White Pass Scenic Railway: Yes, I checked the Alaska boards!

[TRadle]

After reading several accounts for the different railway tours I became unsure of the one we have booked this summer.

 

We are booked on the White Pass Scenic Railway tour which is a 3:15 excursion through Celebrity. This tour is scheduled at 2:45 PM. Nowhere in the description does it state that we transfer to buses or need to find our way back to the ship.

 

I don't want to assume anything! Does anyone know if this is round trip?

 

Thanks!

[Airportlimbo]

When we did this excursions the train was outside the ship, there was no need to get on buses.

Get there early as the train is open seating, if you have a large group you may not be sitting together.

 

If you are doing the train round trip, they return you to close to the ship, but not right back to it.

From there we could go into town or back to the ship on foot.

 

Have a great time and take lots of pictures.

 

-A

[guy999]

we took a bus to it and pretty much sucked, we happened to be on the last bus and they wouldn't let us get off the bus so we ended up being the absolutely last people to get on, so there is one side that is good to be on, and when you are the last bus you will know which one is good because the opposite of that is where all of the seats are.

 

I just stayed in the back of the bus and that was ok. my wife really didn't want to stand up the entire time so she didn't see much.

 

I would in the future try to get some other way to get there.

[TRadle]

When we did this excursions the train was outside the ship, there was no need to get on buses.

Get there early as the train is open seating, if you have a large group you may not be sitting together.

 

If you are doing the train round trip, they return you to close to the ship, but not right back to it.

From there we could go into town or back to the ship on foot.

 

Have a great time and take lots of pictures.

 

-A

 

How do I find out if it is round trip?

[Fouremco]

This appears to be the description on the Celebrity website of the excursion you've booked:

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/plan-a-cruise/shore-excursions/productDetails?productCode=SK63&productId=100000002237442354

 

This is the description of the same tour on the provider's website:

 

https://wpyr.com/excursions/product/ticket/fraser-meadows-steam-excursion/

 

There's quite a difference in price, but that's not unusual when comparing ship and provider prices.

 

The excursion is a round trip, and please note the passport requirements as you'll be entering Canada during the excursion. More details on documentation can be found here: http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html

 

Enjoy your trip!

[Host Jazzbeau]

We did this with Chilkoot Charters to avoid the issues described above. They have a dedicated car on the regular train (they take you from the ship to the train by bus) with plenty of seating so you can easily get the 'good' side and also move around. We had lunch at Bennett, then reboarded the train and rode to Carcross. Then a van brought us back to the ship via Emerald Lake. We saw more, and paid less. Note: this trip goes into Canada, so you must bring your passport.

[watchdiva]

We also did the Chilkoot Charters private trip. We had a total of 14 people on the tour and had an entire train to ourselves. We were able t get up, move from side to side for picture taking and listen to the outstanding tour guide. We booked the tour 10 months in advance because they only have a certain number of seats. We did the bus up/train down tour which lasted about 4 hours and was perfect! Our driver/guide on the bus made sure that he took everyone's cameras so that he could take pictures of us.

 

 

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[Nic6318]

Hi there

 

You get a different perspective but because of the convenience, cost savings, and greater flexibility, I felt that this is one tour that you can DIY with a car rental. Because you can stop and go at your own pace you end up being able to see and do much more over the course of the day than would be possible through the train tour.

 

hope this helps

[eandj]

Chilkoot booked privately is definitely the way to go!!!

 

We did train up and bus down. A great day and compared to ship tour booked friends, a nicer experience.

[Mr. Click]

Another vote for Chilkoot Charters. They offer several different tours of varying lengths, we chose the shortest with the train out and a small van back so we could see a few different views. It was a great day all around. Chilkoot was super organized, got us to the train quickly, we had great seats and the van back was a nice ride. We chose to be dropped in town to have some walk around time. We enjoyed that and then took the short walk back to the ship.

[TRadle]

Thanks for all the recommendations but we are booked with the cruise line because we have someone with mobility issues and the excursion we booked through Celebrity is accessible. I just need to make sure we can all get back to the ship....again due to needing an accessible vehicle!

 

A few of the reviews I have been reading mention being dropped off and taking other modes of transportation back to the ship. It is of the most importance that this tour is a round trip on the train with the drop off near the ship. There is no mention in the tour description of finding your way back to the ship nor does it state that it is round trip.

[Bo1953]

While NOT specifically indicated, I can assure you that any of X's sponsored tours will depart/return at the pier. How else will they guarantee that they will wait for you?

 

Most, if not all, cruise lines have the same set-up for their tours, specific pick-up and drop-off points.

 

Everyone from the ship will leave as a group (usually sans the straggler) and return as a group on/in the same mode of transport (usually sans the straggler or other such MIA).

 

bon voyage

[pizzalady1]

To be absolutely sure, why don't you call the WP&Y office and ask them.

[TRadle]

To be absolutely sure, why don't you call the WP&Y office and ask them.

 

What is WP&Y?

[d9704011]

White Pass and Yukon. See wpyr.com

 

 

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[dolllover]

We used the Celebrity tour with bus up and train down and it left from the pier. It was a great tour with a wonderful guide. We went in early May and had no issue with seating on the train.

[hancock]

Celebrity's tour is rail one way with bus the other way. One way or the other, they will return you to the ship. There will be the option to stop in Skagway for shopping if there is time before the ship will sail.

[TRadle]

White Pass and Yukon. See wpyr.com

 

 

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Thanks.

[BunnyLebowski]

Hi there

 

You get a different perspective but because of the convenience, cost savings, and greater flexibility, I felt that this is one tour that you can DIY with a car rental. Because you can stop and go at your own pace you end up being able to see and do much more over the course of the day than would be possible through the train tour.

 

hope this helps

 

Exactly this. Renting a car and driving to emerald lake was the highlight of our Alaska cruise. Private, low cost, and you get all the same scenery. You can walk to to car rental office from the ship.

[Fouremco]

There is no mention in the tour description of finding your way back to the ship nor does it state that it is round trip.

In an earlier post, I provided a link to the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. The linked excursion page states very clearly that this is a round trip and that you get dockside service:

 

Relive the glory days of steam while traveling with one of our steam locomotives, Engine No. 73 or No. 69, six miles beyond White Pass Summit to Fraser Meadows! Total of 54 miles

round-trip

and a duration of 4 hours.

 

For passengers arriving via cruise ship, this tour is available from your ship’s Shore Excursion Department.

By booking through the cruise line, you will be able to take advantage of the dockside service

and board the train on the pier alongside your ship. Contact your cruise line’s Shore Excursion Department for more details.

Stop worrying and enjoy your excursion.

[TRadle]

In an earlier post, I provided a link to the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. The linked excursion page states very clearly that this is a round trip and that you get dockside service:

 

Relive the glory days of steam while traveling with one of our steam locomotives, Engine No. 73 or No. 69, six miles beyond White Pass Summit to Fraser Meadows! Total of 54 miles

round-trip

and a duration of 4 hours.

 

For passengers arriving via cruise ship, this tour is available from your ship’s Shore Excursion Department.

By booking through the cruise line, you will be able to take advantage of the dockside service

and board the train on the pier alongside your ship. Contact your cruise line’s Shore Excursion Department for more details.

Stop worrying and enjoy your excursion.

 

You do realize that going to the excursion companies website is not necessarily the exact excursion that the ship offers. It this case the excursion listed is 45 minutes longer than the ship's excursion. When traveling with someone with special needs the time to "worry" and double check every little detail is before the trip!

 

 

Celebrity is pretty sure, but not 100% sure, that the trip is accessible round trip. I'm still waiting to here back from ShoreXaccess.

[Fouremco]

You do realize that going to the excursion companies website is not necessarily the exact excursion that the ship offers. It this case the excursion listed is 45 minutes longer than the ship's excursion. When traveling with someone with special needs the time to "worry" and double check every little detail is before the trip!

 

 

Celebrity is pretty sure, but not 100% sure, that the trip is accessible round trip. I'm still waiting to here back from ShoreXaccess.

Where are you getting your information? The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad and the Celebrity websites both say that the excursion is 4 hours.

[TRadle]

Where are you getting your information? The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad and the Celebrity websites both say that the excursion is 4 hours.

 

On the shore excursion page for my sailing and the White Pass & Yukon website that you suggested. Our excursion is 3 hours and 15 minutes long.

[pizzalady1]

On the shore excursion page for my sailing and the White Pass & Yukon website that you suggested. Our excursion is 3 hours and 15 minutes long.

 

Yes, the Celebrity trips will be the same as the WP&Y trips. WP&Y just adds passenger cars for Celebrity. They are all pulled by the same engine.

 

Also guys, talking about bus up/bus back train up/train back or going by car does not help the OP. The trip he is taking is the special steam train to Fraser meadows. It is not the trips you are all referring to.

[TRadle]

Yes, the Celebrity trips will be the same as the WP&Y trips. WP&Y just adds passenger cars for Celebrity. They are all pulled by the same engine.

 

Also guys, talking about bus up/bus back train up/train back or going by car does not help the OP. The trip he is taking is the special steam train to Fraser meadows. It is not the trips you are all referring to.

 

Thanks! This helps a lot. I was reading reviews and while it all sounded like the same excursion each one was different enough to give me pause.