Whittier to Anchorage

[lhook]

We booked a 10:10 am flight out of Anchorage. We did not realize you had to go through the tunnel from Whittier. Alaska cruise transportation said we could take the 7am tunnel and be fine, but will the Princess Crown let us off? It is a private transfer to we do not have to wait for others from the ship. Any thoughts appreciated :).

 

Thanks so much!

[caribill]

We booked a 10:10 am flight out of Anchorage. We did not realize you had to go through the tunnel from Whittier. Alaska cruise transportation said we could take the 7am tunnel and be fine, but will the Princess Crown let us off? It is a private transfer to we do not have to wait for others from the ship. Any thoughts appreciated :).

 

 

What time is the ship scheduled to arrive?

[Plant]

I'd say that there's no way you could make that flight! You'd need to be at the airport in Anchorage at 8:10 AM, to be there 2 hours before your flight. You possibly won't even be off the ship by then! From what I can find it's 65 miles from Whittier to Anchorage.

 

If it's the least expensive flight out of Anchorage that day, you probably can't make it.

 

JMHO,

[Plant]

What time is the ship scheduled to arrive?

 

On the cruise I looked at (maybe not the OP's cruise) the ship arrives in Whittier at 12:30 AM, but I don't think anyone will be let off until the ship is cleared at a reasonable hour.

[epixx]

See this:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/travel_transportation_faq/flight_guideline_ports/anchorage_flight_guidelines.html

 

In summary, it says this:

 

Disembarking Passengers

For voyages arriving in Whittier at 12:30 am, the earliest flight departure from Anchorage is 11:00 am, however 1:00 pm is the recommended earliest flight departure. For passengers on the Scenic Rail transfer, the earliest flight departure from Anchorage is 1:00 pm.

For voyages arriving in Whittier at 5:00 am or 7:00 am, the earliest flight departure from Anchorage is 1:30 pm

[caribill]

 

Disembarking Passengers

For voyages arriving in Whittier at 12:30 am, the earliest flight departure from Anchorage is 11:00 am, however 1:00 pm is the recommended earliest flight departure. For passengers on the Scenic Rail transfer, the earliest flight departure from Anchorage is 1:00 pm.

For voyages arriving in Whittier at 5:00 am or 7:00 am, the earliest flight departure from Anchorage is 1:30 pm

 

Of course these are not based on private transportation at the dock in time to be at the tunnel at 7 AM.

 

The real questions are

o What time is the ship scheduled to dock in Whittier?

o What time would the OP be allowed to disembark carrying own luggage?

 

If the ship is scheduled to arrive before 6 AM, then the OP needs to really find out from Princess when disembarkation can be done. No immigration or customs is involved.

[CruisingCoral]

The Crown Princess will arrive in Whittier around midnight. They won't let passengers off until 7ish. I would give Princess a call and see if you can disembark the ship earlier. I've heard people are able to leave earlier sometimes if they have an early flight. Hope it all works out okay!

 

 

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[lhook]

thanks for all your replies. The ship does get in at 12:30 am, and we are going to try to get off the ship (walk off with our luggage). The private transport co. said they will be there at 6:45 and we will turn around and do the 7am tunnel. Praying it works out, as the flights were already booked :). He said they have done it before and it has worked.

[cruisequeen4ever]

It's important to abide by the flight guidelines Princess issues; they know what they're doing. The ship docks just after midnight, but disembarkation doesn't start until early morning. I live here, and yes you may make the tunnel at 7. Without traffic, road construction, or accidents (all fairly common on this highway), you'd get to Anchorage at about 8:30. That puts you at the airport 1.5 hours early, which may work, but it's a risk. I can give you an example of my own. A friend drove us to Whittier for our cruise; the drive was smooth without any hitches. After dropping us off, she expected a smooth drive back and had plans that afternoon. Unfortunately there was an accident that shut the highway down for a while, and she was stuck. That accident also caused everyone trying to get to the ship to be delayed. Again, everything may go perfectly, and you make your flight. I don't advise taking the risk, though. Do you really wanna spend your time on one of the most scenic drives in the country stressed, hoping to make your flight?!

 

 

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[englishbird]

I have done that journey from Anchorage to Whittier.

 

I would think that you will struggle to make that time flight. Even if you can be at the tunnel for 7am, it doesn't mean that you will go straight into the tunnel at that time.

 

We had quite a wait at the tunnel when we did that trip.

 

:D

[AKman2495]

Yeah, there is no way you'll make it. If you get off the ship right at 7, you will still have to go through customs and get your bags and move to transportation. By the time you get out of there the opening period will most likely be closed. Then, its 1/2 hour to wait. It takes about 10-15 minuted just to drive through the tunnel, depending on traffic. Then, it is about one hour to get to Anchorage itself and another 15 minutes to get to the airport.

 

Not much of a chance to make it.

[caribill]

Yeah, there is no way you'll make it. If you get off the ship right at 7, you will still have to go through customs and get your bags and move to transportation. By the time you get out of there the opening period will most likely be closed. Then, its 1/2 hour to wait. It takes about 10-15 minuted just to drive through the tunnel, depending on traffic. Then, it is about one hour to get to Anchorage itself and another 15 minutes to get to the airport.

 

 

No customs (or immigration) on an Alaskan cruise when you depart in Whittier. You have been in the USA since you boarded the ship in Vancouver.

 

OP will carry off luggage, so no time wasted to get the bags.

 

Still, may or may not make the flight. Princess suggests flights only 50 minutes after the OP's flight. I wonder what time Princess buses go through the tunnel.

 

Also wonder if OP would be allowed to disembark to make an earlier tunnel time than 7 AM.

Edited June 22, 2014 by caribill

[reney313]

On our cruise 2 years ago that ended in Whittier, we saw many people leaving before 7:00am. I'm not sure if that is normal or not. We got off the ship about 8:00am. Because there is no customs (you clear customs boarding the ship in Vancouver), it's a 2 minute walk off, find your luggage and out the door. I think there is a decent chance to make the flight if you make the 7am tunnel and no unexpected delays on the high way.

 

I personally would be stressed but if the price is right and my home arrival time is flexible, I might try it. I would just have a plan B in case you miss your flight and they can't get you on another until late in the day. I've found the airlines (at least AA, United, Delta) are pretty good with getting you stand by or booked on another flight that day without charge, but it might be quite a long route home from Alaska.

[alaskagirl2010]

The only outbound tunnel earlier than 7 am is 6 am. The tunnel opens inbound at 5:30 am.

 

The OP could try it as they have it planned, if something unforeseen occurs they could use a smartphone, assuming they have one, to reschedule the flight. There is a only a few places on the drive back with poor cellular reception.

[cdngrl]

Do you really wanna spend your time on one of the most scenic drives in the country stressed, hoping to make your flight?!

 

I would spend the whole cruise stressed that I wouldn't make my flight!

if you're a live life on the edge, risk-taking kind of person and won't worry about perhaps having to reschedule...I cannot relate at all! even you thinking of doing this stresses me! I look forward to seeing what you end up doing and how it works out.

[Pam in CA]

I agree. I sure wouldn't want to end my cruise this way. Just because you have private transportation doesn't mean you'll be able to zip into the tunnel. Cars, buses and trucks line up waiting for the tunnel and enter it in order which means that you'll be in traffic through the tunnel and on the road.

 

I wish you a lot of luck as I suspect you're going to need it.

[Chenega]

You are cutting it way too close. Not only are road conditions an issue but things do happen in the Whittier tunnel http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/troopers-at-least-1-arrested-in-whittier-tunnel-incident/26612790

[Budget Queen]

Princess should let you off the ship early. Of course you made a big mistake with this booking, so be certain to VERIFY what your ticket restrictions are and what you need to do to comply. Especially if it's a cheap nonrefundable ticket. There may be rebooking fees/ penalties involved. Don't even think, it will be a simple matter of you getting on the "next flight". You may have to notify in advance you aren't making a flight etc. Find out what the schedules are and be prepared for an extended stay.

 

Good luck.

[AKStafford]

Bottom line: you said your reservations are already made. So all you can do now is hope for the best.

Get off the ship as early as possible and be ready to move quickly. As you approach the airport, have your flight info & ID's handy so you can check in quickly. Have all items already out of your pockets so you can move quickly through security.

You could also look at getting TSA Pre-checked approved. That should get you through security faster. http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck

And finally, just in case you don't make it, have some back up plans in mind. Find out from your airlines what the options will be if you miss your flight.

[peety3]

We booked a 10:10 am flight out of Anchorage. We did not realize you had to go through the tunnel from Whittier. Alaska cruise transportation said we could take the 7am tunnel and be fine, but will the Princess Crown let us off? It is a private transfer to we do not have to wait for others from the ship.

Well, the sad reality is you DO have to wait for others from the ship - there are only X gangways in operation, and the schedule is built around a reasonable distribution of people.

 

There's a reason that the disembarkation schedule is carefully created with various departures staggered at 5 (maybe 10) minute intervals: they're getting EVERYONE off the ship. MANY of those people are going to have to disembark at (scheduled) times, only to have to wait aboard their transfer either in the lot or in the tunnel queues.

 

There's also the reality that the transfer either arrives at 5:45 (after the 5:30am Bear Valley to Whittier run), 6:45 (after the 6:30am Bear Valley to Whittier run), 7:45 (you get the drift), etc. If they don't make the 6:30am run to meet you at 6:45, you're SOL.

 

My typical advice at a time like this? Buy a refundable fare (to your final destination, or whatever point you're comfortable getting stranded further) on the next later flight, with the intention of getting it refunded after you make your flight, but the possibility of using it if you need it. If that's too expensive for you and your party, your 10:10am gamble is exactly that: a gamble.