Skagway - White Pass Bus and RR

[Marie-Claude]

One more question for all you Alaska Experts:

I was looking at a Princess tour what went up to the White Pass and Yukon by motor coach, stopped for lunch at Caribou crossing, Carcriss, and then returned by Train.
This seems interestind as you get two different views - road and railroad. Does this trip make it all the way to Emerald Lake?
Also, I have tried to see if independant tour operators are offering this tour - I couldn't find any. Anybody with info on that?

Thanks in advance for all you extremely valuable advice!
MC

Next up: 05/04 Sun Princess Alaska; 10/04 Star Princess Transatlantic;
Past: 05/03 Regal Princess Baltics Russia; 12/02 Constellation Celebrity Southern C; 10/01 Golden Princess Eastern C; 03/01 Sensation Carnival Western C; 04/00 Costa Romantica Western C

MC

[Yukon]

That trip is exclusively Princess - all the others are slightly different. It doesn't go to Emerald Lake, though - there is no turnaround for buses at the lake or anywhere a reasonable distance beyond.

Murray

[Marie-Claude]

Hi Murray!
Thanks for the info. I see you are from Carcross - so I'm sure you'll tell me it's worth seeing?!

What tour would take us to Emerald Lake? or can we only get there by driving ourselves?
That's why I tought the Princess excursion was interesting as it gave us a chance to cross to Canada (my home country) and also do to the train.
MC

[Yukon]

>>I'm sure you'll tell me it's worth seeing?!<<

I'll just show you a picture and you can decide for yourself!
[url="http://www.explorenorth.com/library/roads/images/3481-emerald_lake-pan.html"]http://www.explorenorth.com/library/roads/images/3481-emerald_lake-pan.html[/url] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Frontier and Southeast both have tours that go to Emerald Lake - [url="http://www.frontierexcursions.com/"]http://www.frontierexcursions.com/[/url] and [url="http://www.southeasttours.com/"]http://www.southeasttours.com/[/url] but I don't know if the timing would allow you to ride the train as well.

Murray

[Coral]

The tour through Princess that does the bus one way to the Yukon and the White Pass train back does stop at Emerald Lake (not for long but long enough to take pictures).

The other Princess excursion "Experience the Yukon" (7 hour bus ride) also stops at Emerald Lake.

[Marie-Claude]

Yukon: Wow... let me catch my breath... We'll make sure to get there one way or the other. Thanks for sharing this outstanding picture with us!

Coral: Thanks for the info. I actually got interested in going on this tour from looking at your picture album - Thanks!

[Coral]

Marie-Claude - those pictures in my album are from "Experience the Yukon" trip through Princess.

My best friends did the train/bus combo into the Yukon and I had seen their pictures of Emerald Lake before I went so I know their tour went there also.

If anything - when you get on the bus, make sure you tell them you can't wait to see Emerald lake. It is only about 5-10 minutes from where you eat lunch.

I had previously done the train trip the year before so I did the bus trip last year. If it was my first time, I would probablty do the train/bus combo. If I only had to choose one, I would do the bus trip. The train was sort of boring for me becaue I couldn't get off and take pictures - you can go between cars but it was windy the day I went and I didn't feel comfortable taking pictures that way.

-----------

Yukon - that picture of Emerald Lake that you posted is one of my favorite pictures ever. Simply breath-taking!

[Yukon]

Thanks for your compliment, Coral, and for straightening me out about the Princess tour. They didn't used to go to Emerald Lake, but I know that they got a lot of complaints about it.

Murray

[Marie-Claude]

Thanks Coral! I'm glad you clarified this one for me, and your comments are extremely valuable. I might reconsider and do the bus only. But I'm sure that with one or the other, we'll have a great time!
MC

[MRF777]

Coral where can I see your pictures from the White Pass bus trip?...thanks

Scandinavian Sun
Emerald Seas
Island Princess
Seaward
Norway
Westward
Sensation
Facsination
Majesty of the Seas
Dawn Princess
Inspiration
Norwegian Dream
Norwegian Sun
Grandeur of the Seas (June 2002)
Carnival Paradise (Sept 2002)
Grand Princess (June 2003)
Disney Magic (Sept 2003)
Diamond Princess (June 2004)

Here we come for our honeymoon on the Diamond Princess

June 12,2004

[MRF777]

We are going on the Experiance the Yukon trip from the Diamond Princess in June, The brochure doesnt mention a stop at Emerald Lake, but I hope we do..thanks for the info!

Scandinavian Sun
Emerald Seas
Island Princess
Seaward
Norway
Westward
Sensation
Facsination
Majesty of the Seas
Dawn Princess
Inspiration
Norwegian Dream
Norwegian Sun
Grandeur of the Seas (June 2002)
Carnival Paradise (Sept 2002)
Grand Princess (June 2003)
Disney Magic (Sept 2003)
Diamond Princess (June 2004)

Here we come for our honeymoon on the Diamond Princess

June 12,2004

[Coral]

The tour I went on last year (Experience the Yukon) didn't mention it in the brochures either.

I strongly encourage people when they get on the bus to say "We definitely want to see Emerald Lake". We went but only stayed about 10-15 minutes. We had a couple who was constantly late getting back on the bus (40 minutes late from lunch) and I can see a stop like that being cut if something like this happens. Though it is very close to where you eat lunch. Definitely mention it to the guide. Our guide was excellent last year and I ended up loving this tour.

[joyus]

Coral - where are you pictures posted? Would love to see them.

[Coral]

[url="http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/PhotoAlbum17.html"]http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/PhotoAlbum17.html[/url]

You can link from one album to the next at the top of the page. I took tons of pictures that day - probably should have posted more of them.

[Murphey]

Any idea if we could rent a car in the afternoon and drive up to Emerald Lake??

[Yukon]

>>Any idea if we could rent a car in the afternoon and drive up to Emerald Lake??<<

You need an absolute minimum of 4 hours for the trip, and a lot more is a lot better [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Murray

[Murphey]

We are there until 9 pm, so we were hoping this would give us extra time after the RR.

[shereemcg]

i had spoken to frontier and southeast and they both told me none of their tours went to emerald lake. we decided to rent a car and drive ourselves.

Sheree

[mii]

Last year we also went on the Experience the Yukon and like Coral I thought it was one of the best excursions that I have ever went on. The previous year we went on the train and like Coral it was nice as it was great going up but coming back it was sort of boring. Again the Experience the Yukon that is supplied by Princess is one of the best trips that I have ever taken.


Marilyn

[lmcd]

When i was planning our 2003 Alaska cruise, I asked Frontier Excursion if their longer tour stopped at Emerald Lake and they assured me it did. The have a shorter in duration trip that does not go that far. So I would make sure of which tour Frontier was referring before deciding not to do their Yukon tour.

Larry

Fantasy 08/99
Ecstacy 05/00
Westerdam 04/01
Legend of the Seas 08/02
Zaandam 04/03
Carnival Spirit 08/03

[HarleyCT]

Shereemcg - Southeast Tours does have a horseback riding tour that goes past Emerald lake by about .5 of mile. The horseback ride goes along the hill overlooking Emerald Lake. If you want to see the horseback tour itself you can look at the website that I have mentioned in a thread called "horseback riding" the website is there for people to view. I went on that tour and I really enjoyed myself and what an awesome view! The ranch itself is beautiful and interesting but checkout the website for yourself - if not for just out of curiousity!

[jdl2]

Has anyone done the Princess BEST OF SKAGWAY and how does it compare to EXPERIENCE THE YUKON tour.
BEST OF SKAGWAY starts with the train, then you get off in Fraser and travel by bus along the Klondike Highway. You stop at Liarsville where prospectors and madams interact as you pan for gold, after a salmon lunch you make a stop at the Red Onion Saloon.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=FF0000&cdt=2004;6;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]
9/1 Island Princess

[jdl2]

Just a clarification, I actually was wanting a comparison with the YUKON EXPEDITION & WHITE PASS SCENIC RAILWAY, not the EXPERIENCE THE YUKON. I believe they are identical except you take the train back. Am I right and has anyone done the BEST OF SKAGWAY ?

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=FF0000&cdt=2004;6;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]
9/1 Island Princess

[Coral]

JDL - The Best of Skagway is new this year for Princess.

The Best of Skagway combines the train with Liarsville and a few other things (Red Onion Salon/Salmon bake). I would look at the description of Liarsville and see if it appeals to you. Personally, I find the description sort of "hokey" but that is my opinion. If the search engine works on this site (sometimes it doesn't), I would seek out opinions on Liarsville tours to get a feel on what people thought of that tour.

I would prefer to do the train/bus combo (Yukon Expedition and White Pass Railway) where you get to see the beautiful country of the Yukon.

You can always go to Red Onion Salon on your own after other tours.

[This message was edited by Coral on 05-05-04 at 08:16 PM.]

[Casey12]

We did Liarsville 2 years ago and would not recommend it -- it seemed very fake and touristy. We had fun but it is not something I would recommend. Kids would enjoy it.