Train to Anchorage isn't an option for my Celebrity disembarkation in Seward

[Sigyn]

I called Celebrity a second time to see if the first customer service agent was incorrect in telling me that there is no train available as a transfer option to go from Seward to Anchorage when we disembark the morning of Friday, July 7. 

The second agent confirmed the info from the first agent. There is NO train option. She said it's not sold out. There is simply no train option being offered. The bus is the only way to get passengers from the ship to Anchorage that morning. 

 

I know that others here have told me that is very unusual. Do you think the train is just delayed in offering its morning service to the cruise line? Or that it's truly unavailable?

 

I see that I could do the train in the evening, on my own, but I don't want to do that. I'd rather get to Anchorage and get settled in after a week of cruising. We are spending two nights in Anchorage and have a 6:15 am flight on Sunday morning, so by departing Seward Friday morning we'll have most of Friday and all day Saturday to sightsee, but that's it. We're staying at a guest house in an Airbnb by the lake, and there are bikes we can use and a lot of cool things to do once we're settled in. I don't want to arrive at the Airbnb at midnight since it's a guest house in a private home. 

[Crazy planning mom]

Why not do the bus or rent a car at Hertz in Seward and return car at Anchorage Airport?

The drive is scenic and be sure to stop at the Alaska Wildlife Center.

[jwlane]

Granted it was 20+ years ago, but we took the bus.  Easy peasy.

[dani negreanu]

10 minutes ago, jwlane said:

Granted it was 20+ years ago, but we took the bus.  Easy peasy.

 

Same here, in 2013. 

 

https://www.sewardalaskabus.com/

 

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, njsmom said:

I know that others here have told me that is very unusual. Do you think the train is just delayed in offering its morning service to the cruise line? Or that it's truly unavailable?

Rather than rely on how "unusual" something is based on what "others" say, why not check it out for yourself?  See if this answers your questions.  https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/buy-tickets

 

Personally, I'd opt for the 2.5 hour bus over a 4+ hour train.

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, njsmom said:

I called Celebrity a second time to see if the first customer service agent was incorrect in telling me that there is no train available as a transfer option to go from Seward to Anchorage when we disembark the morning of Friday, July 7. 

There is, but it departs Seward at 6pm. You wouldn't arrive in Anchorage until 10:15pm.

[jwlane]

22 minutes ago, RichYak said:

departs Seward at 6pm.

She noted that in her final paragraph.

[FlorenceItaly]

25 minutes ago, RichYak said:

There is, but it departs Seward at 6pm. You wouldn't arrive in Anchorage until 10:15pm.

We did this a few years back in June, I believe.  At 10:15 it was still light.  We walked up the hill to the Anchorage Grand Hotel and checked in.  The next day we rented a car for a few days and did Denali on our own.

[RichYak]

6 minutes ago, jwlane said:

She noted that in her final paragraph.

Missed that. Thanks

[cw2go]

2 hours ago, njsmom said:

I called Celebrity a second time to see if the first customer service agent was incorrect in telling me that there is no train available as a transfer option to go from Seward to Anchorage when we disembark the morning of Friday, July 7. 

The second agent confirmed the info from the first agent. There is NO train option. She said it's not sold out. There is simply no train option being offered. The bus is the only way to get passengers from the ship to Anchorage that morning. 

 

I know that others here have told me that is very unusual. Do you think the train is just delayed in offering its morning service to the cruise line? Or that it's truly unavailable?

 

I see that I could do the train in the evening, on my own, but I don't want to do that. I'd rather get to Anchorage and get settled in after a week of cruising. We are spending two nights in Anchorage and have a 6:15 am flight on Sunday morning, so by departing Seward Friday morning we'll have most of Friday and all day Saturday to sightsee, but that's it. We're staying at a guest house in an Airbnb by the lake, and there are bikes we can use and a lot of cool things to do once we're settled in. I don't want to arrive at the Airbnb at midnight since it's a guest house in a private home. 

They've told you correctly, Cel doesn't have a train transfer to my knowledge. You can book on your own for the evening train or rent a car or take the bus. I've done all three. 

Based on what you're planning for your time in Anchorage, I'd suggest the bus. 

 

Patty 

[thebutlerdidit]

Deleted

Edited February 3, 2023 by thebutlerdidit

[Sigyn]

3 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Why not do the bus or rent a car at Hertz in Seward and return car at Anchorage Airport?

The drive is scenic and be sure to stop at the Alaska Wildlife Center.

I would like to do exactly this, but the Hertz website doesn't show that I can do a one-way rental. I'll call the Seward Hertz. 

 

1 hour ago, cw2go said:

They've told you correctly, Cel doesn't have a train transfer to my knowledge. You can book on your own for the evening train or rent a car or take the bus. I've done all three. 

Based on what you're planning for your time in Anchorage, I'd suggest the bus. 

 

Patty 

Good to know. Thanks, Patty.

[cw2go]

1 minute ago, njsmom said:

I would like to do exactly this, but the Hertz website doesn't show that I can do a one-way rental. I'll call the Seward Hertz. 

 

 

You have to call, they do not do bookings online. 

 

I believe it is a $200 one way drop fee in addition to the rental cost. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by cw2go

[dcyonce]

The options for one-way travel from Seward to Anchorage are indeed limited at this time.

 

The train only runs Seward --> Anchorage in the evening departing at 6:00 PM and does arrives in Anchorage around 10:30. This does not work for flights leaving on debarkation day.

The Alaska Railroad canceled many routes during Covid and has not brough them back.

 

Hertz no longer rents cars one-way from Seward to Anchorage. But, if you have a "Manager's Special one-way rental" already booked ... they will honor it. (we have spoke to Hertz multiple times). We have a "Manager's Special one-way rental" booked, but will most likely cancel it. The one-way cost for a minivan was $1,950 !!

 

For the 2023 Alaska season Celebrity plans on chartering busses. It's still too early to book the one-way bus excursion with Celebrity. They haven't finalized their bus charter contracts for the Alaska 2023 season yet. Celebrity tours says that the charter bus contracts should be completed in March/April and should be available for guests to book bus transfers (online via excursion bookings) shortly thereafter.

 

An additional option is to book a private transfer. There are a few tour Alaska operators that are now booking Seward to Anchorage trips. (although unfortunately quite a few have gone out of business).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

For our group of 8, we booked a Private VIP tour from Seward to Anchorage via Celebrity Private Journeys. Celebrity Private Journeys was great to work with and booked the following for us:

 

Celebrity Millenium - July 7, 2023

 

·        8:30 AM – Debark Ship; Claim luggage in Terminal

·        9:00 AM – Depart Terminal; Begin Seward City Tour

·        9:15 AM – Arrive Alaska Sealife Center (admission included), Explore Center on own

·        10:30 AM – Depart Seward

·        12:00 PM – Arrive Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (Admission included)

·        1:00 PM – Depart Center

·        1:30 PM – Arrive Hotel Alyeska; Ride Tram to top of Mt Alyeska,

                            Lunch included at Bore Tide Deli at top of mountain

·        3:00 PM – Depart Alyeska for Anchorage

·        4:00 PM – Arrive Anchorage; Begin Anchorage City Tour;

                           with a visit to Alaska Native Heritage Center

·        6:00 PM – Drop Downtown Anchorage for dinner

·        7:45 PM – Depart to Airport

·        8:00 PM – Arrive Anchorage Airport; Tour Concluded

        10:30 PM - American Airlines flight departs Anchorage

 

Included in the VIP Tour was the following for 8 people: Admission to Sealife Center, Conservation Center, Tram up the mountain, lunch at Bore Tide Deli and Alaska Native Heritage Center. 

 

The total cost for this Seward to Anchorage tour for 8 people was around $2,600.

 

   -- Don

Edited February 3, 2023 by dcyonce

[Fly and Sail]

4 hours ago, jwlane said:

Granted it was 20+ years ago, but we took the bus.  Easy peasy.

 

I was there with my uncle as a teenager in 2000 and I remember we had a rental car. There was definitely no train back then and the terrain didn't look like building train tracks would make sense.

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, njsmom said:

I would like to do exactly this, but the Hertz website doesn't show that I can do a one-way rental. I'll call the Seward Hertz. 

 

Good to know. Thanks, Patty.

 

1 hour ago, cw2go said:

You have to call, they do not do bookings online. 

 

I believe it is a $200 one way drop fee in addition to the rental cost. 

 

I'd recommend the bus.  Quoting to mention that one way vehicle rentals are expensive because each location owns their cars and therefore the extra costs are to get the rental back to the original location

[Fly and Sail]

5 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

 

I'd recommend the bus.  Quoting to mention that one way vehicle rentals are expensive because each location owns their cars and therefore the extra costs are to get the rental back to the original location

 

Hertz points are ideal for these kind of things but very difficult to use these days. Especially if franchise locations are involved.

[Sigyn]

I called Hertz in Seward and they did say that one-way rentals are available. It's $761 for a one-way rental of a mid-sized sedan for two days. That includes the $200 drop fee for a one-way rental. Ouch. Super expensive. I normally get a corporate discount that cuts the cost way down, but not this time since it's a franchise. She did knock $50 off for my Hertz membership. It was $811 without that!

 

Taking the bus for $68 each way would be a better option and then just using Lyft or Uber once we're in Anchorage. Our Airbnb is centrally located and only 10 minutes from the airport so it's not as if our Uber fees will be very much. The convenience of having our own car is outweighed by the extra $600 expense. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by njsmom

[CharlieCharlieCharlie]

It's too bad about the train, the trip is beautiful.  We have driven the route (both directions when staying in  land based house rentals), and have taken the train (Anchorage to Seward) several times.  The drive is beautiful, and if you take the bus, you will still have beautiful views and someone else will do the driving.

dcyonce Don's post above shows a great itinerary to see a lot in one travel day.  Even if you don't get to take the tram to see beautiful views at the top of the ski resort  (which is well worth it, if you can) the area near Alyeska Resort (not very far from Anchorage) is gorgeous.

If you drive or set up something with Private Journeys or on your own, check out Beluga Point Site is an archaeological location along Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet, near Seward Highway Milepost 110, south of Anchorage.  If you are fortunate, you will see some Beluga whales as the tide is coming in. 

Anchorage is a nice town, as are the areas nearby, but the most majestic and amazing views will be on your way to Anchorage from Seward. Also, there are beautiful places in and around Seward.

Get a map or check out maps on -ine and you will see that the area of Alaska you will travel, is a huge area, but easy to navigate.  Also, there are many places here on Cruise Critic to do a little research. 

Lots of ways to rent a vehicle in Alaska - not just the main rental agencies at the airport. 

Either way you choose, you will find so much natural beauty in Alaska.

 

[Dancing Shoes]

Too bad the train won't work for you.  It is a pretty ride and you can walk around and there is food for purchase if you don't book the Dome class car.  

Was typing as Charlie was.  Same thought process. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Dancing Shoes

[dcyonce]

19 minutes ago, njsmom said:

I called Hertz in Seward and they did say that one-way rentals are available. It's $761 for a one-way rental of a mid-sized sedan for two days. That includes the $200 drop fee for a one-way rental. Ouch. Super expensive. I normally get a corporate discount that cuts the cost way down, but not this time since it's a franchise. She did knock $50 off for my Hertz membership. It was $811 without that!

 

 

Glad to hear that Hertz is now booking one-way rentals from Seward to Anchorage !

The Hertz manager in Seward had told us that they were no longer accepting any bookings.

 

But ... as you stated .. it's an expensive option !

 

  -- Don

Edited February 3, 2023 by dcyonce
grammar

[Covepointcruiser]

This thread should be retitled and put under the port, Seward.    The train is not an option for any cruise line unless you want to take the 8:30 train.   This does not relate to Celebrity at all!

[CharlieCharlieCharlie]

6 hours ago, njsmom said:

I called Celebrity a second time to see if the first customer service agent was incorrect in telling me that there is no train available as a transfer option to go from Seward to Anchorage when we disembark the morning of Friday, July 7. 

The first thing posted is this as quoted. Lots of people arriving from a Celebrity ship will want this info!

[Sigyn]

9 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

This thread should be retitled and put under the port, Seward.    The train is not an option for any cruise line unless you want to take the 8:30 train.   This does not relate to Celebrity at all!

It's Celebrity specific, since other cruise lines do have the train available for morning disembarkations. 

[Northern Aurora]

Interesting situation.  For years the ARR has offered chartered service on ship days in Seward both from the Anchorage airport to Seward (arriving in Seward about 5 PM) and then a very early departure from the Seward cruise terminal directly to the Anchorage Airport.  These tickets could only be purchased from the cruise line and could not be purchased from the ARR.  So they never appeared on the ARR time schedule.

 

As someone who lives in Alaska I read the Alaska CC forum and it seems to me that the chartered trains were running last summer during the cruise season.  In Alaska we are experiencing a severe labor shortage so I wonder if that is why the charters appear to be canceled this upcoming season.  The chartered runs are certainly money-makers for both the ARR and the cruise lines.  

 

They are popular since the ARR and highway don't run parallel as the train diverges from the road route at the small community of Moose Pass.  The rail route then takes a different valley from the road.  The road and rail then run parallel again at roughly the Portage area.  The valley which the ARR diverges into is gorgeous.  While the scenery from the road is nice, it is generally agreed that the best scenery is in that route taken by the ARR.

 

The statement below is incorrect.  The ARR certainly was running to and from Seward in 2000.  All through Alaska there were a number of attempts to build private railroads with varying degrees of commercial success.  In the early 1900s there were at least two attempts to build a private line out of Seward with track actually laid.  Neither attempt was successful.  In 1914 the US Congress authorized funding to purchase the existing track, and construction of what becomes the ARR was started.  The track from Seward to Fairbanks was completed in 1923.  Until an industrial port was constructed in Anchorage the vast bulk of our freight came up to Alaska by barge and was off-loaded in Seward.  There was definitely track in Seward in 2000.

 

1 hour ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

I was there with my uncle as a teenager in 2000 and I remember we had a rental car. There was definitely no train back then and the terrain didn't look like building train tracks would make sense.