Anchorage question:

[jspirit]

Based on the recommendations on this site, I have booked an extra 3days in Anchorage before our Carnival Spirit Southern itinerary cruise. I plan on arriving early enough in Whittier on the day of the cruise to take one of the 3 or 4 hour tours. The first day we will be tired and will just walk around the city . My question is the 2 days inbetween. We don't want to do any driving on our own. Are there any good day tours that you can recommend? Don't want to spend all day on a bus! Just want something for maybe 2-4 hours that we could take .

Plan B might be to go to Whittier on the train the day before the cruise, stay at the Inn at Whittier, and take the tour there either on the day before the cruise or the same day. Problem is, I haven't read great reviews about the hotel. Any comments on that?

Please help!

[fti]

delete

[fti]

Based on the recommendations on this site, I have booked an extra 3days in Anchorage before our Carnival Spirit Southern itinerary cruise. I plan on arriving early enough in Whittier on the day of the cruise to take one of the 3 or 4 hour tours. The first day we will be tired and will just walk around the city . My question is the 2 days inbetween. We don't want to do any driving on our own. Are there any good day tours that you can recommend? Don't want to spend all day on a bus! Just want something for maybe 2-4 hours that we could take .

Plan B might be to go to Whittier on the train the day before the cruise, stay at the Inn at Whittier, and take the tour there either on the day before the cruise or the same day. Problem is, I haven't read great reviews about the hotel. Any comments on that?

Please help!

 

If it were me, I would head to Seward. Arrive in Anchorage and see what you can that first day. The next morning take a train to Seward. That day you can visit the Sealife Center or even get to Exit Glacier (part of Kenai Fjords NP). The second day you can take a day boat trip from Seward. It is 6-8 hours depending on which tour you take and gets you up close and personal with sea wildlife. You also get to see a glacier very close. It does not duplicate either the Whittier day boat trip (that emphasizes glacier, the one from Seward emphasizes wildlife) or what you will get on Carnival. The large cruise ships can't get as close as these smaller boats can to the wildlife and glaciers.

 

There are threads on this board talking about getting from Seward to Whittier. Several companies offer shuttle/taxi services.

[jspirit]

only sleep in Anchorage the first night?

Then, the next day there is a train we could take to Seward. Do you recommend a very nice hotel there?

Thanks for the help!

[Terpnut]

I agree with fti's suggestion to spend more time in Seward. As for hotels, if you do a search, you will find many recent discussions on that topic. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. It was very conveniently located to the RR depot and cruise dock/terminal.

[Budget Queen]

I too agree, if you don't want to rent a car out of Anchorage, I would not be spending all that time there. GO to Seward. Be sure to consider a boat ride to Kenai Fjords, at least 6 hours on the water. http://www.sewardak.org Then get a shuttle service direct to Whittier from Seward. No problem getting there before a 1pm PWS boat tour prior to getting on your ship.

[jspirit]

Listening to all of you very carefully!

Idecided to rent a car for 2 days and arranged the drop off in Whittier..

If that's the plan, then how does this sound?

Day 1: fly in to Anchorage. See what we can, and rest up.

Day 2: Rent a car downtown ( Avis). Drive to Seward. Is that Alyeska Resort a nice stop on the way at all? Arrive in Seward. is the drive about 3 1/2 hours? An easy drive?

Day 3: Spend the full day in Seward. Take the 6 or 8 hour boat trip.

Day 4: Wake up, drive to Whittier ... ( 1 1/2 hours? ). Arrive around 11 am. Embark hopefully by noon. Put our docs in the cabin safe, eat a deli sandwhich, then back off by 1 and catch one of the tours in town .

 

How does that sound? Would that be a complete way to spend our first time in Alaska without leaving anything obvious out, but now overdoing it, either?

Please Please offer yopur comments! I don't want to do something that doesn't make sense!

Also, is it a simple drive to whittier from Seward?

Thank you !!!!

[ARRTrain]

3 hours sounds like a good drive to Seward from Anch. Alyeska is about 40 minutes from Anch. on the way to Seward. Whittier is about another 20 minutes from Alyeska. Plan on about 2 hours from Seward to Whittier. It is all an easy drive up here in Alaska.

[jspirit]

So, the plan sounds good?

[sea_u_onboard]

Sounds good to me - but I haven't done Alaska YET.

 

I do have a nice mile by mile from Anchorage to Seward that I found somewhere on the net. If you would like a copy just shoot me an email. Look for instructions in my signature.

[alaswhales]

Another option would be to drive 2 1/2 hours north of Anchorage to Talkeetna to try to catch a glimpse of Mt. McKinley. Even if you don't get to see it, like us, Talkeetna is a very cute quaint little town that you don't need to spend a lot of time in. We payed someone to drive us there since we didn't have a car (long story), and we stayed for 4 hours. We walked to the river which we happened to stumble upon. It totally depends on what you like and what you want to do in Alaska. For me, it was about seeing humpback whales up close, mountains, waterfalls, and wildlife, Everything was a great bonus!!

Enjoy,

Alaswhales

[Budget Queen]

Listening to all of you very carefully!

Idecided to rent a car for 2 days and arranged the drop off in Whittier..

If that's the plan, then how does this sound?

Day 1: fly in to Anchorage. See what we can, and rest up.

Day 2: Rent a car downtown ( Avis). Drive to Seward. Is that Alyeska Resort a nice stop on the way at all? Arrive in Seward. is the drive about 3 1/2 hours? An easy drive?

Day 3: Spend the full day in Seward. Take the 6 or 8 hour boat trip.

Day 4: Wake up, drive to Whittier ... ( 1 1/2 hours? ). Arrive around 11 am. Embark hopefully by noon. Put our docs in the cabin safe, eat a deli sandwhich, then back off by 1 and catch one of the tours in town .

 

How does that sound? Would that be a complete way to spend our first time in Alaska without leaving anything obvious out, but now overdoing it, either?

Please Please offer yopur comments! I don't want to do something that doesn't make sense!

Also, is it a simple drive to whittier from Seward?

Thank you !!!!

 

 

Allow at least 3 hours for the Anchorage/Seward drive. Especially along the Arm, you can spend a great deal of time stopping for sights. Alyeska is OK, don't bother if no visability, better in my opinion is the Portage glacier visitor center.

 

I would NOT count on having lunch on your ship and making a 1 pm boat tour. No guarantee you will be allowed to board that early. BE aware of the tunnel schedules and allow extra time.

[jspirit]

Thanks for all the input.

It sounds like Seward is a place we really shouldn't miss, and a day in Anchorage should be just enough.

I was hoping to take the train from Anchorage to Whittier, but I guess the road will be the same scenic route, and this way we will have the freedom to go on our own schedule.

Any comments on the holiday Inn in Seward? I read through trip advisor and it had mixed reviews. Does it really smell like a fish factory???

[fti]

I have not read that is smells like a fish factory. I have reservations for two nights there for next summer. (see an earlier post by me for obtaining this hotel at a discount).

 

I don't think you will regret the itinerary you mentioned.

 

It might be tough to get on the ship, have lunch then take a tour in Whittier. But the day cruise tours offer a lunch on their ships and you can drop off your "checked" luggage at the pier in front of the ship before heading to the day cruise. That way you will only have your "carry ons" to bring with you from Avis back to the cruise ship.

[NancyIL]

Someone commented on Trip Advisor that they couldn't use their balcony because of the fish smell nearby. We're also booked for 2 nights at that Holiday Inn Express, so we'll make the best of things.

[Terpnut]

Any comments on the holiday Inn in Seward? I read through trip advisor and it had mixed reviews. Does it really smell like a fish factory???

Someone commented on Trip Advisor that they couldn't use their balcony because of the fish smell nearby. We're also booked for 2 nights at that Holiday Inn Express, so we'll make the best of things.

We recently stayed at that Holiday Inn Express in August. We never noticed any fish smells walking around behind the hotel next to the water until you approach J-Dock's. J-Dock's, a fish/seafood processing company (http://www.jdockseafood.com/), is right next door on the south side of the hotel, so it's likely that a balcony on that end might get some fishy smells. However, please remember hotel is on a marina used by fishermen so if you can't stand fish or sea smells, well....

 

If you really want to minimize the fish smell problem, request a room on the mountain side or, if you extra pay for the water view, ask for a room toward the north end of the building (i.e. away from J-Docks and closer to the RR Depot). Also FWIW, the mountain view rooms are street-side so they're noisier than the marina/water side. The rooms were HUGE, pretty clean but nothing fancy. Overall, we recommend the place.

[Budget Queen]

As for the Holiday Inn in Seward, yes that whole area has a fish smell. :) I can smell it sitting on the train sometimes- did notice it last trip. If a problem, perhaps book elsewhere??

[Terpnut]

As for the Holiday Inn in Seward, yes that whole area has a fish smell. :) I can smell it sitting on the train sometimes- did notice it last trip. If a problem, perhaps book elsewhere??

Hey, aren't marine life and their smells part of the very essence of Alaska? :D

[fti]

Listening to all of you very carefully!

Idecided to rent a car for 2 days and arranged the drop off in Whittier..

If that's the plan, then how does this sound?

Day 1: fly in to Anchorage. See what we can, and rest up.

Day 2: Rent a car downtown ( Avis). Drive to Seward. Is that Alyeska Resort a nice stop on the way at all? Arrive in Seward. is the drive about 3 1/2 hours? An easy drive?

Day 3: Spend the full day in Seward. Take the 6 or 8 hour boat trip.

Day 4: Wake up, drive to Whittier ... ( 1 1/2 hours? ). Arrive around 11 am. Embark hopefully by noon. Put our docs in the cabin safe, eat a deli sandwhich, then back off by 1 and catch one of the tours in town .

 

How does that sound? Would that be a complete way to spend our first time in Alaska without leaving anything obvious out, but now overdoing it, either?

Please Please offer yopur comments! I don't want to do something that doesn't make sense!

Also, is it a simple drive to whittier from Seward?

Thank you !!!!

 

I like picking up the car downtown - you avoid a lot of the airport charges that way.

 

Be sure your hotel in Anchorage has an airport shuttle since you won't have a car the first night. Hotwire is still offering the Extended Stay Deluxe in downtown Anchorage for $37/night plus taxes and their fee. Excellent bargain and includes airport shuttle, suite hotel, breakfast and pool. Note that if you plug your dates into hotwire, you will see only the amenities and not the name of the hotel. But 99% certain that it will be this hotel if those amenities come up with a price like that. I booked it for $50 then the price went down :mad: . But I still got a great deal.

 

While in Seward, you can drive to Exit Glacier and/or visit the Sealife Center. The all-day cruise will be a highlight. I am doing that next July.

 

I too would not count on getting onto the ship, eating then getting off and taking the afternoon cruise out of Whittier. The Whittier cruises emphasize glaciers whereas the Seward cruises emphasize wildlife. Both cost +-$100-$120 and some vendors offer 2-for-1 coupons in Toursavers. You can return the car after your day cruise in Whittier. Actually drop off your "checked" luggage before your day cruise, take the cruise, then return the rental car.

 

For your two nights in Seward, you can do a search on this board for places to stay. There have been several recommendations. Do an advanced search with Seward in the title and you will find them all.

[jspirit]

Thanks for the detailed response!

I will check out your tips.

Why wouldn't I return the rental car as soon as I get to Whittier? Isn't the day tour close to wher ethe ship ois docked? Also, is the Avis office walking distance to the pier, or does anybody know if they offer a free shuttle?

Thanks, all!

[Terpnut]

While in Seward, you can drive to Exit Glacier and/or visit the Sealife Center. The all-day cruise will be a highlight. I am doing that next July.

Because most of the 6-8 hour Kenai Fjords NP tours leave mid or late morning, try to squeeze in Exit Glacier or the Sealife Center on the day you drive down (Day 2). Alternatively, you can go to Exit early on Day 3?

[ARRTrain]

No shuttles in Whittier, that I know of. Everything is about 5-10 minute walk from the ship in Whittier.

[fti]

Thanks for the detailed response!

I will check out your tips.

Why wouldn't I return the rental car as soon as I get to Whittier? Isn't the day tour close to where the ship is docked? Also, is the Avis office walking distance to the pier, or does anybody know if they offer a free shuttle?

Thanks, all!

 

I am not exactly sure where the Avis office is in Whittier. My guess is that it is a good 5-10 minute walk from the cruise ship (just because I didn't see it last July near the cruise dock) but the town is not that big. I would be surprised if they would not shuttle you to the cruise dock.

 

If you didn't get on the cruise ship before your day cruise, you could keep your carry on luggage in the rental car during the day cruise then return the car after the day cruise. In Skagway we returned the rental car right after our drive to Emerald Lake. If we kept the car rental another hour or two we could have kept all our shopping bags in the car rather than lugging them with us around town. Wasn't a big deal though.

[mytime53]

I want to second alaswhales' suggestion to drive north your first day. The reason is that you will have the opportunity to take cruises similar to those in Whittier and Seward in other ports. This will be your one opportunity to go inland a little ways and see something different. When you get an hour away from the coast, the scenery is totally different. If you said what month you were planning this, I missed it. That would make a difference in what would be best, also.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the detailed response!

I will check out your tips.

Why wouldn't I return the rental car as soon as I get to Whittier? Isn't the day tour close to wher ethe ship ois docked? Also, is the Avis office walking distance to the pier, or does anybody know if they offer a free shuttle?

Thanks, all!

 

 

No shuttles, the office is at the Harbor Store, walkable to the ship. Key is to keep an eye on the 24 hour clock, you don't want to pay for any extra hours/days. And yes, you can easily get around if you turn the car in when you unload and prior to the boat tour.