White Pass Rail from Haines

[509eagle]

Booked on teh Veendam, next June. As of now, HAL is not offering an excursion on the rail in Skagway. This is something I really want to do.

 

So looking into booking it on my own.

 

Veendam in Port at 6:30, I am sure much earlier, that is the posted time for departure from the ship.

 

First "Fast Ferry" lease at 6:45 on a Wednesday.

 

Train leaves at 8:15, would have to get from the ferry drop off to the train depot.

 

Does this sound possible? Or just cutting things to close.

 

I have heard that individual tickets on the "fast Ferry" can be hard to get, I am waiting on a call back.

 

If I cant get the 6:45 ferry, then only other chance would be the train at noon.

 

Or I can must wait and hope that HAL post an excursion. They say they are still negotiating with some vendors. But the only thing from Haines in their book is to the summint and back, I want to get to Carcross.

 

Ideas?

[poolwife]

If you get the fast ferry tickets and that works out for you, you can always rent a car from Avis and take the drive all the way to Emerald Lake. Every one on these boards that has done it writes how beautiful it is and it is past carcross.

 

You can buy "Murray's" guide for $5.00 online and he tells you what all the sites are along the way at every mile.

 

Hope that gives you an option.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Even though your schedule indicates that the ship will dock in Haines at 6:30 -- you will not be able to make the 6:45 ferry.

The docks ar close -- but the Veendam has to be completely secured before passengers allowed off. It is also a steep ramp to get down to the ferry.

Where the ferry docks in Skagway -- not close to the train station -- you would not make the 8 AM train.

How long are you in Haines?

We were offered an excursion from the ship when we were in Haines a couple of years ago that did the White Pass train -- and we had a special ferry take us to Skagway. Everyone had to be back on either the 1 PM or 2 PM ferry - we were given ferry times according to our tour since there were 2 different tours for the White Pass.

We were on the Ryndam and it left Haines at 5 PM.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Forgot -- there was a special bus at the ferry dock to take us over to the train station and it was waiting for us at the end of the tour to take us back to the ferry dock.

[Jemima]

This is October and your cruise is in June. HAL usually offers a couple of White Pass shore excursions with a ferry trip from Haines. Some of the Alaskan shore excursions are likely not yet available. I'd suggest you wait until spring to arrange this. There isn't a reason to book this early. We didn't book the White Pass excursion until a few weeks before our cruise. We could actually have booked it onboard as there was still space.

[ladychar]

When DH and I were in Haines in July, we took the ship's excursion to Skagway and White Pass RR. I found the price to be very close if not the same as doing it independently.

We were on a very early ferry-first off the ship. A bus met us at the harbor in Skagway and drove us to the train station. We had a bit of free time before the train-it was great because not many people were out and about. We walked around Skagway and met some locals at the gas station/conv. store/laundry mat.

[Jade13]

Booked on teh Veendam, next June. As of now, HAL is not offering an excursion on the rail in Skagway. This is something I really want to do.

 

So looking into booking it on my own.

 

Veendam in Port at 6:30, I am sure much earlier, that is the posted time for departure from the ship.

 

First "Fast Ferry" lease at 6:45 on a Wednesday.

 

Train leaves at 8:15, would have to get from the ferry drop off to the train depot.

 

Does this sound possible? Or just cutting things to close.

 

I have heard that individual tickets on the "fast Ferry" can be hard to get, I am waiting on a call back.

 

If I cant get the 6:45 ferry, then only other chance would be the train at noon.

 

Or I can must wait and hope that HAL post an excursion. They say they are still negotiating with some vendors. But the only thing from Haines in their book is to the summint and back, I want to get to Carcross.

 

Ideas?

 

We did this but it was when HAL was offering it but we booked on our own. We took the 12:30pm Ferry to Skagway, had lunch, rail journey and 8:00pm ferry back. We were on the same ferry with passengers on the HAL excursion. We saved $50.00pp (theres came with a box lunch they forgot to give out so passengers had it on the ferry before dinner) and the ferry docked right next to Veendam.

 

We did not go to Carcross. Isn't that the excursion with the bus back? We wanted to do the train both ways plus we booked an excursion in Haines in the morning for a river trip and that driver dropped us off at the ferry terminal.

[509eagle]

Well i sure hope this works. The Veendam is in Haines form 6:30am to 9:00pm. I have tickets on the Fast Ferry now, 6:45am to Skagway and 8:00pm back.

 

Going to do the bus ride to Carcross and the train back from Carcross to Skagway. Will be back in Skagway at 4:30pm, so will have lots of time to see Skagway and have dinner there.

 

From my experience on other cruises, they may say the ship is there at 6:30, but the actual arrival time can be hours before that. Sure hope I bet right on this one. I jsut need to be the first off the ship for this to work.

[serendipity1499]

509 eagle...We were on the Veendam" this past Aug from Seward to Vancouver ..We docked in Skagway & booked the White Pass RR directly with Chilkoot tours..Took their 7 hour tour which included the bus/rail excursion into the Yukon & the Musher's Camp..HAL's tour did not include the Musher's camp, which I was really wanted to see:)

Since our ship wasn't scheduled to arrive Skagway, until 8:a.m. Chilkoot picked DH & me up at the pier in their 23 Psgrs Bus/Van..The other Chilkoot passengers took the train to Fraser while we took it back down..

It was wonderful having a private guide/driver going ..He stopped at many points so we could take pics of the beautiful scenery.. In Fraser (Canadian Border) we met the train & picked up more of Chilkoot's rail passengers ... The 7 hour tour included Bennett Lake, Emerald Lake , Carcross & Caribou crossing where we had lunch & visited the Dog Musher's Camp.. At the Musher's camp they gave us a nice Chicken dinner lunch plus time to go into the museum or to take a dog sled ride (additional $$ for dog sled ride) & also spend time petting the Husky puppies..On the way back they drove DH & I to Frasier where they put us in their private rail car back to Skagway..Going up it was a private tour with the driver & coming back on the train there were only about 8 people in our Chilkoot car which again was fantasrtic..This way we were able to get the seats on the right side of the railcar..(going up you should be on the left side) The Holland America cars were full..It worked out perfectly for us...The cost for both of us was $348.60 incl tax & it was well-worth it....Can't remember for sure but believe Hal's tour was about the same.. The walk from the train station back to the ship was about 20 minutes..We were not worried about the timing as our ship was scheduled to depart at 5:p.m. & we were back around three..

Suggest you go on Cruise Critics Alaska Board & investigate what others have said about using Chilkoot tours..The Alaska board URL is:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Chillkoot Charters URL is :

 

http://www.chilkootcharters.com/faq.htm

Believe you can cancel up to 24 hrs before departure with HAL, but Chilkoot charges a 10% cancellation fee..

Hope this helps..

Cheers..:) Betty

P.S. On the Alaska board, you will get some good info..Several posters live there & are only too happy to talk about their beautiful state.. Just read your last post & realize you have more time but not docking in Skagway..Hope you make that ferry..But if you are not sure, you might contact Chilkoot & see if they would do a reverse booking for you..

[camrosegirl]

Hi,

 

Just to make you feel good about your decision I was in Haines in July 2007 on Ryndam--docked at 5:42. This July I was on the Volendam--docked 5:30. This info is from the ship logs that I kept. I went to Skagway on my own, but most of the people were on HAL tours so the Fast Ferry picked us up right by the ship. I chose to come back earlier than you because I am a worry wart--in 2007 the Ryndam waited 1 hour for the fast ferry which was running late and had several passengers on HAL tours. I doubt we would have waited had there not been HAL tour people involved. You might want to consider taking an earlier ferry or at least check if there are HAL tour people booked on your ferry.

 

You will have a wonderful time--I have done it the last 4 summers and will probably do it again next year--want the Ryndam because I have never been to Sitka.

 

Sheryl

[Tuney]

We were in Haines / Skagway this summer on the MS ZAANDAM. We enjoyed the rail ride. But would not book another visit to Skagway on a Wednesday.

Wednesday is the busiest day of the week. There were 11 trains the day we were there. ZAANDAM docked at Haines and we took the ferry to Skagway.

At Skagway there were 2 Princies 3,000 passenger ships, and 2 Norweigen 3,000 passenger ships along with a couple of the smaller glacier cruisers.

 

The place was a mad house, and it was so croweded that we were unable to complete some of our other planned activities.

http://angeli-family.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1364

[Tuney]

http://angeli-family.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1364

We visited Haines / Skagway on a Wednesday this June (2008) on the MS ZAANDAM. We loved the train ride. But the place was so crowded with other Cruisers (2 3000 passenger Princess Ships, 2 3000 passenger Norweigen ships, and a couple of small glacier cruisers), that we were unable to complete or enjoy some of the other activities that we'd planned to do.

 

I talked to a railroad worker, and he said Wednesday is the busiest day of the week. Other days there are only 1 or 2 ships in. The ran 11 trains the day we were there.

 

Hal did provide special ferry service to Skagway, and bus service to the train station.

[Tuney]

http://angeli-family.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1364

 

We did the HAL tour this summer on the MS ZAANDAM. We had a good time but woudn't go back on a Wednesday if we could avoid it. Too many big ships in at the same time. Didn't get to do some of our activities.

[RRDude]

Going into Haines this July 9th, and wanted to book my own FAST FERRY (RT) to Skagway, then take the WP&YRR summit trip, but it looks like the cruise lines have gobbled up all of the seats on the FAST FERRY, for either excursion! I'm guessing this is "normal",as I have not cruised in over 40 years, and did not (at the time) partake of any of HAL's shore excursions. (They were few and far between)

 

Am I pretty much "stuck" paying an add'l $70 pp to take HAL's "package tour"?

 

Thanks.

[superoma]

Going into Haines this July 9th, and wanted to book my own FAST FERRY (RT) to Skagway, then take the WP&YRR summit trip, but it looks like the cruise lines have gobbled up all of the seats on the FAST FERRY, for either excursion! I'm guessing this is "normal",as I have not cruised in over 40 years, and did not (at the time) partake of any of HAL's shore excursions. (They were few and far between)

 

Am I pretty much "stuck" paying an add'l $70 pp to take HAL's "package tour"?

 

Thanks.

RRDude, this thread is almost six years old!! You are best to take the HAL excursion to the train if you dock in Haines since the ship won't wait for you if you go on your own and have trouble getting back. Occasionally the weather changes and the ferry has issues. I wouldn't take the chance.

[Susie51]

509 eagle...We were on the Veendam" this past Aug from Seward to Vancouver ..We docked in Skagway & booked the White Pass RR directly with Chilkoot tours..Took their 7 hour tour which included the bus/rail excursion into the Yukon & the Musher's Camp..HAL's tour did not include the Musher's camp, which I was really wanted to see:)

Since our ship wasn't scheduled to arrive Skagway, until 8:a.m. Chilkoot picked DH & me up at the pier in their 23 Psgrs Bus/Van..The other Chilkoot passengers took the train to Fraser while we took it back down..

It was wonderful having a private guide/driver going ..He stopped at many points so we could take pics of the beautiful scenery.. In Fraser (Canadian Border) we met the train & picked up more of Chilkoot's rail passengers ... The 7 hour tour included Bennett Lake, Emerald Lake , Carcross & Caribou crossing where we had lunch & visited the Dog Musher's Camp.. At the Musher's camp they gave us a nice Chicken dinner lunch plus time to go into the museum or to take a dog sled ride (additional $$ for dog sled ride) & also spend time petting the Husky puppies..On the way back they drove DH & I to Frasier where they put us in their private rail car back to Skagway..Going up it was a private tour with the driver & coming back on the train there were only about 8 people in our Chilkoot car which again was fantasrtic..This way we were able to get the seats on the right side of the railcar..(going up you should be on the left side) The Holland America cars were full..It worked out perfectly for us...The cost for both of us was $348.60 incl tax & it was well-worth it....Can't remember for sure but believe Hal's tour was about the same.. The walk from the train station back to the ship was about 20 minutes..We were not worried about the timing as our ship was scheduled to depart at 5:p.m. & we were back around three..

Suggest you go on Cruise Critics Alaska Board & investigate what others have said about using Chilkoot tours..The Alaska board URL is:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Chillkoot Charters URL is :

 

http://www.chilkootcharters.com/faq.htm

Believe you can cancel up to 24 hrs before departure with HAL, but Chilkoot charges a 10% cancellation fee..

Hope this helps..

Cheers..:) Betty

P.S. On the Alaska board, you will get some good info..Several posters live there & are only too happy to talk about their beautiful state.. Just read your last post & realize you have more time but not docking in Skagway..Hope you make that ferry..But if you are not sure, you might contact Chilkoot & see if they would do a reverse booking for you..

 

Thank you for the link.

[RRDude]

About Chilkoot Tours. Hopefully they'll be able to hook me up with transportation between Haines and Skagway, and do their Bennett Lake trip.

 

Juneau is also a port of call for us, what's your recommendation oh tour operators, "things not to miss" in Juneau? (Mendenhall Glacier, etc., etc.)