Cruise / Rail Packages in Alaska

[alinicus]

I'm putting together a family trip for up to 15 people in August 2010. A couple of them asked about the potential of a cruise and rail combo trip. I haven't had a ton of luck finding much, so I thought I'd try my luck here. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to find a trip that offers both a cruise and rail package OR a rail only option that could be added on to a cruise because not everyone will want to do both. Just wondering. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!:D

[Budget Queen]

The Alaska RR offers "tours", and each cruiseline has cruisetours. There also are independent travel package options, custom, which would work well with a group.

 

But from reading your post- it sounds like this isn't going to be "group" traveling??

 

One bit of advice, I do suggest, is to DO YOUR HOMEWORK, and educate yourself on interior Alaska touring, before you start jumping into booking. With rail travel, you need time, don't short change this or underestimate this. Distances are vast and train travel is slow. In my opinion, the extra time for the Anchorage/Fairbanks rail isn't worth it, if you can add a day. This is also the least scenic section with plenty of trees and more trees. By far the most scenic portion is Anchorage/Seward. - works out excellent with a Seward cruiseship- HAL, Celebrity, RCI.

 

Find out everything about Denali Park, it usually is the highpoint of cruisetours. Make the right touring choice to begin with. Wrong choices can be difficult to fix.

 

Meals are extra, budget 50% more than you do at home.

 

Take some time and read back reviews on this board. This will give you an idea of time in transit and what's available at the destinations.

[vbmom87]

If certain people in your group just love train travel, BQ has given you suggestions on how to pursue those options.

 

If these people are after scenery viewing from a train, then they should make sure to go on the train in Skagway. Going all the way to Carcross is a magnificent train ride. We did a train/bus combo with Chilkoot. Great tour!!!

 

As BQ already recommended, the train from Seward to Anchorage or in reverse, is also a beautiful train ride. The ride in Skagway is often listed on the top ten train rides in the world. We loved them both. Hope this helps.

[negc]

The major cruiselines sailing in Alaska all offer cruisetour packages which include some or all of the land portion involving their glass-domed rail cars. While it is possible and perhaps better to arrange rail tours on your own with Alaska Railroad, the line on which the cruise line cars also run, the convenience of booking the land portion through the cruiseline holds some attraction in as far as convenience goes. Some of the folks on our Alaska trip next year have opted to include the land tour portion which includes Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna and Anchorage, while others will join us on the ship in Seward. It was pretty easy to arrange the details of the trip to accommodate everyone's wishes.:)