White Pass Rail Boarding question step by step

[ShipOFools]

NCL Pearl mid July Wednesday. excursion through NCL. New to Alaska. Can anyone give me a blow by blow step by step account of how to make sure we get a chance to sit on the left side? Family of 3 including 7-1/2 year old.

What is the boarding process like? Is there a line to expect anywhere? what kind of timing do we need to be aware of?

 

Thanks. Clueless

[daffodiliaz]

Our experience from May-

The train will have only Pearl passengers as each ship has it's own train. The track curves around an empty lot and ends at the Broadway dock (the closest, most convenient dock to town). There are some benches along the track closer to the ship, so that's were the crowd was. The crowd started to gather at least 30 minutes prior. Our 12:45 train was about 12 cars long. There were cases of water spaced out along the sidewalk that were loaded onto the traincars, so where there was water, there would be a car. The farther from the ship, the thinner the crowd, but there was nowhere to sit but on the sidewalk or ground. Stand by the water and you'll be one of the first to board and get your choice of seats. Expect big crowds. I think half the ship was on our excursion. Your excursion tickets will say to meet at a certain place. You don't need to meet anyone specific anywhere. The tickets are collected onboard during the trip.

[Putterdude]

It is open seating without any reservations so you are just going to have to try to get aboard a car as quickly as possible. If you don't get the left seats that you wish, there will be lots of opportunities to step out on the platforms between the cars to take photos. If you are taking a summit trip then you change seats for the ride down...so you will get left then.

[Budget Queen]

Just sit down in a left side seat from Skagway, facing the engine. MOST people have no clue what side to sit on. You won't have any problem getting this preferred seating.

[ShipOFools]

Thanks all!

[georgiatraveler]

We did the 7 1/2 hour train/bus tour with Chilkoot Tours two weeks ago and apparently every one on the train was a Cruise Critic member.

 

The first Chilkoot bus had already boarded the train when we arrived and they were sitting one to a seat in all of the seats on the left side, every seat on the right was empty. We had too many people for the seats on the right and after standing for a couple of minutes (well.. maybe seconds, seemed like minutes) with no one in the left seats offering to move a lady from our group sat next to a person on the left side. Only then did that person get up and sit with their traveling conpanion. I guess they thought we should ride standing so they could ride one to a seat. Other people finally doubled up on the left side so we could all sit. I must admit is was kinda funny to see everyone on the left side trying to avoid eye contact.

 

Another small issue we had with the train was people "homesteading" on the platforms between the cars. There were people who stayed on the platform the whole trip and begrudgingly "allowed" others to step out on the platform and wiggle between them to the rail for a quick photo. We also had this problem on the train from Anchorage to Whittier.

 

The same people that hogged the platform were also the last on the bus at every stop, taking one last photo. I think there are some people who only experience Alaska throught the camera lens!

[natvtxn]

We did the 7 1/2 hour train/bus tour with Chilkoot Tours two weeks ago and apparently every one on the train was a Cruise Critic member.

 

That is EXACTLY what I've wondered!

[keishashadow]

why am i shocked to read the peeps one per seat when others were waiting to sit? probably the same poolside chairhogs or should i sail railside on alaskan cruise:mad:

 

we'll be taking this thru chilkroot too, Q for u!

 

understand that we don't catch the train @ pier, look for their bus; was worried re getting back to ship though:confused:. Read a review where the people indicated their walk back to ship was so long...

 

was it? if so, do they bus u back to pier?

 

i don't mind walking back to the ship, just would like to know if we can pace ourselves or have to hurry.

 

they did say they'd have us back by 2:30 or 3 pm @ latest.

[tentimecruiser]

. .

[georgiatraveler]

Keishashadow, Our ship was at the Railroad Docks, but our bus picked up some people at the Ore Docks and it did seem to be farther away. Do a search for "Skagway Map" and you can get a map of the downtown area.

 

We did the train up to the pass and then a bus tour back. We had some people who were getting short on time and our driver (Terrell) took them to their ship first. We opted be dropped off in town and walk back to the Railroad Dock since we had several hours left in Skagway.

 

Our driver knew the departure times of the ships and was very aware of getting people back on time. We had been stopping for all bear sightings but the last two bears we only waved to as we passed. We saw one brown bear and 6 black bears!

[keishashadow]

thanx for the help:)

[Scrappy cruiser]

I think it also depends on how many ships are in port. We were the only ship in port and took the 7 1/2 hour Chilkoot Charters tour. Our train car had, perhaps, 20 people on it. And most of them had no idea where to sit.

[Shewuf]

We rode this train last week, as an Island Princess excursion. A bus picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, which was well within walking distance from the ship. There was one smaller ship in port with us, and the train had lots of empty seats. I asked the person who seated us which side was best to sit on, and she said "left", so we all sat on the left - no problem.:)

[Seabreeze8]

I have a similar question: is it better to take the train first and back by bus or take the bus first and back by train? and why? Thanks, everyone!:)

[Budget Queen]

I have a similar question: is it better to take the train first and back by bus or take the bus first and back by train? and why? Thanks, everyone!:)

 

Doesn't much matter. :)

[DaveOKC]

We are thinking of taking a bus tour up and the train back. In this case, should we take the Right or Left side (facing forward and the engine of course).

[DaveOKC]

We are in Skagway on a Sat. mid Sept. and the only ship in port - about 1200 passengers. How crowded are the trains likely to be?

[tulips*n*truffles]

I just took this trip a few days ago - the 3.5 hour trip. We loved it. Amazing scenery and the history was just great. Just an FYI and maybe it isn't the same on every train, but they did the commentary going both up and down the mountain. We were lucky to sit on the left and then keep those seats going back down (our car wasn't full, so a lot of people were able to keep their seats), but we were glad to have the commentary both directions as we missed the stories behind some things the first time. No one missed out on a thing.

 

We did, however, have two very very unhappy (and vocal about it) women behind us - and that's the only thing we would have changed. :-)

[saibari]

I just took this trip a few days ago - the 3.5 hour trip. We loved it. Amazing scenery and the history was just great. ...

 

We did, however, have two very very unhappy (and vocal about it) women behind us - and that's the only thing we would have changed. :-)

 

What were they unhappy about?

[mochuck]

We did the 7 1/2 hour train/bus tour with Chilkoot Tours two weeks ago and apparently every one on the train was a Cruise Critic member.

 

The first Chilkoot bus had already boarded the train when we arrived and they were sitting one to a seat in all of the seats on the left side, every seat on the right was empty. We had too many people for the seats on the right and after standing for a couple of minutes (well.. maybe seconds, seemed like minutes) with no one in the left seats offering to move a lady from our group sat next to a person on the left side. Only then did that person get up and sit with their traveling conpanion.

 

Exactly what I would've done too and gotten my husband to sit in one in front or behind me. Some people are so selfish

[tulips*n*truffles]

What were they unhappy about?

 

EVERYTHING! Constant complaining literally from about a minute after they boarded until the second we stood to get off the train. On the way up, they sat across the aisle from us, and on the way down, we were one seat in front of them. One of the women was *bored* and kept asking "how much longer" to the gal on our train car (are you FIVE?!). She was furious that she hadn't gotten a left-hand seat when they boarded (even though the announcer said over and over that they would give the same commentary on the way down as they did on the way up). She said about 20 times how awful the trip was and what a waste of time when she could have been shopping. And she wasn't quiet about it. It's just really sad when your life doesn't allow you to enjoy amazing scenery, a little history, and a piece of country you've never seen before.

[tulips*n*truffles]

Exactly what I would've done too and gotten my husband to sit in one in front or behind me. Some people are so selfish

 

That happened on our train, too. There were maybe a dozen of us on board with only two pairs of us doubling up to sit with the person we traveled with - everyone else was spread out on the left with 1 to a bench. Finally the train director (conductor?) came in and told everyone they had to double up because the train was full that day. Nobody moved! I couldn't believe it! So he came back in again about 5 minutes later and told the group that he wasn't leaving until they sat with the person they were traveling with...I think he was genuinely surprised that no one moved the first time! We didn't end up having a full train, so most of them split up and sat in singles anyway, but it was really rude behavior. I don't get it - is it really that hard to look past one person to see out the window?! Sheesh!

[bragstarr]

Just to confirm--the left side as you are facing forward, or toward the engine, correct? I'm having too many senior moments here.....