Skagway - Carcross trip vs. seeing city

[NancyIL]

Nancy, what were the "distinctives of the train to Carcross". I'm thinking seriously of switching to their Yukon bus & rail rather than our current Summit trip - but would be interested to know why you chose the one two hours longer. (A 9 hour excursion still seems AWFULLY long in my mind :eek: )

 

My decision has always been between the 3.5-hour rail/bus excursion to Fraser and the 9-hour rail/bus excursion to Carcross, and I have leaned both ways at different times! I know the train ride to Carcross will be LONG, but I'm hoping I will be so enthralled by the scenery and the narration that the time will fly by. The lunch break in Lake Bennett will certainly help to break-up the trip.

 

As to the distinctives of the rail trip to Carcross http://www.wpyr.com/yukonadventure.html:

 

1. The train to Carcross stops in Lake Bennett - which is accessible only via train, horseback, or on foot. I believe that's where the Chilkoot Trail and the White Pass Trail ended - so lots of history there.

 

2. When you look at the route map (http://www.wpyr.com/multimedia/routemap.html - not to scale), you can see that the train and the road cross each other (like a figure-8) just before Lake Bennett, so you get completely different views going towards the top of the "8". (This map from Frontier Excursions gives a better idea: http://www.frontierexcursions.com/tour/y_disc/map_big.html) If you are on the Yukon rail/bus excursion, the train goes as far as Fraser, and then you travel the same section of road between Fraser and Carcross twice. There's nothing wrong with that, and that's what you would do if you were driving to Carcross. I would just prefer to go two different ways.

 

3. Yukon and Budget Queen think it will be a great excursion!

 

I hesitated to book this because I didn't want to miss seeing Skagway. As I thought more about it, I realized we will still have 3+ hours in town even after the longer excursion ends. The only thing no longer available at the NPS Visitor Center at 4:30 will be the ranger-led walk. Even though changing to the Carcross rail/bus excursion doubles our cost, this rail trip all the way to Carcross is available for the first time in 2007, and our ship arrives in Skagway early enough to take advantage of the 7:30 a.m. departure time. As much as I anticipate wanting to return to Alaska in the future - it's not a certainty, nor is a repeat visit to Skagway. (If I were booking a 2nd cruise based on this summer's itinerary, I'd pick the NB Volendam - which doesn't go to Skagway.)

 

By the way - one other thing that hasn't changed is my plan to do the Misty Fjords floatplane trip with Island Wings in Ketchikan! :D

[southwardbound]

We are going to be in Skagway September 20. From the Railroad website it stops excursions Sept 16. So do the rental cars by Avis. Do we have any other options? We would love to do the Chilkoot Tour, but we are unfamiliar with this one. Could you give me a website? We will be on the Princess Coral. I checked Princess's excursions and they only talk about Lake Bennett not Emerald Lake or CarCross. Your imput would be very much appreciated.

Thanks:)

[NancyIL]

We are going to be in Skagway September 20. From the Railroad website it stops excursions Sept 16. So do the rental cars by Avis. Do we have any other options? We would love to do the Chilkoot Tour, but we are unfamiliar with this one. Could you give me a website? We will be on the Princess Coral. I checked Princess's excursions and they only talk about Lake Bennett not Emerald Lake or CarCross. Your imput would be very much appreciated.

Thanks:)

 

Several companies do bus tours to the Yukon, including Chilkoot Charters: (http://www.skagwaysbesttour.com/), Frontier Excursions (http://www.frontierexcursions.com), and Southeast Tours (http://www.southeasttours.com/about_southeast_tours.html)

[kingsgirl]

Be sure to post about it the MINUTE you return! On second thought - I'm leaving the day after your cruise ends.

 

After thinking more about this thread, I called Chilkoot Charters yesterday to see if there was any availability for either the Carcross or Yukon rail/bus excursion - and I could've switched to either one. After the gentleman who answered the phone talked more about the distinctives of the train to Carcross - I was sold! The National Park Service Visitor Center is open until 6 - so we can still see the movie and the museum after the excursion ends at 4 or 4:30. We will get back too late for the Park Ranger walk - but we'll pick up a map and do our own walking tour.

 

Oh Nancy really!! I always secretly hoped you would do the longer excursion and felt bad (just because I thought for sure it would be so great) that you weren't! YAY! We can share notes.

 

I won't be home for at least a week after the cruise as well, probably closer to 10 days, but I'll post a review here and in the RCI lounge for everyone. Ahhh!! I'm so excited for us :)

[qiangf2]

Carcross is basically nothing -- but just past it is Caribou Crossing, and that is a very interesting place. There is a great wildlife museum, and we loved the dog musher's camp! You can also drive just a bit further to Emerald Lake which is very beautiful.

 

Check out our review and pics at

Alaska on Zuiderdam

 

have a GREAT cruise!

 

heyhey.. I still remembered a boarded up restaurant window at Carcross with a big "Restaurant" sign on top of it. Not sure it is closed for good, or they closed it at the end of cruise season..

[NancyIL]

Oh Nancy really!! I always secretly hoped you would do the longer excursion and felt bad (just because I thought for sure it would be so great) that you weren't! YAY! We can share notes.

 

I won't be home for at least a week after the cruise as well, probably closer to 10 days, but I'll post a review here and in the RCI lounge for everyone. Ahhh!! I'm so excited for us :)

 

kingsgirl - I remember how excited some of us were when Chilkoot Charters first announced the details about the rail trip to Carcross last fall. After booking the shortest rail/bus excursion, I secretly wondered if I would regret not going all the way to Carcross! I was lucky that both rail/bus trips to the Yukon still had availability when I finally decided I wanted to do the longer excursion.

[kingsgirl]

kingsgirl - I remember how excited some of us were when Chilkoot Charters first announced the details about the rail trip to Carcross last fall. After booking the shortest rail/bus excursion, I secretly wondered if I would regret not going all the way to Carcross! I was lucky that both rail/bus trips to the Yukon still had availability when I finally decided I wanted to do the longer excursion.

 

 

I am so happy that there were still openings available for you, so that you wouldn't have been disappointed!

[NancyIL]

I am so happy that there were still openings available for you, so that you wouldn't have been disappointed!

 

Thanks! I imagine I was able to switch excursions only because our ship will be the only large one in port that day.

[kingsgirl]

Thanks! I imagine I was able to switch excursions only because our ship will be the only large one in port that day.

 

Wow you're lucky! I think there or 5 or 6 ships in port the day I am! :eek:

 

I am a little weary but hope it will be okay.

[Travelight]

We were in Skagway September 20 last year. We took the bus trip to Carcross and Emerald Lake. I was glad someone familiar with the road was driving because on the way back into Skagway a heavy fog surrounded us. I think it could possibly be dangerous for drivers unfamiliar with the winding roads. The bus was terrific. We did a smaller bus, and he made lots of stops (even a bathroom break!) My pictures were incredible! Beautiful colors. We had plenty of time to site see, shop at Matthew Watson's General Store in Carcross, view Emerald Lake, see the world's smallest desert, and have a fantastic lunch at Wilderness Lodge. Plus the local guide, Tom, told us so many interesting facts-past and present. We still had time to look around Skayway and get back to the ship on-time. The train was late returning, though, and there were plenty of people running to catch the ship:p . It is such beautiful country. I would love to go back.