Alaska Cruisetour transfer

[hmtsai]

Anyone had experience with Princess transfer service?

 

I'm considering in one of Princess Alaska Cruisetour departing from Vancouver, with rail to Denali and Fairbanks after disembarking in Whittier. When I searched on Princess website, it included a mandatory transfer fee for $43 per person. Since I might want to arrive Vancouver one day earlier, is it possible to waive part of the fee that I can arrange my own pre-trasfer? Or does Princess offer alternative arrangement, like from hotel instead of airport to pier, for me if I have to pay the full amount?

 

Thanks for any input!

[gator582]

That is exactly the cruise we took, arriving a day early. When we were departing the airport, we stopped by a Princess representative that put us in a cab that took us to our hotel, which was across the street from the cruise building. We didn't have to pay the cab driver. We walked across the street the next morning to board the ship. Pretty simple.

[hmtsai]

That is exactly the cruise we took, arriving a day early. When we were departing the airport, we stopped by a Princess representative that put us in a cab that took us to our hotel, which was across the street from the cruise building. We didn't have to pay the cab driver. We walked across the street the next morning to board the ship. Pretty simple.

 

Thank you for your information. Did you book hotel through Princess? And which hotel did you stay?

[UPGrandma]

We fly in on a Sunday and have a Princess transfer to the hotel then to port on Wed when we sail.

[gator582]

Thank you for your information. Did you book hotel through Princess? And which hotel did you stay?

Stayed at Fairmont Waterfront. I made the reservations myself. Good luck.

 

This trip was on my bucket list and it was awesome!

[hmtsai]

We fly in on a Sunday and have a Princess transfer to the hotel then to port on Wed when we sail.

 

Thank you, UPGrandma. Which hotel did you stay? And did Princess charge for extra transfer?

[UPGrandma]

Thank you, UPGrandma. Which hotel did you stay? And did Princess charge for extra transfer?

 

We are staying in Aug this year at the Westin Bayshore (Princess hotel). They will transport from airport on Sun to Hotel then to Hotel on Wed. Yes there was a fee, but when I looked at the prices of hotels, cab fares DIY vs Princess + transfers there wasn't enough difference in price. Sometimes the "pampering" is worth it. Can't remember if you can get the transfers if not using a Princess hotel.

[marshmellow8619]

Hello I was wondering about this too, but more on the end of from the ship to land tour portion.

 

How easy was the transfer from the ship to the train and same thing for the hotel to train/bus? And about how long did the trips take and how easy/hassle was it to get off the train and go directly on an excursion?

 

Thanks! I'm going with my parents on the Coral Princess (first time to Alaska!) and doing the cruise and land tour and just wanting to know exactly how well to budget time and excursions.

[gator582]

Ii am answering assuming you are doing the northbound cruise and then the land tour.

 

The train is walking distance from the ship. Once you get off the train in Talkeetna, the rest of the tour is by bus. The bus will pick you up at your hotels to take you to next hotel or excursion. The train and bus rides were pretty long. Loved the train ride!

[admranger]

The train and bus rides were pretty long. Loved the train ride!

 

This is the quandary I'm in. I don't fit bus seats without quite a bit of discomfort (I'm tall, not wide). It appears that the only way to ride the train north is to then take busses south. I'm going to have to start searching for alternatives...:(

 

Great info on the hotels/transfers!

[caribill]

When I searched on Princess website, it included a mandatory transfer fee for $43 per person.

 

Are you sure this is mandatory?

 

Princess will often automatically add a transfer to a booking but it can be declined. If you booked directly, call Princess to have it removed. If you used as TA, call the TA.

[Hotdog 52]

We dropped the transfer from the airport in Fairbanks to the Princess Lodge. The shuttle was free. The hotel was only a mile from the hotel. Saved the transfer fee. You can also get credit for planned excursions that you don't want to take.

[BDHPlayer]

We cancelled the transfer in Vancouver at the start. Staying at the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel which is right at the cruise departure. Easy to take the Sky Train from the airport.

 

My question is the transfer form the hotel in Anchorage to the airport. How much is a taxi?