Where to ride the train? Budget-Queen help?

[BamaBaby]

My parents want to see Glacier Bay and do a train tour. A North-South itinerary to Anchorage is not feasible because the airfare will cost us about $1600.00 per person. So, we are looking at a round trip out of Seattle next year. The itinerary we are looking at goes to Juneau, Sitka, & Ketchikan. Do we have to go to Skagway to ride the train? We would go on Princess to Skagway but Princess does not go into Glacier Bay. Any suggestions anyone?

 

-Brenda

[Toyz711]

NCL pearl does a roundtrip out of seattle that includes glacier bay via juneau, skagway and ketchikan.

the white pass train is only out of skagway.

http://www.wpyr.com/

[Budget Queen]

The White Pass RR is just fantastic out of Skagway. But your airfare costs - if coming from the US, are most likely over estimated. With your search, you are going to want to look at "multi city" bookings and not 2 one way fares.

[Budget Queen]

The White Pass RR is just fantastic out of Skagway. But your airfare costs - if coming from the US, are most likely over estimated. With your search, you are going to want to look at "multi city" bookings and not 2 one way fares.

[Xiabelle]

We're doing the White Pass railway out of Skagway, ourselves.

 

Definitely take a look at the airfare costs... I'd go run them out of Expedia or Travelocity. Back when we booked, our nonstops from Houston to Vancouver and back from Anchorage to Houston would have run us about 800 total, for two, had we not used FF miles! It was pretty much precisely the same as a roundtrip from Vancouver.

 

Even now, with our cruise leaving in less three weeks, the tickets are still less than 650 each.

[Yukon]

My parents want to see Glacier Bay and do a train tour. A North-South itinerary to Anchorage is not feasible because the airfare will cost us about $1600.00 per person. So, we are looking at a round trip out of Seattle next year. The itinerary we are looking at goes to Juneau, Sitka, & Ketchikan. Do we have to go to Skagway to ride the train? We would go on Princess to Skagway but Princess does not go into Glacier Bay. Any suggestions anyone?

 

-Brenda

 

I'd suggest that you broaden your scope for itineraries, too, Brenda - there are so many possibilities. Seattle departures get less of the scenic coastal cruising that many people want, Skagway is the port for one of the top train trips on earth, my wife and I are among the many people who prefer Hubbard Glacier to Glacier Bay, and Glacier Bay can be visited with a short plane trip from Skagway to give a very impressive perspective on the park.

 

Murray

[greatam]

A North-South itinerary to Anchorage is not feasible because the airfare will cost us about $1600.00 per person.

 

-Brenda

 

This price is WAAAAAY out of line. Don't know what you looked at, but airfare from Alabama to ANC, return out of Vancouver should be NO MORE than about $800.00 (and that is a peak season rate).

 

I just checked-even today-peak season with a week's advance purchase (so no great bargain)-I can get a flight from Birmingham to Anchorage, return via YVR for $722.00-one stop each way. The VERY highest price I see is AA-$1220-one stop Birmingham/Dallas to Anchorage.

 

And if you really want to do a one way cruise (north/south is my recommendation) you may want to book RT air from Alabama to Seattle, then a one way ticket from Seattle to Anchorage.

 

Alaska Airlines has relatively cheap one way tickets from Seattle to Anchorage on sale in mid October/early November. And you can take the absolutely SPECTACULAR train ride from Vancouver to Seattle on your return. Yes, it will cost you a night in a hotel in Seattle, but with all the money you save booking RT Seattle, you will still come out ahead, figuring in the cost of the train and hotel.

[BamaBaby]

Thank you everyone. I didn't know I could look at airfare more than 90 days out. I will try all of the options you have given me. If you are all correct, the airfare won't be near as bad as I thought! My parents can only walk about 100 yards comfortably so finding excursions for them is challenging. The train is one thing they REALLY want to do & this will most likely be the only time they will see Alaska.

[Toyz711]

if you go to skagway and do the train, for your parents..book the round-trip with the cruise line. that way they can board right at the docks..only a couple of yards from getting off the ship. (the longer tours meet at the end of the docks)

we had our FIL cruising with us. we left from seattle, my SIL lives near there and FIL was visiting her. it's the only way he would/could come.

they drove to the docks and just rolled him up the ramp.:D

the train is the only thing he did...he loved it.

glacier bay is beautiful, on our ship they turned the glass lounge into a non-smoking viewing area. FIL stayed there in a nice padded seat..had a 180degree view. it was perfect for him.

his daughter found a folding wheelchair at a yard sale. he fought it, but it turned out to be the best deal of the cruise. everyone on the cruise was so helpful and sweet to him. (we did NCL)

with him on the cruise, we couldn't do a 1-way...too long getting from anchorage to seward or whittier. he couldn't have done any transfers or waiting in line. a long train ride or bus ride would have made him miserable. we are saving that for a trip by ourselves.

[BamaBaby]

Thank you, Cathi. There are so many things to consider with my parents. You have brought out some good points. My DH & I have done Alaska twice before so this trip will be for them. If anyone else has any tips on doing Alaska with a limited mobility couple, I would love the input!

 

-Brenda