Anchorage, AK - Are taxis available at the cruise port?

[JimAOk1945]

Hi Everyone,

 

I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked. I searched but couldn't find an answer.

 

We will be arriving in Anchorage on a cruise this summer. Rather that taking an excursion, we are thinking about doing our own thing. I understand that it is an industrial area.

 

Are taxis available right at the dock as we leave the ship?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

Edited February 17, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[JimAOk1945]

No one? How disappointing :(

[dijid]

Are you arriving in Whittier or Seward and need to get to Anchorage? Or do you have a cruise that drops off in Anchorage? Almost everyone on this board is going to be in Whittier or Seward, so if you're looking for information about an Anchorage port, you may have trouble getting an answer.

[AKStafford]

Are you arriving in Whittier or Seward and need to get to Anchorage? Or do you have a cruise that drops off in Anchorage? Almost everyone on this board is going to be in Whittier or Seward, so if you're looking for information about an Anchorage port, you may have trouble getting an answer.

HAL's 14 day cruise has a stop in Anchorage. Is that the cruise you are on? There's shuttle buses that will run you up into downtown and from there you can catch a cab.

If your cruise is ending in "Anchorage", you'll actually be porting in Seward or Whittier.

[JimAOk1945]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I wasn't as clear as I should have been in my question. :o

 

We will be on a 14 day Holland America Alaska cruise that visits Anchorage as one of its ports of call and would like information about how to catch a taxi directly from the ship to take us into town.

 

AKStafford

 

Thanks for the tip about the shuttles. How much do they charge? How will we be able to identify them?

 

Thanks!

Edited February 17, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[Glaciers]

The port makes the decision regarding cabs accessing the port for cruise passengers. They have gone back and forth on it so it's not consistent. No idea what they'll do this year.

 

Shuttle buses are free and there are Visit Anchorage staff (anchorage.net) there to direct you to the bus. The bus takes about 10 minutes from the ship to downtown.

[JimAOk1945]

The port makes the decision regarding cabs accessing the port for cruise passengers. They have gone back and forth on it so it's not consistent. No idea what they'll do this year.

 

Shuttle buses are free and there are Visit Anchorage staff (anchorage.net) there to direct you to the bus. The bus takes about 10 minutes from the ship to downtown.

Great information!!! Any idea exactly where the bus will drop us off? Is there anything interesting to see at the drop off point?

[Glaciers]

In the past the buses have dropped folks at the Egan Convention Center on 5th Ave between E & F Streets. Directly behind this building is the Visit Anchorage Visitor Center. Many tour buses stop there including the bus to the zoo, museum, Native Cultural Center, ULU Factory and the Trolley the loops around town and out by the airport for 50 minutes. It’s a good filler of time, if needed.

 

As noted in several past threads here, one of the best options is to rent a car and get out of town heading south towards Girdwood/Portage or north towards Matanuska Glacier with many interesting sights in between.

[Assateague Island Princes]

I've done this cruise three times - once we took the free shuttle (provided by HAL) into town and visited the weekend market (lots of fun!), and went to see the aurora show (beautiful!) downtown. But the two other times, we got a taxi (this was in 2010 and 2011) where they had a cab line-up right at the ship. They'd fill a cab and send them on their way, and the next would pull up. Very quick, easy and efficient. We chose to rent a vehicle those two times and headed north to Wasilla to visit the Iditarod headquarters, then on to Big Lake for a tour of an Iditarod musher's kenne l- Martin Buser's Happy Trails Kennel. (Do you see a pattern here? Yup, we're dog lovers!:D) We also drove to Independence Mine, where we hiked some trails and enjoyed the views (we saw our first moose on the road up to the mine in 2010 - thrilling!). On the way back to the ship, we hiked at Eagle River. In 2011, we did the same thing - went to Martin's kennel and then we also went to the reindeer farm near Palmer, and up to Independence Mine again. On the way back, my neice and her fiance took a flightseeing excursion with Rust's while I waited at the dock for them to return, then we returned the rental car, and grabbed a cab to the pier. It worked out great all three times, but I must say, we DID greatly enjoy our adventures with the freedom of a rental car.

 

As others have stated, you could certainly turn your attention south of Anchorage and drive down along Turnagain Arm, which is truly a beautiful ride. All depends on what you want to do and see, and what you hope to accomplish on your long port day in Anchorage. Have fun - best itinerary ever! You're going to love it!

[Glaciers]

I've done this cruise three times Have fun - best itinerary ever! You're going to love it!

 

So glad you jumped in here AIP! I've wanted to do this itin with Holland ever since I read your first report.

[JimAOk1945]

Great information. It gives me a lot to think about. Keep the tips coming! :)

[TheCalicoCat]

Hi Everyone,

 

I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked. I searched but couldn't find an answer.

 

We will be arriving in Anchorage on a cruise this summer. Rather that taking an excursion, we are thinking about doing our own thing. I understand that it is an industrial area.

 

Are taxis available right at the dock as we leave the ship?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

I have this dilemma in 2017, from what I have found, we will take a shuttle out of the port. From there you can hail a cab. (I think that we will be renting a car...)