Polyvinyl

How quickly do we have to pick up your bags?

We are cruising into Galveston, and wondering if we can sneak out of the terminal and do things for a couple of hours instead of hauling our bags around.

Or are there other options?

How did it go? We have a very similar situation coming up in a week? We plan to use a Lufthansa because we know we can get on the road 8 minutes after getting to the curb. I think last time I rented a car out of IAH it took about an hour because you have to shuttle to the car rental, and then wat in line etc.

great info! Thanks for coming back to post the update.

looks like you had great weather.

 

About how long was this trip? from the time you boarded the bus downtown, until you returned to the Transit Center.

The weather was amazing. Couldn't have hoped for better, especially for May.

The total trip took us a little under 6 hours. 3 hours and 55 minutes from the time we got off the bus until we arrived back at the bus stop. We took our time at the falls and visitor center.

Was just in Juneau last week and took the public bus to and from Mendenhall Glacier. A report:

It is a short walk from the cruise ship terminal to the downtown transit center (Unless you are on NCL, they were docked farher away). We got there about 15 to 20 minutes early then jumped on the Route 4 bus when it was ready to leave. Because the DTC is the end/beginning of the route the bus will arrive several minutes before the departure time, but waits until at least the departure time before heading back out. Check the bus schedule if you want to time it up: http://www.juneau.org/capitaltransit/index.php

When we got on the bus the bus driver sensed we weren't local and asked where we were going, we told him the glacier. We dropped our $2 per person in the pay box and after about 50-60 minutes so when we got near the appropriate stop the bus driver made sure to announce it and stop for us knowing we may not know when to signal at stop. There was one other group of cruisers on the bus with us. I was also following along with the GPS on my phone and knew the intersection we should be looking for. The closest bus stop is at the corner of Mendenhall Loop Rd where it connect to Glacier Spur Rd.

After getting off the bus we walked about 1/3 of a mile up the wide sidewalk along Glacier Spur Road and veered right when we got to Gladstone St which looks like a gravel road. It is a short road that quickly ends with a fork. On the right is someone's driveway and the left is a well marked trailhead with a map. This is the beginning of Powerline Trail.

It was a beautiful scenic hike, and every trail intersection was well marked. Before long we joined up with the Trail of Time, crossed Steep Creek and got our first view of the glacier. We continued on the Trail of Time until we got to the Visitor center. We then took the popular hike along Nugget Falls Trail to get an up close view of Nugget Falls and a good view of the glacier itself.

After hanging out near the falls for a while we walked back to the visitor center. The vistor center is very nice with great bathrooms, water fountains a gift shop and spotting scopes that we used to see mountain goat. It didn't appear it was anyones job to take any visitor fees or checking if we paid but we made sure to drop some cash in the donation box. One thing they did reprimand us for was eating, they are worried about bears smelling food on humans.

We then headed through the back of the nearest parking lot along a trail marked with M. The signs call this Moraine Ecology Trail, Google Maps has it labeled Steep Creek Trail. This began the prettiest part of our hike. There are lots of short trails with connectors that you could make a short wrong turn but we followed the markings west to Old River Trail and then south on Moraine Lake Trail. At the next series of intersections we worked our south-west along Moose Lake Trail. I noticed time was getting close so if we kept walking we would be back at the bus stop at the perfect time. So we took Dredge Lake Trail to Dredge Lake Road and walked along the quite neighborhood road to Mendenhall Loop Road basically right where the bus stop is located.

Buses going either direction (routes 4 or 3) will take you back to the downtown transit center in about the same amount of time. We paid $2 each again and were told the quickest way back downtown was to transfer at the mall (for free) and then take the express route back. We opted for the simpler option and rode without transferring for about 50 minutes until we got back downtown near the cruise ship docks.

All in all with was a beautiful hike, about 6 miles in total. I'm so glad we decided to do the more scenic option. The only part where it was crowded was the visitors center to Nugget Falls since so many people take the $30 round trip shuttle to see the glacier but miss out on some amazingly scenic, basically flat hiking.

I found this official PDF from Holland America on Stateroom Amenities: http://book.hollandamerica.com/pdfs/media/factsheets/StateroomAmenities_FactSheet.pdf

I was researching this topic too, and found this page from the US Forest Service about Tongass National Forest to be super helpful in finding out how to get to Mendenhall Glacier:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/about-forest/offices/?cid=fseprd495443

You left out significant details. The Juneau city bus , drop off is over a mile from Mendenhall Glacier visitor center. It's a longer transfer and only runs once/hour.

Route 4 will get you closest to the park,after about 50 minutes on the bus. The $30 RT shuttles reportedly take 25min. I believe you'd want to get off at the Mendenhall Blvd Stop. According to Google Maps it is a 1.5 mile walk to the visitor center, BUT the first trailhead, called Powerhouse Trailhead is only 0.3 miles from the bus stop. That is the start of Power Line Trail which connects the main shorter trails in the park 1.1 miles up. So if you like hiking you can take the scenic way up.

Uber or Lyfft are also options.

Uber and Lyft are not currently available in British Columbia including Vancouver. Maybe they will be by 2017.

I was researching this topic too, and found this page from the US Forest Service about Tongass National Forest to be super helpful in finding out how to get to Mendenhall Glacier:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/about-forest/offices/?cid=fseprd495443

To answer some of the questions in this thread:

Is there a public city bus?

Yes, there is. It is $2 each way. Route 4 will get you closest to the park, after about 50 minutes on the bus. I believe you'd want to get off at the Mendenhall Blvd Stop. As noted by others in the thread it is a 1.5 mile walk to the visitor center, BUT the first trailhead, called Powerhouse Trailhead is only 0.3 miles from the bus stop. That is the start of Power Line Trail which connects the main shorter trails in the park 1.1 miles up. So if you like hiking you can take the scenic way up.

($5 Fee) I'm wondering how they will collect it from people who get dropped off by taxi or who make the long trek from the city bus stop.

I think the fee is specifically for the Visitor Center, so you may be able to avoid the $5 fee if you stay outside.

"If our whale watching tour drops us at Mendenhall, can we buy a one way shuttle ticket back to the cruise ship?"

My in-laws went last year and did report they were able to find a company offering $10 pp one way ride back to the cruise ship.

Anyone with experience riding the city bus to get to Mendenhall Glacier?

Looks be to just $2 each way. The closest bus stop if 1.3 miles from the visitors center, but some trailheads are closer. Planned on doing some of the longer hiking trails anyway. Google maps shows "Powerhouse Trailhead" on the map, but Street View makes it look more like a service road. Any insights?

Does anyone know if Holland America allows, or set aside lanes, for lap swimming on the Noordam or Vista Class ships in general?

I'm new to crusing. How do the current promotions compare to what Princess and others are normally promoting?

See $300 OBC per stateroom for balcony currently. Eying an alaskan cruise.