Does this work? Seward to Anchorage

[sandydownunder]

I have been to Seward twice before but not to Anchorage. I'd like to visit. My research indicates Anchorage is 120 miles from Seward. This would probably be a two hour journey each way. The ship offers three excursions but two don't seem to fit time wise. Anchorage with Museum is a 5 hour trip. The other two Anchorage Highlights and Alaskan Zoo, and Anchorage Highlights and Native Culture are both 3.5 hour excursions. Has anyone done these trips with Cunard? I'll be on the QE2 in May. I will call Cunard Australia on Monday but they don't seem to know what is going on from my previous conversations with them.

[mapleleaves]

If you're very lucky it's a 2 hr drive, usually 2 1/2 - 3  due to slow moving traffic and road repairs.

 

Based on the time frame you provided,  these appear to be  Transfers with things to do before being dropped at the airport or downtown hotel.  Just my guess based on the limited time.

[sandydownunder]

Thanks mapleleaves for your reply. Wow! I didn't factor in road repairs or traffic jams. This is just a port visit from 9am to 5 pm. The cruise doesn't finish until Vancouver. The one we'd like to do Anchorage & Museum is leaving at 10.30 am. The other two are leaving at 12.30 pm. Looks like they couldn't possibly be fitted in for a 5pm departure. Weird!

[wolfie11]

I did this trip last year and we docked in Anchorage, not Seward. I expect it’s the same this year which would account for the short tour times.

[sandydownunder]

Thanks wolfie 11. You are absolutely correct. It is the only way it could work. We are just beginning to find out that our itinerary has been changed with out us being told. Ours says Anchorage (Seward) 9am - 5 pm.

 

If you don't mind me asking another question. Is it easy to do your own sight seeing in Anchorage seeing we'll be docking in Anchorage?

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, sandydownunder said:

Thanks mapleleaves for your reply. Wow! I didn't factor in road repairs or traffic jams. This is just a port visit from 9am to 5 pm. The cruise doesn't finish until Vancouver. The one we'd like to do Anchorage & Museum is leaving at 10.30 am. The other two are leaving at 12.30 pm. Looks like they couldn't possibly be fitted in for a 5pm departure. Weird!

 

You have to realize that the only times that they can do road construction of repairs in AK is summer time so they have to jam a lot of work in a short time.  Also, what if you get stuck behind a bunch of slow moving RVs and can not pass.  

 

DON

[SuperCrewBear]

3 hours ago, sandydownunder said:

Thanks wolfie 11. You are absolutely correct. It is the only way it could work. We are just beginning to find out that our itinerary has been changed with out us being told. Ours says Anchorage (Seward) 9am - 5 pm.

 

If you don't mind me asking another question. Is it easy to do your own sight seeing in Anchorage seeing we'll be docking in Anchorage?

 

If you're docked from 9 am to 5 pm, you will realistically have 6 hours in Anchorage. If you feel like it's something you could [or would want to] do, rent a car for the day. It will let you make the most of your time if you want to go further than the very downtown area. Anchorage is very easy to get around in as it's laid out in a grid pattern - a NAV unit in the car will be very helpful though. If you want to simply walk around downtown, there are a number of things to see and do plus quite a few nice shops for all types of souvenirs or local art.  The Anchorage Museum is very, very nice but a 2 hour visit will probably be enough. One of my favorite places to eat is Club Paris just a couple blocks from the museum - excellent lunch items including the most tender steaks I've ever had - the atmosphere there is "old cool" - you could easily imagine someone like Dean Martin or "Tony Soprano" having lunch in the next booth.  I've even seen Segway tours of downtown Anchorage that could be fun.  Do a little research and you'll surely find other things of interest.  Good luck! (You're going to LOVE Alaska!!!)

[kenphy]

4 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

I did this trip last year and we docked in Anchorage, not Seward. I expect it’s the same this year which would account for the short tour times.

We are docking in Anchorage on a 14 day cruise this summer. Was the port close to the city? Is it a long walk to say the Museum or the mall (which we learned on our last trip is the ONLY mall in Alaska!) we will have plenty of time to eat at Glacier Brewhouse (my favorite restaurant in the world) but we are trying to determine what else we really have time for. Any help you can provide on the Anchorage port would be really appreciated!  Thanks

[Northern Aurora]

1 hour ago, kenphy said:

We are docking in Anchorage on a 14 day cruise this summer. Was the port close to the city? Is it a long walk to say the Museum or the mall (which we learned on our last trip is the ONLY mall in Alaska!) we will have plenty of time to eat at Glacier Brewhouse (my favorite restaurant in the world) but we are trying to determine what else we really have time for. Any help you can provide on the Anchorage port would be really appreciated!  Thanks

 

 

kenphy:  If you are actually docking in Anchorage you will be at a very industrial port located in Anchorage (as opposed to Seward or Whittier).  You will want to take a cab or ship shuttle downtown.  And, for your information, the Fifth Avenue Mall in Anchorage, is NOT the only mall in Alaska.

 

But to our original poster, Sandydownunder, you need to determine if you will be calling at Anchorage or another port.  Since it is a port call, as opposed to an embarkation or disembarkation port, you very well may be calling at the Anchorage industrial port.  If you are actually docking in Anchorage that it would be very easy to visit the sites you mention on your own.

[sandydownunder]

Thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I have discovered that the ship is stopping in Anchorage not Seward but we haven't been advised officially. It suits me because as I said I've been to Seward twice and have always wanted to see Anchorage. The ship is the only one missing out because we will visit the Alaska Zoo, Anchorage Museum and Alaska Native Heritage Centre on our own.