Luggage Question for Denali

[nohuri]

We booked a Triple Denali Cruise.

We fly into Anchorage and spend the night there, then onto Denali for 3 day.

The question is does your luggage stay with you or goes to the ship. What I need to know if I need another bag for Denali.

THahks

[Traveling Dot]

We booked a Triple Denali Cruise.

We fly into Anchorage and spend the night there, then onto Denali for 3 day.

The question is does your luggage stay with you or goes to the ship. What I need to know if I need another bag for Denali.

THahks

 

When we did our Alaska cruise we were given luggage tags that said "Stay with me" or "send to ship" or something like that. We had 1 piece that I packed just with the things we would need on land and the other went to the ship with the clothes we would need on the ship. Hope that helps you.

[rockdoctor]

If you have 1 bag, it can go to Denali with you. What you take on the train is more of a concern. That space is severely limited. A roll along is too big, a backpack works well. The only space you have is under your seat.

[Kamloops50]

We booked a Triple Denali Cruise.

We fly into Anchorage and spend the night there, then onto Denali for 3 day.

The question is does your luggage stay with you or goes to the ship. What I need to know if I need another bag for Denali.

THahks

 

You'll be asked to have a day bag while your on the land portion. The bulk of your bags will be delivered to you on board the ship.

[oma&opa]

Who will ask, and when will we be asked, to have a "day bag" apart from the rest of our luggage? With airline luggage fees and restrictions, etc, I sure would like to have some reasonable and cost-conscious advice about how to pack!

(edit) With 6-ish days and nights between Fairbanks and the ship, do we really have to do that with just a day bag? I assume that means a small bag that fits under the seat of the train ??? For a week, with the changeable weather !!??

Edited August 21, 2015 by oma&opa
additional question

[Kamloops50]

Who will ask, and when will we be asked, to have a "day bag" apart from the rest of our luggage? With airline luggage fees and restrictions, etc, I sure would like to have some reasonable and cost-conscious advice about how to pack!

(edit) With 6-ish days and nights between Fairbanks and the ship, do we really have to do that with just a day bag? I assume that means a small bag that fits under the seat of the train ??? For a week, with the changeable weather !!??

 

As previously answered . You need a small bag for the land portion. You could carry a small bag as a carryon the plane for your Denali bag.

[oma&opa]

Sorry, I don't want to seem dense, but....I'm not understanding this. We will arrive in Fairbanks, spend an overnight, then travel to Denali for 3 days, then another 2 days/1night travel to Anchorage. And we can do that, with Layers for changeable weather, wet weather clothes, hiking gear, cameras, etc. in a carry-on? Which have just been reduced in allowable size. I sure would like to hear from someone about what to pack for these Alaska land days. The sea days are easy -- and I'll be in a place with a controlled indoor climate and laundry facilities. But I admit I'm baffled about the 6 day, day-bag. Please help.

[Browser495]

We just did triple Denali! Had a great time. Luggage was not a problem. You decide if you want your bag(s) to go with you or sent to the ship. My husband and I each had one large suitcase and one overnight bag. We elected to have our bags join us each night. These are the "join me tonight tags". HAL's logistics are amazing. Our tour group was 40 people. No luggage was ever lost, and often it was in our room even before we arrived (they ship/truck) it separately. If you have a bag you don't need every night, you can have it routed directly to the dock "join me on board" and they truck it to the port and store it for you.

 

We were advised to pack in our overnight bags (eg a back pack or gym bag type of thing) medications and anything that you might need that night just in case your luggage was late or lost - but as mentioned that didn't happen. Better safe than sorry though!

 

We started in Whitehorse and the luggage was sent to our hotel each night until we cleared customs in the U.S. (Fairbanks), then we could elect to have the luggage join us in the next hotel (McKinley Chalet) or sent to the cruise port. It was a fabulous trip....domed rail car was fun. We saw Denali's peaks every day.

Our only worry was that our e-docs said we'd have a weight restriction on our Dawson City to Fairbanks flight, but in our case that wasn't even a problem, as there were only 40 of us plus the tour host and flight crew on the 737.

HAL really did a great job moving multiple tour groups across all venues.

Edited August 21, 2015 by Browser495

[dakrewser]

Essentially you can carry with you on the train is what you carry-on to the plane (a carry-on bag, "personal item", medical supplies, etc.). Checked bags would go to the ship.

 

The limiting factor is the train.

 

For example, we cruised to Anchorage, got on a plane to Dead Horse, then boarded a bus back to Fairbanks. Took all our luggage with us. From Fairbanks to Denali to Anchorage - just the carry-on stuff (as noted above). Rest of luggage went on a truck and we picked it up in Anchorage.

[oaktreerb]

Ok, Here's how we do it. For two people we have two 20-21" airline size overhead carry on bags and two smaller bags like camera bag, backpack size. The smaller bags have camera, binoculars, meds, jewelry, cosmetics and/or food, change of shoes, rain jacket and pants. These go under the seat in the airplane, and on the train and/or bus. The two other bags will go in the overhead on the plane and will be handled by HAL personnel on the tour and you will find them in your room when you arrive at each location.

 

We also take one bag with ship clothing/items. Formal night, ship board clothes , warm clothes for Glacier Bay are in this bag which we share and do not intend to open until we get to the ship. That bag may go with you or may not depending on your itinerary. It's easier if it goes to the ship but if you are doing the Yukon and starting in the Yukon it goes with you since you have to carry it through Canadian customs. If you are not going into Canada on your tour you can probably designate it for the ship and not deal with it until you get to the ship.

 

If you want to each take only one bag and a smaller backpack size bag and you can get all your stuff in them, that's great. We always take that 1 extra bag that we share for the ship.

 

I hope this helps. I know how confusing the instructions can be but the HAL reps have dealt with this for years and somehow manage to take care of everybody, suitcases big and small! It is to your advantage to plan for two different types of experience by organizing your packing for land and sea!

[feathersandnananose]

Another take: with my husband, we had two good-sized suitcases (26"?) and two backpacks. We re-arranged the suitcases so one (with his suit, my dressy stuff, etc. dressy shoes) went to the ship and the other went with us (meaning it was picked up early in the morning and delivered to our room at the next destination). The backpacks went with us on the bus/train.

 

With my sisters (3 of us), we had a suitcase each and a backpack each. We put our dressy stuff in one suitcase to be sent to the ship, and the other two suitcases traveled to each of our destinations. We carried our backpacks on to the bus/train.

 

However, not to worry. If you want to take ALL of your luggage with you everywhere, you can. It's YOUR choice. But it will be carried separately from you (you put it out early in the morning when you're traveling) and you will be limited to something back-pack sized (can go under a seat) on the train.

 

It's absolutely AMAZING to appreciate the scope of the operation - multiple tours going in multiple directions, luggage going EVERYWHERE. And it all gets to where it needs to go! The organization is astounding.

[Traveling Dot]

As I had said earlier if you have two bags (you and your DH) I would pack one with just what you need for the land portion of your trip and one with what you would need on the ship. One will go with you every night and the other will be sent directly to the ship. Then you also have your day bag with medications, jewelry, camera, etc. that you take on the train with you (same as on an airplane).

 

The bag you will use only for the ship is sent directly to the ship by truck, the one you will use every night will be sent to the hotel each day by truck and you will get it will there waiting for you at the hotel.

 

You can just take everything with you each night to the hotel but wouldn't it be easier to just have the clothes you need and not have to keep repacking more than you need.

 

On our Alaskan trip we packed jeans, t-shirts, wet weather wear, sweatshirts, and extra shoes/sneakers. You never know what the weather will be so I packed to be prepared for anything (wet/dry warm/cold). You will need warm clothes for the fjord portion of the cruise. If you look on line I believe you will find what to pack for Alaska in the "Know before you go" portion of your e-docs. Also people didn't dress up that much for any part of the cruise or land portion of the trip. On the land portion you don't need to change to dress for dinner just wear whatever you wear during the day.

 

Hope this is helpful. :)

[agabbymama]

Each tour can be totally different. We left the ship in Skagway for 8 day land trip. My husband and I each had a 29" suitcase with a 19" matching carry-on. Our big bags were set outside the door of our cabin on our last night aboard ship. On the ship we had been given a small HAL canvas tote bag. We took the tote bag & carry-on with us when we departed the ship. We had the option of checking bags at the Westmark in Skagway to allow sightseeing without lugging baggage.

 

We were told by our tour director to meet at the train station enmasse to board our own car on the White Pass Yukon Railroad. When we arrived in Fraser, our coach was waiting for us. We visited Carcross, Emerald Lake, Carcross Desert, etc. ending up in Whitehorse at the Westmark at about 6:00 pm. Our luggage was in the undercarriage of the coach and was unloaded while we were at dinner. When we pulled into the hotels each night, our tour director would go inside and get everyone's keys, come back out to the coach and tell us what time to have our luggage out the next morning and what time to meet the coach. Then as we departed the coach, we were handed our keys to our rooms.

 

We traveled to Dawson City (2 nights there), on to Eagle Alaska, Chicken & Tok Alaska before arriving in Fairbanks. Each night the process was the same, with our luggage always in the undercarriage of our coach. In Fairbanks, our key envelope had additional instructions regarding luggage. There was a tag that said "Meet me in Anchorage" and another tag "Meet me tonight at hotel in Denali". A lot of talking on the coach with the tour director and others that had been before let us know space was very limited on the train, so they would rather you NOT take large hunking suitcases. Again we were told what time to have your suitcases outside your door, and what time to meet the coach to go to the train.

 

We got to the train station, got our assigned seating, and was told to put your carry-on in a certain area, they would be loaded under the train in a very small luggage compartment. The small HAL tote bag went with us on the train but had to sit on the floor, there was no overhead compartment. And the seats are not off the floor like airplane seats, so they were constantly being kicked by yourself or your seat mate. When they say space is limited, they mean really limited.

 

We did see others with larger suitcases that were staying longer than 1 night in Denali, so they do allow suitcases in some cases.

 

I worried about our large suitcases, but they were in our room when we ended the tour in Anchorage at the Hilton.

 

As others have stated, HAL runs a huge organization, keeping everyone's luggage going where it's supposed to go, as well as the traveler's going where they are supposed to go. The coach drivers have walkie talkies and keep in constant touch with other drivers and home base, so they can and do make changes to itinerary and stops along the way as you go. We had two tour coaches traveling in tandem, so 80 people descended on a stop when we arrived. It was sometimes hectic and crowded, but it managed to go pretty smoothly most of the time.

 

I understand they no longer do the coaches to the Yukon, but fly folks to Dawson City now. Try not to worry too much, trust your tour director. Ask if you have questions and if you have problems the TD will take care of them promptly. Have a great trip!

[Browser495]

Agree....good advice on relying on the tour director. Our tour director was amazing! She explained everything to us and we found her guidance was clearer and more comprehensive than of the written documents we got before we started our journey. We couldn't have had a better tour director, she made it so easy for us, although we know she did considerable work for our group in the background.

[JPH814]

You'll be asked to have a day bag while your on the land portion. The bulk of your bags will be delivered to you on board the ship.

 

 

This is not what we just experienced on our double Denali trip

 

You can if you want take all the luggage with you to Denali. Or you can only take a carryon bag. Or anything between.

 

We had three large suitcases and two smaller bags that could be carried on a plane. When we were at the hotel in anchorage we received a packet when we checked in. In it were tags that said "to the ship" and other tags that said "stay with you".

 

We sent two of our three large bags to the ship and one carryon to the ship. We put the HAL luggage tags on the bags along with the "to the ship" tags. These bags went right to seward and we did not see them in denali. They were delivered directly to our state room.

 

We put the "stay with you" tags on the remaining large bag and the carryons. This is because even a bag that you can carry on a plane is too big for the train. These bags were delivered to our room in denali

 

We did take two smaller items on the train. Think in terms of the size of a small packpack, a beach bag or a small gym bag.

 

When it was time to leave denali, we put the one large bag and the one carryon bag outside our door and they took them to your ship. Remember to keep enough HAL luggage tags with you to put on these bags

 

We also took our small bags with us on the bus.

 

It is worth giving some thought in advance what you will want to have in denali and what will not need until you board the ship in seward.

[serendipity1499]

We booked a Triple Denali Cruise.

We fly into Anchorage and spend the night there, then onto Denali for 3 day.

The question is does your luggage stay with you or goes to the ship. What I need to know if I need another bag for Denali.

THahks

 

Who will ask, and when will we be asked, to have a "day bag" apart from the rest of our luggage? With airline luggage fees and restrictions, etc, I sure would like to have some reasonable and cost-conscious advice about how to pack!

(edit) With 6-ish days and nights between Fairbanks and the ship, do we really have to do that with just a day bag? I assume that means a small bag that fits under the seat of the train ??? For a week, with the changeable weather !!??

 

We flew to Anchorage with all our luggage & packed one rollaway 26 inch just for our land tour for both of us..We were on a HAL land tour..We left most of our luggage in Anchorage at the hotel & only took the 26 inch bag & two carry-ons..

 

When we took the train from Denali, they put our 26 inch bag in the luggage compartment of the bus which took us to the train..When we got back to anchorage our bus was waiting for us with our luggage to go to the hotel.. Stayed overnight & then all of our luggage that was at the hotel went with us to the ship on an extra luggage carrier with our bus..

[ann1bell]

My husband and I each had a 25 inch bag and carry on for both the land and cruise portions. We decided to keep everything with us. When boarding the train in Anchorage our bags were trucked to the Denali hotel. You will need your meds, etc with you on the train and can take a small bag for that.

 

The bad news on our cruise was that the 35 couples who gave HAL their meet me on the ship bags got to the ship and none of the bags made it. Hal had the bags for 4 days or so and lost them. We boarded the ship on Sunday and did not have a port stop until Wednesday. Needless to say these people were very upset.

 

We were so happy that we did not send any bags directly to the ship. I am sure this does not happen often but it did on our trip.

[rockdoctor]

Sorry, I don't want to seem dense, but....I'm not understanding this. We will arrive in Fairbanks, spend an overnight, then travel to Denali for 3 days, then another 2 days/1night travel to Anchorage. And we can do that, with Layers for changeable weather, wet weather clothes, hiking gear, cameras, etc. in a carry-on? Which have just been reduced in allowable size. I sure would like to hear from someone about what to pack for these Alaska land days. The sea days are easy -- and I'll be in a place with a controlled indoor climate and laundry facilities. But I admit I'm baffled about the 6 day, day-bag. Please help.

 

Your "travel with me bag" with your clothes, will travel by truck from lodge to lodge. This is your full size suitcase. Your immediate needs go in a "day bag" which goes on the bus or train with you. We carry 2 back packs for this. Depending on where we're going, we may carry rain pants, a big telephoto lens, or extra batteries etc. You will have all your bags every night at the lodge. If we only carry 1 big suitcase, we don't use the "meet me on the ship" tag, we take leave everything in the big bag. Does this make sense now? It can be very confusing.

[Okie1946]

Last year we did the 3 nights in Denali (over all 10 day Land portion first) then joined the Volendam in Skagway for 4 nights on board.

 

Did a review, of the trip, (link attached). http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2060257

 

We had an AMAZING time. I hope you enjoy yours as much as we did ours.

 

Okie1946

[serendipity1499]

Your "travel with me bag" with your clothes, will travel by truck from lodge to lodge. This is your full size suitcase. Your immediate needs go in a "day bag" which goes on the bus or train with you. We carry 2 back packs for this. Depending on where we're going, we may carry rain pants, a big telephoto lens, or extra batteries etc. You will have all your bags every night at the lodge. If we only carry 1 big suitcase, we don't use the "meet me on the ship" tag, we take leave everything in the big bag. Does this make sense now? It can be very confusing.

 

Our one 26 inch bag which we packed only for the land tour went into the cargo compartment of our HAL Tour Bus along with one rolling 20 inch bag.. However, we did no have a full tour bus! We had just about 25 psgrs on our bus but the other two busses who were with us were full.. We were all the late bookers & it was great!