What time can I get off the Royal Princess in Whittier,AK

[mattR]

Trying to catch a 11:15am flight out of Anchorage at 11:15am.  I will arrange for a private transfer to get me from the ship can I get off the ship at 5:45 or 6:45? According to the Alaska department of Transportation the tunnel opens outbound at 6am during the summer. I am willing to handle my own luggage.

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, mattR said:

Trying to catch a 11:15am flight out of Anchorage at 11:15am.  I will arrange for a private transfer to get me from the ship can I get off the ship at 5:45 or 6:45? According to the Alaska department of Transportation the tunnel opens outbound at 6am during the summer. I am willing to handle my own luggage.

I think that is way to early to plan on making a plane   The ship has to be cleared and I have never seen that happening that early.  You really need to have a plan B

[SCX22]

I did the B2B of this itinerary, RT Vancouver, on the Majestic Princess this year.  The difference between me and you is that I was transiting in Whittier. 

 

The ship will arrive in Whittier at around midnight.  (Recommend staying up as the approach to Whittier is very scenic.)  Gangways, however, aren't opened until 6:00 a.m.  No immigration formalities in Whittier as you will have cleared U.S. immigration upon embarkation in Vancouver.

 

I would research what time the direction of the tunnel changes to Anchorage and plan from there.  IMO, better to wait an hour on the ship rather than in line in a car.

Edited November 29, 2023 by SCX22

[BamaVol]

Too tight for me to be comfortable.  We were held on the ship until 9:30, although we were far from the first group to debark.  What happens if you miss the tunnel window?  Is it a 30 or 60 minute delay?  It’s a pretty ride but I don’t think I would be enjoying it if I was stressing over my arrival time.

[mattR]

Able to do self disembarkation so as soon as the gangway is in place good to go.  Asking for my sister who is up at 5am everyday anyways.  The 11:15am flight is the last flight of the day that would not require overnighting it somewhere before getting back to Alberta Canada. Not stressed over the ship arrival time it would just be what time do they actually open the gangway.

[Essiesmom]

What kind of private transfer are you arranging?  Not much available in Whittier.  EM

[memoak]

30 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

What kind of private transfer are you arranging?  Not much available in Whittier.  EM

So true in fact I have never seen any cats for hire there 

[RD64]

Avoid the stress - book a hotel in Anchorage for the night (nice to see if you have never been) and fly home the next day.

[RD64]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

What kind of private transfer are you arranging?  Not much available in Whittier.  EM

Agreed - given the very small population, I think that if any private transfers are available, they will come at a hefty premium.

[mattR]

PJS Taxi if I remember correctly.  My sister is up at 5 am regardless so there is no stress. Is it actually possible or not is the question.  Just comes down to when they actually open the gangway if it opens at 6 then it can very easily be done. 

 

My recommendation to the family is to enjoy the extra day in Alaska and fly out the following morning however my sister would like to get back home that day. 

[memoak]

50 minutes ago, memoak said:

So true in fact I have never seen any cats for hire there 

Sorry cars not 🐈‍⬛ 

[capriccio]

12 hours ago, RD64 said:

Agreed - given the very small population, I think that if any private transfers are available, they will come at a hefty premium.

Or if the private vehicle is coming in from Anchorage, it too will have to wait for the tunnel to get to you.

[dreaminofcruisin]

17 hours ago, mattR said:

Trying to catch a 11:15am flight out of Anchorage at 11:15am.  I will arrange for a private transfer to get me from the ship can I get off the ship at 5:45 or 6:45? According to the Alaska department of Transportation the tunnel opens outbound at 6am during the summer. I am willing to handle my own luggage.

 

I have no current experience. However, I am also going to be on the Royal disembarking in Whittier this summer. I am using EZ Air and Princess says the flight has to be after 11 am. If Princess thinks 11 is late enough, I would think you should be fine, as I have found they are usually pretty conservative in their estimates. My cruise is on 7/13...just based on the tunnel, I don't know if the times Princess requires vary based on the date. You could do a mock booking and check.

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by dreaminofcruisin

[TheDawg79]

14 hours ago, memoak said:

Sorry cars not 🐈‍⬛ 

And here I thought you were just being hip by calling them “cats”! 🤣

[cruisequeen4ever]

I live in Anchorage and have done many cruises to/from Whittier. It’s a 1.25 hr drive and includes a transit through a long tunnel that opens for a window every hour. Timing can change, but in my experience, self-disembarkation usually begins around 7:00 or 7:30 AM. If everything went perfectly, they miiiiight make it. Would I recommend it? Absolutely not! Disembarkation could be running behind schedule. That highway is considered to be one of the most dangerous in the country. There are lots of accidents that can delay traffic for hours. Plus, we call summer “road construction season”, which can also result in lengthy delays. It’s not worth the risk. Saturdays are also extremely busy days at the Anchorage airport in the summer because of tourism. Check-in and security lines can be very long. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

On 11/29/2023 at 8:15 PM, memoak said:

Sorry cars not 🐈‍⬛ 

You just REALLY cannot depend on any of those cats that put themself out for hire... 😄