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

[cw2go]

4 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

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.

 

 

Maybe staffing is the issue? I looked in my cruise planner, just to double check and it's not an option for my July sailing.

 

I know the tour options are limited this year as well. As an example, I wanted to get to Tracy Arm Fjord out of Juneau with Celebrity and Allen Marine isn't doing it for my sailing. 

 

Patty 

[Northern Aurora]

36 minutes ago, cw2go said:

 

Maybe staffing is the issue? I looked in my cruise planner, just to double check and it's not an option for my July sailing.

 

I know the tour options are limited this year as well. As an example, I wanted to get to Tracy Arm Fjord out of Juneau with Celebrity and Allen Marine isn't doing it for my sailing. 

 

Patty 

 

For those not living here it is difficult to describe the severe labor shortage we are experiencing.  The hospitality industry has been hard hit due to the J-1 VISA issues, but it extends across a number of labor sectors.  Any occupation which requires special certification, whether it be in the health care industry, folks with Commercial Driver's Licenses, Coast Guard licenses and so forth, are particularly in short supply.  I don't know how long it takes to learn to drive a train, but it wouldn't surprise me if the ARR can't staff some of their "special runs" such as  charters.

 

But it will be interesting if Celebrity does try to use motor coaches to move their passengers to Anchorage.  The one (and most likely only time as that is a long drive) we drove to a cruise port we drove from our home in Fairbanks to Seward for a few days before boarding the Millennium for a B2B.  We checked out of our hotel at 11 AM, dropped of the luggage at the cruise terminal, walked over to the long-term parking area and then boarded the ship.  When we walked into Michael's Club at noon there was one a couple and their teenage daughter there.  At Luminae for lunch it was five folks -- us and the couple with their daughter.  The ship was virtually a ghost ship with some folks straggling on throughout the afternoon.  Only until the chartered train arrived about 5 PM did the ship suddenly fill with passengers.  The same experience when we were dining in Luminae on the last morning of that B2B.  The ship was virtually a ghost ship as the bulk of the passengers seemed to be on that train.  We heard the "last call" for the train and watched it depart.  Luminae was very empty.  While I don't know the percentage of passengers who used the chartered train it wouldn't surprise me if approximately half did so.  That is going to be a number of motor coaches to fill when we have a severe shortage of folks with CDLs.  

 

I should also comment on Hertz.  Unless something has changed recently one family owns all of the Hertz franchises in the entire state.

[cw2go]

2 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

For those not living here it is difficult to describe the severe labor shortage we are experiencing.  The hospitality industry has been hard hit due to the J-1 VISA issues, but it extends across a number of labor sectors.  Any occupation which requires special certification, whether it be in the health care industry, folks with Commercial Driver's Licenses, Coast Guard licenses and so forth, are particularly in short supply.  I don't know how long it takes to learn to drive a train, but it wouldn't surprise me if the ARR can't staff some of their "special runs" such as  charters.

 

But it will be interesting if Celebrity does try to use motor coaches to move their passengers to Anchorage.  The one (and most likely only time as that is a long drive) we drove to a cruise port we drove from our home in Fairbanks to Seward for a few days before boarding the Millennium for a B2B.  We checked out of our hotel at 11 AM, dropped of the luggage at the cruise terminal, walked over to the long-term parking area and then boarded the ship.  When we walked into Michael's Club at noon there was one a couple and their teenage daughter there.  At Luminae for lunch it was five folks -- us and the couple with their daughter.  The ship was virtually a ghost ship with some folks straggling on throughout the afternoon.  Only until the chartered train arrived about 5 PM did the ship suddenly fill with passengers.  The same experience when we were dining in Luminae on the last morning of that B2B.  The ship was virtually a ghost ship as the bulk of the passengers seemed to be on that train.  We heard the "last call" for the train and watched it depart.  Luminae was very empty.  While I don't know the percentage of passengers who used the chartered train it wouldn't surprise me if approximately half did so.  That is going to be a number of motor coaches to fill when we have a severe shortage of folks with CDLs.  

 

I should also comment on Hertz.  Unless something has changed recently one family owns all of the Hertz franchises in the entire state.

 

Thanks for the info, makes complete sense to me. I am booked on a bus for my transfer but I booked outside of Celebrity so I am not sure what their options will be. 

 

Sadly it will take more time to recover than many expected,

Patty 

[Sigyn]

This is all interesting information and the staffing shortages make perfect sense. I haven't completely ruled out the one-way car rental, despite the cost. I thought about it overnight and while it's very pricey, it still gives us more freedom to sightsee along the way than we'd have on the bus. I remember the town of Portage, or should I say the former town of Portage, was particularly interesting when I saw it in 1999 and you could see the buildings that were abandoned after the 1964 earthquake sank the town 6 feet and the tides rushed in. I wonder how much is still visible, 24 years later. I saw it 35 years after the earthquake but those buildings could only stand for so long before disintegrating. 

 

This looks interesting, about the town: https://www.thealaskalife.com/blogs/news/portage-the-sunken-alaska-ghost-town-that-nature-is-reclaiming

 

There are also other sites along the way that are worth stopping at, so it's something to consider for a car rental.

Edited February 4, 2023 by njsmom

[Homosassa]

Here is another option for a bus transfer from Seward to Anchorage.

 

We booked with this company in July 2022 to travel from Seward to the Anchorage airport. There is an option for drop off at various downtown Anchorage hotels.

 

While the Celebrity transfer buses are in the parking lot between the ship and terminal, the A.C.T. buses are located in the lot on the other side of the terminal.

 

This is not a problem because if one has luggage to claim, it is in the terminal.  The A.C.T. bus company has a check in desk in the terminal where one shows the reservation information and you are assigned the bus number outside the terminal front doors.

 

The road to Anchorage from Seward is often in sight of the rail road tracks and the scenery is therefore the same.

 

Do note that there are restrictions on the amount of luggage allowed to be checked for the bus or for carryon for the bus.

 

We had no problems meeting the luggage limitations .

 

 

 

https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAofieBhDXARIsAHTTldoFR2ofbE99VN4-upf7xOIVCKg7ixdOmrFBx6j_l2PuojkvLzRkzhEaAkdaEALw_wcB

[jean87510]

18 hours ago, CharlieCharlieCharlie said:

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.

 

If you have names of places to rent one way, please share.  Because I found nothing for my 2022 from Anchorage to Seward.  I also wanted to drive.  We were quoted outrageous prices because all the companies did not have offices in Seward or vice versa in Anchorage.  So the car had to be picked up from either Seward or Anchorage hence the large fees.  Yes obviously if you are staying in either, it is easy to rent because you are returning to the same location.  We did every possible search engine and this was the summary of our efforts.  But if I'm wrong please share a name or a hint.  Because Im in a similar scenario for 2024.

[CharlieCharlieCharlie]

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

If you have names of places to rent one way, please share.  Because I found nothing for my 2022 from Anchorage to Seward.  I also wanted to drive.  We were quoted outrageous prices because all the companies did not have offices in Seward or vice versa in Anchorage.  So the car had to be picked up from either Seward or Anchorage hence the large fees.  Yes obviously if you are staying in either, it is easy to rent because you are returning to the same location.  We did every possible search engine and this was the summary of our efforts.  But if I'm wrong please share a name or a hint.  Because Im in a similar scenario for 2024.

We have always rented in Anchorage, but TURO - private vehicle rental - is a way to rent, and once you look it up, you might find someone willing to rent one way.  With the cost of gasoline and that amount of time to travel between Anchorage and Seward, there might not be availability, or outrageous prices.  We successfully used them last year for a land based stay, but not for a one way.

[cw2go]

2 hours ago, jean87510 said:

If you have names of places to rent one way, please share.  Because I found nothing for my 2022 from Anchorage to Seward.  I also wanted to drive.  We were quoted outrageous prices because all the companies did not have offices in Seward or vice versa in Anchorage.  So the car had to be picked up from either Seward or Anchorage hence the large fees.  Yes obviously if you are staying in either, it is easy to rent because you are returning to the same location.  We did every possible search engine and this was the summary of our efforts.  But if I'm wrong please share a name or a hint.  Because Im in a similar scenario for 2024.

The only one way car rental option I know of is Hertz and you'll need to call since they don't do online bookings. There is a $200 drop fee on top of car rental price. 

Patty 

[NutsAboutGolf]

19 hours ago, njsmom said:

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

 

Another X head scratcher along with how in FLL X hasn't re-started luggage valet while other lines have

[jwlane]

20 hours ago, njsmom said:

other cruise lines do have the train available for morning disembarkations. 

Do we know that to be the case for all Fridays?

[jean87510]

4 hours ago, CharlieCharlieCharlie said:

We have always rented in Anchorage, but TURO - private vehicle rental - is a way to rent, and once you look it up, you might find someone willing to rent one way.  With the cost of gasoline and that amount of time to travel between Anchorage and Seward, there might not be availability, or outrageous prices.  We successfully used them last year for a land based stay, but not for a one way.

Yes.  I have actually used Turo before in other cities rather than uber or lyft if visiting family.  And it wasn't available in Anchorage.  

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, cw2go said:

The only one way car rental option I know of is Hertz and you'll need to call since they don't do online bookings. There is a $200 drop fee on top of car rental price. 

Patty 

yes.  Other than Hertz.  They are insane.  Only worth it if you have 4-6 adults to split the bill.  I think we were quoted $500.  And given the explanation that the rate was high due to the drop off in a different location (another Hertz).  I just chalk it up to the crazy AK prices.  Bus is much cheaper.  I save the car for the port days.

[cw2go]

41 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

yes.  Other than Hertz.  They are insane.  Only worth it if you have 4-6 adults to split the bill.  I think we were quoted $500.  And given the explanation that the rate was high due to the drop off in a different location (another Hertz).  I just chalk it up to the crazy AK prices.  Bus is much cheaper.  I save the car for the port days.

 

 

Gotcha sorry!

 

Maybe this option will work for you, for this July we've rented a car r/t anchorage for 3 nights and at drop off are taking the bus to Seaward. This way we were able to use National rewards, car is a Malibu class and I'm paying $93 total plus the bus with ACT cost $69 per person. 

 

We have a few tours booked out of Talkeetna and this was the most economical way I found to make it all work and give us the control and freedom we like. 

 

 

I understand this won't get you in a car to Seaward but thought I'd just throw it out there as an idea. 

I did pay the one way fair once, DH wanted to do the drive since the train had been done. It was quite pricey! 

Patty 

Edited February 4, 2023 by cw2go

[jean87510]

23 minutes ago, cw2go said:

 

 

Gotcha sorry!

 

Maybe this option will work for you, for this July we've rented a car r/t anchorage for 3 nights and at drop off are taking the bus to Seaward. This way we were able to use National rewards, car is a Malibu class and I'm paying $93 total plus the bus with ACT cost $69 per person. 

 

We have a few tours booked out of Talkeetna and this was the most economical way I found to make it all work and give us the control and freedom we like. 

 

 

I understand this won't get you in a car to Seaward but thought I'd just throw it out there as an idea. 

I did pay the one way fair once, DH wanted to do the drive since the train had been done. It was quite pricey! 

Patty 

That's what we are probably doing in the future.  Going a few days early and renting.

Edited February 4, 2023 by jean87510

[CharlieCharlieCharlie]

When you get off the ship in Seward, it's possible a person would meet you to rent their car to you.  I just looked up and made mock rentals via Turo in Seward and in Anchorage for this person's itinerary, July 7th.  I found 3 vehicles available for that time in Seward, and the number of available vehicles changes depending on who is renting their vehicle at the time.  In Anchorage, there are at least 50 for that date.  You can exchange directly with the owners via the app (so you never have to share your own email info) to ask about drop off and pick up in different cities, if you find one you like. I remember the fee for drop off-return the car to the owner at the airport was a bit more than drop off and pick up at the hotel. 

I don't know the company, nor anyone who owns any vehicles for rent, so I am not advertising, I just have used it once myself just last year out of Anchorage in August '22.  We have found found during certain times of the year when lots of ships are in the ports, the cars are tough to come by (sometime all of the agencies run out of the ones we like for the two+ week fishing and touring time period we usually rent) and the prices are sometimes not reasonable, so I was happy to find this.  We did the same thing cw2go did round trip Anchorage before our bus ride to Seward - the train was just too early that time for our drive in from our stay in Soldotna.

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

Yes.  I have actually used Turo before in other cities rather than uber or lyft if visiting family.  And it wasn't available in Anchorage.  

 

[BentPicketRanchGirl]

Have you looked at the ACT Big Bus? Straight transfer or transfer with tours.

[Guest ldtr]

On 2/3/2023 at 7:23 AM, Sigyn 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. 

Probably because the Seward to Anchorage train doesn't leave Seward until 6 pm and makes it to Anchorage about 11:30.

[jbcallender]

I'm on the 8/4 sailing which gets to Seward 8/11.  X is selling a train excursion that leaves Sewatd at 7:00 a.m. and arrives at the the airport about 1:00 pm.  I booked it and it was accepted.  I also have a bus booked which I will keep for a few more weeks before canceling that.

[Northern Aurora]

5 hours ago, ldtr said:

Probably because the Seward to Anchorage train doesn't leave Seward until 6 pm and makes it to Anchorage about 11:30.

 

This is the "regular" Alaska Railroad scheduled run from Seward to Anchorage.

[Northern Aurora]

1 hour ago, jbcallender said:

I'm on the 8/4 sailing which gets to Seward 8/11.  X is selling a train excursion that leaves Sewatd at 7:00 a.m. and arrives at the the airport about 1:00 pm.  I booked it and it was accepted.  I also have a bus booked which I will keep for a few more weeks before canceling that.

In contrast to the post by @ldtr this is the cruise line chartered Alaska Railroad run from the Seward cruise terminal directly to the Anchorage airport.  This chartered run can only be purchased from the cruise line and does not end at the ARR downtown station.

[Sigyn]

As an update, later on, Celebrity did make the train from Seward to Anchorage an option for disembarkation the morning we leave the ship in July. So, I booked it. (screenshot below) The only problem is, we decided to cancel our two nights in Anchorage post cruise, and we're now flying out that night at 8:30 pm, so we will have about 7 hours at the airport with nothing to do. Ah, well. I like to read, so I will do that.

 

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by Sigyn

[jbcallender]

1 hour ago, Sigyn said:

As an update, later on, Celebrity did make the train from Seward to Anchorage an option for disembarkation the morning we leave the ship in July. So, I booked it. (screenshot below) The only problem is, we decided to cancel our two nights in Anchorage post cruise, and we're now flying out that night at 8:30 pm, so we will have about 7 hours at the airport with nothing to do. Ah, well. I like to read, so I will do that.

 

 

We have the same situation on our 8/11 flight out, same 8:30 pm flight.

[Mauidiver]

The train was an option for our cruise last week from Seward to Anchorage. Glad it’s an option for you now, however with that much time before your flight, I would have booked a bus tour to stop at the Alaska Wildlife Center.  ACT runs a good tour that won’t break the bank

Edited June 8, 2023 by Mauidiver

[bigbenboys]

On 2/3/2023 at 11:05 AM, Sigyn 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.

Last year we sailed on Millie Seward to Vancouver. Great cruise. We had 2 days in Seward before our cruise. I called Hertz in Seward and booked a car one way. Last year Hertz was the only car rental that was doing one way bookings. There was an $250 fee for one way bookings. Hertz in Seward is walking distance from the cruise ship. We stopped and did the Alyeska Resort Aerial Tramway. Photos from Millie in Alaska, sunset and Hubbard Glacier. 

[Sigyn]

2 hours ago, Mauidiver said:

The train was an option for our cruise last week from Seward to Anchorage. Glad it’s an option for you now, however with that much time before your flight, I would have booked a bus tour to stop at the Alaska Wildlife Center.  ACT runs a good tour that won’t break the bank

I saw that, but it says it lasts four hours, beginning at 9 am and ending at 1 pm, so it still gets me to the airport insanely early and I'm stuck on a bus instead of a train. I thought the views from the train would be prettier. I've driven that highway before from Seward to Anchorage. 

 

I called the Hertz in Seward when I was going to need a car from Friday-Sunday and had originally booked a car for 48 hours. The cost was super high - $800 - for a one-way rental from Seward to Anchorage. 

Edited June 8, 2023 by Sigyn