Whittier to Anchorage Transfer

[cdlu]

My original plan was to take the Princess transfer to Anchorage, check in our luggage and then spend some time touring on our own before our flight leaves at 4:00pm.

I am now reconsidering as I am wondering if I will be able to check our luggage in that early? We dock at 12:30 am; not really sure what time we will leave Whittier.

TIA for any information that can help me with this.

[love2relax]

Don't worry. The ship arrives in Whittier around 12:30 a.m., but you won't debark until the morning. Take the Princess transfer. You're right though. You will probably arrive at the airport before you can check your luggage, but if you were planning on touring on your own anyways; why not throw your luggage in the trunk of your rental car while you drive around?

[peety3]

I've read multiple places that US Customs requires that ALL luggage be off the ship before ANY passengers get off the ship. Besides, what fun is it to wake up at 2am to finish your cruise? :)

 

Take the Princess transfer. The to-airport transfers will deposit your luggage into a room at the airport; you "simply" find your luggage, show ID to claim it, and check in for your flights.

[mapleleaves]

you don''t have as much time as you think. Can't Princess give you info about the transfers?

 

I would assume Princess will start loading buses around 7:30am in order to make the 8am tunnel opening. If you're on that bus you'll be at the airport around 10am. A cab to downtown takes about 20 minutes.

 

For a 4pm flight you should catch a ride back to the airport around 1:30pm in order to retrieve your luggage and check in. That Airport can be quite hectic

Edited May 25, 2014 by mapleleaves

[ARRTrain]

Luggage does not have to be off the ship before passenger disembark.

 

Passengers start leaving the ship around 6am - mainly for the trains leaving for Denali & McKinley lodges. Early airport departures leave on the 7am tunnel. Buses leave every hour & almost all passengers are out of town by 10am. Your transfer will probably have a short picture stop somewhere on the hour drive to Anchorage. Depending on how much time you have, some transfers bring you directly to the airport others bring you downtown to the hospitality center. There's luggage rooms downtown & at the airport. Buses shuttle people between downtown & the airport on a regular schedule.

 

With a 4pm flight - you won't have much time to see or do anything. Maybe a quick lunch downtown.