Alaska flights

[runner2013]

Hello all,

My sister just told me today she and her family are doing a land/cruise tour of Alaska this coming May. I'd like to join them for just the cruise portion of the trip but have no clue about the airports I'd be using. (I'm at work so I can't do too much web surfing right now :(

 

Here's the info I have right now:

Ship sails from Whittier AK and ends in Vancouver BC, Canada.

Has anyone done this trip in the past and can tell me which airports i'll be going to, leaving from?

Also I would like to go the day before the ship sails and would need to find some inexpensive lodging(is there such a thing in Alaska?) for 1 night.

I will be coming from Boston Ma-Logan airport, or I could do Manchester NH airport as well if it made things easier.

Any info is greatly appreciated. Since I'm usually a Caribbean girl this is all very foreign to me.

Thanks

Patty

[Kamloops50]

The airport in Alaska you want is Anchorage .Vancouver is Vancouver International or if you don't mind taking a bus to Seattle there is SeaTac.

As to hotels no answer. I usually find cruise line hotel and transfers to be reasonably priced.

[Gardyloo]

Whittier is accessed through Anchorage airport (ANC.) There are cruise transfers (bus, train) or rental car options for getting from Anchorage to Whittier - a scenic 2-hour process.

 

From Vancouver (YVR) you can fly to Boston with a connection someplace (e.g. Seattle, Chicago, Toronto) or you can take a bus/car/train to Seattle and fly nonstop from there. For one person, flying out of Vancouver is usually cheaper than the combination of surface travel from Vancouver to Seattle plus the SEA-BOS fare, especially because travel from the Pacific NW to the northeast usually requires a morning departure (due to time zone changes) in order to avoid an extra hotel night someplace.

[runner2013]

Thanks so much for the info.

 

Princess Cruise Line does have transfers from Anchorage to the pier for $55.00 per person.

I also found several different shuttle companies as well:

********************

The Magic Bus from the Museum of History

I also found two websites to check out Alaskatravel.com and Alaskarailroad.com

Hopefully with all that I can figure something out.

In Vancouver I'm reading there are 2 diff cruise ports. The Canada Place Terminal which is in the middle of everything and only about 9 miles from the airport which would be great for me as far as flying right home after the trip.

The other pier: Ballantyne Pier-it says its best to take a cab.

Does anyone know which pier Princess Cruise docks in?

Thanks

 

Off to do more searching.

[xlxo]

The airport in Alaska you want is Anchorage .Vancouver is Vancouver International or if you don't mind taking a bus to Seattle there is SeaTac.

As to hotels no answer. I usually find cruise line hotel and transfers to be reasonably priced.

 

From Boston... compare prices Seattle to Anchorage vs Vancouver to Anchorage for your interception flight. This might be an opportunity for you to check out Seattle.

 

 

When you get off the boat.... flying out from YVR may be simplier vs some savings departing from Seattle depending on your group size (need to factor in cruise terminal to Seattle transfer expenses plus the 3 to 6 hour additional time).

[Kamloops50]

Thanks so much for the info.

 

Princess Cruise Line does have transfers from Anchorage to the pier for $55.00 per person.

I also found several different shuttle companies as well:

********************

The Magic Bus from the Museum of History

I also found two websites to check out Alaskatravel.com and Alaskarailroad.com

Hopefully with all that I can figure something out.

In Vancouver I'm reading there are 2 diff cruise ports. The Canada Place Terminal which is in the middle of everything and only about 9 miles from the airport which would be great for me as far as flying right home after the trip.

The other pier: Ballantyne Pier-it says its best to take a cab.

Does anyone know which pier Princess Cruise docks in?

Thanks

 

Off to do more searching.

 

Ballantyne pier is currently not being used due to security issues. It's actually part of an industrial port .

Canada Place is the port of choice.

Try an book airfare to Anchorage via Seattle , San Francisco or LA. There is only one flight per day to Anchorage from Vancouver (very expensive). Try to book Alaska Airlines from Seattle . They have probably the most flights to Anchorage from Seattle. Cheaper too.

[lovetotraveltx]

Thanks so much for the info.

 

Princess Cruise Line does have transfers from Anchorage to the pier for $55.00 per person.

I also found several different shuttle companies as well:

********************

The Magic Bus from the Museum of History

I also found two websites to check out Alaskatravel.com and Alaskarailroad.com

Hopefully with all that I can figure something out.

In Vancouver I'm reading there are 2 diff cruise ports. The Canada Place Terminal which is in the middle of everything and only about 9 miles from the airport which would be great for me as far as flying right home after the trip.

The other pier: Ballantyne Pier-it says its best to take a cab.

Does anyone know which pier Princess Cruise docks in?

Thanks

 

Off to do more searching.

 

You can probably add on the 1-night pre cruise hotel and all your transfers right through princess so they will meet you take your luggage etc.

 

We added a night in anchorage at the Marriott downtown for $93 but did it awhile back.

[bonvoyagie]

Alaska Airlines also has 3 non stop flights between Boston Logan and Seattle. They get in early enough in the day (thanks to time zone changes) that you could catch a second flight to Anchorage the same day.

 

In fact they do sell this as a one stop flight between the two cities - leaves Boston at 7AM and arrives in Anchorage at 2PM (11hrs of flight time).

 

I would plan on spending the rest of the day and night in Anchorage and then taking the train to Whittier the next morning - or use the Princess transfers.

 

I would also suggest that you try to meet the rest of your party in Anchorage and travel to Whittier together.

[knbcruisers]

I would recommend booking your hotel in anchorage directly and then taking one of the non-Princess shuttles to Whittier. Last month I booked for $28 on an early booking special, just search "anchorage to whittier shuttle". There are several companies with better pricing than princess. Depending on how you book your air travel, you might be able to book the pre-cruise hotel then at a very good price. That is how I booked a downtown Vancouver hotel for $200, as it was an add-on offered by the on-line booking site (that really large online travel site that also owns tripadvisor.

 

If you can fly from Manchester definitely check prices/times for Southwest to Seattle.

[frugaltravel]

Ballantyne pier is currently not being used due to security issues. It's actually part of an industrial port .

Canada Place is the port of choice.

Try an book airfare to Anchorage via Seattle , San Francisco or LA. There is only one flight per day to Anchorage from Vancouver (very expensive). Try to book Alaska Airlines from Seattle . They have probably the most flights to Anchorage from Seattle. Cheaper too.

 

If it were *me* I would look more at price and connections than say "fly via Seattle" or "fly Alaska Air."

 

Lots of options via Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, etc. Get into Anchorage the day before and look at the price!

[Budget Queen]

May offers some very reasonable Anchorage hotel rates.

 

As only a suggestion, doing a southbound cruise in May, has limitations in Denali Park, add to the mix that Princess has too many cruise tours that include the worthless NHT. Many first timers just don't know important details that could affect the trip. Again, only an information idea.

 

I highly recommend you may want to consider doing a Prince William Sound boat tour out of Whittier. Especially since you aren't doing any mainland touring, this one is just superb for scenery. Easily add on with the Alaska RR transport Anchorage/Whittier.

Edited January 2, 2015 by Budget Queen