WWTBAM Bored

Winter hurls its worst in our general direction again today, with a "snow advisory" this morning. Over the next three days we are supposed to get snow, sleet and freezing rain (the exact mix depends upon location).

Someone asked about the itinerary for our Alaska cruise - according to elwing we leave from Vancouver and cruise up to Skagway, then take a train through the area with stops at Denali and other sightseeing points, and eventually ending up in Anchorage, where we board the ship for the return to Vancouver.

earendel wrote: Someone asked about the itinerary for our Alaska cruise - according to elwing we leave from Vancouver and cruise up to Skagway, then take a train through the area with stops at Denali and other sightseeing points, and eventually ending up in Anchorage, where we board the ship for the return to Vancouver.

I was asking about the itinerary. Skagway was one town my Alaska cruise didn't stop at, but I thought their railroad was basically just a sightseeing line that led up the pass all the gold miners took on the way to the Klondike. I haven't heard of anyone taking that line on up into the main part of Alaska.

Perhaps your ship continues to Anchorage, where you board the Alaska Railroad to Denali? That would be more logical. And that's one railroad not to be missed!

And if the weather is good, sign up for a sightseeing flight up to Mt. McKinley. That was the most spectacular flight of my life!

Seems unlikely that you catch the rail line from Skagway to Denali as it does not connect to my knowledge as noted. Then again it has been over 15 years since I did the cruise and 4 or 5 since my last trip to Anchorage. Most likely the cruise ship crosses the Gulf of Alaska to Whittier, which serves as the port for Anchorage since Anchorage itself is on the wrong side of the Kenai peninsula.

From Anchorage one can go by rail to Denali, Fairbanks and then back again. Or depart directly from Fairbanks by air which is what we did.

I certainly concur with taking a flight around McKinley if possible. I have done it twice and enjoyed both. One was from Near Denali National Park and the other was by boat plane from Anchorage. Takes longer to get there but fun to take off and land on the water!

tanstaafl2 wrote:Seems unlikely that you catch the rail line from Skagway to Denali as it does not connect to my knowledge as noted. Then again it has been over 15 years since I did the cruise and 4 or 5 since my last trip to Anchorage. Most likely the cruise ship crosses the Gulf of Alaska to Whittier, which serves as the port for Anchorage since Anchorage itself is on the wrong side of the Kenai peninsula.

From Anchorage one can go by rail to Denali, Fairbanks and then back again. Or depart directly from Fairbanks by air which is what we did.

I certainly concur with taking a flight around McKinley if possible. I have done it twice and enjoyed both. One was from Near Denali National Park and the other was by boat plane from Anchorage. Takes longer to get there but fun to take off and land on the water!

I'm not positive and don't have the time to research it, but I also believe that the Skagway train is just a local excursion one.

BTW, ear, if your cruise does go up to Anchorage/Whittier, it seems odd that you'd be cruising directly back to Vancouver after finishing the land tour. Those packages are usually one way south-north (with a flight home from Alaska) or the reverse trip north-south (after flying up to start it).

Maybe if you could get the name of the cruise line from elwing?

MarleysGh0st wrote:BTW, ear, if your cruise does go up to Anchorage/Whittier, it seems odd that you'd be cruising directly back to Vancouver after finishing the land tour. Those packages are usually one way south-north (with a flight home from Alaska) or the reverse trip north-south (after flying up to start it).

Maybe if you could get the name of the cruise line from elwing?

Better yet, I'll have her give me the itinerary in writing so there's no confusion.

earendel wrote:Better yet, I'll have her give me the itinerary in writing so there's no confusion.

Well, if you're sure you won't be overwhelmed by all that detail!