6 Hours overnight in Anchorage

[erlyvon]

Arrive in Anchorage at 1:28 am and plan to take the 8:00 am train to Seward for our cruise.  Plan to book a room for the 6 hours but looking for other suggestions on where else we might spend the time instead of booking a room for 6 hours.

[strickerj]

We had an overnight layover in Anchorage once, arriving shortly before midnight and leaving the next morning at 6:30. We just slept in the terminal, but I was 19 and a bit more adventurous then; I don't think I'd do that now.

 

I'd probably book a room but be sure they know you'll be that late; many hotels do a sweep around midnight and any reservation not checked in yet gets marked as a no-show.

[erlyvon]

Thanks for the replies.  

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, strickerj said:

We had an overnight layover in Anchorage once, arriving shortly before midnight and leaving the next morning at 6:30. We just slept in the terminal, but I was 19 and a bit more adventurous then; I don't think I'd do that now.

 

I'd probably book a room but be sure they know you'll be that late; many hotels do a sweep around midnight and any reservation not checked in yet gets marked as a no-show.

 

Just tell them that you will be a late arrival.  Also, if you prepay for the room, they should hold it.

 

DON

Edited October 27, 2021 by donaldsc

[oaktreerb]

Find out what time sunrise is for the day of your arrival.   Find out what time you have to be at the train station for your 8:00 a.m. train ride.  There is a hotel near the train station that many people use.  You may just want to hang out.

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, erlyvon said:

Arrive in Anchorage at 1:28 am and plan to take the 8:00 am train to Seward for our cruise.  Plan to book a room for the 6 hours but looking for other suggestions on where else we might spend the time instead of booking a room for 6 hours.

 

I'd recommend Snow City Cafe in Anchorage for an early breakfast, but, I don't think they open until 7:00 A. M.  Maybe grab a take-out order before boarding the 8:00 A. M. train?  If interested, check out their web site.  

[GTJ]

Check your plan carefully. The train from downtown Anchorage to Seward is scheduled to depart at 6:45 a.m.

[Glaciers]

1 hour ago, GTJ said:

Check your plan carefully. The train from downtown Anchorage to Seward is scheduled to depart at 6:45 a.m.

In addition to the early morning scheduled train, in the past, there has been a cruise contracted train that departs around noon. 8am does seem a bit odd.

[GTJ]

12 hours ago, Glaciers said:

In addition to the early morning scheduled train, in the past, there has been a cruise contracted train that departs around noon. 8am does seem a bit odd.

At 8:00 a.m., the premier Alaska Railroad train, the northbound Denali Star, is ordinarily spotted on the platform at the downtown Anchorage station, preparing for its departure at 8:15 a.m. for Fairbanks, and so there might be confusion as to the time of this train and the time of the train to Seward. The station really is not large enough to handle multiple passenger trains simultaneously, so it would not be expected that there would be another passenger train departing at 8:00 a.m. for Seward. Typically, there are four passenger train departures daily from the downtown Anchorage station (6:45 a.m. to Seward, 8:15 a.m. to Fairbanks, 9:15 a.m. to Denali (private train), and 9:45 a.m. to Whittier and Grandview), and two additional passenger trains passing through the station that might stop there for crew purposes (9:30 a.m. on Saturdays and alternate Wednesdays, from Whittier to Talkeetna (contracted train), and 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and alternate Wednesdays, from Whittier to Denali (private train)), along with corresponding arrivals in the evening. As duly noted, cruise trains operate from the airport, departing around 1:00 p.m., on Thursdays, Fridays, and alternate Mondays, destined for Seward (contracted train), but these trains do not pass through downtown Anchorage. Thus, my admonition to "[c]heck your plan carefully"!

[erlyvon]

I believe the correct train departure time is 6:45 am so seems like just hanging out at the airport & train station will be whar we'll do.

[GTJ]

Five hours overnight is a bit awkward: after reducing the time for the logistics of getting to a hotel, it would not leave much time for actual sleep. And on the other side, not much going on in Anchorage at 3 a.m. to keep awake and busy . . . Anchorage is not particularly well-known for its nightlife, notwithstanding assertions to the contrary from the Anchorage Visitors and Convention Bureau. The railroad station itself does not open until 5:30 a.m., so you won't want to leave the airport too early (and when you do leave the airport it will have to be by taxi because the buses will have stopped operating by midnight and not resuming early enough to get to the station on time). Maybe best to find a quiet corner in the passenger terminal at the airport and take a 3-hour nap? There's some tips for doing so at the Sleeping in Airports website, where there is a section on sleeping overnight at the Anchorage airport.

[Dancing Shoes]

The train to Seward does leave at 6:45 am.  We are taking this next year.  The dome cars cost more, but you get a sky view, food, and all seats face forward.

[robthens]

I strongly suggest you go a day or 2 early to Anchorage and stay at the Captain Cook hotel and as another post mentioned the Snow City Cafe is amazing for breakfast and lunch.

 Another favorite eating spot in Anchorage is Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse.

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, robthens said:

Another favorite eating spot in Anchorage is Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse.

 

And Glacier Brewhouse  

[Coral]

On 11/10/2021 at 5:21 PM, robthens said:

I strongly suggest you go a day or 2 early to Anchorage and stay at the Captain Cook hotel and as another post mentioned the Snow City Cafe is amazing for breakfast and lunch.

 Another favorite eating spot in Anchorage is Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse.

I really like Captain Cook and Glacier Brewhouse 🙂

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Coral said:

I really like Captain Cook and Glacier Brewhouse 🙂

 

I have never stayed there.  Many years ago, I stayed at the Hilton; more recently the Marriott which I liked better than the Hilton (as I remembered it).  Captain Cook, if I recall correctly, is well positioned for a patronage of Snow City Cafe that is very close to the hotel.  Have you tried Snow City Cafe?  

[Coral]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I have never stayed there.  Many years ago, I stayed at the Hilton; more recently the Marriott which I liked better than the Hilton (as I remembered it).  Captain Cook, if I recall correctly, is well positioned for a patronage of Snow City Cafe that is very close to the hotel.  Have you tried Snow City Cafe?  

I have not. The menu looks amazing! Will have to add it to my list.

 

I like how the Captain Cook has dark wood and feels nautical. Sometimes I tire of cookie cutter hotels. 

[rkacruiser]

6 minutes ago, Coral said:

I have not. The menu looks amazing! Will have to add it to my list.

 

My Nephew and his new wife spent their wedding night at the Captain Cook.  The wedding party assembled at the Snow City Cafe the next morning for a late morning breakfast.  The food was great as was the entire experience that morning.  The restaurant's positive reviews matched what I experienced.  

 

9 minutes ago, Coral said:

Sometimes I tire of cookie cutter hotels. 

 

I understand your comment and I agree.  During one trip to Florida, I spent a night at a re-branded Four Points by Sheraton in Chattanooga that had become a Fairfield Inn.  The property maintained their liquor license and the bar was open during the late afternoon and evening!  A couple of glasses of wine for purchase at a Fairfield Inn!  Who would ever thought that would be possible?  However, the next year, stopping at the same property and hoping that the bar would be open.....nope.  The license was not renewed although the physical set-up of the room remained then and for my next visits.  

[Coral]

4 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I understand your comment and I agree.  During one trip to Florida, I spent a night at a re-branded Four Points by Sheraton in Chattanooga that had become a Fairfield Inn.  The property maintained their liquor license and the bar was open during the late afternoon and evening!  A couple of glasses of wine for purchase at a Fairfield Inn!  Who would ever thought that would be possible?  However, the next year, stopping at the same property and hoping that the bar would be open.....nope.  The license was not renewed although the physical set-up of the room remained then and for my next visits.  

I recently stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in Colorado with friends. They had just returned from Hawaii  3 days earlier and said the lobby (and art) were identical to the airport Holiday Inn Express they stayed at a few days earlier. Sort of funny. I guess the benefit of cookie cutter hotels is you know what to expect most of the time.

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, Coral said:

I recently stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in Colorado with friends. They had just returned from Hawaii  3 days earlier and said the lobby (and art) were identical to the airport Holiday Inn Express they stayed at a few days earlier. Sort of funny. I guess the benefit of cookie cutter hotels is you know what to expect most of the time.

 

Consistency of the product that I am buying in whatever category is important to me.  It is pleasant, though, to find a positive "extra added attraction" to that product if it occurs.  

[Boo's Mom]

On 10/27/2021 at 8:32 AM, erlyvon said:

Arrive in Anchorage at 1:28 am and plan to take the 8:00 am train to Seward for our cruise.  Plan to book a room for the 6 hours but looking for other suggestions on where else we might spend the time instead of booking a room for 6 hours.

I would change my flight. 

You are already spending tremendous resources (time and money) to get to and cruise in Alaska. 

Go a day early and relax when you get there.  Get 2 good sleeps before you head to Seward. 

You deserve it! 

 

Happy cruising! 

[don't-use-real-name]

Notes on the margin - - - - -

 

Book any hotel room that you are considering NOW or as ASAP and that Anchorage to Seward

Alaska railroad trip book that TOO.

The accommodations the day the train departs for the cruise are heavily booked months in advance.

All in coordination with that cruise

 

Hint - suggestion:  you could fly in a day or two early and take

the train trip a day early and hotel in Seward - much less crowded but hotel space is prime !

 

Hotel space is also prime. Pick you hotel with care - some are within walking distance of the depot.

others require a (free) shuttle or (pay) taxi.

 

On cruise days the Depot is a crush of gathered folks and not much room - small concession

stand is overwhelmed - limited restroom facilities.

 

No need to rush to board the train when called - seats are assigned by row and seat number.

Do this early just after booking your train trip to insure that your seating will be together -

although AK RR is real good about making adjustments

 

The cruise lines will provide you with luggage tags - and your checked luggage is handled

outside the depot and may be trucked separately to the ship and for placement at your cabin door.

You do not take your luggage on the train in the passenger compartment only essential items

in small carry-on bag passport tickets medicines cameras and perhaps a change of clothing etc. 

Get to the station early on to have to avoid having to futz with the checked luggage - - -

 

Boarding the train takes about 15 minutes (06:30am)

 

In the Gold Star class (dome car) there is a complimentary breakfast and beverage service.

Option for early sitting or late - best take early sitting to be available for the later photo opts.

If you opt late you may miss something.

The train leaves Anchorage and travels along the winding Turnagain Arm shoreline -

At the Portage junction - now the scenery gets interesting as you climb the mountain

grade over to the Seward side.

About halfway up the grade you may meet the cruise line charter train that is parked on a

siding waiting for you to pass. 

 

The regular Alaska RR trains do not make an Airport stop the charter trains do.

 

On arrival at Seward (11:15am) you can walk the 5 blocks to the cruise terminal and board

your ship - ship should be ready by that time for boarding having arrived before 07:00am.

You can wait for the free shuttles to take you to the terminal.

-OR- just roam around the port/town to see what there is to see -

Some shore excursions maybe available -

Sailing for most cruise lines is after 7:00pm off into the midnight sun ! 

 

The Port of Seward sees a cruise ship almost daily in the summer season -

The NCL JEWEL is scheduled on alternating Mondays. 

 

Things do change - YMMV - but this is what I experienced and noted