Silver Nova Seward to Vancouver

[scalaj]

Hi-I am travelling on the Silver Nova  from Seward to Vancouver departing Seward on 30 May this year. Just interested in understanding what the transfer and embarkation process is for passengers coming from Anchorage. I do have a transfer included in my booking and understand that I need to get to a place called the Egan? Centre in Anchorage to first check in. Is this correct? Also does Silversea use buses or the train for travel between Anchorage and Seward. A second query I have is about what to expect as a solo traveller on a Silversea cruise. I have never sailed with Silversea before. Many thanks. John

[crystalspin]

49 minutes ago, scalaj said:

I am travelling on the Silver Nova  from Seward to Vancouver departing Seward on 30 May this year. Just interested in understanding what the transfer and embarkation process is for passengers coming from Anchorage. I do have a transfer included in my booking and understand that I need to get to a place called the Egan? Centre in Anchorage to first check in. Is this correct? Also does Silversea use buses or the train for travel between Anchorage and Seward. A second query I have is about what to expect as a solo traveller on a Silversea cruise. I have never sailed with Silversea before.

Welcome to Cruise Critic, John!

 

Silversea has it's own board (forum or sub-forum), here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/108-silversea/

 

Best to re-ask there.

[Lois R]

5 hours ago, scalaj said:

Hi-I am travelling on the Silver Nova  from Seward to Vancouver departing Seward on 30 May this year. Just interested in understanding what the transfer and embarkation process is for passengers coming from Anchorage. I do have a transfer included in my booking and understand that I need to get to a place called the Egan? Centre in Anchorage to first check in. Is this correct? Also does Silversea use buses or the train for travel between Anchorage and Seward. A second query I have is about what to expect as a solo traveller on a Silversea cruise. I have never sailed with Silversea before. Many thanks. John

Good morning, I agree with Crystal and suggest you post this over on the Silversea forum. I will post a quick answer for you on the solo guest question. I have sailed with SS since 2017 (I only sail solo) and I love them.😃 There are some other solo guests who post on their forum too so you will get more answers over there.

[Robroy]

Hi John! We are doing the same route May 16th. You don't mention if you are "door to door" or "port to port" - we are "door to door" which includes transportation from home to airport, flights, transfers to the Silversea hotel (Captain Cook), transfers to the Silversea train which leaves Anchorage about 1pm and takes you on a scenic ride to Seward where you will embark the ship. I understand that luggage will be looked after from the hotel to your stateroom. On arrival in Vancouver you have a transfer to the airport included as well.

 

Not sure of procedures for "port to port" however.

Have a great trip! We certainly plan to!

 

Cheers,

Rob

Edited February 8 by Robroy
additional info

[scalaj]

Hi Rob and thanks for your response. I am just doing port to port but do have the transfer from Anchorage to Seward included. My SS agent has told me that I will need to check in in Anchorage at a place called the Egan Centre so not at the Captain Cook Hotel.  Hopefully I will also get a train transfer though. Very much looking forward to the trip. Hope you have a wonderful time as well.

 

John

[scalaj]

8 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning, I agree with Crystal and suggest you post this over on the Silversea forum. I will post a quick answer for you on the solo guest question. I have sailed with SS since 2017 (I only sail solo) and I love them.😃 There are some other solo guests who post on their forum too so you will get more answers over there.

Thanks Lois-I will definitely take your advice and Crystal's and check out the Silversea forum. Good to hear though that the cruise is Ok for solo travellers. Happy sailing.

John

[Lois R]

19 minutes ago, scalaj said:

Thanks Lois-I will definitely take your advice and Crystal's and check out the Silversea forum. Good to hear though that the cruise is Ok for solo travellers. Happy sailing.

John

Hi John, it looks like the moderators moved the thread for you.....it is now on the SS forum.

[Texas Tillie]

51 minutes ago, scalaj said:

Hi Rob and thanks for your response. I am just doing port to port but do have the transfer from Anchorage to Seward included. My SS agent has told me that I will need to check in in Anchorage at a place called the Egan Centre so not at the Captain Cook Hotel.  Hopefully I will also get a train transfer though. Very much looking forward to the trip. Hope you have a wonderful time as well.

 

John

 

I am doing the same cruise 2 weeks before yours. I booked door to door and that includes a bus transfer from Anchorage to Seward. The train would be an extra $250 charge. I elected to not add the train as I've done the transfer 3 times before and at least part of the way the train tracks run parallel to the highway. Since you were told to go to the Egan Center - the convention center in downtown Anchorage - I believe you will also be on the bus. All buses to Seward, no matter which cruise line, leave from the Egan Center. Suggest you do a Google search of a map for downtown Anchorage to locate the Egan Center.

Edited February 8 by Texas Tillie

[Neilio]

We did this cruise in July last year on the Muse. As noted above the Egan Center is for the buses. We were able to board the ship at just after noon. The folks that took the train boarded after 6pm. Have a great time!

[scalaj]

19 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic, John!

 

Silversea has it's own board (forum or sub-forum), here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/108-silversea/

 

Best to re-ask there.

 

5 hours ago, scalaj said:

Hi Rob and thanks for your response. I am just doing port to port but do have the transfer from Anchorage to Seward included. My SS agent has told me that I will need to check in in Anchorage at a place called the Egan Centre so not at the Captain Cook Hotel.  Hopefully I will also get a train transfer though. Very much looking forward to the trip. Hope you have a wonderful time as well.

 

John

 

5 hours ago, scalaj said:

Hi Rob and thanks for your response. I am just doing port to port but do have the transfer from Anchorage to Seward included. My SS agent has told me that I will need to check in in Anchorage at a place called the Egan Centre so not at the Captain Cook Hotel.  Hopefully I will also get a train transfer though. Very much looking forward to the trip. Hope you have a wonderful time as well.

 

John

 

[scalaj]

5 hours ago, scalaj said:

Hi Rob and thanks for your response. I am just doing port to port but do have the transfer from Anchorage to Seward included. My SS agent has told me that I will need to check in in Anchorage at a place called the Egan Centre so not at the Captain Cook Hotel.  Hopefully I will also get a train transfer though. Very much looking forward to the trip. Hope you have a wonderful time as well.

 

John

 

2 hours ago, Neilio said:

We did this cruise in July last year on the Muse. As noted above the Egan Center is for the buses. We were able to board the ship at just after noon. The folks that took the train boarded after 6pm. Have a great time!

 

[scalaj]

Hi and many thanks for all the information. This is all very helpful and much appreciated. Looks like the bus option is a good one if you are able to board reasonably early.

[les37b]

 The status for the train transfer also depends on place of booking.

 

I believe a transfer is always included for Anchorage to Seward and vice versa regardless of being D2D or P2P.

 

From the UK, if you booked a D2D, the train transfer is included in the price. For the US, its considered an extra. Obviously things change - but this was our experience last May, where we were assured we had a train transfer included - but once on board we were told "due to logistical reasons, the train is cancelled. As you didnt pay for this excursion, there is no refund but a full refund will be given to those that paid". We never learned the reason it was cancelled despite the ship, TA and guest enquiring. We had 3 ports cancelled too - and same applied there. That's quite a chunk of fare money kept for nothing in return! Obviously this was a big topic to those on board, which is how this deviation of included or not was discovered.

 

One thing of note on our voyage (Osaka to Seward) was the very noticeable presence of 2 solo guest coordinators, who were excellent and had a whole gang of solos enjoying their voyage. There were several solos, not taking part too, so was all down to choice as it should be. Have to say it was most impressive. 

[alithecat]

Yes, a transfer is always included. It is by bus in the late morning from the Egan Convention Center for P2P passengers. I don't know the exact timing, you'll have to find out from Silversea. I believe they run multiple buses, one every half hour or so. They take your luggage at the convention center and deliver it to your room.

 

The transfer by charter train used to be included and free for all D2D passengers. P2P passengers could pay Silversea in advance to upgrade to the train. But I read that they have changed the rules and now anyone who wants the train will need to pay for it, unless you booked before they changed this policy. If taking the train and staying at the Captain Cook hotel, charter buses will take you from the hotel to the train station by the airport to begin your journey. They take your luggage separately directly from the hotel to the ship. The train doesn't leave until around 1:30pm because it brings disembarking passengers back from Seward in the morning.

 

As others have said, you get to the ship in the earlier afternoon by bus, and much later by train. The highway that the bus takes follows the train tracks so the view is the same. And the train is not as reliable. When we were supposed to take it, the track was blocked by a landslide. If we were to do this trip again, we would take the bus. [and go in the reverse direction starting from Vancouver.]

[scalaj]

On 2/9/2024 at 9:47 AM, Texas Tillie said:

 

I am doing the same cruise 2 weeks before yours. I booked door to door and that includes a bus transfer from Anchorage to Seward. The train would be an extra $250 charge. I elected to not add the train as I've done the transfer 3 times before and at least part of the way the train tracks run parallel to the highway. Since you were told to go to the Egan Center - the convention center in downtown Anchorage - I believe you will also be on the bus. All buses to Seward, no matter which cruise line, leave from the Egan Center. Suggest you do a Google search of a map for downtown Anchorage to locate the Egan Center.

 

[scalaj]

Thanks for this further information which is most helpful. Looks like the bus transfer is a good option.

John

[caviargal]

On 2/8/2024 at 2:07 AM, scalaj said:

Hi-I am travelling on the Silver Nova  from Seward to Vancouver departing Seward on 30 May this year. Just interested in understanding what the transfer and embarkation process is for passengers coming from Anchorage. I do have a transfer included in my booking and understand that I need to get to a place called the Egan? Centre in Anchorage to first check in. Is this correct? Also does Silversea use buses or the train for travel between Anchorage and Seward. A second query I have is about what to expect as a solo traveller on a Silversea cruise. I have never sailed with Silversea before. Many thanks. John

 They use a bus or a train, depending on your package.  We are doing cruise only Seward to Vancouver, therefore we are on the bus versus the train.  We were told we cannot upgrade to the train because we are cruise only and not Door to Door.  Silly IMO but it is what it is.

Anchorage is small and you can taxi to the Egan to meet the bus.

[alexandria]

I spent some time checking into this for an upcoming sailing from Seward.  Here's what I found:

 

• For all fare classes for US based passengers sailing to or from Seward, Silversea now includes motorcoach transfer between Anchorage and Seward.  In some cases, they may permit you to "upgrade" to the charter train transfer for $210pp or so.
• Silversea no longer provides train transfers for any fare classes on new bookings for US based passengers on 2025 and later sailings.
• The meeting point for the motorcoach transfer from Anchorage to Seward is the Egan Convention Center.  Check-in for the motorcoach transfer begins at 8am and coaches begin departing at 10:30 am, usually arriving at the Seward cruise terminal around 1:30 pm.
• Those who do receive cruise line train transfers are taken from the Silversea pre-cruise hotel (usually the Captain Cook) to the Alaska Railroad station for charter trains which is adjacent to Ted Stevens Airport (which is not the same as their Anchorage Depot for their scheduled train service).  The charter train departs at 1:15 pm and arrives at the Seward cruise terminal about 5:30 pm.  The cruise line charter train serves a box lunch (sandwich, side and drink) and other items are usually available for purchase.

Another option is to book the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic train independently.  It departs Anchorage (the Alaska Railroad station, not the depot at the airport) at 6:45 am and arrives at the Alaska Railroad station in Seward (about a mile or so from the cruise terminal) at about 11:20am.  The cost of a ticket on the Coastal Classic on May 30 from Anchorage to Seward is $108pp for Adventure Class and $220pp for Goldstar Service.  Adventure Class gets you a confirmed seat in the standard coach car with food and drinks available for purchase in a cafe car.  Goldstar Service includes more comfortable seating in cars with glass dome ceilings and upper-level outdoor viewing platforms, an included meal in the full-service dining car, free soft drinks and two complimentary adult beverages per adult passenger.

 

Hope that is helpful!  Fair winds and following seas...🛳️

[81Zoomie]

Seward is beautiful.  It’s fairly compact, and sightseeing in that area is very worthwhile.  You may wish to consider arriving a day or two early to enjoy the scenery and activities. There is a glacier, a marine exhibit, the harbor, fishing, Fox island, Kenai Fjord (and national park) etc.  I realize it’s easier if you are Port to Port.