Anchorage to Seward on Alaska RR-luggage transfer

[ForeOU]

We are taking the train from Anchorage to Seward to board the Millennium on July 12.  We booked the train independently of Celebrity.  Does anyone know if our bags can be checked at the train station in Anchorage and be taken directly to the ship.  I know there is a shuttle in Seward but we hate to be hauling the bags with us if we don't need to!  Thanks!

[floater]

I can't speak for the train to Seward, but we took the train from Anchorage to Whittier. We also booked on our own and yes, the train people collected our bags and delivered them to the ship. I didn't know they would do this, it was very convenient. The porter at the station helped us put on our luggage tags and was very helpful. When we were done I offered him a tip and he said he works for the city and they arn't allowed to accept tips. The train trip was a great start to our cruise.

 

[mapleleaves]

yes,  just let the porters in Anchorage know and your luggage will be delivered to the ship in Seward.   

[stevecmo]

I called the Alaska Railroad office a few weeks ago to ask whether 1.) the train would take us directly to the cruise terminal and 2.) whether they would take care of getting the luggage on the ship.  I was told 1.) no, they did not drop us directly at the cruise terminal - it was a short walk, and 2.) we were responsible for getting our luggage to the cruise terminal.

 

I then asked if the location where we would get off the train had a covered area if it was raining.  The answer was "no".  So, if it's raining you have to haul your luggage to the cruise terminal?   We're taking a shuttle.  🙂

[ForeOU]

Thank you everyone for the input!

[ForeOU]

1 hour ago, stevecmo said:

I called the Alaska Railroad office a few weeks ago to ask whether 1.) the train would take us directly to the cruise terminal and 2.) whether they would take care of getting the luggage on the ship.  I was told 1.) no, they did not drop us directly at the cruise terminal - it was a short walk, and 2.) we were responsible for getting our luggage to the cruise terminal.

 

I then asked if the location where we would get off the train had a covered area if it was raining.  The answer was "no".  So, if it's raining you have to haul your luggage to the cruise terminal?   We're taking a shuttle.  🙂

Hopefully the folks at the office are wrong about the luggage.  Are you taking the free city shuttle or is there one I don't know about?

[milo696]

Just to note...I to contacted the ARR by phone months ago and inquired about getting luggage checked in anchorage and delivered to our ship in whittier. There response was no, they don't do that.

I also sent a email, and the email reply was yes, they can do that. 

I believe there are several threads on this as I tried to follow and was hoping to get some good feedback once the season kicked in this year, as there were many comments that the luggage indeed can be checked in anchorage and taken to the ship...princess in whittier anyway.

I'm depending on this when we cruise on July 6th, as we're taking the train in the morning, and then embarking on the 26 glacier cruise as soon as we depart the train. 

I was told to look for the white tent outside the station and check your bags there with your cruise luggage tags attached.

Interested in other replies

[mapleleaves]

I called last yr on behalf of a friend who was taking the train and I had pretty much planned their entire itinerary.  I

was told they should tell the porters in Anchorage which ship they were sailing, and the luggage would be taken by truck to their ship in Seward.  And that's exactly the way it worked. 

Guess things could have changed for this yr, but doubtful after so many yrs of providing this service.  More than likely its a typical case of customer service agents not having all the facts.

[dhanderson]

17 hours ago, milo696 said:

Just to note...I to contacted the ARR by phone months ago and inquired about getting luggage checked in anchorage and delivered to our ship in whittier. There response was no, they don't do that.

I also sent a email, and the email reply was yes, they can do that. 

I believe there are several threads on this as I tried to follow and was hoping to get some good feedback once the season kicked in this year, as there were many comments that the luggage indeed can be checked in anchorage and taken to the ship...princess in whittier anyway.

I'm depending on this when we cruise on July 6th, as we're taking the train in the morning, and then embarking on the 26 glacier cruise as soon as we depart the train. 

I was told to look for the white tent outside the station and check your bags there with your cruise luggage tags attached.

Interested in other replies

My parents rode the train from Anchorage to Whittier a few weeks ago. The porters at the train station in Anchorage took their bags with the Princess baggage tags attached. Their bags were delivered to their stateroom on the Royal Princess in Whittier.

 

We are planning to do the same thing as you in July: train from Anchorage, 26 Glaciers tour and board the ship at 5:30 ish. 

[milo696]

Good to know dh, and thanks for sharing.  Can't wait

[stevecmo]

21 hours ago, ForeOU said:

Hopefully the folks at the office are wrong about the luggage.  Are you taking the free city shuttle or is there one I don't know about?

We are using Anchorage Tours and Transfers.  They pick us up at our hotel between 8:00 and 8:30 and arrive at the cruise terminal around 1:00 PM.  It's supposedly a "sight seeing" trip that stops at the photo op's and the animal conservation place.  I think it was around $80 pp.  

 

Hope that helps.