On your own train to Denali after cruise

[banderboo]

Is it possible to make the 8:15 a.m. train from Anchorage to Denali on the day of disembarkation? I'm looking at the Coral Princess on the May 21st sailing which has a disembarkation time of 6:15 a.m. but not having cruised on Princess before I'm not sure how their disembarkation works or what time we'll "really" be off the ship.

[Pam in CA]

With a 6:15am arrival, disembarkation will probably start at about 7am. A couple of days before the end of your cruise, you'll receive a disembarkation form to fill out. Your options are to request "self disembarkation" whereby you walk off the ship with all of your luggage and carry-ons. These are usually the first off the ship but you have to be able to handle everything yourself without any assistance. Your other option is to note your train time on the form and request being in one of the first groups. With the latter, you put out your luggage the night before and pick it up on the pier. Your best bet is self-disembarkation but not everyone can handle all of their stuff.

[Coral]

You are disembarking in Whittier and will need to get to Anchorage. The ship will dock at 2:30 or so AM.

 

There is a tunnel that I don't think opens until 5:30. You will need to arrange private transportation to get to Anchorage and expect the drive to take 60-75 minutes (assuming you have the timing correct on the tunnel as it is one way traffic). There is Avis Car rental but I doubt they open that early.

 

Also remember you will probably need to check in to the train station in Anchorage. When I did the train, we had to show up 30-45 minutes earlier than departure time if not sooner.

 

Why not spend a day in Anchorage or Whittier and take the next day's train?

 

They will start getting people off the ship at 6:15 but those people are going on Princess's Direct to Denali train (from Whittier) and other cruise tours.

[NavyVeteran]

The ship docks in Whittier - approximately 60 miles southeast of Anchorage. To get from Whittier to Anchorage, you need to go through the Whittier Tunnel, and the tunnel is only open one way at a time.

 

You may be able to get off the ship to catch an 8:15 am departure from Whittier, but I don't believe there is any way you would be in Anchorage by 8:15 am.

 

Generally, I have found Princess transfers are the best way to get between Whittier and Anchorage. Unless things have changed in the last few years, there are not a lot of other transportation options.

 

It looks like Coral was quicker in typing than me. Information about the tunnel, including its schedule is available at http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/index.shtml.

[AKman2495]

The simple answer is no. Even if you got off the ship at 6:30, got to the rental place and got a car, under ideal conditions and not driving like a maniac, you would not likely reach Anchorage until 7:45 am. When I say Anchorage, I mean south Anchorage. The train depot is on the north side. It would take you another 20 minutes to 1/2 an hour to get across town.

[Pam in CA]

Darn... I misread the OPs post and missed that they need to get to Anchorage. The only possibility would be via a Star Trek "transporter." Otherwise, you'll miss it by literally hours. You'll be lucky to make it to Anchorage by 10am. We chose to stay overnight in Anchorage rather than try to make a 11:30am flight.

[banderboo]

Thanks everyone, this is exactly what I needed. I certainly don't want to stress myself out trying to catch a train.

 

@NavyVetern, you mention a train from Whittier, do you have a link? I don't see anything on the Alaska Railroad website that lists a Whittier to Denali train.

[Coral]

Thanks everyone, this is exactly what I needed. I certainly don't want to stress myself out trying to catch a train.

 

@NavyVetern, you mention a train from Whittier, do you have a link? I don't see anything on the Alaska Railroad website that lists a Whittier to Denali train.

 

I believe the Whittier to Denali train is for Princess cruisers only booked on a Princess tour (private).

 

They do have "Alaska on your own" where you can take Princess trains and stay in their lodges but you are not involved in any other activity.

[ChiefBoats]

Is this anchorage to Denali a Princess land tour? If it is Princess will get you to the train.

 

__________________________________________

Previous Cruises

Alaska 2008 – Island Princess

Alaska 2009 – Island Princess

Alaska 2010 – Royal Princess

Alaska 2011 – Golden Princess

Alaska 2012 – Star Princess

Panama Canal 2012 – Coral Princess

Western Caribbean – Crown Princess

Alaska 2013 – Island Princess

 

Future Cruises

Western Caribbean 2013 – Caribbean Princess

Southern Caribbean 2014 – Royal Princess

[Coral]

Is this anchorage to Denali a Princess land tour? If it is Princess will get you to the train.

 

No - they are doing this on their own.

 

Princess will take their passengers from Whittier to Denali - part of their "Direct to Denali" program.

[NavyVeteran]

I believe the Whittier to Denali train is for Princess cruisers only booked on a Princess tour (private).

 

They do have "Alaska on your own" where you can take Princess trains and stay in their lodges but you are not involved in any other activity.

 

That is my understanding also. The train is not listed on the Alaska Railways website because it is a private train for Princess only.

[freetocruise]

One more item to consider. The last time we disembarked in Whittier, the ship did not have early walk off disembarkation. Everybody had to put their bags out the night before and basically left the ship when they wanted without the group numbers. This was made easy by the Princess cruise tour passengers leaving very early and they were a very large percentage of the cruisers, leaving those with independent plans an uncrowded disembarkation.

[Budget Queen]

The ONLY way to take the Princess train from Whittier is to be on one of their Cruisetours. The gangways are open around 6/7am and you just walk off the ship. Avis does not open until 8am with most of the time not being out of Whittier until the 9am tunnel.

[banderboo]

Thanks everyone. I found the Princess "on your own" tour and am researching how it works to make sure it fits into our plans. If not, we'll get a rental car and drive to Denali.

[Coral]

Thanks everyone. I found the Princess "on your own" tour and am researching how it works to make sure it fits into our plans. If not, we'll get a rental car and drive to Denali.

 

Or - spend the night in Anchorage.

[laughing husky]

I think it is better to drive to Anchorage, spend the night and drive to Denali on your own. The road to Anchorage, this summer, was voted one of the top 5 drives in the world....and it has lots of pull offs. There are Dall Sheep that live right by the highway and frequently you can pull over if you are in a car....can't do that if Princess is driving....:) Nor can you stop to see the Beluga Whales if you are there at the right time and the right tides....

[banderboo]

Well we decided to do our tour first and do the southbound cruise. We'll fly into Fairbanks and make our way down to Whittier.