Whittier to Anchorage

[K8sMom]

We are doing a back-to-back so we will have all day after the ship docks in Whittier and want to go to Anchorage. Do not want to rent a car. What is the best way to get from Whittier to Anchorage and back to Whittier?? Is there a bus that runs from the cruise Port to Anchorage and back? Or perhaps a train? And what is the cost?

[ARRTrain]

Probably the best way to do it is to take the bus up and back. What cruiseline are you on? You might be able to take the train up and then take a bus back.

[NancyIL]

We are doing a back-to-back so we will have all day after the ship docks in Whittier and want to go to Anchorage. Do not want to rent a car. What is the best way to get from Whittier to Anchorage and back to Whittier?? Is there a bus that runs from the cruise Port to Anchorage and back? Or perhaps a train? And what is the cost?

 

I'm don't know why you don't want to rent a car, but that would be your most convenient form of transportation. If you take a train or bus to Anchorage, how will you get around there? I'd bite the bullet and rent a car for the day.

 

A few other options would be to stay in Whittier and take one of the Prince William Sound cruises, such as the 6-hour one that goes through Esther Passage: http://www.princewilliamsound.com/579.cfm

 

Another option is the Alaskan Leopard 4-hour shuttle/tour to Anchorage, which would show you several of the sights along the way. Spend a few hours in Anchorage, and then take some sort of transport back to Whittier: http://www.alaskanleopard.com/Tours/Whittier.htm

[Budget Queen]

What is your priority for getting to Anchorage??? Frankly the trip to there is the highlight, via the Arm. :) A car rental is your best option for making the most of your time. Otherwise I would arrange a private tour of what you are interested in in Anchorage. It is a big spread out city, if your only interest is the downtown, then get a ship transfer bus to Egan Center. Then arrange the last bus back to Whittier. But I will speculate this will be very inconvenient with wait times and an early departure from Anchorage.

 

With a rental car, you could have a wonderful day, even adding a beautiful drive to Hatcher Pass. Alaska is much more than a big city. :) The Arm can occupy plenty of time with the endless scenic vistas.

[Fergus]

I agree with the rental car recommendation. There are so many things to see and do along the way......you'll want to pull over and look at the Dall sheep up on the ridge, or take photos of the scenery, you'd miss a lot of that on a bus. Plus, if you're doing it just for the day, the rental car should be fairly cheap. Be careful about the tunnel schedule for returning.

[Suntan Sailer]

I would deffinately consider getting a rental too. The hardest part of the trip would be going through the tunnel, and that is just a matter of waiting in line to get a green light to go... :p

 

Otherwise, I would suggest you call Alaska Leopard and see if you could set up a custom itinerary for you. We used them for our transfer to Whitter 2 weeks ago, and they were very flexable/accomodating.

 

-Suntan

[NancyIL]

I would deffinately consider getting a rental too. The hardest part of the trip would be going through the tunnel, and that is just a matter of waiting in line to get a green light to go... :p

 

Otherwise, I would suggest you call Alaska Leopard and see if you could set up a custom itinerary for you. We used them for our transfer to Whitter 2 weeks ago, and they were very flexable/accomodating.

 

-Suntan

 

Did you do the 4-hour tour or the 1.25 hour express shuttle with Alaskan Leopard? I'm seriously thinking of doing the 4-hour tour with them next summer after our cruise ends in Whittier.

[Suntan Sailer]

We did the 4 hour tour, which is basically the express shuttle plus stopping off at a nature preserve and a glacier information center. Neither of which are mind blowing on their own, but they made for a nice stop along the way. If for no other reason than to get out and stretch.

 

The day before our scheduled transfer to Whittier, they suffered a blown transmission on their bus, so they ended up picking us up in a rented van to take us on the transfer. The important thing was that they picked us up on time and got us to the ship without a problem. Plus they were very friendly and accomodating. As a consolation for having to take a van, they refunded half of the cost of the transfer on the spot. So we got a better transfer than the cruise transfer for about half the cost of the cruise transfer.

 

Problems happen, so I don't fault them for the failure of their bus, but I do appreciate a company's commitment to its customers even in light of business hiccups. In this regard I would not have a problem signing up with Alaska Leopard again as it is obvious their first priority is getting people to their distinations on time.

 

On a side note, if we did it again, I would make every effort to get to Whittier early enough/stay late enough to take a tourboat out to the Sound. Even if that meant skipping the nature and glacier centers.

 

-Suntan

[NancyIL]

We did the 4 hour tour, which is basically the express shuttle plus stopping off at a nature preserve and a glacier information center. Neither of which are mind blowing on their own, but they made for a nice stop along the way. If for no other reason than to get out and stretch.

 

The day before our scheduled transfer to Whittier, they suffered a blown transmission on their bus, so they ended up picking us up in a rented van to take us on the transfer. The important thing was that they picked us up on time and got us to the ship without a problem. Plus they were very friendly and accomodating. As a consolation for having to take a van, they refunded half of the cost of the transfer on the spot. So we got a better transfer than the cruise transfer for about half the cost of the cruise transfer.

 

Problems happen, so I don't fault them for the failure of their bus, but I do appreciate a company's commitment to its customers even in light of business hiccups. In this regard I would not have a problem signing up with Alaska Leopard again as it is obvious their first priority is getting people to their distinations on time.

 

On a side note, if we did it again, I would make every effort to get to Whittier early enough/stay late enough to take a tourboat out to the Sound. Even if that meant skipping the nature and glacier centers.

 

-Suntan

 

Thanks for the info about your shuttle experience. I've been going back and forth between staying in Whittier to go on a 6-hour Prince William Sound cruise, then take the train to Anchorage in the evening, or the Alaskan Leopard shuttle as soon as we arrive. We will have been to 3 glaciers on our cruise (Tracy Arm, Hubbard, and College Fjord), and may go on a Columbia Glacier cruise out of Valdez - in which case I wouldn't mind skipping the PWS cruise to see other sights on the way to Anchorage.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the info about your shuttle experience. I've been going back and forth between staying in Whittier to go on a 6-hour Prince William Sound cruise, then take the train to Anchorage in the evening, or the Alaskan Leopard shuttle as soon as we arrive. We will have been to 3 glaciers on our cruise (Tracy Arm, Hubbard, and College Fjord), and may go on a Columbia Glacier cruise out of Valdez - in which case I wouldn't mind skipping the PWS cruise to see other sights on the way to Anchorage.

 

 

IF you want to see glacier, the boat tours are GROSSLY superior to anything from your ship, even with 3 stops. You just do not get close enough from a cruise ship, even the Island.

 

The reason to go to the Columbia is for the buildling size ice. You do NOT get close to the glacier and need binoculars to see it better.

[NancyIL]

IF you want to see glacier, the boat tours are GROSSLY superior to anything from your ship, even with 3 stops. You just do not get close enough from a cruise ship, even the Island.

 

The reason to go to the Columbia is for the buildling size ice. You do NOT get close to the glacier and need binoculars to see it better.

 

Thanks for the info about Columbia Glacier. In your opinion, would you choose the PWS cruise over Columbia Glacier?

 

We'll be on the Pacific Princess, so I don't know if that ship can get any closer to the major glaciers than the bigger ships.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the info about Columbia Glacier. In your opinion, would you choose the PWS cruise over Columbia Glacier?

 

We'll be on the Pacific Princess, so I don't know if that ship can get any closer to the major glaciers than the bigger ships.

 

 

You are looking at two completely different tours. Sailing out of Valdez has much more potential for wildlife than Whittier. As I have mentioned, the Columbia- is a great experience, just different from others. The glaciers are definately superior out of Whittier with endless vistas and very close up viewing.

 

I always do several boat tours, every trip. They ALL are different.

 

Again, there is NO comparism to anything seen from your cruiseship in my opinion. The boat tours are always superior.

[Suntan Sailer]

Again, I would not center my decision as "PWS tour vs. 4hr Leopard tour" I would make that decision as "PWS tour vs save my money and not do the PWS tour"

 

What I am trying to say is that you should not think of the Leopard Tour as a tour so much as just good natured, and reliable, transportation between Whittier and Anchorage with a couple of stops along the way. The nature preserve is nothing that you can't see at your local zoo, and the glacier center won't hold a candle to anything you will see on the cruise.

 

-Suntan

[NancyIL]

Thanks, Budget Queen and Suntan Sailer!

 

My apologies to the OP...I didn't mean to hijack your thread!

[Chat Noir]

...you should not think of the Leopard Tour as a tour so much as just good natured, and reliable, transportation between Whittier and Anchorage with a couple of stops along the way.

 

-Suntan

 

Agree 100%.

 

For simplicity, I'd book a PWS tour. College Fjord is worth seeing more than once... and up-close!

 

For land viewing, I'd go with Alaskan Leopard to Anchorage and enjoy their stops along with some nice history/information on the area, then find direct transportation back.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We are als doing a B2B, we have a van booked thru Avis but still need to decide what are the highlights we want to see.

Any ideas??

[NancyIL]

Agree 100%.

 

For simplicity, I'd book a PWS tour. College Fjord is worth seeing more than once... and up-close!

 

For land viewing, I'd go with Alaskan Leopard to Anchorage and enjoy their stops along with some nice history/information on the area, then find direct transportation back.

 

If we go on the PWS cruise, we won't be able to go with Alaskan Leopard to Anchorage (schedule conflicts), so it's one or the other.

 

sym1966 - just wanted to say that Colorado was fabulous! Thanks for the info you gave me!

[Chat Noir]

If we go on the PWS cruise, we won't be able to go with Alaskan Leopard to Anchorage (schedule conflicts), so it's one or the other.

 

sym1966 - just wanted to say that Colorado was fabulous! Thanks for the info you gave me!

 

Glad you had a wonderful time!:) My favorite state... with Alaska coming in a very close second!

 

 

You are correct that both can't be done same day...

 

Personally, I'd choose the PWS day cruise, with car rental or train transfer (loved that trip!) that evening. As Suntan Sailer mentioned, Alaskan Leopard is nice, but it is a transfer first and foremost and the added stops are a bonus, especially for those not renting a car and/or have same-evening flights out of Anchorage. If I remember right, you're taking an independent tour following your cruise?... so you can see those highlights at your leisure.:)

[Budget Queen]

We are als doing a B2B, we have a van booked thru Avis but still need to decide what are the highlights we want to see.

Any ideas??

 

 

I would take plenty of time on the Arm, with a stop at Portage Glacier Visitor Center. Determine IF Anchorage is your priority?? Otherwise I would head to Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine. Plenty of stops along the way to also consider with Eagle River Nature Center and the very unique and worthwhile Eklutna Spirit House tour.

[Lynda90]

I would take plenty of time on the Arm, with a stop at Portage Glacier Visitor Center. Determine IF Anchorage is your priority?? Otherwise I would head to Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine. Plenty of stops along the way to also consider with Eagle River Nature Center and the very unique and worthwhile Eklutna Spirit House tour.

Thanks for all your great help, BQ. I will also be in this van with Julia and am so looking forward to this trip. Also, because of your suggestion, I did purchase a tracfone for $20 through their website which ended up having 200 free minutes on it. I got 80 minutes when I activated it and an additional 120 minutes for referring a friend who also got the additional 120 minutes. I sound like a commercial, but am so pleased with the phone.:D