Columbia glacier thru princess

[1billh@comcast.net]

Has anyone done the excursion from the Princess Cooper River lodge to Valdez for the Columbia Glacier cruise(PWS). Its a long day and wanted to know if it was worth it. They do have us scheduled for a water taxi from Valdez to Whittier to catch the ship so we will be in PWS for abit. Any help would be great thanks.

[ARRTrain]

Your water taxi will not go to Columbia Glacier. Doubtful, you'll even see it on the way by.

 

I haven't been to the Glacier in about 25 years. It was impressive then. If it is a nice sunny day, it might be worth the trip.

[Chenega]

They probably run the trip through Stan Stephans cruises out of Valdez. They've been doing this for a long time. Like previously said, you really can't get close to the face of Columbia Glacier but sailing through the tons of icebergs is really impressive.

[Budget Queen]

I am one that definately recommends the Stan Stephen's boat trips, and I also 99% agree that this is the ship vendor. Columbia, however, is fairly often not accessable, for any face viewing. But you do get to be in some significant ice, which can be very impressive, depending on what your priority is for sightseeing. However, look over your options carefully, with your Copper Center location, you are in prime flightseeing areas, excellent Kennicott/McCarthy sightseeing, superb Copper River fishing. You aren't going to see Valdez, and the boat tour, is not loaded with the wildlife of Kenai Fjords. Since you are likely on the fast ferry Valdez/Whittier, you need to realize, this basically is transportation, only. I always choose the regular ferry only, as it does have an informative naturalist on board and the time allows, sometimes, detours. But it is significantly superior for PWS viewing.

[ARRTrain]

The water taxi Princess uses for the Whittier to Valdez runs is the Klondike Express, which is based in Whittier.

 

It leaves Whittier on Sat. and Mon. ships days early in the morning, around 8 - 8:30am. Makes the run to Valdez in about 2 hours. Unloads pass. and reloads pass. and runs back to Whittier, with an approx. arrival time of around 12:15 - 12:30pm.

 

After the Klondike Express unloads in Whittier, the boat is quickly emptied of garbage, given a quick cleaning and then goes back out for the regular 26 Glacier Cruises trip.

 

It is a fast run, doubt they even slow down for any wildlife. They definately won't run into Columbia Bay for a look at ice.

[1billh@comcast.net]

Thanks everyone, I might rethink Columbia glacier and stay closer to the Cooper River for excursions.

We'll be going to Portage Glacier and taking the Kenai fjords 6hour tour(which Budget Queen recommended over Resurrection Bay tour Thanks) and Misty fjords tour, plus Glacier bay and Hubbard Glacier. I was trying to get a PWS tour in but we can't get into Whittier in time for the tours, Maybe on sail date we can find a charter to take us around for awhile. The 11 hours for Columbia Glacier was a concern from the Princess lodge.

[mytime53]

Thanks everyone, I might rethink Columbia glacier and stay closer to the Cooper River for excursions.

We'll be going to Portage Glacier and taking the Kenai fjords 6hour tour(which Budget Queen recommended over Resurrection Bay tour Thanks) and Misty fjords tour, plus Glacier bay and Hubbard Glacier. I was trying to get a PWS tour in but we can't get into Whittier in time for the tours, Maybe on sail date we can find a charter to take us around for awhile. The 11 hours for Columbia Glacier was a concern from the Princess lodge.

 

I'm probably reading your posts incorrectly, but are you saying that you are on a cruisetour that takes you from Valdez to Whittier on a water taxi on the day you are embarking on your ship? And you want to take a tour out of Whittier? From ARRtrain's post, it appears that you could do the 26-glacier cruise, since you would be arriving in Whittier in the same boat that does the tour.

[ARRTrain]

It is possible to do the 26 Glacier Cruise after you get into Whittier. You could probably do the check in stuff inside the Terminal and then go back to the Klondike for the glacier trip. The Klondike docks right next the Cruise Terminal. You'll get good pics. of your ship as the Klondike passes right next to the ship.

[1billh@comcast.net]

Our cruisetour ends in Whittier at 1:00 from Valdez by water taxi. The PWS tours all start at 1:00, Or 1:30. If we are late, we just thru away our money plus we have to squeeze in lunch. Any one know a tour company that goes out around 3:00 for a couple of hours. Thanks everyone for the help

[Budget Queen]

Our cruisetour ends in Whittier at 1:00 from Valdez by water taxi. The PWS tours all start at 1:00, Or 1:30. If we are late, we just thru away our money plus we have to squeeze in lunch. Any one know a tour company that goes out around 3:00 for a couple of hours. Thanks everyone for the help

 

It is the SAME boat that takes you Valdez to Whittier, that then runs a Prince William Sound boat tour. It's up to you if you make a priority out of lunch or taking this tour. Food is available on these boat tours.

 

Contact them directly and inquire further details. Simple to do. As ARRTrain - who is the expert here, states they have the Princess ship contract. You should be able to get the information once they open for the season, probably in May.

[ARRTrain]

I don't know of any company with a late afternoon cruise out of Whittier. Going on the 26 Glacier Cruise is doable. I've seen the water taxi get in as early as 12:15pm and as late as 12:30pm. They pretty much run on schedule. The only forseeable problem would be: if the weather is bad with rough seas, the water taxi will cancel its run from Whittier and then you'll get a bus ride to Whittier. That is rare and maybe happens 1 or 2 times a summer and usually late in the summer, around late August and September

[1billh@comcast.net]

I don't know of any company with a late afternoon cruise out of Whittier. Going on the 26 Glacier Cruise is doable. I've seen the water taxi get in as early as 12:15pm and as late as 12:30pm. They pretty much run on schedule. The only forseeable problem would be: if the weather is bad with rough seas, the water taxi will cancel its run from Whittier and then you'll get a bus ride to Whittier. That is rare and maybe happens 1 or 2 times a summer and usually late in the summer, around late August and September

 

I called Princess to see if the land tour part of our cruise could book something for us and they said their responsibility is to get us to the ship. I'll call Klondike or e-mail to see if he can help, Don't know about our luggage, but if you say this is the same boat ,I'm sure he has run into this before. The company is Klondike express? Thank you for all your help

[mytime53]

The boat is the Klondike Express. http://www.26glaciers.com/

The company is Phillips Cruises and tours.

[ARRTrain]

You are on a cruisetour, so your luggage will taken to the ship by Princess. It goes in a truck rather than the water taxi. So you'll just have a small carry on with you, with your camera and any other items you'll need for the day. By the way, which Princess ship are you going on?

[Chenega]

My wife work for a rival company in Whittier and the Klondike Express is used to transport Princess passengers from Valdez to Whittier; once in she turns around for a regular Prince William Sound trip. In short, it's the same boat and company so you should have no problem.

[1billh@comcast.net]

You are on a cruisetour, so your luggage will taken to the ship by Princess. It goes in a truck rather than the water taxi. So you'll just have a small carry on with you, with your camera and any other items you'll need for the day. By the way, which Princess ship are you going on?

 

We are going on the Coral Princess, June 5th. You all have been so helpful. I would much rather do the 26 glacier than Columbia and know that I know its do able is great.

[ARRTrain]

The 26 Glacier Cruise is great. You get up into the Fjord and get close to the glaciers. A bonus for this trip is that Princess is no longer doing College Fjord on the Southbound trips, so you'll get there on the 26 Glacier Cruise and see all the glaciers.

[PennyAgain]

I think you will find that the Klondike Express people will be very helpful as that is how most Alaskans are. They will want you to have the best possible experience out of your time in Alaska.

 

When you are in Whittier and see how small it is, you will realize that you don't have a worry about distances from boat to ship and back to boat.

[1billh@comcast.net]

The 26 Glacier Cruise is great. You get up into the Fjord and get close to the glaciers. A bonus for this trip is that Princess is no longer doing College Fjord on the Southbound trips, so you'll get there on the 26 Glacier Cruise and see all the glaciers.

 

ARRTrain do you ever see the Klondike express come back late from the 26 Glacier cruise? It says it comes back at 6:30p.m. Princess says we need to be checked in by 7:00p.m.

[ARRTrain]

The Klondike usually comes back in between 6:15-6:30pm. The majority of the passengers on the Klondike leave on the 6:45pm train back to Anch.

[whale-watcher]

to answer your original question...the princess Columbia Glacier cruise (not the water taxi) was one of our best excursions ever. It was run by Stan Stephens, and we were blessed with perfect weather and cooperative wildlife (never a sure thing).

[Shoobee2]

Next to the photography tour in Juneau, this tour last year was one of the best ever! We had perfect weather and sailing near the glacier among all the ice chunks was awe inspiring. The ice changes colors and looks different with minor changes in light and movement and was a near-surreal experience. We also saw more wildlife than I have ever seen on an excursion-- everything from sea lions, bears on the shore, birds, whales... The highlight was watching a humpback whale breaching right off the side of the boat (maybe 40 feet away) for at least 5 minutes. Stan Stephens boat was clean and in excellent condition. Loved this excursion and I'm disappointed that the Princess 14-day itinerary doesn't include Valdez anymore. I'd go back to Alaska for this excursion alone.

[1billh@comcast.net]

Thanks everyone for the help. We have been in touch with Theresa from the 26 Glacier cruise and she has been great. Answered all our questions right away. We decided to go with That tour before boarding The Coral Princess. While at the Cooper River Lodge we will stay and see the sites around there. The 11 Hours was the major factor in us deciding not to go to the Columbia Glacier.

[Budget Queen]

While at the Cooper River Lodge we will stay and see the sites around there. The 11 Hours was the major factor in us deciding not to go to the Columbia Glacier.

 

You might want to rethink this. There are not any "sites" there. There may be a shuttle to Copper Center- you can see the whole "thing" in an hour, eating at the Roadhouse is excellent. The Columbia Glacier boat tour with Stan Stephen's is a big highlight. When I am in Valdez, I am always on this companies boats, every trip including my upcoming in June.

[mytime53]

Has anyone done the excursion from the Princess Cooper River lodge quote]

 

1billh: Not trying to be nitpicky, but just so you know. It's Copper River...there's a different Princess Lodge, hundreds of miles away, near Coopers Landing, over towards Seward, so it's helpful to keep the name straight;).