Chilkoot Yukon Bus and Rail excursion

[Cosmic Rays]

To the experts................mid June. The huskies/dog sleds - are they through the snow on proper sleds or on wheels round a track?

 

Thanks in anticipation before finally making a booking. DW wants to ride with the dogs, I don't! Can I book one at $206 and her at $175 do you think?

[Beechnut99]

I had the same questions. Kathy said if only part of the party wanted to dog sled then the rest could watch or go to the museum close by (admission is included)

 

I am not sure about June -we go later -in August and at that time it is a cart. We chose to do this, although it's not like real mushing, it was hard to justify the heli-dog tour that is more realistic, when it costs the price of a week down south.. :p

 

Good luck and enjoy your trip

[Yukon]

To the experts................mid June. The huskies/dog sleds - are they through the snow on proper sleds or on wheels round a track?

 

They are carts through the forest.

[fieldmom35215]

I just received an email from Larry. He writes, "We operate vehicles with passenger capacities of 13 to 25." "On weds. we always sell out and run a 25 passenager, on Fri. we may have two in a van."

 

I emailed booking request form ysterday. think i should call or wait on reply?

[Yukon]

I emailed booking request form ysterday. think i should call or wait on reply?

 

It's 08:20 in Alaska!

[luvlake]

I emailed booking request form ysterday. think i should call or wait on reply?

 

Here is the reservation form.:)

 

https://secure1.gate.com/ssl/chilkoot/reservation.htm

[fieldmom35215]

Here is the reservation form.:)

 

https://secure1.gate.com/ssl/chilkoot/reservation.htm

 

yes, this is the one i filled out

[sherryf]

I emailed them and received this response:

 

2) Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion

Duration: 7 Hours

Departure: 7:30AM

Cost: $175.00 Adult $120.00 Child (12 & Under)

Lunch: Caribou Crossing Trading Post/Yukon Wildlife Museum/Husky Puppy Camp/Lunch Included

Itinerary: Skagway/White Pass Summit/Fraser by train - 1 3/4 hours on train to Fraser, Fraser to Carcross & Emerald Lake and return to Skagway by bus

3) Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion With 15-Minute Dogsled Ride

Same as #2 above plus dogsled ride included in this package

Cost: $206.00 Adults $153.00 Child (12 & Under)

 

Are these prices US dollars or Canadian?

[luvlake]

Are these prices US dollars or Canadian?

 

They are US dollars.

[sherryf]

I was going to book all of our excursions through the cruise line for convenience, thinking it just wasn't worth the hassle of researching and booking independently. Reading this thread has convinced me otherwise. I had nearly settled on the Princess "Yukon Expedition & White Pass Scenic Rail" which is very similar to this Chilkoot trip... except the Princess trip does the train DOWN and Chilkoot does it UP... and Chilkoot says they go to Emerald Lake, but Princess doesn't even mention it... and it's $24 cheaper than the Princess trip, or I can add the dog cart ride and only pay $7 more than the Princess tour without. (And pay nearly $40 for the dog cart separately if I wanted to do it when I got there!)

 

I need to talk to my fiance first, but I think I will bite the bullet and book this trip independently!

 

Now, I just need to go back and look at my options for Juneau and Ketchikan and see if I'm willing to try independents there as well...

[Yukon]

I need to talk to my fiance first, but I think I will bite the bullet and book this trip independently!

 

Now, I just need to go back and look at my options for Juneau and Ketchikan and see if I'm willing to try independents there as well...

 

In the past 20 years I've only met one person who regretted booking independently - and they just went with the first guy they met on the dock at Sitka, which is something everybody will tell you is a bad idea (well, everybody except for the guys waiting on the dock for people with no plans). In Alaska, I only book with the ships when there's no choice (and that does happen occasionally).

 

Murray

[StarTrkGeek]

I was going to book all of our excursions through the cruise line for convenience, thinking it just wasn't worth the hassle of researching and booking independently. Reading this thread has convinced me otherwise. I had nearly settled on the Princess "Yukon Expedition & White Pass Scenic Rail" which is very similar to this Chilkoot trip... except the Princess trip does the train DOWN and Chilkoot does it UP... and Chilkoot says they go to Emerald Lake, but Princess doesn't even mention it... and it's $24 cheaper than the Princess trip, or I can add the dog cart ride and only pay $7 more than the Princess tour without. (And pay nearly $40 for the dog cart separately if I wanted to do it when I got there!)

 

I need to talk to my fiance first, but I think I will bite the bullet and book this trip independently!

 

Now, I just need to go back and look at my options for Juneau and Ketchikan and see if I'm willing to try independents there as well...

One major disadvantage to the Princess excursion is that they use a large bus (think Greyhound/Trailways in size), and they do not stop on the road for photo opportunities.

 

Also, if you want to do the train, Chilkoot has its own private rail car, with much fewer people.

[judyf]

What happened with Dyea Dave? My wife and I are thinking about going with him.

 

He answered my 1st e-mails then after that he nevered reply to several I sent.

 

We decided to book with Chilkoot, Larry answered all my questions over the phone and even told me what we wanted to do would be hard but not totally out of the question.

 

I even called Whitepass train directly and they told me that Chilkoot has a contract with them. I would worry about booking with someone else and the train could get full and you're out of luck.

 

I don't think you can go wrong however you decide to visit the Yukon. It's all what you want to get out of it. For us it was the train one way, van the other, a visit to the mushers camp, and Emerald Lake.

[Cosmic Rays]

I was going to book all of our excursions through the cruise line for convenience, thinking it just wasn't worth the hassle of researching and booking independently. Reading this thread has convinced me otherwise. I had nearly settled on the Princess "Yukon Expedition & White Pass Scenic Rail" which is very similar to this Chilkoot trip... except the Princess trip does the train DOWN and Chilkoot does it UP... and Chilkoot says they go to Emerald Lake, but Princess doesn't even mention it... and it's $24 cheaper than the Princess trip, or I can add the dog cart ride and only pay $7 more than the Princess tour without. (And pay nearly $40 for the dog cart separately if I wanted to do it when I got there!)

 

I need to talk to my fiance first, but I think I will bite the bullet and book this trip independently!

 

Now, I just need to go back and look at my options for Juneau and Ketchikan and see if I'm willing to try independents there as well...

 

 

Direction of train!!! Depends on the day of travel I think.......on a Wednesday in June it is indeed up by coach and down by train but then I ask myself 'how do the trains get up there in the first place??' Look at the timetable I guess - it tells all there!

[StarTrkGeek]

He answered my 1st e-mails then after that he nevered reply to several I sent.

 

We decided to book with Chilkoot, Larry answered all my questions over the phone and even told me what we wanted to do would be hard but not totally out of the question.

 

I even called Whitepass train directly and they told me that Chilkoot has a contract with them. I would worry about booking with someone else and the train could get full and you're out of luck.

 

I don't think you can go wrong however you decide to visit the Yukon. It's all what you want to get out of it. For us it was the train one way, van the other, a visit to the mushers camp, and Emerald Lake.

 

We are not interested in the train. We want to go up to Emerald Lake and visit the husky puppies at Caribou Crossing. Dyea Dave got back to me. He said it was $50 (but will be going up to $60) for the R/T by van. His tour does not include admission to the husky camp/museum (an extra $8) or lunch at Caribou Crossing Trading Post (an extra $16). He lets you select which place to eat lunch (Caribou Crossing Trading Post or 3 places in Carcross), at your own expense. We decided to book with him.

[Bubs]

I booked a few weeks ago on June 10th myself with Chilkoot.

[judyf]

We are not interested in the train. We want to go up to Emerald Lake and visit the husky puppies at Caribou Crossing. Dyea Dave got back to me. He said it was $50 (but will be going up to $60) for the R/T by van. His tour does not include admission to the husky camp/museum (an extra $8) or lunch at Caribou Crossing Trading Post (an extra $16). He lets you select which place to eat lunch (Caribou Crossing Trading Post or 3 places in Carcross), at your own expense. We decided to book with him.

 

Good choice for what you want to do. I've read good reviews.

[Stacym]

Don't forget the 5% sales tax.

 

Stacym

[509eagle]

I booked a few weeks ago on June 10th myself with Chilkoot.

 

 

Just curious which tour you booked and what ship you are on?

 

I have booked on June 10 also, with Chilkoot. Going to Carcroos by van then back by train.

[Cosmic Rays]

Just curious which tour you booked and what ship you are on?

 

I have booked on June 10 also, with Chilkoot. Going to Carcroos by van then back by train.

 

Ditto, both of you. We are on the Diamond Princess and as yet still undecided on what to do!

 

Colin

[mochuck]

I've also booked with Chilkoot for July. I'm trying to avoid doing any of the ship's excursions. I can't stand that lengthy process of being allocated to a number and a sticker. And then all filing out like sheep. I just want to get off at my own pace

[darkauf]

Several of our group booked with Chilkoot for early May. We also spoke to Larry and he was very nice. He also scared us thinking that our ship's cruise to Alaska was being canceled. However, that is in 2010 when Royal Carib is pulling the Serenade of the Seas out of Alaska. We all panicked for a few minutes until it was discovered that it was not this year. He even called us back on the phone to tell us he made a mistake. He also explained that each cruiseline used a different train and that Chilkoot actually goes in further to the Yukon then any of the cruiseline tours. We are excited. We did everything on line and received our confirmations. Now if all the other ports were this easy, it wouldn't be as stressful trying to figure out what we should do for the rest of the cruise. We are a 14 night cruise with many different port stops.

 

Darlene

[Yukon]

...if all the other ports were this easy, it wouldn't be as stressful trying to figure out what we should do for the rest of the cruise. We are a 14 night cruise with many different port stops.

 

I'll swap your stress for mine any time, Darlene! :D

[StarTrkGeek]

I've also booked with Chilkoot for July. I'm trying to avoid doing any of the ship's excursions. I can't stand that lengthy process of being allocated to a number and a sticker. And then all filing out like sheep. I just want to get off at my own pace

 

I just cannot stand disembarkation (being herded into a large room and waiting for hours until we can leave the ship, depending on when our flight leaves). Therefore, we do a ship-sponsored excursion on the last day, rather than going through the normal disembarkation process. This is the only ship-sponsored excursion that really makes sense for us.

 

We recently started booking our flight home at 3pm or later, so we can do the ship's excursion of the city. Since they drop you off at the airport, you save the cost of a taxi. Also, you are one of the first ones to leave the ship. So far, it has worked out great. On our next cruise to Alaska (this summer on the Pacific Princess), we will be doing an excursion that tours Seattle (including Pike's Market) and then drops us at the SEA-TAC airport.

[lulubelle]

We are booked with Chilkoot for the 7 hour tour on June 10th too!

We did it all online due to all the recommendations on this board to go with them. We are on RCCL Serenade.

 

We are hoping to go to the Red Onion Saloon afterwards for a drink. Maybe we'll see some of you there?