Seward to Anchorage airport

[Yochell]

Hi everyone, I am on an Alaska cruise next month. We will be cruising College Fjord, Glacier Bay, and taking a floatplane to Taku Glacier lodge in Juneau. We will be doing the White Pass Rail Train trip in Skagway. My question is this: In your opinion, on the trip from Seward to the Anchorage airport, should we take:

 

a) the Portage Lake & Glacier cruise, (we will see other glaciers on the cruise)

b) the Train directly to the airport, (is this much different from the train in Skagway?)

c) the motorcoach directly to the airport, (gets us there 4 or 5hours early) or

d) the Ididaride Wilderness Sled dog ride? (Is this worthwhile?)

 

Our flight out of Anchorage is at 2:00, so all of these options get us there in time. I'm trying to make this cruise as memorable as possible - thanks for sharing your expertise and experiences to help me.

[AkSusan]

Hi everyone, I am on an Alaska cruise next month. We will be cruising College Fjord, Glacier Bay, and taking a floatplane to Taku Glacier lodge in Juneau. We will be doing the White Pass Rail Train trip in Skagway. My question is this: In your opinion, on the trip from Seward to the Anchorage airport, should we take:

 

a) the Portage Lake & Glacier cruise, (we will see other glaciers on the cruise)

b) the Train directly to the airport, (is this much different from the train in Skagway?)

c) the motorcoach directly to the airport, (gets us there 4 or 5hours early) or

d) the Ididaride Wilderness Sled dog ride? (Is this worthwhile?)

 

Our flight out of Anchorage is at 2:00, so all of these options get us there in time. I'm trying to make this cruise as memorable as possible - thanks for sharing your expertise and experiences to help me.

When you say your flight is out at 2, do you mean 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.? With it being full tourist season, it is strongly recommended that you get to the airport 2 hours ahead to get your bags checked and get through security.

 

It usually takes about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours to get from Seward to Anchorage and, heaven forbid if anything happens on the highway and it gets closed for a while.

 

So if it's 2 a.m. you'll be fine.

 

I haven't done the Ididaride Wilderness Sled dog ride but had cousins up that did it, and loved it.

 

I feel that the train ride from Seward to Anchorage is different than the White Pass. Totally different type of scenery and if I had a choice to take the bus or take the train, I'd do the train and I actually have done it versus driving myself to Seward to do a Kenai Fjords boat trip.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[SadieN]

We took the train from Seward to Anchorage.

The road and the rails pretty much follow the same path. At one point we saw the luggage truck and one bus transporting people.

The buses arrived before the train did.

[Yochell]

When you say your flight is out at 2, do you mean 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.? With it being full tourist season, it is strongly recommended that you get to the airport 2 hours ahead to get your bags checked and get through security.

 

It usually takes about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours to get from Seward to Anchorage and, heaven forbid if anything happens on the highway and it gets closed for a while.

 

So if it's 2 a.m. you'll be fine.

 

I haven't done the Ididaride Wilderness Sled dog ride but had cousins up that did it, and loved it.

 

I feel that the train ride from Seward to Anchorage is different than the White Pass. Totally different type of scenery and if I had a choice to take the bus or take the train, I'd do the train and I actually have done it versus driving myself to Seward to do a Kenai Fjords boat trip.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

 

Susan, our flight is at 2 pm, but hopefully time-wise, each will work. The description of both the Ididaride excursion and the motorcoach says they are for people with flights at noon or later; and both the train and the glacier excursion are for people with flights 2pm or later. I am currently booked for the glacier excursion, but since we will be seeing glaciers on the actual cruise, I am thinking of changing it to one of the others. Just don't know which one yet.

[Budget Queen]

We took the train from Seward to Anchorage.

The road and the rails pretty much follow the same path. .

 

Sorry you are wrong, there is about 40 miles++++ that isn't viewable from the Seward Highway. The scenery from the train is superior.

[AkSusan]

Susan, our flight is at 2 pm, but hopefully time-wise, each will work. The description of both the Ididaride excursion and the motorcoach says they are for people with flights at noon or later; and both the train and the glacier excursion are for people with flights 2pm or later. I am currently booked for the glacier excursion, but since we will be seeing glaciers on the actual cruise, I am thinking of changing it to one of the others. Just don't know which one yet.

Well let me tell you what's at the airport to kill time and then maybe this will help you decide if you want to do an excursion and then the ride to town.

 

The airport does have free wifi, so if you have a laptop, IPad, IPhone you could catch up with all the things you've been ignoring while you're on vacation :D

 

On the second floor at the beginning of C Concourse there is an animal and art exhibit. There used to be various exhibits through the different concourses (used to walk by the ducks every day when we were located there).

 

One of our great downtown restaurants, Humpy's, has a place out at the end of B Concourse now. You could enjoy some food and adult beverages.

 

We also have a new place called Norton Sound Seafood. I haven't eaten there yet but the bar area looks nice and one of the good local chefs here in town helped set up their menu. We also have a Chili's or McDonald's (you know sometimes you just need their french fries).

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[Budget Queen]

Hi everyone, I am on an Alaska cruise next month. We will be cruising College Fjord, Glacier Bay, and taking a floatplane to Taku Glacier lodge in Juneau. We will be doing the White Pass Rail Train trip in Skagway. My question is this: In your opinion, on the trip from Seward to the Anchorage airport, should we take:

 

a) the Portage Lake & Glacier cruise, (we will see other glaciers on the cruise)

b) the Train directly to the airport, (is this much different from the train in Skagway?)

c) the motorcoach directly to the airport, (gets us there 4 or 5hours early) or

d) the Ididaride Wilderness Sled dog ride? (Is this worthwhile?)

 

Our flight out of Anchorage is at 2:00, so all of these options get us there in time. I'm trying to make this cruise as memorable as possible - thanks for sharing your expertise and experiences to help me.

 

What is of the most interest to you?? Any would work, as you say. But, the train is totally different than the White Pass RR.