Alaska 7 days inside passage on Pacific Princess from Vancouver
Jun 10th, 2015, 07:42 PM
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Alaska 7 days inside passage on Pacific Princess from Vancouver
This is our first time cruise June 29 to July 7 Vancouver - Whittier. What is the best transfer option from the airport to the cruise line terminal in Vancouver and from Whittier to Anchorage airport?
Do they serve bottled water and if so, is there charge for it or should we buy couple cases in Vancouver to take with us since my husband and I drink lots of water.
Any good excursions we should plan while in ports?
I would appreciate any advice from your experiences.
Thank you very much.
Do they serve bottled water and if so, is there charge for it or should we buy couple cases in Vancouver to take with us since my husband and I drink lots of water.
Any good excursions we should plan while in ports?
I would appreciate any advice from your experiences.
Thank you very much.
Jun 11th, 2015, 03:02 PM
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My personal choice would be a taxi from the airport to the cruise terminal. You could check with Princess - they often offer pick-ups from airports. In Whittier, the cruise lines usually offer transfers to the airport (at a fee).
You can buy bottled water on the ship - there will be some in the fridge in your cabin but we found tap water was fine.
If you haven't been to Alaska before, then visit the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau - you can either book a ship cruise or take a shuttle bus from the dock - about $10 each one way I think. In Skagway, we enjoyed the White Pass and Yukon Railway trip - the ship tour is best as the train will depart from the ship.
Hope you have a great time.
You can buy bottled water on the ship - there will be some in the fridge in your cabin but we found tap water was fine.
If you haven't been to Alaska before, then visit the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau - you can either book a ship cruise or take a shuttle bus from the dock - about $10 each one way I think. In Skagway, we enjoyed the White Pass and Yukon Railway trip - the ship tour is best as the train will depart from the ship.
Hope you have a great time.
Jun 16th, 2015, 11:24 AM
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You can take a taxi in Vancouver (I'd do that if you are going straight from airport to ship).
In Whittier, you have to take a bus. It's better to arrange that with HAL if it's not too late. But if you have all day and a late departure, then I suppose you can just do it on your own. But you'll have to deal with your luggage. There may be an all-day tour that will stop you at the airport. I'd look into that. And of course the Alaska Railway is also an option, but that you have to arrange in advance. You may have missed your chance.
Most cruise lines (including HAL) charge for bottled water. But I can't imagine why on earth anyone would actually pay for water. Buy a refillable aluminum bottle and drink your fill. There's nothing wrong with the water on the ship.
In Whittier, you have to take a bus. It's better to arrange that with HAL if it's not too late. But if you have all day and a late departure, then I suppose you can just do it on your own. But you'll have to deal with your luggage. There may be an all-day tour that will stop you at the airport. I'd look into that. And of course the Alaska Railway is also an option, but that you have to arrange in advance. You may have missed your chance.
Most cruise lines (including HAL) charge for bottled water. But I can't imagine why on earth anyone would actually pay for water. Buy a refillable aluminum bottle and drink your fill. There's nothing wrong with the water on the ship.
Jun 19th, 2015, 08:28 AM
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If the Pacific Princess is leaving from the Vancouver downtown berth, you can take the train from the airport to the waterfront for less than $10 per person. It's fast, comfortable, and cheap. A taxi will cost you $$$ plus traffic congestion.
Some ships discourage using refillable bottles due to health concerns. I remember one time they had staff at the refreshment station due to an outbreak and they refused to refill water bottles. They put water in a glass and you have to somehow pour the content from the glass to your bottle, and there is no place to wash or rinse your refillable bottle except in your cabin and I don't know about the water quality there.
If you are so concerned about clean water, buy a 12 pack of bottled water and take it with you. Just be aware that the bottle you bought may not be any better than water on board. Bottled water being better or cleaner water is a marketing myth. And beware of "fake" bottled water in some countries. If they are too cheap and too good to be true, chances are they are "fake" knock offs.
Some ships discourage using refillable bottles due to health concerns. I remember one time they had staff at the refreshment station due to an outbreak and they refused to refill water bottles. They put water in a glass and you have to somehow pour the content from the glass to your bottle, and there is no place to wash or rinse your refillable bottle except in your cabin and I don't know about the water quality there.
If you are so concerned about clean water, buy a 12 pack of bottled water and take it with you. Just be aware that the bottle you bought may not be any better than water on board. Bottled water being better or cleaner water is a marketing myth. And beware of "fake" bottled water in some countries. If they are too cheap and too good to be true, chances are they are "fake" knock offs.
Jun 21st, 2015, 03:56 PM
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Hi Marua!
We just returned from our first cruise on the Star Princess from Whittier to Vancouver. Being inexperienced on how to get about we opted to buy transfers through Princess to get to and from the airport.
They do have both bottled and sparkling water for sale on board, and will come to the dinner table each evening to ask if you would like to purchase any. We too were concerned about the quality of the water on board, but it tasted great. I know they allow you to take bottled water on board if you wish, and it might be nice to have bottles to take with you on excursions.
Excursions....In Ketchikan we took a nature and rainforest hike. The forest is beautiful, but they have so many groups coming through that I felt a little pressed for time in trying to take photos of all the cool flora. Ketchikan itself is a cute town to explore on foot. The one thing I found strange were all the jewelry stores close to the ships. Not my thing, but just walked on by.
I agree with Marg's recommendations. In Juneau we took a combination excursion to Mendenhall Glacier (they call it the only drive-up glacier), and a whale watch tour. The visit to the glacier was about an hour long and not quite enough time to take any of the hikes and see the visitor's center. The whale watch tour in Auke bay was fantastic. We saw several humpback whales including a mom and calf.
In Skagway we took the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. The railroad picks passengers up at dockside. We were advised to sit on the left side of the train, but since they make all the passengers switch sides once you're at the Canadian border everyone gets a great view. The scenery is stunning.
We had a room with a balcony and just hung out there on the glacier viewing days. We left the sliding glass door open so we could pop in and get warmed up quickly. Room service was included so we had breakfast and lunch delivered. Take warm clothes for glacier days; it was about 47 degrees outside. There is lots to look at besides the glaciers we saw lots of seals, otters, and eagles.
Alaska's scenery is just breathtakingly beautiful; have a great time!
We just returned from our first cruise on the Star Princess from Whittier to Vancouver. Being inexperienced on how to get about we opted to buy transfers through Princess to get to and from the airport.
They do have both bottled and sparkling water for sale on board, and will come to the dinner table each evening to ask if you would like to purchase any. We too were concerned about the quality of the water on board, but it tasted great. I know they allow you to take bottled water on board if you wish, and it might be nice to have bottles to take with you on excursions.
Excursions....In Ketchikan we took a nature and rainforest hike. The forest is beautiful, but they have so many groups coming through that I felt a little pressed for time in trying to take photos of all the cool flora. Ketchikan itself is a cute town to explore on foot. The one thing I found strange were all the jewelry stores close to the ships. Not my thing, but just walked on by.
I agree with Marg's recommendations. In Juneau we took a combination excursion to Mendenhall Glacier (they call it the only drive-up glacier), and a whale watch tour. The visit to the glacier was about an hour long and not quite enough time to take any of the hikes and see the visitor's center. The whale watch tour in Auke bay was fantastic. We saw several humpback whales including a mom and calf.
In Skagway we took the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. The railroad picks passengers up at dockside. We were advised to sit on the left side of the train, but since they make all the passengers switch sides once you're at the Canadian border everyone gets a great view. The scenery is stunning.
We had a room with a balcony and just hung out there on the glacier viewing days. We left the sliding glass door open so we could pop in and get warmed up quickly. Room service was included so we had breakfast and lunch delivered. Take warm clothes for glacier days; it was about 47 degrees outside. There is lots to look at besides the glaciers we saw lots of seals, otters, and eagles.
Alaska's scenery is just breathtakingly beautiful; have a great time!
Jun 23rd, 2015, 03:14 PM
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Thank you all for great input. I booked Big Bus transfer from Whittier to Anchorage airport for $30./person. From Vancouver Airport we will take a taxi since we want to stop and buy a few cases of bottled water and do not want to check it in on our flight from LAX.
I am looking forward to this 1st cruise and will report. I did not book any tours because from I am reading it's better to buy on shore. Costco also has a special Alaska tour operators with discounted prices and good reviews.
I am not into shopping so will by-pass all the jewelry stands.
MM
I am looking forward to this 1st cruise and will report. I did not book any tours because from I am reading it's better to buy on shore. Costco also has a special Alaska tour operators with discounted prices and good reviews.
I am not into shopping so will by-pass all the jewelry stands.
MM
Jun 24th, 2015, 11:11 AM
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They have internet packages you can buy on board, but we priced it and found it to be too expensive and reviews mentioned it is slow. While sailing, this is the only internet option.
We ended up buying a "jetpack" from our cell phone carrier (verizon) that allowed us to create a wifi hotspot while in port (Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway). It connects to an on land cell phone tower, and then you connect devices to the jetpack. It was good enough to check email, do a little web surfing on an iPad, and send a couple of pictures home.
The device itself was cheap ($0.99) with our contract. It costs $20 a month to have it enabled, plus whatever data you use. We used just over 2G for the month. Our carrier also allows us to disable the device when we are not using it, so the fee is prorated for the month.
I think there are several different devices like this on the market. Also if you have a smartphone, a lot of them can serve as a wifi hotspot in port.
I'm not very savvy on the subject, hope this made sense.
p.s. I read somewhere to leave your cell phone off while you're at sea to avoid incurring roaming charges. Don't know if this is true or not.
We ended up buying a "jetpack" from our cell phone carrier (verizon) that allowed us to create a wifi hotspot while in port (Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway). It connects to an on land cell phone tower, and then you connect devices to the jetpack. It was good enough to check email, do a little web surfing on an iPad, and send a couple of pictures home.
The device itself was cheap ($0.99) with our contract. It costs $20 a month to have it enabled, plus whatever data you use. We used just over 2G for the month. Our carrier also allows us to disable the device when we are not using it, so the fee is prorated for the month.
I think there are several different devices like this on the market. Also if you have a smartphone, a lot of them can serve as a wifi hotspot in port.
I'm not very savvy on the subject, hope this made sense.
p.s. I read somewhere to leave your cell phone off while you're at sea to avoid incurring roaming charges. Don't know if this is true or not.
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