anchorage hotel bag storage??

[mrspaj]

Hi! I posted this on the alaska board but thought I'd try here as well...

We're going on an Alaska cruise in July ending in Anchorage. Our flight home doesn't leave Anchorage until 8pm (only direct flight available unless we wanted to leave at 7am!) so I'm wondering about our luggage.

I had heard that we couldn't do an airport transfer through HAL b/c we were departing so late (hotel checkout is probably around noon and we wouldn't want to get to the airport until 5:30/6pm)...

I don't know which hotel we're staying at yet (as soon as I find out I plan on calling them but holland america said it'll be closer to our stay until they know, apparently there are 3 or 4 hotels they use) but has anyone had luck storing their bags at the hotel while they sightsee? We'll have too many bags to shlep them around with us so any thoughts on this would be much appreciated!!

[AAL]

Storing your bags at the hotel when you check-out should not be a problem. I have done that at the Captain Cook Hotel and the other big hotels (Sheraton, Marriott, Westmark) should do it also. The hotels are crazy in the summer because they are constantly at full capacity, but they are full-service hotels. (I have stored bags after checkout at hotels across the country and never been refused.)

Depending on how many days you are in Anchorage, and what city tours you are taking, you might want to rent a car for your last day and see some sights outside downtown, and then you could take your luggage with you. Avis has a downtown location and I think some hotels may also have car rental desks.

[mrspaj]

we're doing a 10 cruise with 7 days on the ship then 2 nights in denali and one night in anchorage...

I just called HAL again and the hotel in Anchorage is the Westmark (anyone ever stayed there?) and we should be able to check our bags there - phew! She also suggested waiting until we were on the ship the first day and then talking to the excursion person about the return transfer - she sees no reason why we couldn't do one even with a late flight out but she'd hate for us to spend the afternoon in the airport instead of sightseeing.... plus i figure from the hotel it should be easy to get a cab to the airport...

thanks!!

[AAL]

The Westmark is okay. Not a five star hotel, but certainly okay for one night. The ship staff doesn't know everything about the land arrangements (and vice versa), so definitely also check with the tour desk at the Westmark about a HAL airport transfer if you want that. It is only about a $25 cab ride from downtown to the airport, so if the hotel will store your luggage for the afternoon, you might prefer a cab.

Do allow two hours at the airport; the screening lines can get long during the summer.