Cruise ends @ 3 am!/transport seward to ANC

[jm2cc]

I am on a NB Celebrity Millie on which ends @ 3 am in Seward on June 19th. What time would we be expected to disembark? After I get our luggage, what time should I schedule transport to Anchorage.

I have just started researching our options, Train, bus or limo. There are 6 in my party. Any recommendations on the best way to get to Anchorage Airport. Thank you.

[Loves to dance]

Yipes! :eek: I don't have any info for you, but I will keep my fingers crossed that they don't expect for you to be off the ship any earlier than 7am!

 

Corie

[vbmom87]

I remember reading about this last year. The response was you do not disembark until morning.

[wolfie11]

Most of the ships dock in the middle of the night (and the local bars are open all night for the crews to party!) but the passengers don't disembark until the next morning.

[LML]

Although the ship docks at approximately 3AM, the first passengers are allowed to disembark at 6AM. The first passengers off are those with coach transfers purchased through the cruise line, then those using the cruise line train, then those on the Cruisetours.

 

For independent passengers, there are scheduled departures between approximately 6:30AM and 10AM. During your cruise, you will be asked to fill out a form indicating what time you need to be off the ship, so your departure time will be given to you on the last night of the cruise.

 

If you are doing your own arrangements, your luggage will be transferred into the terminal, which is just a short walk from the gangway. There is no customs or immigration here in Seward, so it's a piece of cake! Please do not try to take your own bags off the ship. It's very awkward, since our tides are very extreme, and sometimes the gangway is at a fairly steep angle. You won't save any time at all! For the past three years, I've worked for the cruise line as the person at the top of the gangway calling for departing passengers, and if you are independent and want to get off earlier than your scheduled time, I'll always allow it!

[jm2cc]

Thank you so much for the info. This site is so helpful to those who have never cruised before!! Any advice Pros/Cons on how to get to Anchorage.

[vbmom87]

Thank you so much for the info. This site is so helpful to those who have never cruised before!! Any advice Pros/Cons on how to get to Anchorage.

 

I suggest the train for a truly scenic ride!!!

[vbmom87]

Please do not try to take your own bags off the ship. It's very awkward, since our tides are very extreme, and sometimes the gangway is at a fairly steep angle. You won't save any time at all!

 

I have to disagree here. I can't argue that the gangway may be steep on some days. I am sure that happens since you work there and you know. However, in our case, we were going straight to an 8:00 a.m. Kenai Fjords cruise. The information we received on the ship said that for independents, they could not guarentee our luggage would be off before 9:30 a.m. So, we just disembarked on our own at 7:00 am with our luggage. We are early 60s and had no problems managing our luggage. We were very happy we did it this way. We had to rely on no one and we were able to get off the ship and go on with our day immediately.

[LML]

I have to disagree here. I can't argue that the gangway may be steep on some days. I am sure that happens since you work there and you know. However, in our case, we were going straight to an 8:00 a.m. Kenai Fjords cruise. The information we received on the ship said that for independents, they could not guarentee our luggage would be off before 9:30 a.m. So, we just disembarked on our own at 7:00 am with our luggage. We are early 60s and had no problems managing our luggage. We were very happy we did it this way. We had to rely on no one and we were able to get off the ship and go on with our day immediately.

 

I'm glad that it worked out for you!!! I was just giving an "insider" tip here.....It works differently here than in most other ports. The longshoremen start unloading the luggage about 3AM (I'm with them in the hold of the ship, overseeing this). They are usually finished by about 6AM with the independent luggage. I'll always allow someone to get off the ship early if they are independent. Also, we have no one able to assist with the luggage - no porters are allowed here. I've seen folks taking more than one suitcase down the steep gangway, and knock other passengers over!!! Seriously!!! I'm the one who is concerned about safety for both you and the others that are disembarking.

 

Hope you enjoyed your Kenai Fjords Cruise here. I never get tired of going out with them!

[GlacierLady]

Any advice Pros/Cons on how to get to Anchorage.

 

I feel one of the nicest, scenic rides is the regular passenger train that leaves Seward at 6pm, booked on your own is alot cheaper than through the cruiseline. You can walk off the ship, drop your luggage at the train depot and not see it again till Anch that evening. Then spend the day in Seward with many things to do such as a wildlife cruise, Sealife Center, Exit Glacier, fishing, kayaking, hiking, 2 kinds of dogsled rides ect.

[vbmom87]

I'm glad that it worked out for you!!! I was just giving an "insider" tip here.....It works differently here than in most other ports. The longshoremen start unloading the luggage about 3AM (I'm with them in the hold of the ship, overseeing this). They are usually finished by about 6AM with the independent luggage. I'll always allow someone to get off the ship early if they are independent. Also, we have no one able to assist with the luggage - no porters are allowed here. I've seen folks taking more than one suitcase down the steep gangway, and knock other passengers over!!! Seriously!!! I'm the one who is concerned about safety for both you and the others that are disembarking.

 

Hope you enjoyed your Kenai Fjords Cruise here. I never get tired of going out with them!

 

It looks like we were given incorrect information. We were told that we could not be guarenteed our luggage would be off and available for pickup until 9:30. With that 8:00 am tour, we could not take the chance. We were made aware that no one would be available to help us with luggage, so I am glad we did not have a steep plank as you mentioned.

 

Yes our Kenai Fjords tour was good, but the ride back was rough with those 7 foot waves. Many were seasick, but those ginger root tablets worked great for me. ;)

[WalleyeLJ]

Although the ship docks at approximately 3AM, the first passengers are allowed to disembark at 6AM. The first passengers off are those with coach transfers purchased through the cruise line, then those using the cruise line train, then those on the Cruisetours.

 

For independent passengers, there are scheduled departures between approximately 6:30AM and 10AM. During your cruise, you will be asked to fill out a form indicating what time you need to be off the ship, so your departure time will be given to you on the last night of the cruise.

 

If you are doing your own arrangements, your luggage will be transferred into the terminal, which is just a short walk from the gangway. There is no customs or immigration here in Seward, so it's a piece of cake! Please do not try to take your own bags off the ship. It's very awkward, since our tides are very extreme, and sometimes the gangway is at a fairly steep angle. You won't save any time at all! For the past three years, I've worked for the cruise line as the person at the top of the gangway calling for departing passengers, and if you are independent and want to get off earlier than your scheduled time, I'll always allow it!

 

LML,

 

Any idea how early we can drop our luggage off at the train depot? We're going kayaking in Kenai and have to be at the outfitter 7:30/8am. Thanks!

 

L.J.

[GMoney]

LML,

 

Any idea how early we can drop our luggage off at the train depot? We're going kayaking in Kenai and have to be at the outfitter 7:30/8am. Thanks!

 

L.J.

 

I believe 9am

[GlacierLady]

The train depot is often open around 8am on cruise ship days.

 

Kayaking in Kenai....hmmm Ya might want to do a little more researching and get more familiar with the area. You won't make it to Kenai by 8am.

 

I'm assuming you meant in Kenai Fjords National Park which is a large area just south and east of Seward assessible mainly by boat. The city of Kenai is 90 miles away from Seward. The Kenai Peninsula is very large area including the towns of Seward, Soldotna, Kenai, Homer plus more.

 

Which company are you kayaking with? You might want to ask them about transportation and luggage storage. Many companies will store luggage.

[kenish]

We self-disembarked from Zaandam last summer in Seward. My teen son and I had no problem taking 2 medium rolling suitcases, 2 carry-on sized bags, and a backpack off the ship ourselves. However, it was raining and the gangway was pretty wet and slick. If you aren't traveling relatively light or aren't sure-footed, then I could see it being a recipe for disaster!

 

I forget when Zaandam docked, but we woke up around 6am and they were already docked. They told us too our bags would not be on the dock until 930am, so the night before we changed to independent.

 

After we disembarked we had until 1pm to vist Seward. We took our luggage about 1/2 mile to the "train wreck" where they stored our luggage for about $3 per bag. We walked the length of the town and toured the Sea Life Center...had an out-of-this-world bowl of halibut at Thorn's Showcase Lounge, then reclaimed our bags. Alaskan Leopard's shuttle showed up right on time; with a 2:1 Toursaver coupon it was very inexpensive transportation to ANC. They made a few rest stops enroute including the Wildlife Conservation Center.