Questions on the McKinley Explore

[maggiev]

We are traveling via train from Whittier to Anchorage, with an overnight, then on to Denali on a cruisetour.

Are the trains open seating or are we assigned seats?

The is very little information on how things flow on the tour portion

 

thank you

[HappyInVan]

As I recall, open seating. You can ask your tour guide at the hotel.

 

 

Edited April 29 by HappyInVan

[Haljo1935]

We had assigned seating, but that was a couple years ago May 2022.

[Mary229]

The train to Denali is assigned car but sit where you want. 

[Petronillus]

6 hours ago, Mary229 said:

The train to Denali is assigned car but sit where you want. 

That being the case, does one experience something comparable to the poolside chair hogs? Do couples split up so as to each claim a window seat and thereby block another DW & DH from sitting together?

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, Petronillus said:

That being the case, does one experience something comparable to the poolside chair hogs? Do couples split up so as to each claim a window seat and thereby block another DW & DH from sitting together?

We didn't have that issue since ours was assigned seating. And it was full - no empty seats.

I hope for open seating people wouldn't do that. The full windows do provide great viewing, as does the platform when it's open.

Edited April 29 by Haljo1935
Additional comment

[Mary229]

17 minutes ago, Petronillus said:

That being the case, does one experience something comparable to the poolside chair hogs? Do couples split up so as to each claim a window seat and thereby block another DW & DH from sitting together?

I did not have that experience.  It was a civil, likable group with the exception of the person who was sick and refused to excuse themselves.  They were sick enough to harm others. 

[Petronillus]

25 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

We didn't have that issue since ours was assigned seating.

Assigning seats seems like the sensible way to avoid the chair hog problem. 

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, Petronillus said:

Assigning seats seems like the sensible way to avoid the chair hog problem. 

For the train to Denali the cars are small.  Until there is a problem no solution is needed. 

[Wehwalt]

We were on the McKinley Explorer last year on a HAL cruisetour through the travel agent who offers so many of HAL's northbound cruisetours`the last couple of years. On the train, all seats were assigned.

Edited April 29 by Wehwalt

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, Mary229 said:

For the train to Denali the cars are small.  Until there is a problem no solution is needed. 

Hey @Mary229 when was your train w/assigned cars & open seating?

Ours was May 2022.  @Wehwalt indicated they also had assigned seating.

Curious when a change might have been made.

Edited April 29 by Haljo1935
Typo

[HappyInVan]

Guys,

 

As I recall, there was a package at the hotel. It will have your instructions.

[SeaMatesNYC]

From the Alaska-Tour-Tips 2024 pdf (revision 04/20/24) with respect to seating on the McKinley Explorer, on page 7 it states:

 

 

"All rail cars have assigned seats according to tour itinerary and number of traveling companions."

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/articles-and-videos 

 

Do some tour itineraries have open seating?  Not saying it doesn't happen, as some reported above, but the written guidance from HAL (and my 1 experience) was assigned car and seat for each passenger on the tour.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Hey @Mary229 when was your train w/assigned cars & open seating?

Ours was May 2022.  @Wehwalt indicated they also had assigned seating.

Curious when a change might have been made.

First I am talking only about the train to Denali.  I was on the Yukon Denali tour.  We were assigned a car but not a specific seat.  The car was fairly small. It was September 2022.  This was for the train Anchorage to Denali, not the train from Whittier 

Edited April 29 by Mary229

[Mary229]

Let me add, if a couple splits up so they can each have a window seat there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Each paid a full fare and each deserves the equal status.  What is not allowed is spreading all of your junk into the seat next to you.  Spouses are not attached at the hip. 

[oaktreerb]

6 hours ago, Petronillus said:

That being the case, does one experience something comparable to the poolside chair hogs? Do couples split up so as to each claim a window seat and thereby block another DW & DH from sitting together?

@maggiev  We have taken the train as part of a HAL cruisetour several times, most recently 2022.   Your train seating will be assigned.  When you begin the land part of your journey before you board the train you will receive a packet of information with your seating assignment.  It’s all comfy and it is all scenic dome windows.  You’ll have a guide for narration and a bar tender for drinks.  You will be invited to the dining car for a very nice breakfast or lunch.

Edited April 29 by oaktreerb

[oaktreerb]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

For the train to Denali the cars are small.  Until there is a problem no solution is needed. 

Did you take the Holland America or Princess rail cars?  Seats are assigned and they are very comfy with lots of room between seats.  Because of the dome viewing there is no overhead storage.  The HAL busses are also very nice.  We’ve been traveling in Alaska and the Yukon with HAL since 2005.  The least comfortable seats were when we were put on the Princess rail car but otherwise the experience was pretty much the same as HAL.

[Mary229]

8 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

Did you take the Holland America or Princess rail cars?  Seats are assigned and they are very comfy with lots of room between seats.  Because of the dome viewing there is no overhead storage.  The HAL busses are also very nice.  We’ve been traveling in Alaska and the Yukon with HAL since 2005.  The least comfortable seats were when we were put on the Princess rail car but otherwise the experience was pretty much the same as HAL.

This is the Anchorage to Denali train, not the Whittier train. It was the HAL train and no seats were not assigned.  

[oaktreerb]

53 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

First I am talking only about the train to Denali.  I was on the Yukon Denali tour.  We were assigned a car but not a specific seat.  The car was fairly small. It was September 2022.  This was for the train Anchorage to Denali, not the train from Whittier 

Do you remember the name of your rail car?  Did you have a guide and a bar tender and a dining car?  That does not sound like our experience unless for some reason you were not on a HAL rail car.  Maybe the rail car was an older Princess rail car.  HAL and Princess work together in Alaska and some of the older Princess rail cars are not very nice.  We were in one between Anchorage and Seward a few years ago.  I would not have wanted to travel to Denali in that rail car!

[Mary229]

3 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

Do you remember the name of your rail car?  Did you have a guide and a bar tender and a dining car?  That does not sound like our experience unless for some reason you were not on a HAL rail car.  Maybe the rail car was an older Princess rail car.  HAL and Princess work together in Alaska and some of the older Princess rail cars are not very nice.  We were in one between Anchorage and Seward a few years ago.  I would not have wanted to travel to Denali in that rail car!

Again my tour was Anchorage to Denali which is not a long ride and it was HAL and yes there was a dining car. I don’t recall about beverage service as I don’t drink .  Yes, I had a guide 

 

we were late in the year and our group was small

Edited April 29 by Mary229

[maggiev]

13 hours ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

From the Alaska-Tour-Tips 2024 pdf (revision 04/20/24) with respect to seating on the McKinley Explorer, on page 7 it states:

 

 

"All rail cars have assigned seats according to tour itinerary and number of traveling companions."

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/articles-and-videos 

 

Do some tour itineraries have open seating?  Not saying it doesn't happen, as some reported above, but the written guidance from HAL (and my 1 experience) was assigned car and seat for each passenger on the tour.

Thank you @SeaMatesNYC I thought I had read that information carefully, guess not. 
I realize we will receive packets of information, but I’m the curious type & want to know what to expect. 

[Wehwalt]

Here are the relevant instructions we received from the travel agent last July. I should note this was a HAL cruise tour off the Noordam and we received six nights credit for the land tour on our HAL accounts.:

 

TRAIN FROM ANCHORAGE TO DENALI: A highlight of the trip! You will be riding on the McKinley Explorer Rail Cars, specially designed for sightseeing. All passenger seating is on the upper deck, which has glass windows that go all the way up and curve to make a glass dome. Each rail car will have its own tour guide to point out sights and tell you about some history along the way. Each car will also have a bartender, who can serve you anything from coffee and sodas to specialty cocktails at your seat. The bartender will run a tab for you and then collect at the end of the trip. Credit and debit cards only are accepted for all beverage purchases. The confirmation sheet that you receive in Anchorage, with your hotel key packet, will show you your rail car name and number. When the train comes into the station, look for that car. They will mark off your name and you can then board. All seats are pre-reserved.

 

 

Edited April 30 by Wehwalt

[SeaMatesNYC]

3 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

and we received six nights credit for the land tour on our HAL accounts

Meaning you got Mariner points for the land portion?  Yes, that’s correct. 🤙

[oaktreerb]

4 hours ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

Meaning you got Mariner points for the land portion?  Yes, that’s correct. 🤙

Those Mariner points for land tours helped us to get to 5*.  If you are in a suite (double points) on the cruise portion you get double points for the entire cruise tour!    

[Wehwalt]

On 4/30/2024 at 1:04 PM, SeaMatesNYC said:

Meaning you got Mariner points for the land portion?  Yes, that’s correct. 🤙

Well, I really meant days because DW and I are both five star ... I doubt if we will ever be President's Club but the days are what we count now. Points are now meaningless.