Whittier to Anchorage Help Please

[Reader0108598]

Disembarking in Whittier from the Coral Princess. We are flying out the next morning from Anchorage. Can anyone offer ideas on a hotel or transportation from ship to hotel? Any advice appreciated ! :)

 

Thank you

Reader

[AKStafford]

Would you be open to renting a car and spending the day exploring the beautiful Turnagain Arm? Avis is the only rental place in Whittier, and you'll find the one-way drop off fee to not be cheap, but a rental car would give you a lot flexibility to do and see what you want.

http://www.avisalaska.com/

[Reader0108598]

AKStafford

 

Thanks for the suggestion but hubby and I do not drive well at home togather never mind in a Place we do not know.

 

I would like to still be happily married after the cruise;) lol

 

Reader

[mapleleaves]

Whittier is only about 55-60 miles from Anchorage. Your options are Alaska Railroad ( early evening dep) , Park Connection Bus, cruiseline transfer, independent transfer, or a one-way car rental from AVIS.

A car would give you additional opportunities for sightseeing and provide your transfer to/from the airport, and give you many hotel choices since you won't be dependent on a shuttle or taxi. The one-way fee can be pretty high though.

 

p.s. without a car you might want to stay in downtown Anchorage to be near activities and dining. Catch a cab to the airport in the morning. Otherwise stay at an airport hotel with a shuttle to the airport.

Edited August 5, 2014 by mapleleaves
ps

[Reader0108598]

Whittier is only about 55-60 miles from Anchorage. Your options are Alaska Railroad ( early evening dep) , Park Connection Bus, cruiseline transfer, independent transfer, or a one-way car rental from AVIS.

A car would give you additional opportunities for sightseeing and provide your transfer to/from the airport, and give you many hotel choices since you won't be dependent on a shuttle or taxi. The one-way fee can be pretty high though.

 

p.s. without a car you might want to stay in downtown Anchorage to be near activities and dining. Catch a cab to the airport in the morning. Otherwise stay at an airport hotel with a shuttle to the airport.

 

Thank you Mapleleaves... :)

 

Reader

Edited August 5, 2014 by Reader0108598

[Budget Queen]

I suggest, you, first figure out how you wish to spend your day. Then determine the transportation. There are many touring opportunities you can consider, as well as where to spend them. Whittier has some excellent boat tours to also consider.

[Reader0108598]

I suggest, you, first figure out how you wish to spend your day. Then determine the transportation. There are many touring opportunities you can consider, as well as where to spend them. Whittier has some excellent boat tours to also consider.

 

 

 

Such a wise post :) We would like a tour for day and a drop off at a hotel.

But what tour and what hotel.....lol

 

Reader

[mapleleaves]

every town has a web site with visitor information ..... transfers, tours, activities.

Many people take a glacier/ wildlife cruise from Whittier which are timed to coincide with the train's departure to Anchorage .

http://www.whittieralaskachamber.org/

 

http://www.anchorage.net for Anchorage info. Salmonberry Tours always gets good reviews ... don't know if they have anything to/from Whittier.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Since it sounds like you really need some help, I'll make a couple suggestions that I found after doing some Google searches.

 

There are two providers of glacier cruises that leave from Whittier:

 

• Major Marine has two cruises, one from 12:15 PM to 5:15 PM and the other from 12:45 PM to 5:30. Both tour different glaciers in Prince William Sound.
   
  
• Phillips Cruises has one glacier cruise from 1:00 PM to 4:45 PM.
  

 

You can have lunch onboard the cruise, regardless of which cruise you choose.

 

Then, to get from Whittier to Anchorage, without driving, you could take the Alaska Railroad. The evening train leaves Whittier at 6:45 PM, arriving in downtown Anchorage at 9:15 PM.

 

There is a hotel right by the Alaska Railroad Depot called the Comfort Inn Ship Creek, so you wouldn't have to go far. There are, of course, numerous downtown Anchorage hotels, all within a very short cab ride from the Depot.

 

I suggest you Google "Whittier Glacier cruise" to find information about Major Marine and Phillips cruises; then Google "Alaska Railroad Whittier to Anchorage"; and next Google "Anchorage Hotels."

 

Note: I have not been in Whittier, although I have done a cruise with Major Marine out of Seward (and liked them very much). I have used the Alaska Railroad and think they are super. We plan to use them next year when we do a land-based vacation. We did not stay at the Comfort Inn Ship Creek, but we did stay right uphill from there at the Historic Anchorage Hotel, which we thought was very nice.

 

Finally, have you checked with Princess to see whether they have an excursion you could buy that would get you into Anchorage?

 

Good luck, and have fun with your planning!

Edited August 6, 2014 by Cruise_More_Often

[Reader0108598]

Okay thanks so much to all who answered my posts....:) I so appreciate your help !

 

I am not as helpless as I sound ...lol Just used to cruising the Caribbean.

 

Booked my cruise, flights, hotel in Vancouver( never been there either) on my own and will figure out Whittier to Anchorage.

 

 

 

Happy cruising to all! :) Reader

Edited August 6, 2014 by Reader0108598

[Reader0108598]

Since it sounds like you really need some help, I'll make a couple suggestions that I found after doing some Google searches.

 

There are two providers of glacier cruises that leave from Whittier:

 

• Major Marine has two cruises, one from 12:15 PM to 5:15 PM and the other from 12:45 PM to 5:30. Both tour different glaciers in Prince William Sound.
   
  
• Phillips Cruises has one glacier cruise from 1:00 PM to 4:45 PM.
  

You can have lunch onboard the cruise, regardless of which cruise you choose.

 

Then, to get from Whittier to Anchorage, without driving, you could take the Alaska Railroad. The evening train leaves Whittier at 6:45 PM, arriving in downtown Anchorage at 9:15 PM.

 

There is a hotel right by the Alaska Railroad Depot called the Comfort Inn Ship Creek, so you wouldn't have to go far. There are, of course, numerous downtown Anchorage hotels, all within a very short cab ride from the Depot.

 

I suggest you Google "Whittier Glacier cruise" to find information about Major Marine and Phillips cruises; then Google "Alaska Railroad Whittier to Anchorage"; and next Google "Anchorage Hotels."

 

Note: I have not been in Whittier, although I have done a cruise with Major Marine out of Seward (and liked them very much). I have used the Alaska Railroad and think they are super. We plan to use them next year when we do a land-based vacation. We did not stay at the Comfort Inn Ship Creek, but we did stay right uphill from there at the Historic Anchorage Hotel, which we thought was very nice.

 

Finally, have you checked with Princess to see whether they have an excursion you could buy that would get you into Anchorage?

 

Good luck, and have fun with your planning!

 

 

Thank you Cruise-more-often

 

Such a helpful post :)

 

 

Reader

[Cruise_More_Often]

Thank you Cruise-more-often

 

Such a helpful post :)

 

 

Reader

You are welcome. I know what you're going through. Sometimes planning is just overwhelming.

[Reader0108598]

Yes it is Overwhelming........but fun also.

 

Especialy when I got better flights for us than the TA:D

 

Reader

[Dbld777]

We did the scenic transfer from Whittier to Anchorage with Salmon Berry tours this summer. With stops at Wildlife Conservation Center, Mt. Alyeska tram and then Girdwood for lunch, it was a leisurely scenic journey to downtown Anchorage where we stayed overnight at the Historic Anchorage Hotel, which is within walking distance of several good restaurants for dinner. We enjoyed Glacier Brewhouse! There are cheaper transfers if you're looking for one, however I think they are probably on a tighter schedule and get you to Anchorage faster. A smaller van with Salmon Berry was very comfortable.

[Glaciers]

We did the scenic transfer from Whittier to Anchorage with Salmon Berry tours this summer. With stops at Wildlife Conservation Center, Mt. Alyeska tram and then Girdwood for lunch, it was a leisurely scenic journey to downtown Anchorage where we stayed overnight at the Historic Anchorage Hotel, which is within walking distance of several good restaurants for dinner. We enjoyed Glacier Brewhouse! There are cheaper transfers if you're looking for one, however I think they are probably on a tighter schedule and get you to Anchorage faster. A smaller van with Salmon Berry was very comfortable.

 

This is a good option if driving isn't your thing. There's a similar company called 907 Tours that does this as well. The drive along Turnagain Arm from Whittier to Anchorage is an area that is much better when traveling by a mode that allows you to stop along the way. It has been rated as one of the most scenic drives in the US. Frommers bills it as "One of the worlds greatest drives".

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/anchorage/748520#sthash.ygX0SczP.dpbs

[pokerpro5]

Avis in Whittier will run you over $300 for the day.

 

I am taking a bus from Alaska Tours and Transfers (about $30 per person) and then renting a car from Anchorage airport for like $60.

[Reader0108598]

We did the scenic transfer from Whittier to Anchorage with Salmon Berry tours this summer. With stops at Wildlife Conservation Center, Mt. Alyeska tram and then Girdwood for lunch, it was a leisurely scenic journey to downtown Anchorage where we stayed overnight at the Historic Anchorage Hotel, which is within walking distance of several good restaurants for dinner. We enjoyed Glacier Brewhouse! There are cheaper transfers if you're looking for one, however I think they are probably on a tighter schedule and get you to Anchorage faster. A smaller van with Salmon Berry was very comfortable.

 

 

Just what I was looking for Thank you Dbld777 & Glaciers :)

 

Thank everyone who responded :) This is why I love CC!

 

Reader

[MrsFredriksen]

This past June we did the Major Marine glacier cruise at 12:45. It was really beautiful, and we had an excellent lunch on board which I'd recommend! We arranged through Major Marine for a bus transfer to Anchorage right after the boat tour. It was very easy, and I think it only cost us about $20 each. We were in Anchorage in about an hour and a half, and the bus dropped us right at the airport (we were picking up a rental car there for the rest of our land trip). The bus driver was willing to take us downtown or to a hotel as well, though. We hadn't found a lot of affordable options for getting to Anchorage from Whittier, so we were really happy this worked so smoothly and (relatively) cheaply! Hope this helps.

[Budget Queen]

This past June we did the Major Marine glacier cruise at 12:45. It was really beautiful, and we had an excellent lunch on board which I'd recommend! We arranged through Major Marine for a bus transfer to Anchorage right after the boat tour. It was very easy, and I think it only cost us about $20 each. We were in Anchorage in about an hour and a half, and the bus dropped us right at the airport (we were picking up a rental car there for the rest of our land trip). The bus driver was willing to take us downtown or to a hotel as well, though. We hadn't found a lot of affordable options for getting to Anchorage from Whittier, so we were really happy this worked so smoothly and (relatively) cheaply! Hope this helps.

 

Major Marine contracts with Magic bus, for $25pp.