Transportation to Anchorage

[HopeO]

Hi,

We are on the 2 week Royal Princess cruise August 17th. From what I gather the ship docks in Wittier which is 60 miles away from Anchorage.  Did not see how we get from Wittier to Anchorage. Do they have transportation you need to reserve?

 

Thanks a bunch

[lax19]

We are using:

 

https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/ 

 

There are options that you can google. 

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2019 by lax19

[Mary Ellen1]

The Princess transfer from Anchorage to Whittier is $74/each.

 

We just booked with Alaska Cruise Transportation, mentioned in the previous post.  We're doing their Anchorage-to-Whittier afternoon transfer for $40/each (we got a group rate with 6 cruisers).

 

Last summer, I had 22 family members take their cruise transfer with Wildlife Park option -- they all loved it (except for 1 cousin-in-law who complained that he paid good money to be taken to a "zoo" and see so-called Alaska wildlife.  Whatever.).

 

Good luck with your planning!  Enjoy your cruise.

[AKStafford]

You can do a one-way car rental from Avis. https://www.avisalaska.com/locations/whittier/  That would be my first choice.

My second choice would be the Alaska Railroad.

Or there are buses. https://www.bearvalleyroadrunner.com/

[Eileen G]

When we got off the Coral Princess last month the Princess shuttle from Whitter to Anchorage was $54. It will take you to the airport or convention center downtown. You just book it on board around day 3. We had a late flight so we took it to the airport and rented a car for the day. 

[Whitetrike]

Did the Big Bus on June 1st and really enjoyed the trip to Anchorage.  The bus was comfortable, the driver professional and the "tour guide" entertaining while giving us the rundown on what we were passing.  The sixty miles passed very quickly, would highly recommend this service!

 

[Ashland]

8 hours ago, lax19 said:

We are using:

 

https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/ 

 

There are options that you can google. 

 

 

 

This is a very good option. We have used it from Seward to ANC. Easy to book online OP. 

[Anniesgirl]

On 6/17/2019 at 8:36 AM, lax19 said:

We are using:

 

https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/ 

 

There are options that you can google. 

 

 

 

I looked up this company and they seem great if you are ending or beginning your cruise in Whittier/Anchorage but not so great if you are staying on for the ship's return south  Like the OP, we are looking for reasonably priced transport into Anchorage and back to Whittier.  Our ship is in port from 0030 to 2030 so there is plenty of time to drive the 60 miles into the city to look around.  These busses only drop off in Anchorage about 1100 and then start back toward Wittier about 2 hours later getting you to the ship around 1630.  That seems like a waste of a day.

Edited June 23, 2019 by Anniesgirl

[AKStafford]

2 hours ago, Anniesgirl said:

I looked up this company and they seem great if you are ending or beginning your cruise in Whittier/Anchorage but not so great if you are staying on for the ship's return south  Like the OP, we are looking for reasonably priced transport into Anchorage and back to Whittier.  Our ship is in port from 0030 to 2030 so there is plenty of time to drive the 60 miles into the city to look around.  These busses only drop off in Anchorage about 1100 and then start back toward Wittier about 2 hours later getting you to the ship around 1630.  That seems like a waste of a day.

Then you are going to want to rent a car... Avis is the only car rental agency in Whittier.

[Anniesgirl]

7 minutes ago, AKStafford said:

Then you are going to want to rent a car... Avis is the only car rental agency in Whittier.

Thank you. It seems odd that Whittier is so ill equipped for the ships that dock there. I’ll check with Avis. 

 

[AKStafford]

10 hours ago, Anniesgirl said:

Thank you. It seems odd that Whittier is so ill equipped for the ships that dock there. I’ll check with Avis. 

 

Once you see Whittier, you'll understand.

[Northern Aurora]

51 minutes ago, AKStafford said:

Once you see Whittier, you'll understand.

 

 

This is exactly my reaction to "Anniesgirl's" post -- apparently has not been to Whittier nor has read much about the community.

[Anniesgirl]

53 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

 

This is exactly my reaction to "Anniesgirl's" post -- apparently has not been to Whittier nor has read much about the community.

Perhaps I should have said “it seems odd that the ships dock in such an ill-equipped place, call it Anchorage in their itinerary and have no way for those of us not disembarking to access Anchorage for more than an hour or two on a day we spend 20 hours in port”.  I definitely haven’t been to Whittier but have read it’s almost non-existent.   I still think it’s odd that the cruise lines don’t do more for passengers. 

[kennicott]

3 hours ago, Anniesgirl said:

I still think it’s odd that the cruise lines don’t do more for passengers. 

I believe part of the problem may be due to lack of demand. There are not many cruises that do round trips to South Central Alaska and not a huge number of guests who do B-to-B round trips. The great majority of cruise guests fly one way and cruise the other, some spend a week or two touring South Central, then fly or cruise back south. If this type itinerary escalates where more guests are coming in and then going out on the same ship, you might find cruise lines providing more options in the future.

As far as car rentals at Whittier and Seward, cruise lines aren't in that game, I can hear the screeching now if one tries it. This car rental void as been much discussed for years. Once again, supply and demand, it is my understanding Avis barely makes it pay even at higher rates.     

[masterdrago]

We did the A.C.T. Big Bus from Anchorage to Seward. I found them prompt, courteous, efficient and comfortable. Also pricing was well within norms and their scheduled worked well for us. Check with https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/schedule/

[kennicott]

4 hours ago, Anniesgirl said:

we spend 20 hours in port”.  I definitely haven’t been to Whittier but have read it’s almost non-existent.  

 

Here is what I would do and many of them do, particularly those who leave again the same day, instead of running up to the big city. Matter of fact, in two weeks we have this 5.5 hour trip booked, for the 12.30 PM departure.

 

My wife has never visited the northwest corner of Prince William Sound, so we decided she should see it since she is from Cordova. I used to fly commercially on the Sound so I'm pretty familiar with it all and I even escorted her sister and family some years ago on a tour from Whittier to Valdez, which covered a lot of this same territory including Esther Passage. She drove a big van we rented to Valdez to pick us up for more touring of the State but wanted me to go with her sister so I could do all the blabbing. When I was flying out of Cordova she was running the office and working the radio keeping track of us. Believe she has earned this, about time.

 

https://www.phillipscruises.com/cruises/26-glacier-cruise.php      

 

 

[Anniesgirl]

1 hour ago, kennicott said:

 

Here is what I would do and many of them do, particularly those who leave again the same day, instead of running up to the big city. Matter of fact, in two weeks we have this 5.5 hour trip booked, for the 12.30 PM departure.

 

My wife has never visited the northwest corner of Prince William Sound, so we decided she should see it since she is from Cordova. I used to fly commercially on the Sound so I'm pretty familiar with it all and I even escorted her sister and family some years ago on a tour from Whittier to Valdez, which covered a lot of this same territory including Esther Passage. She drove a big van we rented to Valdez to pick us up for more touring of the State but wanted me to go with her sister so I could do all the blabbing. When I was flying out of Cordova she was running the office and working the radio keeping track of us. Believe she has earned this, about time.

 

https://www.phillipscruises.com/cruises/26-glacier-cruise.php      

 

 

This sounds like a great idea. Nice long tour with a meal.  I’m pretty much ready to abandon the idea of seeing Anchorage completely. We are also looking at the two kayak companies in Whittier as serious possibilities. They have full day excursions that would let us take advantage of the long stay in port. 

[Ashland]

6 hours ago, Anniesgirl said:

Perhaps I should have said “it seems odd that the ships dock in such an ill-equipped place, call it Anchorage in their itinerary and have no way for those of us not disembarking to access Anchorage for more than an hour or two on a day we spend 20 hours in port”.  I definitely haven’t been to Whittier but have read it’s almost non-existent.   I still think it’s odd that the cruise lines don’t do more for passengers. 

Use another cruise line that docks in Seward then...lot's of options for sightseeing in Seward. 

[AKStafford]

57 minutes ago, Anniesgirl said:

 I’m pretty much ready to abandon the idea of seeing Anchorage completely.

In my opinion, you aren't missing too much by not seeing Anchorage.... It just a town... like any other small to medium size city.

[kennicott]

14 hours ago, Anniesgirl said:

This sounds like a great idea. Nice long tour with a meal. 

If you do decide to take the 26 glacier cruise, you will enter Harriman Fiord. It was discovered in 1899 by accident. Here is a brief summary of the Harriman Expedition. Somewhere I read a article telling, in more detail, how they ended up finding this fiord in Prince William Sound. Have a great cruise.  

 

PS----- We preordered the seafood chowder.     

 

 https://content.lib.washington.edu/harrimanweb/tripdesc.html

[Anniesgirl]

The Harriman Fiord might just keep me out of a kayak. It sounds wonderful. 

[Krisco]

We took the Alaskan Railroad train from Anchorage to Whittier. It was fabulous.  You buy tickets in advance and reserve.  They had some history and site seeing commentary from conductors.  It was relaxing, had a food car and it ends right at the Whittier dock.  If you take the earlier one you have time to do a glacier tour before getting on the ship.  Highly recommend.