Whittier

[Ubu]

I am on a back to back in Whittier and wondering if Princess offers shuttle to Anchorage?

[knbcruisers]

You are looking to spend the day in Anchorage? Princess does offer shuttle to and from Anchorage. I am not sure if it’s to airport or an area hotel. We used a private transfer to airport, ATC charters I believe...there are several companies offering transfers to and from the port. Some of these transfers include a tour stop. You’d need to make a reservation to be picked up from the port and the return trip in time for boarding. Just google Alaska cruise transfers and you should see several operators. Call them and discuss what you’d like to do. There is probably more info if you check the Alaska forum.

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

When I asked this, I learned that Princess sometimes offers an excursion from Whittier for B2B passengers, and that it often gets canceled due to lack of sign ups.

[fishywood]

Transfers between Whittier and the Egan Center in Downtown Anchorage for embarking/disembarking guests are $54 each way. For the return to Whittier it would be entirely down to you to get back to the Egan Center (or the airport) before the last embarking passenger who had pre-purchased transfers appears, thus ending the shuttle service for the day.

And unless there is a special price for continuing passengers who wish to explore Anchorage on their own, this is the rare case where (assuming two or more of you) it is cheaper to rent a car in Alaska. It is an easy 80-ish mile drive but there is the matter of getting through the one-way tunnel segment at the correct window, so allow two hours each way.

[ceilidh1]

We have done a B2B with Princess and they did have a shuttle running from the port to Anchorage and back. It wasn't a continuous thing so you had to leave at the one time it was heading there and return the one time it was coming back. It dropped and picked up at a place in Downtown (welcome centre, maybe?) and was around $20 roundtrip per person. I will be on a B2B again on Aug 4th and will take the shuttle if available. Princess also allows B2B passengers to take any of the Whittier glacier excursions that do not end in Anchorage.

[DougH]

The last four times I've done a B2B Princess offered a bus to Anchorage with several hours on your own before the return. 3 of the 4 trips this was cancelled for lack of participation. Best option for your day in Whittier is one of the glacier cruises, otherwise there is really nothing in Whittier

[ceilidh1]

You should also check if the B2B you are on is also being sold as a 14 day cruise. If it is, you are more likely to get a shuttle offered by Princess as there would be more passengers staying through the 2 cruises than if it were just offered as two 7 day cruises.

[fishywood]

You should also check if the B2B you are on is also being sold as a 14 day cruise. If it is, you are more likely to get a shuttle offered by Princess as there would be more passengers staying through the 2 cruises than if it were just offered as two 7 day cruises.

 

B2B cruises are sold as a single booking when the two legs are substantially different (Eastern and Western Caribbean, two open-jaw Mediterranean cruises). Other than one Glacier viewing day (and in 2018 one varying port on one of the four ships) the northbound and southbound Voyage of the Glaciers take the exact same route out and back. While some people certainly do book consecutive Alaska cruises (they will always be someone on a B2B on every ship everywhere) Princess would be competing against its own Cruise/Tour offerings if it specifically marketed B2B Alaska sailings.

[idahospud]

B2B cruises are sold as a single booking when the two legs are substantially different (Eastern and Western Caribbean, two open-jaw Mediterranean cruises). Other than one Glacier viewing day (and in 2018 one varying port on one of the four ships) the northbound and southbound Voyage of the Glaciers take the exact same route out and back. While some people certainly do book consecutive Alaska cruises (they will always be someone on a B2B on every ship everywhere) Princess would be competing against its own Cruise/Tour offerings if it specifically marketed B2B Alaska sailings.

This is the first year I've seen them marking the 14 day voyages. They are calling them "Voyage of the Glaciers Grand Adventure".

[fishywood]

This is the first year I've seen them marking the 14 day voyages. They are calling them "Voyage of the Glaciers Grand Adventure".

 

OK you got me there. Interesting that it is only for this season--not posted for 2019, so perhaps they wait to assess unsold capacity on the fly? No B2Bs on Coral Princess, none have any Inside cabins available and only one with Oceanview. Does not appear to be much savings from booking separately--they are getting a premium simply for putting you in the same cabin both legs.

 

So perhaps the OP can give us a little more information (ship and date, if that's not too much trouble). For if they actually are on a B2B under one booking number it is reasonable to expect an "Anchorage on your own" transport to be sold by the excursions desk. Though I am still at a loss for how it could be $20 roundtrip for an 80-mile each way coach ride as reported above...

[idahospud]

OK you got me there. Interesting that it is only for this season--not posted for 2019, so perhaps they wait to assess unsold capacity on the fly? No B2Bs on Coral Princess, none have any Inside cabins available and only one with Oceanview. Does not appear to be much savings from booking separately--they are getting a premium simply for putting you in the same cabin both legs.

 

So perhaps the OP can give us a little more information (ship and date, if that's not too much trouble). For if they actually are on a B2B under one booking number it is reasonable to expect an "Anchorage on your own" transport to be sold by the excursions desk. Though I am still at a loss for how it could be $20 roundtrip for an 80-mile each way coach ride as reported above...

They didn't start selling those 14 day voyages this year until after the season already started so I'm guessing it does have to do with not being able to fill ships this summer.

 

As for the $20 back and forth to Anchorage, I've done several B2Bs and I've never seen it. I didn't even see anything like it on any of our paperwork this year or hear about it, did you?

[ceilidh1]

I have done 2 Alaska 14 day cruises with Princess in previous years - sometimes they market them, other times they don't! This year (August 4th) I am doing a B2B simply because the 14 day cruise segment had no available cabins in my price range. My point about OP checking if their cruise is sold as a 14 day was because there would likely be more passengers to cater to/staying on through Whittier if it is! The shuttle was offered on both the 14 day cruises we did - it was announced in the paperwork you get in the cabin that tells you the process on turnaround day. I didn't see it advertised anywhere else.

[Grego]

We just booked a B2B May 11th on the Royal and chose this and the 18th because it gives us a roundtrip to Vancouver and an easier process to return to Florida.

As there is nothing to do in Whittier, we will look to see if there will be shuttles to Anchorage and the excursion options if they aren't running the shuttles.

[frugaltravel]

I would definitely consider renting a car from Avis. Yes the tunnel is only open once an hour in each direction but no need at all to plan two hours each way!

 

Having the car gives you lots more flexibility to explore the Turnagain Arm south of anchorage - much prettier than the city of anchorage.

[TM]

If you are just looking to pass the time for the day in Whittier you might consider one of the glaacier cruises. You can book either directly or through Princess, although Princess is maybe $40 more per person. And if booking directly you can get a 10% AAA discount. We did it a couple of weeks ago doing the 26 glacier cruise. We did see all the glacies as promised as well as lots of wildlife. It was a great excursion.