Which White Pass RR Shore Excursion?

[Cathy Young]

Our cruise ship (Diamond Princess) will be stopping in Skagway. They offer 4 or 5 shore excursions that include the White Pass Scenic RR. We want to take one of the tours put can't decide which one. They are the Deluxe Klondike Experience & Rail, The Yokon Expedition & Rail, The Gold Fever Adventure Experience & Rail and the The Glacier Lake Kayak & Rail. Has anyone take any of these excusions? Any suggestions on which one to choose?

[Coral]

I would do the one that is one way on the train and one way to visit the Yukon via bus (not Liarsville). This usually is pricy - $190 or so but worth it. You see the beautiful scenary that the train offers but then get to go farther North and see the beauty that the Yukon area offers.

[Yukon]

Since all of them are bus/rail trips, take the one that goes the furthesy north - without trying to find the descriptions, I think that one will go to Emerald Lake and/or Caribou Crossing. The kayak trip is very poor compared to sea kayaking - Bernard Lake is a small, virtually sterile alpine lake.

 

Murray

[KY Deb]

Does anyone know if there is and independent tour (not with the cruise line) that includes the White Pass RR one way and a tour into the Yukon to Emerald Lake? There are 8 of us in our group.

[Cathy Young]

On the boards they mentioned that there is a train/bus tour offered by Chilkoot to the Yukon. I called them and they said that the bus stops at a scenic overlook where you can see Emerald Lake, their web site is http://www.skagwaysbesttour.com/yukonrail.htm

I think I have desided that I will choose a rail/bus tour to the Yukon for our excursion in Skagway. Now I just have to decide on which one. The Tour offered by Princess (The Yukon Expedition White Pass Scenic Rail Tour), says that it goes to Carcross, and they have lunch at Caribou Crossing but it does't mention Emerald Lake. Has anyone take the excusion offer by the Cruise Ship or the one by offered by Chilkoot?

[Yukon]

The tour offered by Princess usually goes to Emerald Lake apparently, but it isn't guaranteed. Its commonly mentioned that Princess spends too much time at Caribou Crossing, at the expense of other stops. The rail/bus option is getting so popular that I'm hoping that there will be more perators juimping in this year, perhaps combining rail with the horseback trips (Southeast) or 4x4 trips (Frontier).

 

Murray

[Coral]

On the boards they mentioned that there is a train/bus tour offered by Chilkoot to the Yukon. I called them and they said that the bus stops at a scenic overlook where you can see Emerald Lake, their web site is http://www.skagwaysbesttour.com/yukonrail.htm

I think I have desided that I will choose a rail/bus tour to the Yukon for our excursion in Skagway. Now I just have to decide on which one. The Tour offered by Princess (The Yukon Expedition White Pass Scenic Rail Tour), says that it goes to Carcross, and they have lunch at Caribou Crossing but it does't mention Emerald Lake. Has anyone take the excusion offer by the Cruise Ship or the one by offered by Chilkoot?

 

If you ask the bus driver right in the beginning about going to Emerald Lake, they usually will. I have told about 8 friends to do this tour and each one got to see Emerald Lake.

 

As far as too much time at Caribou Crossing - I agree. I am not into taxidermy (sp?) so it did seem long. Though now, don't they have dog sled rides - if that is the case, it may be the perfect length of time if you can fit that into your lunch time.

 

I still think that if you are only going to Alaska once, the combo trip is great - best of the train and the beauty the Yukon offers. All the friends I spoke to this summer preferred the bus portion to the train portion but they are glad they experienced the train.

[Casshew]

We did an excursion that went to a Gold Dredge exhibition and then you panned for some gold in troughs already set up, then a white rail train ride with Lunch onboard.. it was a fun day, everyone enjoyed it.

[Cathy Young]

Thank you Casshew, I saw your pictures on another post and it looked like fun. I have a 15 year old that might enjoy something like the gold panning compared to a long scenic ride.

[Cathy Young]

Thank you Casshew, I saw your pictures on another post and it looked like fun. I have a 15 year old that might enjoy something like the gold panning compared to a long scenic ride.

[Mistified]

We recently went to Alaska in Sept. on the Diamond Princess, an excellent ship.:mad: We only regretted doing one thing and it was the glacier lake kayaking and rail trip, the people in charge of the kayaking should have cancelled the trip because of the weather, they said they had only 1 couple tip over in 11 year's, but on our trip the first couple to go out tipped over and then we were the second out and the wind blew us out so far we couldn't get back to shore before a wave tipped us over, talk about a shocking experience the water was 41 degree's, when we got back into our kayak after a long struggle another couple tipped over, they finally quit letting the other's go out, one of the tour guide's also tipped over on his way to help someone, there was 24 of us with only 3 tour guide's luckily us that tipped was all quite young, because there was some older folk's on the excursion and I don't know if they could have handled the cold temps. After we got back in the kayak we tipped a second time, they did not have 2 way radio's or rescue boat's, we had to swim back to shore, our leg's were numb and another person suffered from hypothermia. After all of that they made us wet cold people take the slow train ride back, when we arrived at the ship all 24 of us went to the desk and requested our money for the excursion back, on the 2nd to last day they contacted us and we were all refunded. I thought for sure Princess would have taken that excursion off of their list after that mess. Sorry for the long review but that was our experience, good luck!!! Misty:D

[Casshew]

Wow mistified, you sure got more than you bargained for!

[katybird]

Does anyone know if there is and independent tour (not with the cruise line) that includes the White Pass RR one way and a tour into the Yukon to Emerald Lake? There are 8 of us in our group.

 

Check out www.chilkootcharters.com. We did the Yukon Rail and Bus Excursion. It was excellent. Our guide was tops! There were just 8 in our group so it was very personalized.

[Cathy Young]

Thanks Mistified! I will definately not choose the Rail/Kayak Trip. I'm sorry that your Kayak trip turned out the way it did, but glad to hear Princess made good on rebating you the cost. I appreciated for the heads up!

[steimey]

In response to:

 

Check out http://www.chilkootcharters.com. We did the Yukon Rail and Bus Excursion. It was excellent. Our guide was tops! There were just 8 in our group so it was very personalized.

 

 

How much was it per person? The website does not list prices. Thanks!