Help? Past Radiance Northbound Cruisers - Tell me about Disembarkment in Seward

[vickiw0318]

DD and I are booked on the Radiance on 5/22. We currently have RCI transfers to Anchorage. I see that the ship gets in at (gulp) 3:00 a.m. From reading online, it sounds like no one starts getting off until 6:00 a.m. (I've read a lot of reviews too and no one mentions having to get up and out at 4:00 a.m. I know that I'd make a comment or two about that. :))

 

Those of you who have been there and done that, can you please tell me your experience there? I confess that I am hoping that they get all the cruisetour people off and settled before they call of us who are just going to the airport. I hate to be off at 6:00 a.m., take the 2 and 1/2 hour bus ride to sit in the Anchorage airport for the day.

 

Does anyone know if RCI offers any tours in Seward that ultimately end up at the airport? (The shore excursion site for Seward tells me to check back closer to my cruise date.)

 

Thanks for your help.

[Rancher Dave]

If you have all day, try to go to Downtown Anchorage and enjoy the sights and shops there. Far better than sitting at the airport all day.

 

We are going Southbound as it stands now, but that is subject to change to a Northbound based on a couple of things we have going, but when we get there we have family to visit so that would take up our day.

 

Enjoy!!!

[Nancynurse]

Last year we were off the ship and walking around Seward by 8:00. We had time to blow before the train to Anchorage, so we took an eight hour Kenai Fjords tour which was fantastic. We saw several pods of orca and humpback whales, got up close to a calving glacier, and saw wonderful scenery and wildlife throughout the trip. A definate repeat when we return to Alaska.:p

 

Nancy

[kyriecat]

DD and I are booked on the Radiance on 5/22. We currently have RCI transfers to Anchorage. I see that the ship gets in at (gulp) 3:00 a.m. From reading online, it sounds like no one starts getting off until 6:00 a.m. (I've read a lot of reviews too and no one mentions having to get up and out at 4:00 a.m. I know that I'd make a comment or two about that. :))

 

Those of you who have been there and done that, can you please tell me your experience there? I confess that I am hoping that they get all the cruisetour people off and settled before they call of us who are just going to the airport. I hate to be off at 6:00 a.m., take the 2 and 1/2 hour bus ride to sit in the Anchorage airport for the day.

 

Does anyone know if RCI offers any tours in Seward that ultimately end up at the airport? (The shore excursion site for Seward tells me to check back closer to my cruise date.)

 

Thanks for your help.

I remember they offered some tours but it's been so long that I don't have the list anymore. I think there was a boat ride around Kenai that was a couple of hours. I remember my group talked about it but decided not to go that route. We ended up renting a minivan in Seward and driving up to Anchorage on our own. We made a few side trips along the way so we didn't rush at all. Since we weren't taking RC transportation, our tags didn't get called until around 9:30 to disembark.

[vickiw0318]

Thanks so much. At least, it doesn't sound as though we get called at the crack of dawn.

 

The rental car idea sounds like a possibilty.

 

Nancy, I am curious. How did you get from the ship to the tour, from the tour to the train and from the train to the airport? (Or did you overnight in Anchorage?)

[Honey's Gal]

We did this cruise a few years ago, and we also had the transfers from Seward to Anchorage. The last night of the cruise, we received and invitation from RCI to go to Anchorage via train (was supposed to be a bus). We accepted and the only drawback was.....we were up and out before the sun came up. We watched the sun come up while we were on the train. It was worth is as the train experience was great, the scenery was awesome, beats being on a bus anytime. We arrived in Anchorage so early, we had plenty of time to walk around and see the sights.

[vickiw0318]

Honey's Gal, that sounds like fun - except for the getting up so early. Did you send your luggage ahead so you didn't have to hassle with it? How did you handle the time in Anchorage? Take cabs?

 

Thanks.

[Honey's Gal]

Our luggage was handled by RCI. We did not see it until we arrived in Anchorage. They sent us, by bus, to a place where we all had to claim our luggage. We didn't see it again until we arrived in Boston.

 

After claiming our luggage we walked around the city and ended up having lunch at a wonderful little pub like place. We had to meet the bus again at a certain time and then we were transported to the airport.

 

It was a great trip. If it weren't for the long flights, I would do it again. We have done the Alaska trip again, but it was a repositioning and we ended in San Diego.

[vickiw0318]

Thanks again. I know it will all work out somehow. I'm just a planner that needs to take a chill pill.

[Nancynurse]

The company that we used for the tour took care of the luggage issue. We took it from the port to the tour company. They took it from there. It was there once we arrived from the train in Anchorage. Getting from the port to the Tour company was a short walk. Seward is not a very big place. You will have a ball. I would love to go back this year, but flying 4 was too expensive. Maybe next year...

 

Nancy

[vickiw0318]

Nancy, thanks again. By the way, have a great time on your Liberty cruise. DD and were on her last year for our mom/daughter getaway and had a wonderful time.

[My2Kitties]

we did the same Aug 2007 and we took the train to Anchorage...we disembarked about 6:30 am and arrived in Anchorage at the airport about 11:30ish...there was a special area that checks in your luggage until you are ready to pick it up...it cost per bag...can't remember but it was a hassle...then we took a taxi to the city and had lunch and took a trolly tour and did some shopping before heading back to the airport to get our bags...

no matter what...the train ride is wonderful...beautiful scenery...wildlife...glaciers...and they have food (a little pricey but what we saw looked wonderful)...

enjoy whatever you do...

 

ps: the bus is about 2 hours from Seward to Anchorage, the train about 4 hours 20 mins...

[Nancynurse]

Thanks Vickie...May can't get here soon enough!

 

Nancy