Anchorage to Seward by bus

[bigeck]

Has anyone done this.

http://sewardalaskabus.com/index.htm

The full day transfer looks better than the train for $140

[Ashland]

We have done the cruise contracted train Seward -ANC but our next cruise May 2014 we're considering this bus option when we leave Seward...the price is great and we can catch an earlier 1:25pm flight home day of cruise end...We will be a family of 6 so the savings ($42.00pp with a 10% discount) vs the train at $105.00pp made this an easy choice.

[bigeck]

We have done the cruise contracted train Seward -ANC but our next cruise May 2014 we're considering this bus option when we leave Seward...the price is great and we can catch an earlier 1:25pm flight home day of cruise end...We will be a family of 6 so the savings ($42.00pp with a 10% discount) vs the train at $105.00pp made this an easy choice.

 

Thanks,

I'm trying to budget for August 2015. Planning on doing Radiance from Seward and doing a B2B to Honolulu. As well doing it all, as from Scotland the flights will be costly. We will book when they come out in April.

We will probably get into ANC late at night, so might stay another night to get over the travelling then take the full tour down to the port. I would like to take a tour the day earlier and have a more time in Seward. I think that company only does port transfers on the day of the cruise.

Any advice is welcome/

[Ashland]

Thanks,

I'm trying to budget for August 2015. Planning on doing Radiance from Seward and doing a B2B to Honolulu. As well doing it all, as from Scotland the flights will be costly. We will book when they come out in April.

We will probably get into ANC late at night, so might stay another night to get over the travelling then take the full tour down to the port. I would like to take a tour the day earlier and have a more time in Seward. I think that company only does port transfers on the day of the cruise.

Any advice is welcome/

I believe you are correct about the cruise day tours...Sounds like you have an amazing trip planned...Enjoy !!!

[cruising twosome]

sewardbuslines@acsalaska.net

This is who we are working with for our June cruise. They travel on non cruise days too.

[bigeck]

sewardbuslines@acsalaska.net

This is who we are working with for our June cruise. They travel on non cruise days too.

 

Thanks for that.

I will try and arrange flights for the Tuesday so we have a day in Anchorage as well. I would rather go on the Thursday and have time in Seward. We wanted to go to Exit Glacier and maybe another tour before boarding Radiance.

Edited January 27, 2014 by bigeck

[Budget Queen]

determine, how you wish to spend your time, before you book transportation. I would also suggest you add all the time you can, as extra days in Seward are certainly worthwhile. Especially if you aren't getting to Denali, many people have the priority of seeing wildlife. Kenai Fjords is the jackpot for varied wildlife, which I never miss. :)

 

The Alaska RR is superior scenery compared to the Seward Highway. Either transit will be of interest, depending on the overall plans. I find it isn't always the "best" plan to just look at costs. My time is valuable and the "costs" are more about time for me. I do find many choices being made. Will have to figure out for yourself which way to go, but, looking at first hand reports would possibly give more information compared to "recommendations" and not having gone yet. Try Tripadvisor.

[dadroy]

You may want to look into renting a car. Hertz and others will do one way rentals for about $90 per day. This way you could plan your own stops and things you want to see. You would also have a car for sightseeing in Seward.

[Budget Queen]

You may want to look into renting a car. Hertz and others will do one way rentals for about $90 per day. This way you could plan your own stops and things you want to see. You would also have a car for sightseeing in Seward.

 

Not sure what you are "recommending" , but your rate isn't going to be for a one way rental, which means back tracking back to Anchorage for the rental return. Hardly a good choice with such limited time. You need to at least double the rate you are claiming. A one way rental is an excellent option however, to consider- with Hertz the ONLY vendor choice.

[Ashland]

We just booked our transportation with this company..We have done and loved the cruiseline train option when we need to fly home early afternoon day of cruise end...however this next trip May 30th we're going to need a quicker arrival time into ANC for our 1:25pm flight home..we'll have family members with us and a 17 month old infant so this just seems like an easier option for the 6 of us...also the train would have been $105.00pp (cruisetrain) and for the 6 of us with a discount with this company is $226.80...We would have had to take a later flight home if using the train..Hoping with the baby this works well for us...letting us get home by 10:00pm into Burbank...Really making adjustments for our grandsons first cruise/flight has made things a little more interesting for us.

[bigeck]

Not sure what you are "recommending" , but your rate isn't going to be for a one way rental, which means back tracking back to Anchorage for the rental return. Hardly a good choice with such limited time. You need to at least double the rate you are claiming. A one way rental is an excellent option however, to consider- with Hertz the ONLY vendor choice.

 

Thanks for the advice.

I did try and find a car hire firm in Seward but couldn't.

Up to now, we will fly into Anchorage late at night and stay in a hotel. Next day will try and book a tour somewhere and catch up with sleep and the 9 hour time difference.

Stay another night and get the bus down to Seward in the morning and book some tours and board the ship the following day.

Alaskatravel.com has some reasonably priced tours.

The evening cruise to Kenai and Exit Glacier looks good and maybe a trip to the sealife centre before we board the ship.

I am open to suggestions for Anchorage.

[bigeck]

We just booked our transportation with this company..We have done and loved the cruiseline train option when we need to fly home early afternoon day of cruise end...however this next trip May 30th we're going to need a quicker arrival time into ANC for our 1:25pm flight home..we'll have family members with us and a 17 month old infant so this just seems like an easier option for the 6 of us...also the train would have been $105.00pp (cruisetrain) and for the 6 of us with a discount with this company is $226.80...We would have had to take a later flight home if using the train..Hoping with the baby this works well for us...letting us get home by 10:00pm into Burbank...Really making adjustments for our grandsons first cruise/flight has made things a little more interesting for us.

 

Its financially a no brainer and you will have more room on the bus as I've read the train will be busy as most cruisers will take this option.

Great taking the infant. Could be diamond before he/she goes to school.

Wish I had cruised when my kids were little.

[Ashland]

Its financially a no brainer and you will have more room on the bus as I've read the train will be busy as most cruisers will take this option.

Great taking the infant. Could be diamond before he/she goes to school.

Wish I had cruised when my kids were little.

Yes..since we've taken the cruise train before when it's just been the two of us we know how crowded and limited the space is with really no room for carryons but under your seat...and those tiny tables between four people facing each other :eek:.

 

Yes our grandson will be D level C&A after this (his first) cruise...lucky little guy....and all our adult children are already D some almost D+...Thanks mom & dad..but we can thank the kids too..some of our most memorable times have been traveling/cruising with them :)

[subtchr]

Stay another night and get the bus down to Seward in the morning and book some tours and board the ship the following day.

Alaskatravel.com has some reasonably priced tours.

The evening cruise to Kenai and Exit Glacier looks good and maybe a trip to the sealife centre before we board the ship.

I am open to suggestions for Anchorage.

 

We had a similar schedule before our Radiance southbound cruise last June. We arrived in Anchorage around lunch time, spent that afternoon and evening touring around the city using a rental car, then did day trip the next day up to Matanuska Glacier with stops along the way. The following morning we took the train to Seward, then visited Exit Glacier (loved it!) and the Sea Life Center that afternoon. The next morning we took a Kenai Fjords wildlife cruise (amazing!) before boarding the Radiance about 3:00.

 

You really don't need any "tours" in Seward -- it's easy to get around (free shuttle around town, mostly walkable anyway).

 

I have lots of photos and info in my blog, if you are interested: Summer Solstice in the Last Frontier

[bigeck]

We had a similar schedule before our Radiance southbound cruise last June. We arrived in Anchorage around lunch time, spent that afternoon and evening touring around the city using a rental car, then did day trip the next day up to Matanuska Glacier with stops along the way. The following morning we took the train to Seward, then visited Exit Glacier (loved it!) and the Sea Life Center that afternoon. The next morning we took a Kenai Fjords wildlife cruise (amazing!) before boarding the Radiance about 3:00.

 

You really don't need any "tours" in Seward -- it's easy to get around (free shuttle around town, mostly walkable anyway).

 

I have lots of photos and info in my blog, if you are interested: Summer Solstice in the Last Frontier

 

Up to now, I'm thinking the Portage Glacier tour with Greyline in Anchorage and doing Exit and the Sealife Centre in Seward.

Whats the best way to do Exit Glacier??

I have looked at a night time dinner cruise through Alaska tours to Kenai.

 

Nice pics by the way..

[katrina915]

We had a similar schedule before our Radiance southbound cruise last June. We arrived in Anchorage around lunch time, spent that afternoon and evening touring around the city using a rental car, then did day trip the next day up to Matanuska Glacier with stops along the way. The following morning we took the train to Seward, then visited Exit Glacier (loved it!) and the Sea Life Center that afternoon. The next morning we took a Kenai Fjords wildlife cruise (amazing!) before boarding the Radiance about 3:00.

 

You really don't need any "tours" in Seward -- it's easy to get around (free shuttle around town, mostly walkable anyway).

 

I have lots of photos and info in my blog, if you are interested: Summer Solstice in the Last Frontier

 

Thanks for posting- your blog was great! I typically don't read CC trip reports since they are usually too long and get bogged down in details about things I really don't care about like pics of food and # of formal nights. The blog was very concise. Going on Radiance in July and info on Exit glacier and everything else is very helpful.:)

[bigeck]

We had a similar schedule before our Radiance southbound cruise last June. We arrived in Anchorage around lunch time, spent that afternoon and evening touring around the city using a rental car, then did day trip the next day up to Matanuska Glacier with stops along the way. The following morning we took the train to Seward, then visited Exit Glacier (loved it!) and the Sea Life Center that afternoon. The next morning we took a Kenai Fjords wildlife cruise (amazing!) before boarding the Radiance about 3:00.

 

You really don't need any "tours" in Seward -- it's easy to get around (free shuttle around town, mostly walkable anyway).

 

I have lots of photos and info in my blog, if you are interested: Summer Solstice in the Last Frontier

 

Just finished reading it as well. Looks like you had a great time.

We aren't going until 2015 but will have to book in April this year. Also going to stay on-board to Honolulu

Thanks for all the info and links. Very helpfull

[bigeck]

I think we will have to rethink our plans. I was unaware of the Jones Act where we have to change ships before we go on to Honolulu.

Now new will probably do the Seattle itinerary and change ships at Vancouver.

We will come back to Alaska and do the Southbound as planned the following year. This might be a better idea as we can have more time in Alaska and a few nights in Vancouver.

There is some strange old maritime rules