Need help with Skagway

[publish]

I need help in deciding what to do in Skagway. We'd like to ride the WP&Y train. Should we book through Princess or independently. My son also wants to pan for gold...is Skagway a good place to do it? Thanks for suggestions.

[Yukon]

The rail trip is the same whether you book independently or on the ship - you pay more from the ship for the convenience of boarding right at the dock rather than a few blocks away at the WP&YR station.

 

If you get to Fairbanks, the best gold-panning in Alaska is there, at the Elorado Mine (far better than Dredge #8). If not, Skagway offers the best gold panning on the coast, in combination with a tour of a historic gold dredge brought down from the Yukon in 1999 - http://www.klondikegolddredge.com/ (the story of the dredge and the move can be seen at http://www.explorenorth.com/library/weekly/aa091299.htm ).

The Liarsville camp also has gold panning but the results are quite poor - the panning at Juneau is embarrassing.

 

Murray

[alpal1993]

We booked through Celebrity and the train picks you up right at the dock.Each cruise line has their own cars.I don't think the cost is much different.

[JimF]

Question concerning the train- can you take it only one way, and ride bus back? Is there a difference in price if there is a "one way" option?

[winterstar]

We really wanted to do the train also, but ended up not being able to fit it in because of time. We booked the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari, as that was the number one thing we wanted to do in Skagway. However, I booked a "Summit Tour" through Frontier Excursions, independently. They follow the same route as the train (on a bus) , and stop for photo opportunities. It may not be *quite* as scenic as the train, but it is only an hour and a half, they go into the Yukon, and it was only 25.00 p.p. That settled it for me. It will leave us with an hour to shop before returning to the ship.

They were very friendly and helpful, and you might want to consider checking out their website if the train doesn't work for you. :)

[tarheelmjfan]

We booked a Gold Mine tour in Juneau. I have no idea which is the best place to pan for gold, but my DH really wanted to tour a gold mine. From what I understand, the gold mine tour & gold dredge tour are very different. If you're interested in more than just panning, the only mine tour that I was able to find, was in Juneau.

[Yukon]

There are two types of gold mining: hard-rock, as in Juneau, and placer, as in Skagway. Yes, they are very different. The below-ground part of the Juneau tour is extremely good (guided by a very experienced hard-rock miner), the above-ground part (guided by a couple of young girls) is awful. But Juneau is the only place in the North that offers a hard-rock gold mine tour. As well as the one offered by the cruise ships, there is a museum-type one a few miles away, but I haven't been to it yet and don't know if there even is an underground component to it (I found out about it just as I was leaving on my last trip down to Juneau).

 

Murray

[publish]

Is there a train trip that includes Emerald Lake? From other posts it seems like a recommended stop.

[sbrady88]

I would do it on your own. $6 cheaper per person (princess) and you get on first. You'll have a better pick of seats, although you do switch sides at the top. But it is better to sit in a window in the middle of the car and one without a window frame in your way.

[Springtime]

Is there a train trip that includes Emerald Lake? From other posts it seems like a recommended stop.

We had wanted to try the train but thought it was to expensive for 5 of us plus we didn't want to be stuck inside for 3 hours (the kids would get bored) plus we wanted to see Emerald Lake also so............ we found Southeast Tours - a small independent operator that runs a shuttle like van (has large windows all the way around-NOT like a bus at all) They will take you up basically the same route (you'll be able to see the train I'm told) but you will go past where the train turns around and on to Emerald Lake, plus several other unbelievably beautiful lakes that I can't remember the name of plus a stop at the "smallest desert", plus Carcross. You can get out many times to take pictures and they give you all the history. There are two versions of the tour very reasonably priced. For those that want horseback riding - they can combine the two also. Web sit http://southeasttours.com

[Coral]

I would do it on your own. $6 cheaper per person (princess) and you get on first. You'll have a better pick of seats, although you do switch sides at the top. But it is better to sit in a window in the middle of the car and one without a window frame in your way.

 

The people who book privately are in different cars then those who book through the cruise ship.

 

I actually liked the last car on the train. You can walk out on the back and have the perfect view.

[Giantfan13]

Because of time constraints, we also did a bus/van tour along the same route as the train and a bit farther into the area. Sure it wasn't as exciting as the train, but it saved us a lot of time and we got to do extra things. Price wise, there is no comparision, the van tour is so much cheaper and we stopped between 5-7 times for photo's. The driver was a talker, (TOO much so) but we enjoyed it very much. Also, when we went, the ride to the top was in the clouds, so visibility was a major problem. We would have been very aggrevated if we took the train and not had been able to see much.

[Guest enjoycruises]

To go to Emerald Lake you need a car.

[jukeboxy]

We did the gold dredge in Skagway and it was very interesting they picked you up at the pier and brought you home.

Then we booked the train through the ship and did the afternoon run and that was an experience that I would not trade anything for. It was May and still lots of snow and my wife was as thrilled as a three year old at her first brithday party. To me the thrill of seeing my wife of 40 years that happy was worth the cruise and train ride.

[Singinman]

Call Avis and reserve a car. Go where you want when you want. We did the Princess bus tour last year and enjoyed it. All the way to Carcross for $169 per person. This year we will make it to Emerald Lake and pet some Husky puppies. Also we get to choose our own lunch spot. All for less than $100 for a party of four. If you do this be sure to download the mile-by-mile highway guide.

 

And any way you, be advised the summit and Yukon are 3,000 above sea leval and probably much colder and windier than it is in Skagway.

[PharmacyRx]

My husband and I took the train in May of 2004 and booked thru the ship and were glad we did. The mid-day trip was sold out to "non-ship" goers as this is the most favorable time to go ( the a.m. fog has burned off ) and views are without compare. I think of all the excursions we did on our 14 day trip, the train thru these mountains and seeing the paths these miners took definitely left an impression. By all means, do not miss this!

 

PharmacyRx

[rachelt]

We're doing the Horseback Adventure with Joni, and we return around 2:30 to Skagway. Our ship doesn't depart until 8:30. Suggestions on how to spend the rest of the day? Thanks...

[sweetiepie9339]

I really want to do the train... and I think I want to do it up and down... any thing else to do in Skagway? Kind of thinking about doing a bus tour into Yokon w/ picture stops (b/c I want to get really great pics and I don't know if I can get them from a moving train) in addition to the train... it's actually less to do it that way than to do the combo where you do one up and one down...

What do you all think? Would we be better off w/ the train and then fill the rest of the day with ______?

Thanks!