Quick Question - Alaska RailRoad Whittier

[Suzanne123]

Does Alaska RR from Anchorage still deliver your luggage to the cruise ship in Whittier (not Princess transfer.)? 

[zqvol]

They do to Seward, so I would think they do the same to Whittier, but it’s been about 6 or 8 years since cruised AK. We’ve been doing land trips there. 

Edited July 19 by zqvol

[LeeW]

Did trip to Seward a couple of weeks ago.  You drop your luggage in the tent outside the Anchorage station and if it has tags for a hotel they deliver there or tags for cruise ship deliver there.  No charge (can tip if you like).  If you don't tag it, you MUST pick luggage up at the station.  Whittier pier is adjacent to the train stop so very easy for them to handle luggage.  Seward pier is around 1/2 mile, so they have to truck luggage to the ship.

 

They had signs in the luggage tent about Holland America and Princess, so no reason to believe they wouldn't transfer stuff to the ship in Whittier.  But even if they didn't, your walk between the train and cruise terminal is only around 100'.  No station in Whittier, so they would have to throw luggage on racks and have a couple hundred people milling around trying to find theirs.  

 

I'm not convinced that luggage actually went on the train.  We saw them loading a luggage car with a forklift, but we also saw them loading a truck.  When we did train to Princess Lodges a few years ago luggage went by truck (but that was a Princess land tour).

Edited July 24 by LeeW
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[no1racefan1]

On 7/19/2024 at 3:10 PM, Suzanne123 said:

Does Alaska RR from Anchorage still deliver your luggage to the cruise ship in Whittier (not Princess transfer.)? 

Yes. When we went in May of this year we dropped our bags off under the tent outside the train station with the rest of the Princess bags. It was very organized and quick. Not part of a transfer, we took a taxi to the train station.

[Suzanne123]

Just wanted to report that I took the train to Whittier today and also took the 26 Glacier Cruise,  Dropped the luggage in Anchorage, took the tour, and had the luggage in my cabin when I boarded.  Very easy. Thanks all.

[carolina_yankee]

We have thought about doing this. Was this for Princess or Holland America? I imagine same timing/luggage service applies. Normally I like to get on the ship earlier on embarkation day, but the next two days are essentially say days and the 26 glaciers tour really looks fun.  Any idea what the latest “all aboard” time is for embarking passengers?

[zqvol]

12 minutes ago, carolina_yankee said:

We have thought about doing this. Was this for Princess or Holland America? I imagine same timing/luggage service applies. Normally I like to get on the ship earlier on embarkation day, but the next two days are essentially say days and the 26 glaciers tour really looks fun.  Any idea what the latest “all aboard” time is for embarking passengers?

NCL also turns around in Whittier. All aboard time on most lines is two hours before sailing. 26 Glaciers will give you the best glacier views of the entire trip. If you can make it work it is well worth it. (As I recall the ships sailing out of Whittier try to make that excursion work time wise.)

 

Safe travels. 

[Suzanne123]

2 hours ago, carolina_yankee said:

We have thought about doing this. Was this for Princess or Holland America? I imagine same timing/luggage service applies. Normally I like to get on the ship earlier on embarkation day, but the next two days are essentially say days and the 26 glaciers tour really looks fun.  Any idea what the latest “all aboard” time is for embarking passengers?

This was for a Princess cruise. Got off the train a little after noon, and walked right on the glacier boat which left at 12:30.  We got back around six.  We were supposed to leave at 8 pm, but waited for some people who were on the land tour. 

Next May we are doing a back to back Vancouver to Whittier on Nieuw Amsterdam and will do the glacier cruise on turnaround day.