alaska Rail.

We arrived at Whittier a little after noon and was on the ship by 12:30.

If we book the Alaska rail from Anchorage to Whittier on our own, princess will accept our luggage at the Anchorage rail station for transfer to the ship at Whittier? I contacted our Princess agent and they say we need to handle our own luggage for the train ride between Anchorage and Whittier. 

[lindberg]

12 hours ago, phyteng said:

If we book the Alaska rail from Anchorage to Whittier on our own, princess will accept our luggage at the Anchorage rail station for transfer to the ship at Whittier? I contacted our Princess agent and they say we need to handle our own luggage for the train ride between Anchorage and Whittier. 

Last year I took Holland America after taking the train from Anchorage to Whittier, and the luggage was checked in at the train station in Anchorage (with HAL cruise tags attached) and delivered to our door on the ship.  All luggage was in a baggage car or went separately in a truck.  Not sure how it got to Whittier.  There was no room in the passenger cars for large luggage so you need to check it.  The train drops you off at the cruise terminal, but you are outside and you just walk to the cruise terminal.  No one was hauling their luggage with them, only small carryons.  Just verify with the checked luggage people in Anchorage.  Make sure your luggage has your cruise tags and it should work out fine.

[phyteng]

21 minutes ago, lindberg said:

Last year I took Holland America after taking the train from Anchorage to Whittier, and the luggage was checked in at the train station in Anchorage (with HAL cruise tags attached) and delivered to our door on the ship.  All luggage was in a baggage car or went separately in a truck.  Not sure how it got to Whittier.  There was no room in the passenger cars for large luggage so you need to check it.  The train drops you off at the cruise terminal, but you are outside and you just walk to the cruise terminal.  No one was hauling their luggage with them, only small carryons.  Just verify with the checked luggage people in Anchorage.  Make sure your luggage has your cruise tags and it should work out fine.

Thank you. Would be great if anyone can confirm if this works for princess cruises too. I’m doing the 26glacier cruise before embarkation, would be nice if they can take our checked luggage from the train depot and deliver to cabin.

[wolfie11]

On 9/9/2023 at 3:54 PM, NavyVeteran said:

This timing looks good, since boarding begins at 12:30 pm. We may be onboard in time to get to the MDR before 1:30 pm to eat lunch.

I don't know if Princess sells the rail transfer without the hotel stay.

Why would anyone want to eat on the ship when the Swiftwater Cafe in Whittier has some of the best seafood in Alaska?

[Sailin Gal]

On 2/1/2024 at 6:07 PM, phyteng said:

Thank you. Would be great if anyone can confirm if this works for princess cruises too. I’m doing the 26glacier cruise before embarkation, would be nice if they can take our checked luggage from the train depot and deliver to cabin.

 We did this in 2022.  Booked the train on our own, had our Princess tags on the luggage, checked luggage at the train depot. There was a well marked area at the entrance to the depot for Princess luggage drop off.  We got off the train and went stright to the 26 glacier cruise, then boarded our ship.  Luggage was at our cabin when we boarded.  Almost everyone on that train will be going to the ship, and many will be doing the 26 glacier cruise as well.  Hope you enjoy the trip as much as we did!

[phyteng]

1 hour ago, Sailin Gal said:

 We did this in 2022.  Booked the train on our own, had our Princess tags on the luggage, checked luggage at the train depot. There was a well marked area at the entrance to the depot for Princess luggage drop off.  We got off the train and went stright to the 26 glacier cruise, then boarded our ship.  Luggage was at our cabin when we boarded.  Almost everyone on that train will be going to the ship, and many will be doing the 26 glacier cruise as well.  Hope you enjoy the trip as much as we did!

This is great! Thanks for the confirmation. 

[matamanoa]

While our cruise didn't leave from Whittier but from Seward instead, we used the Alaska RR for our transfer from Anchorage and it was a wonderful experience.  Our luggage was handled by train staff, we were served a delicious breakfast while riding through the countryside, listening to an on board naturalist describing the flora and wildlife and we were able to get a different perspective of the land by traveling inland and not hugging the coast on a bus.  Very positive experience.

[phyteng]

On 2/3/2024 at 9:38 PM, matamanoa said:

While our cruise didn't leave from Whittier but from Seward instead, we used the Alaska RR for our transfer from Anchorage and it was a wonderful experience.  Our luggage was handled by train staff, we were served a delicious breakfast while riding through the countryside, listening to an on board naturalist describing the flora and wildlife and we were able to get a different perspective of the land by traveling inland and not hugging the coast on a bus.  Very positive experience.

Thanks, we’re booked from the train from anchorage to Whittier.