no need to book ahead?

[jspirit]

We will be in Seward on a Monday and Tuesday, hoping to do the Kenaii Renoun Tour if the weather cooperates. Then on Wednesday we head to Whittier and would like to do the Glacier tour from 1:30 - 4:30 before boarding the ship.

July is high season... if I make a reservation in advance, there are cancellation fees. Considering that both days are mid week, and the Spirit is the only ship leaving on that Wednesday from Whittier, is it a big risk to just book when we get there?

( I was reading on another thread that the weekends book up much faster).

Past cruisers or Alaska experts... opinions please!

[MeganMamaw]

Personally, I would book ahead. If you use Major Marine for the tours they will reimburse you fully if you cancel within 14 days of your tour. Check them out and see if they fit your itinerary. They also have a Forest Service Ranger on their tours. Also there is very little transportation that goes between Seward and Whittier so hopefully you have a car. If not check out alaskatransportation.net. Good Luck!

[Budget Queen]

Whittier only has one ship at a time. With the Spirit, there is the potential for over 4000 people to consider a glacier tour. IF this is a priority, then book ahead. Same with Kenai fjords. Renown is the smallest company of the three majors in Seward.

[GlacierLady]

Mon & Tue in Seward are usually slow and you should be fine with same day or day before reservations. They are good about refunding $$ if booked ahead and cancelled due to bad weather.

 

Whittier.. I would book ahead with a ship being in as there is not much else there to do. They do get more than one ship in at a time now.

[mbisson]

Personally, if there were any excursion that I could book ahead and is a priority to us, I would book ahead just to be on the safe side.

 

-Monte

[NancyIL]

Since you are heading to Whittier any way - what will you do if you don't arrive in time for the 12:30 tunnel/1:30 cruise?

[jspirit]

If we leave Seward in the morning, give back the car to Avis in Whittier by 11 am, try to check in on the Spirit, then head to the PWS tour for 1 pm, doesn't that sound reasonable from a timing standpoint?

BTW, I should have said 1:30 - 5:30 for the tour. It's a 4 hour .

Based on this plan, what time should we be at the tunnel, and how long is the ride through the tunnel?

[NancyIL]

If we leave Seward in the morning, give back the car to Avis in Whittier by 11 am, try to check in on the Spirit, then head to the PWS tour for 1 pm, doesn't that sound reasonable from a timing standpoint?

BTW, I should have said 1:30 - 5:30 for the tour. It's a 4 hour .

Based on this plan, what time should we be at the tunnel, and how long is the ride through the tunnel?

 

What I meant was - what else would you do (on the way to Whittier or in Whittier) if you didn't go on the PWS cruise? I believe the tunnel opens on the half-hour for the drive to Whittier, so you'd need to take the 10:30 tunnel to drop-off your rental car by 11. The tunnel is 2-3/4 miles long.

[jspirit]

Sometimes it helps to e-talk out your plans and get a different perspective.

I have now changed my Avis reservation times to 1 pm for pick up and drop off, so we won't be in such a rush to get to Whittier by 11 am.

It also gives us the full morning in Anchorage to see something before heading to Seward.

I will make the reservations for the 2 tours I mentioned so that our plans will be confirmed.

Thanks again!

[NancyIL]

Sometimes it helps to e-talk out your plans and get a different perspective.

I have now changed my Avis reservation times to 1 pm for pick up and drop off, so we won't be in such a rush to get to Whittier by 11 am.

It also gives us the full morning in Anchorage to see something before heading to Seward.

I will make the reservations for the 2 tours I mentioned so that our plans will be confirmed.

Thanks again!

 

 

Are you planning to buy the Toursaver coupon book? There are 2-for-1 coupons for 2 different Kenai Fjords cruises and for the 4-hour Glacier Adventure Cruise: http://www.princewilliamsound.com/580.cfm The coupon book costs $99.95, but the Kenai Fjords cruise costs $129/pp plus tax, and the PWS cruise is $99/pp plus tax. You don't have to have the Toursaver book when you make your reservations, but you need to mention it at that time. That way you'll be charged for only one person instead of two.

[jspirit]

I will be picking it up when we arrive in Anchorage. They sell them at the Safeways . Thanks for reminding me to mention it when I make the reservations. I considered the Northern Lights coupon book, but I think the Toursaver offers a few more that we will use.

Are you using it?

I guess the used ones on Ebay won't start showing up for resale until the first few Alaska season cruisers come back in May.

[NancyIL]

I will be picking it up when we arrive in Anchorage. They sell them at the Safeways . Thanks for reminding me to mention it when I make the reservations. I considered the Northern Lights coupon book, but I think the Toursaver offers a few more that we will use.

Are you using it?

I guess the used ones on Ebay won't start showing up for resale until the first few Alaska season cruisers come back in May.

 

Yes, I already have my Toursaver book. :)

[Budget Queen]

For clairfication the tunnel opens once per hour for 15 min in each direction. Going to Whittier- it's the half hour to quarter of. There is a $12 toll.

 

You need to allow at least 2 hours for the Seward/Whittier drive. But it is worthwhile to stop at the Portage Glacier visitor Center, so you might want to arrive a little early.

[Budget Queen]

I guess the used ones on Ebay won't start showing up for resale until the first few Alaska season cruisers come back in May.

 

 

Correct- but then you have the opportunity to sell yours when you come back.

[jspirit]

1. Yes, I could try to sell ours when we return. Iguess there are still lots of cruisers in August.

2. I was thinking that we would stop at the Portage Visitor center on the way to ... is it between Anchorage and Seward, or Seward to Whittier? Maybe we will have to see it on the morning we are driving TO Whittier afterall?

Thinking now to make it through the 11:30 tunnel but if it is 12:30, will we still have time to check in and return the car before the1:30 tour? Sounding a little too tight.

[fti]

I guess the used ones on Ebay won't start showing up for resale until the first few Alaska season cruisers come back in May.

 

There was a post on EBay from someone at Toursaver saying that it was against their rules to resell the book. I just did a search again today and could not find that post. So perhaps EBay removed the post. I wondered how that might intimidate some to not try to sell their used books on EBay. Might not even make a difference now.

[Budget Queen]

1. Yes, I could try to sell ours when we return. Iguess there are still lots of cruisers in August.

2. I was thinking that we would stop at the Portage Visitor center on the way to ... is it between Anchorage and Seward, or Seward to Whittier? Maybe we will have to see it on the morning we are driving TO Whittier afterall?

Thinking now to make it through the 11:30 tunnel but if it is 12:30, will we still have time to check in and return the car before the1:30 tour? Sounding a little too tight.

 

 

 

Portage Glacier is on a spur road, just outside the Whittier tunnel. 5 miles from the Seward Highway. The Spur road (Whittier/Portage Glaicer Access Road), is off the Seward Highway, which runs between Seward and Anchorage, so it would be more convenient to just add time and stop on the way to Whittier.

 

Going through the 12:30pm tunnel will allow you enough time to turn in your car- at the Harbor Store and get to your glacier cruise at 1:30pm. Drop off anyone and baggage prior to turning in your car.

[jspirit]

OK, so we do the Portage thing on our way from Seward to Whittier. ( day 3)

Then, what is a nice stop on our way from Anchorage to Seward? ( day 1 ) We will be leaving Anchorage at 1 pm or so, and it takes about 3 hours to get to Seward, right?

Is there a little stop to make along the way, which hopefully has washrooms!

Also, Do you think we will have time to do the Sealife Centre or better to see Exit Glacier on that first day? The second day will be taken up with the 6 hour boat tour, but after supper we will have time for something else since it stays light for so long.

I haven't even gone yet , but it feels like we are already running out of time! I hope we will have some time to feel relaxed!?