Whittier Princess Embark

[MsBST2]

It states we leave Whittier port at 8:30pm. What time does embarkation start? Is a flight arriving into Anchorage at 2:30pm going to be ok? Thank you all

[fishywood]

Check in and boarding usually commence at the normal late-morning hour, even for an evening sailaway.

 

While a 2:30 arrival time at ANC is technically within Princess' guidelines

ANCHORAGE

 

Embarking Passengers

For voyages departing Whittier at 5:00 pm, the latest flight arrival into Anchorage is 12:30 pm.

For voyages departing Whittier at 8:30 pm, the latest flight arrival into Anchorage is 4:00 pm.

...meaning you can use the Princess transfer to get to the ship--why sacrifice an entire afternoon of your cruise? If you cannot find an earlier arrival you may want to think about flying in the day before.

[DrivesLikeMario]

While it's always best to arrive at least a day early, that arrival time is fine if all goes well on your flights. Princess will accept that time for their transfers. I think we arrived around 2pm and took the transfer. The good thing about coming in a little late like that is that the check-in lines are usually non-existent and you don't have to wait long for the bus to leave the airport. Just make sure you have insurance and/or purchase EZ Air.

[satxdiver]

The distance from Anchorage to Whittier is 60 miles over two lane roads most of the way. It also includes passing through a tunnel that is one way such that you might have to wait until the tunnel is clear. The train also uses the tunnel and has priority to it. So estimating your travel time to the ship needs to take this into consideration.

[pink845]

Only one road to Whittier. Plus you have to wait for the train to go through the tunnel. Why not simply come in the night before the cruise. Plenty of hotels near the airport (most with shuttles to and from airport). Why worry about your plane arriving late into Anchorage and then missing the Princess Shuttle and having to pay in excess of $300 for a cab to Whittier. We have cruised out of Whittier several times. always came in night before. Less hassle, less worry.

[Wishing on a star]

We arrived the evening before.... Took the train to Whittier, which arrives at about noon, and then boarded one of the boat tours to see Prince William Sound and College Fjord and the glaciers. Highly recommend!

 

They do have the late departure, due to the longer transfer from Anchorage, the available pre-cruise boat tours, and the short sailing time from Whittier to Hubbard Glacier.

 

Enjoy!

[MsBST2]

Thank you all. Coming in day before sounds best.

[USCcruisecrazy]

Arriving the day before is not only a safe and smart idea, it will give you the chance to see a little of Anchorage. I recommend if you want a very nice meal to try Simon and Seiferts...or if you want a taste of Alaska and some great micro-brews, check out Humpy's...awesome halibut tacos!!!

[JoRoy218]

I can vouch for Humpy’s; we were just there in June before our SB on the Coral. Fun atmosphere, sat out back in the sun, party of 8 and everyone enjoyed their food!

[DougH]

Coming in a day early is a much better option. I'd head to Whittier early the day of sailing and take one of the Prince William Sound boat tours, the 26 Glacier one leaves from right next to your ship. Also IMHO some of the best scenery on your sailing is the first couple of hours after sail away from Whittier. Eat an early dinner, avoid the Welcome aboard show and spend your time out on deck enjoying the spectacular scenery. I always spend 3-4 hours out on deck. By coming in a day early you won't be tired from traveling, so many people head to bed early and miss all this.

[MsBST2]

Does anyone know when Princess starts the airport transfer to Whittier port?

[goodmud]

I think we were able to take a Princess transfer at 11 or 12.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Embarkation has begun at 12:15 in the past; it’s marked by the arrival of the Alaska Railroad. I personally wouldn’t chance arriving into Anchorage at 2:30, and it sounds like you’ve decided to fly in earlier. When I’ve been at the Whittier terminal at 12:15, no bus transfers have arrived yet, so that must mean they don’t start leaving the airport or downtown Anchorage until around 11:00 or 12:00. Get there early, though, because there can be a crush of people hoping to get on the first bus!

 

 

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[XBGuy]

Thank you all. Coming in day before sounds best.

 

This is very prudent. The one time we sailed out of Whittier (25 years ago), one of our bags did not make it onto the plane. We'd arrived at about noon on embarcation day and were pretty panicky. The cruise-line personnel who were meeting cruisers at the airport said that they would check for it when the next plane arrived from Seattle. So, we walked around Anchorage for a few hours and boarded the bus to Whittier mid-afternoon. Amazingly enough, when we were boarding the ship, I saw the late-arriving bag being loaded. It's better to be lucky than good, but lesson learned.

 

Subsequent to that cruise I made four or five business trips to Anchorage. I'm going to add another restaurant to the previous excellent suggestions. Gwennie's is very popular among the locals--especially, for breakfast. It's fairly close to the airport.

[voljeep]

2007 - our 1st 'big cruise' - flew in the day before, wife's bag didn't make it, the most important bag of our trip... her fleece, most makeup , and some other 'very important garments that you don't see. (btw, we have learned how to separate pack since then). Staying at the Captain Cook thru Princess. She kind of freaked at first, but settled down - I went to the bar, she went to the hotel shops to see what they had. ( now at this time we had no clue about what was sold aboard the ship )

 

In the bar, the server explained that this happened ALL THE TIME and there was a 99% chance that her bag would arrive at the hotel later that night - and it did. She also explained about the shops on board , and there was, I believe, a JCPenney's close to the hotel that opened a couple of hours before our bus left for Whittier that carried her "brands" mostly

 

Bring me another beer !!

[Coral]

This is very prudent. The one time we sailed out of Whittier (25 years ago), one of our bags did not make it onto the plane. We'd arrived at about noon on embarcation day and were pretty panicky. The cruise-line personnel who were meeting cruisers at the airport said that they would check for it when the next plane arrived from Seattle. So, we walked around Anchorage for a few hours and boarded the bus to Whittier mid-afternoon. Amazingly enough, when we were boarding the ship, I saw the late-arriving bag being loaded. It's better to be lucky than good, but lesson learned.

 

Subsequent to that cruise I made four or five business trips to Anchorage. I'm going to add another restaurant to the previous excellent suggestions. Gwennie's is very popular among the locals--especially, for breakfast. It's fairly close to the airport.

 

What cruise line were you on? I didn't think any major lines used Whittier until 2004 or so. They did have small ship docks. Just curious.

 

My 2003 cruise with Princess was out of Seward. My 2004 cruise used Whittier which had a brand new dock built.

[pink845]

We took the Princess Transfer from the Convention Centre in Downtown Anchorage (originally, it was supposed to be from Hilton) but when we got there a sign said to go to the Convention Centre. We were the first transfer and we left at 1:15 pm from the Convention Centre. We had to wait for the buses to arrive from Whittier. I know there are transfers also available from the Airport. The cost is $70.20 one way per person.

[XBGuy]

What cruise line were you on? I didn't think any major lines used Whittier until 2004 or so. They did have small ship docks. Just curious.

 

My 2003 cruise with Princess was out of Seward. My 2004 cruise used Whittier which had a brand new dock built.

 

I really don't remember the name of the line. The ship was the Regent Sea. By today's standards, it was a small ship. My guess is that it accommodated 600-800 passengers. My recollection is that the word "Regent" was in the line's name, and I'm pretty sure they are not around any more. I know it was not the Regent Seven Seas line that is around, now.

 

My recollection is that it was in 1992. I'm pretty sure it was before 1996, when we celebrated my wife's parents' 50th wedding anniversary on a Mexico cruise, and after 1990, because I was working in Santa Ana at the time.

 

It was a great cruise. In the Gulf of Alaska we sailed into a pretty major storm. At about 2:00 am we were asleep in our cabin when the ship hit a major wave not quite head-on. Suddenly, everything was tilting, and I was rolling out of the bed. This woke me up pretty quickly. I reached out with my right arm and braced myself against the floor--OK, the deck. So, I didn't actually fall out of the bed. A glass of ice water went sliding across a shelf and fell onto the floor, I mean, deck. The next day we heard that a piano went rolling across the dance floor in one of the bars. :eek:

[Coral]

I really don't remember the name of the line. The ship was the Regent Sea. By today's standards, it was a small ship. My guess is that it accommodated 600-800 passengers. My recollection is that the word "Regent" was in the line's name, and I'm pretty sure they are not around any more. I know it was not the Regent Seven Seas line that is around, now.

 

My recollection is that it was in 1992. I'm pretty sure it was before 1996, when we celebrated my wife's parents' 50th wedding anniversary on a Mexico cruise, and after 1990, because I was working in Santa Ana at the time.

 

Looks like it was Regent Sea, part of Regency Cruise lines.

 

Here is some history: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=210043

[frugaltravel]

I also strongly recommend that you fly in the day before. The Seward Highway between Anchorage and Whittier can be closed for hours due to accidents, rock slides, or other things. Arriving the day the cruise departs is dangerous because the following day is a sea day. So if you miss the ship's departure you not only have to fly to SE Alaska to catch up with the ship, you lose another day on board.

 

I also suggest that you get to Whittier early in the day (before noon) and take the Prince William Sound glacier tour on a small boat with 26 Glaciers or Major Marine. They get much closer to the glaciers than the cruise ship will. Excellent use of your time and money doing that.

[XBGuy]

Looks like it was Regent Sea, part of Regency Cruise lines.

 

Here is some history: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=210043

 

That was interesting. Thanks, Coral.