Anchorage/Whittier hotel/transfer

[gianmatt]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times.  Princess cruise departs Whittier at 8:30 PM.  We will fly into Anchorage the day before. Convenient place to stay? Getting there from airport? And most important, getting from hotel to Whittier the next day in time to get on the boat? (Unsure where the boat dock is in Whittier.)  There is a train, correct?

 

I looked at the Princess "Captain Cook" transfer package, but that place is insanely priced (279 per person for one night.)  

[gianmatt]

OK, I found a good suggestion in another thread re: getting to Whittier.  If boat leaves at 8:30, what time would you recommend getting there to board? I'm sure it takes time.

 

"Best solution: use a bus or a train to get to and from Whittier. There's two train departures from downtown Anchorage, the first being a regularly scheduled train departing at 9:45 a.m., arriving at 12:05 p.m., with tickets sold by the Alaska Railroad; the second being a train chartered by Holland America Line departing at 12:45 p.m., arriving at 3:35 p.m., with tickets sold by Holland America Line. There's a bus departure from downtown Anchorage departing at 3:00 p.m., arriving at 4:45 p.m., operated as the "Park Connection" with tickets sold by Alaska Tour & Travel. There's a bus departure from downtown Anchorage at 1:00 p.m., from the Anchorage airport departing at 2:00 p.m., arriving at 3:45 p.m., operating as, with tickets sold by,  "Alaska Cruise Transportation." 

[GTJ]

28 minutes ago, gianmatt said:

If boat leaves at 8:30, what time would you recommend getting there to board? I'm sure it takes time.

Holland America Line requires check-in information in their records at least 90 minutes prior to sailing, but its website appears not to have a specific requirement if all the information has been provided online in advance. All of the transportation information you copied would provide adequate time for boarding timely; the Alaska Railroad excursion returning from points south would also arrive in adequate time.

[gianmatt]

So, basically any reasonable hotel downtown so that I can get to the bus or train easily.  What about transport from airport to Anchorage? p.s. I'm on Princess.

[GTJ]

1 hour ago, gianmatt said:

I'm on Princess.

Princess does not have a chartered train from downtown Anchorage to Whittier. Instead, it hires that train to transport passengers from McKinley (outside Talkeetna) to Whittier. Thus, if choosing to travel by railroad, then the only train available is the one departing downtown Anchorage daily at 9:45 a.m.

 

1 hour ago, gianmatt said:

What about transport from airport to Anchorage?

There is good public transportation from the airport to downtown Anchorage. The bus system is called "People Mover." Route 40 goes directly from the airport to downtown in about 25 minutes for a fare of $2 per person, half fare for elderly and disabled persons. Buses operate every 15 to 30 minutes, with detailed schedules and route map available here: http://www.muni.org/Departments/transit/PeopleMover/Pages/Route40Schedule.aspx. Of course, there are taxis and TNC vehicles, but not much direction is needed for using those services.

 

For choosing a hotel, use of Google maps might be best for choosing a location. The transit bus to and from the airport goes to the downtown transit center located on West 6th Avenue, between G Street and H Street. The Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, the departure point for the Park Connection bus service to Whittier, is located on West 7th Avenue, between F Street and G Street. The railroad station is located on West 1st Avenue, between where D Street and E Street would intersect.

[AKStafford]

From the Anchorage Airport to your hotel: some hotels offer a shuttle, otherwise there is Uber, Lyft or taxis. There'll be a line of taxis outside of baggage claim.

Hotels in Anchorage are expensive. Be prepared for sticker shock.

To get to Whittier: several different options. A one-way car rental with Avis with a hefty drop off fee. Cruise line transfer. ACT Bus ( https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/schedule/ ). Bear Valley Road Runner (https://www.bearvalleyroadrunner.com/ ). Or my preference would be the Glacier Discovery train from the Alaska Railroad, along with a Prince William Sound glacier cruise with Philips Cruises. https://phillipscruises.com/26-glacier-cruise/

[GTJ]

32 minutes ago, AKStafford said:

Bear Valley Road Runner (https://www.bearvalleyroadrunner.com/ ).

Bear Valley Road Running is more like a collective taxi than a scheduled transportation service. A little bit more difficult for planning, because of the lack of a fixed schedule, but also possibly more convenient to due to flexible stop locations and times. I prefer fixed schedules and the comfort of larger motorcoaches and railcars, but these are my personal preferences, and everyone has their own.

 

34 minutes ago, AKStafford said:

[M]y preference would be the Glacier Discovery train from the Alaska Railroad, along with a Prince William Sound glacier cruise with Philips Cruises. https://phillipscruises.com/26-glacier-cruise/

The train offers several options beyond just a direct transfer to the cruise vessel, the glacier cruise being one of the added options. Another option, which my wife did earlier this year, is to remain on the train after the stop in Whittier, and take a scenic tour of the route to points south . . . after which the train comes back to Whittier in time to board the cruise vessel. This train route south of Whittier also provides the opportunity to do some wilderness hiking or rafting, all of which can be found on the Alaska Railroad website. My view that one is going to be on the cruise vessel for seven consecutive nights, so why bother rushing to board? Board as late as possible, and take one of these sightseeing options to enjoy this part of Alaska.

[wolfie11]

The Captain Cook transfer package is not that unreasonable and everything is taken care of for you.  Otherwise consider purchasing a Princess transfer from the airport and just go back to the airport the next day.  Beware paying $200 a night for sleazy Anchorage hotels!

[Coral]

I like the Captain Cook hotel - it has a nautical theme, dark wood, etc... Great service and great location.

[GTJ]

17 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

[C]onsider purchasing a Princess transfer from the airport and just go back to the airport the next day.

Why would travel from downtown Anchorage to the airport (by bus or taxi), and then transferring to a Princess-arranged bus from the airport to Whittier, be better than a bus or train direct from downtown Anchorage to Whittier? Doing so could be a good plan if staying at an airport hotel, but if staying at a downtown hotel near Whittier-bound transportation, then I imagine that returning to the airport would be both less convenient and more expensive than a direct transfer from downtown to Whittier.

[gianmatt]

We booked a nice hotel downtown (not the Captain Cook, but nearby.)   Getting there from the airport should be easy.

 

As for cruise day, we decided to book a trip to Whittier on the Alaska Railroad.  That gives us some time in Whittier in case we want to do one of those scenic cruises.