Seward to Whittier? Train?

[jspirit]

Now that the rates are out for the Toursaver coupons, it seems like the Alaskan Leopard offers a great reduced rate for Anchorage to Seward.

For the experts: Would it be better to rent a car for 2 days , go from Anchorage to Seward, take the 6 hour Renown Tour, do the Sealife Centre, then on the day of the cruise, drive to Whittier, take the Prince Wm. Sound boat tour before boarding the ship.

OR: Make use of the coupons, and not rent a car. Take the Alaskan Leopard shuttle with the 2 for 1 coupon to Seward, spend the 2 days there without a car. On the morning of the cruise, is there a train we could take to Whittier? Does Alaskan Leopard go to Whittier from Seward?

So many choices!!!

I also don't want to miss the experience of the Alaskan Railroad to one of these destinations.

What to do???

Thanks!

[fti]

How many of you are there? That will help with comparing the prices.

 

All else equal, if taking a train is important to you, take the train between Anchorage and Seward since the train between Anchorage and Whittier follows the road the entire way. The train between Anchorage and Seward follows the road part of the way but then splits off from the road much of the way between Girdwood and Seward.

[NancyIL]

Now that the rates are out for the Toursaver coupons, it seems like the Alaskan Leopard offers a great reduced rate for Anchorage to Seward.

For the experts: Would it be better to rent a car for 2 days , go from Anchorage to Seward, take the 6 hour Renown Tour, do the Sealife Centre, then on the day of the cruise, drive to Whittier, take the Prince Wm. Sound boat tour before boarding the ship.

OR: Make use of the coupons, and not rent a car. Take the Alaskan Leopard shuttle with the 2 for 1 coupon to Seward, spend the 2 days there without a car. On the morning of the cruise, is there a train we could take to Whittier? Does Alaskan Leopard go to Whittier from Seward?

So many choices!!!

I also don't want to miss the experience of the Alaskan Railroad to one of these destinations.

What to do???

Thanks!

 

 

There is no train from Seward to Whittier, and Alaskan Leopard doesn't go that route either. I got a quote from PJ's taxis: 2 people Whittier to Seward for $200 plus $12 for the tunnel.

 

Seward has Hertz and Whittier has Avis - so you can't rent a car in Seward to be dropped off in Whittier either. Your best bet is probably to rent from Avis in Anchorage and drop-off the car in Whittier.

[fti]

Oops. I missed the fact that they wanted to take the train from Seward to Whittier. Minor details:D .

[jspirit]

Still sounds like the car rental is the easiest way. Agree?

[NancyIL]

Oops. I missed the fact that they wanted to take the train from Seward to Whittier. Minor details:D .

 

It happens, John. ;)

 

We will take the train or motorcoach from Whittier to Anchorage if we do a PWS cruise immediately after disembarking our ship. Now that I've seen what the Toursaver coupons are for next year, we may skip the PWS cruise in favor of a Columbia Glacier cruise out of Valdez a few days later, and take the Alaskan Leopard shuttle to Anchorage after our ship arrives in Whittier. We will save Seward for the end of our 9-day post-cruise land trip, and we will get there in the car we are renting in Anchorage (Hertz or Enterprise). I have no interest in driving immediately to Seward and paying what I consider to be an exhorbitant fee of $242.90 just for a one-day Avis rental from Whittier! I understand paying those rates might be a necessary evil for people with very limited time, but I'm glad that's not our situation.

[NancyIL]

Still sounds like the car rental is the easiest way. Agree?

 

Easiest, and expensive because of it being a one-way rental. See my post above about it being a "necessary evil" for some people.

[jspirit]

So what about $280. for a 2 day rental? ( drop off in Whittier). Still sound expensive?

[Chat Noir]

Looks like you're flying into Anchorage, have a couple of days you want to spend in Seward, then sail out of Whittier?

 

If time-saving and ease is what your after, by all means, a one way car rental from Anchorage, using it for all your touring, including Seward, then drop-off in Whittier the day of embarkation is your best best.

 

You mention the Alaska Railroad..., with that choice, I'd opt to rent a car RT Anchorage/Seward/Anchorage, then use the AKRR as the transfer from Anchorage to Whittier on day of embarkation. Gives a nice taste of the railroad. You'll have a bit of time-consuming backtracking, but it's all very scenic.

 

Alaskan Leopard is a nice transfer option, but I don't see how fitting it in would be an advantage with your schedule. You still need other transfers/taxi service/one-way rentals, and in the end, even with a coupon, I don't think you'd see any significant savings, and a lot more hassle.

 

Nothing will be cheap and easy or else have no back-tracking. We've tried!:)

[Budget Queen]

The one way car rental is your best idea, don't worry about the "small " cost he overall trip- it's insignificant and makes the best use of your time.

 

For clairfication, there is NO comparism to Columbia Glacier trips out of Valdez and glaicer trips out of Whittier, Whittier is FAR superior. You don't get near Columbia, just get close to the huge ice- IF the boat can navagate it.

[Budget Queen]

Still sounds like the car rental is the easiest way. Agree?

 

 

 

Yes, in my opinion, makes the best use of your time. Even with a "lot" of time touring Alaska, I would never consider wasting any.

[jspirit]

You have all been so helpful! I would be happy to " pay it forward" if you have any questions on the Liberty Mediterranean " .

What a great site this is!!!

[NancyIL]

You have all been so helpful! I would be happy to " pay it forward" if you have any questions on the Liberty Mediterranean " .

What a great site this is!!!

 

I'll keep that in mind, because I'm thinking about a Mediterranean cruise in the fall of 2008! What ports did you visit?

[jspirit]

Rome to Rome, 12 days.

Naples. Sorrento, Pompeii, Capri, Dubrovnik, Barcelona, France ( Monaco, Monte Carlo, Nice, Eze, St. Paul de Vince), Taormina ( Sicily), Venice ( 2 days) and Florence. We booked a few private tourguides who we would highly recommend! Only booked with Carnival for the ports that we were travelling pretty far away from.

Ask away, anytime, and thanks for all your help with Alaska!