Anchorage to Whittier transfer - which shuttle bus?

[lawahoo2001]

We'd like to transfer from Anchorage to Whittier on 7/21 for our Princess cruise. Our travel agent says that the Princess transfer only runs from the airport. We'll be staying downtown the night before, so we'd rather have direct pick-up by an independent shuttle service. We prefer a transfer around 12 noon or later (but not too late). I've researched and come up with the following companies, one of which has a coupon in the tour saver book. Any comments/recomendations on these or other shuttle services?

 

 

http://*************************/

http://www.alaskatransportation.net/whittier_service.html

http://www.girdwoodshuttle.com/cruise-transfers.html (tour saver - 2 for 1)

http://www.*************.com/

[lawahoo2001]

just noticed that this site blocked the names of some of the shuttles. They are:

 

1. Whittier Shuttle

2. Alaska Transportation Group

3. Girdwood Shuttle

4. Alaska Cruise Transfers & Tours

[SOMBRERO6]

We used the Magic Bus last Sept. It was great! They picked us up at our hotel. They also provided a narrated tour from Anchorage to Whittier and a couple of picture stops. Web site is simply...the magicbus.com.

[Budget Queen]

Alaska RR would also be convenient for a downtown hotel. Bonus it gets you into Whittier in time for a fantastic boat tour of PWS, far superior to anything seen from your ship. Plus your bags are unloaded for you and transfered to the ship.

[anchorage1977]

The only of those companies I have personal experience with is the Magic Bus, but I've not heard any complaints about any of them.

 

If you use Budget Queen's advice and book a PWS cruise, you might check with the operator to see if they have transportation to Whittier. I know this is offered by at least one vendor, but I don't know if it's one way or built only as a roundtrip package from Anchorage.

 

Good luck with your planning and welcome to Alaska.

[kenish]

Check into Alaskan Leopard too. We used them and they are great, especially for the inexpensive price.

[Travel-Jen]

Actually, Princess operates from the Egan Center in downtown Anchorage. Even if you add the transfer through Princess online (in your Cruise Personalizer), then go to "Transfer Details and Summary", it says both the shuttles and rail transfers leave from the Egan Center. I believe they will pick you up at the airport, but that is only if you are arriving the day of ship departure.

 

So I'd double check with your TA again, not sure what they mean by the information they provided you.

 

Princess only has departures by shuttle from the Egan Center that start after 1PM and run every 20 min. (I was told by Princess), you can check in before then though. There is only one rail at 4:30 PM, they also said. Their transfers are also more expensive.

 

We didn't book with Princess directly because we didn't want to depart Anchorage so late. We prefer an early morning start, to get to the ship around noon, and do a Prince William Sound Tour (coupon in the Toursaver) to kill some time before the ship departs.

 

We decided to book the Alaska Railroad directly (www.akrr.com), it is $65/pp for a one way transfer to Whittier from Anchorage. They only have one train, that departs at 10AM and gets to Anchorage at 12:05 PM. You can call them, or book the tickets right online. Really easy, and worked better for us. We decided to stay in Anchorage the night before, at the Comfort Inn Ship Creek. Decent reviews on Trip Advisor, clean, includes shuttle to the railroad, and continental breakfast. It is one of the closest hotels to the rail. You also get a discount with them if you have a Sams Club card...couldn't go wrong with that either.

 

But as for shuttle services, lots of people like Alaska Leopard company, $26/pp, but departs from the Diamond Center People Mover location (outside of downtown), but near the Diamond Center hotel (also coupon in the Toursaver). It is probably the cheapest transfer I've seen, corny comedy people report, but dependable.

 

As for Girdwood Transportation in the Toursaver book, I was considering them, but have read online they are a newer company started last year, so there isn't much feedback on them. The little I have read was decent, although I read on these boards they also forgot to pick someone up in Seward last year. I'm sure happens with many companies though. We prefer the scenic rail, which is why we didn't use that coupon though.

 

Hope this helps!

[lawahoo2001]

Great info - thanks!

[Manzy154]

Alaska Park connection tour leaves from the Anchorage Museum of History and Fine Arts and arrives in time for your cruise. They advertise they are the lowest price. I am currently booked with them but have not used them. The added bonus I liked was you could travel with them from Talkeetna the same day saving a nights layover in Anchorage and thus saving a day if you are traveling to Denali and Talkeetna befor your cruise.

[Retired 07]

The only of those companies I have personal experience with is the Magic Bus, but I've not heard any complaints about any of them.

 

If you use Budget Queen's advice and book a PWS cruise, you might check with the operator to see if they have transportation to Whittier. I know this is offered by at least one vendor, but I don't know if it's one way or built only as a roundtrip package from Anchorage.

 

Good luck with your planning and welcome to Alaska.

 

I did check with them earlier, and it is a round trip ride from Anchorage. And, they won't lower the price if you're staying in Whittier. We are using Alaskan Leopard's early shuttle, which gets us into Whittier in plenty of time for our PWS cruise.

[PK4SC]

because they would take us from ANC to Girdwood Aleyska Resort for $25 PP.

Hopefully they are there for us at the AP when we are scheduled. They seem real nice.

[ladyfox]

Budge Queen - What is PWS cruise?

[PK4SC]

Budge Queen - What is PWS cruise?

 

Looking forword to it. Search Prince Williams Sound on this board and you will get lots ofinfo.

[Budget Queen]

Budge Queen - What is PWS cruise?

 

Prince William Sound boat tours out of Whittier. Significant for fantastic glacier viewing.