White Pass Railway excursion Question

[Libertarian]

We are interested in doing the White Pass railway,Summit,Saloon,and Salmon bake excursion.I was wondering what happens after we ride the train.Do we go directly to the motorcoach after we get to the top or can we we walk around and take pictures?

Thanks!

[Kamloops50]

We are interested in doing the White Pass railway,Summit,Saloon,and Salmon bake excursion.I was wondering what happens after we ride the train.Do we go directly to the motorcoach after we get to the top or can we we walk around and take pictures?

Thanks!

 

The White Pass Summit is run up to the Summit and return to Skagway.

You can't off the train at the summit because you have crossed the border into Canada (passport required). The train can drop you off in the center of town or back at the dock( your choice). Can't answer for the saloon or the Salmon Bake excursions. I presume that both will start at the dock.

[Libertarian]

I am sorry I guess I misread.I thought it mentions that you take a motorcoach back down after the Train ride?

[1025cruise]

I'm not familiar with that particular excursion, but if you get off and take a bus, you need a passport. The location you board the bus is right next to the Canadian border crossing. There really isn't much to see there.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We took a bus up and train down with Chilkoot tours. We liked taking both modes of transportation.

[Linda the Book Lover]

The Dh and I thought about taking the train and then visiting the Canadian side with a dogsled (of course on wheels since there will not be enough snow). Has anyone extended the train with the extra excursion?

[Kamloops50]

The Dh and I thought about taking the train and then visiting the Canadian side with a dogsled (of course on wheels since there will not be enough snow)." There is definitely no snow up there in the summer. Has anyone extended the train with the extra excursion?

 

I don't think that is an option you can do easily . Maybe if you take the Train/Bus tour with a private company it can be done.

Edited January 12, 2013 by Kamloops50

[bonvoyagie]

In this case the tour does go to Fraser BC where you board a bus to Liarsville for the salmon bake and then down to the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway. This will require a passport both to enter Canada and to re enter the US a few miles down the road. (see http://cruiseportinsider.com/skagwayexcursions.html)

 

The sled dogs are in Caribou Crossing, a tourist attraction near Carcross YT. To get to Carcross you can go by train, bus, or automobile either on your own or with Chillkoot Tours, Dyea Dave, Cruise ship tour, et al. Caribou Crossing is also a spot where most tours go for lunch.

 

Skagway is interesting but the Yukon is also neat to see as well.

 

As for sled dogs there are some tours out of Juneau that land on the glaciers and then do either hiking or sled dog tours on the snow/ice. There is also a camp run by the NPS in Denali. There are also heli tours out of Skagway that visit the same icefield - not sure if they also offer the sled dogs.

Edited January 12, 2013 by bonvoyagie

[Linda the Book Lover]

Thanks for the information about a possible train/dog excursion. I emailed dyradave which gave me the "wife of the month" :D award since the DH was not loving the train idea as much as I was. The Yukon was what we both wanted to see so now we can do that and more! Thanks for the great information.

[tommycha]

Hi Libertarian,

 

We have shared our experience of the White Pass and Yukon shore excursion on our blog.

 

You might want to read our reviews (we have split it into few parts)

 

http://discoverbooktravel.blogspot.com/2012/12/day-5-diamond-princess-alaska-cruise-skagway-yukon-white-pass-railway.html

 

http://discoverbooktravel.blogspot.com/2013/01/day-5-diamond-princess-alaska-cruise-caribou-crossing.html

 

http://discoverbooktravel.blogspot.com/2013/01/day-5-diamond-princess-alaska-cruise-Carcross-Lake-Bennett-White-Pass-Yukon-Rail.html

[Libertarian]

Thank you so much everyone!Thank you for all the reviews!

[antmoe565]

We actually did this exact tour in 2010. To be completely honest, it is my least favorite excursion out of 2 years of Alaska cruises. The train has school bus style seats which just aren't particularly comfortable after about an hour. In my opinion, the scenery is actually nowhere near as awesome as what you can see from the ship. You get off the train at the summit and have about 10 or 15 minutes to take pictures, however there really isn't that much to photograph. You are in a depot area with a huge parking lot with tour buses. There is a lake area off to one side. You then board a bus for the trip back down to Liarsville and the Salmon bake. They do put on a pretty cute show and you have dinner (just ok). You then reboard the bus to go to the saloon (which is actually a tour of an old brothel with some rather colorful commentary, which is something to consider if you are traveling with small children).

 

The following year we went for my childrens' graduations (high school & college) and decided to splurge on the Helicopter Glacier excursion. That one was absolutely phenomenal! Yes, it's pricey, but completely worth it. You spend a considerable amount of time on the glacier, but still have plenty of time for wandering around town afterwards.

[tommycha]

Carcross sled dogs ride and the beautiful Yukon scenery still stays on our minds..

 

We still miss our Alaska trip! :)

[Budget Queen]

To answer the OP questions- You have a few minutes off the train, then will transfer to your bus. You will remain in the immediate area. Since this sounds like a ship excursion- you will be on a tour bus, with fixed stops. You salmon bake is at Liarsville. It is a good meal, set up at a recreated gold camp. IF there happens to be a tour option with just these two parts- you do NOT need any "saloon" add on, which may have a significant up charge. The Red Onion Saloon- is best- not with a bus load group anyway. The brothel tour is cheap and continously offered.

[Budget Queen]

The Dh and I thought about taking the train and then visiting the Canadian side with a dogsled (of course on wheels since there will not be enough snow). Has anyone extended the train with the extra excursion?

 

With your "extended the train" you do realize that means the Lake Bennett run? Usually this tour does not allow enough time for a Caribou Crossing stop- the sled dog operator.

Verify what you are looking at- it very well may be a one way Fraser train.

 

There are some posters who do not know what to expect with Alaska sled dogs. They are darn ugly and far from those beautiful photos. :) The dogs are frequently discribed as "dirty", in trip reports. This complex- has some taxidermy that is well done, and an ok bar b que, that some tours offer for purchase/include.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Carcross sled dogs ride and the beautiful Yukon scenery still stays on our minds..

 

We still miss our Alaska trip! :)

 

I am looking forward to this part of the trip!

[Linda the Book Lover]

With your "extended the train" you do realize that means the Lake Bennett run? Usually this tour does not allow enough time for a Caribou Crossing stop- the sled dog operator.

Verify what you are looking at- it very well may be a one way Fraser train.

 

There are some posters who do not know what to expect with Alaska sled dogs. They are darn ugly and far from those beautiful photos. :) The dogs are frequently discribed as "dirty", in trip reports. This complex- has some taxidermy that is well done, and an ok bar b que, that some tours offer for purchase/include.

 

We ended up not going with the train n booked a private tour with someone recommended on CC. We have had great success doing this outside the US and decided it was the best way to go for us. DH was not excited about train but loved the idea of booking on our own. Thanks for the heads up about the dogs.:D

[wanderwithwandrey1]

Did you end up doing this excursion? We are booked on it for May and I was wondering your thoughts.

[Linda the Book Lover]

I was not sure which excursion you booked. We did book with dyradave for a tour without the train ride but visiting several other highlights of Alaska. We had our passports stamped and walked around at each stop. The dog sled ride was the best! My DH and I felt a little rushed at that stop since I was the only one booked to enjoy the ride and aside for the puppies and a small museum type room there is not much to do there. I would not book with dryerdave again for several reasons none which include the beautiful scenery and the chance to ride with the dogs.

[Novis]

We went last fall and booked our tour with Chilkoot Charters. We took a small mini-bus up to the Yukon -- had many opportunities to pull over for spectacular scenery and photos and, the guide provided us with a great history lesson on the Yukon gold rush. We also booked the dog cart ride and it was a lot of fun. The dogs were so excited to run! The bus driver/guide then dropped us off at the train and we were able to enjoy slightly different scenery on the way back to town.

[lovetochill]

Hello fellow Cruise Buffs,

We have booked the above tour and reading the forums some people are saying it's train one way and bus another, but we can find nothing on our details to say there is a bus in the tour. Could ours be a different tour, or just that Cruise Co haven't mentioned it. There is no food included on ours. :confused:

[Texasopa]

Celebrity has 8 or 9 excursions that involve The White Pass Railway. One you ride the train up and ride bicycles down. I don't think I want to be involved in that one.

[bonvoyagie]

Looking at the RCCL website I found SK01 White Pass Scenic Railway - this is simply the RT summit tour - considering the price is only 125 pp. You will board the train at the cruise ship dock and travel to the summit and back to the dock - it takes about 3hrs. I am sure that RCCL offers other train/bus combo tours. You can also do tours through places like Dyea Dave and Chilkoot Tours.

 

Note: most tours that have both train and bus enter Canada and require passports. The summit RT train ride does not as you do not get off the train while in Canada.

 

For other ideas of what to do in the ports check out www.cruiseportinsider.com