Help me plan this trip- Hammond,La to Chicago to Seattle,Cruise Alaska

[jebr]

And yes, should the connection be missed Amtrak will put you in a hotel and give you some money for food, so long as it can be booked directly (without using the multi city tab.)

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

So now to the bigger question. What type of cruise? A smaller vessel, a ferry, or a big ship?

Un-cruise small ship adventures.

http://www.un-cruise.com/alaska-cruises

Alaska Marine Highway. (Ferry)

http://www.alaskaferryvacations.com/index.html

The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry dock is a short walk to the local Amtrak station. ( across a parking lot )

Do you have a favor cruise ship line, almost all of the lines have trips to Alaska.

Good thing you starting early on the planning.

 

[cassie225]

I do like a big ship. Maybe Royal Carribean,Norwegian,Princess. When my hubbie had travel agent plan the Alaska trip,he did trains with stops at lodges overnight and some for 2 nights,boating,parks and etc. Alas we did not take that trip because I WOULD HAVE TO FLY to get there,but I still have the paperwork for it. But when he retires we won't have a certain time to be back and can take all the time needed to enjoy the journey. My question,since this is new to me, should we do spring,fall or summer?

 

[niemi24s]

Other than train and cruise boat costs, I'd consider anticipated coastal weather along the way to Alaska as a deciding factor. Wife & I took the Empire Builder from Columbus WI to Everett WA and then the Cascades up to Vancouver BC for a Holland America cruise to Alaska in May, 2013. Great train rides all the way and the weather in Vancouver was great. First stop was Ketchikan AK. It was raining upon arrival...



...and someone on the boat muttered "I've never been to Ketchikan when it wasn't raining!" After about 5 hours, the heavy drizzle finally stopped just in time for a short walk around town before the boat shoved off. Even though the weather was nice for the rest of the cruise it may have just been luck. According to the climate data here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchikan,_Alaska ...June & July look like the best months to avoid getting wet in Ketchikan. Other stops along the way might differ and Google searches for " (port of call) Climate" would tell you.

Another consideration - as long as we're on a forum dealing with trains - is train travel in Alaska. Our boat's last stop was Whittier, AK and we took a very nice passenger train from there to Anchorage. There's also an excursion train between Anchorage and Fairbanks, but we didn't take it.

 

[cassie225]

Other than train and cruise boat costs, I'd consider anticipated coastal weather along the way to Alaskaas a deciding factor. Wife & I took the Empire Builder from Columbus WI to Everett WA and then the Cascades up to Vancouver BC for a Holland America cruise to Alaska in May, 2013. Great train rides all the way and the weather in Vancouver was great. First stop was Ketchikan AK. It was raining upon arrival...

IMG_0724a.JPG

...and someone on the boat muttered "I've never been to Ketchikan when it wasn't raining!" After about 5 hours, the heavy drizzle finally stopped just in time for a short walk around town before the boat shoved off. Even though the weather was nice for the rest of the cruise it may have just been luck. According to the climate data here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchikan,_Alaska ...June & July look like the best months to avoid getting wet in Ketchikan. Other stops along the way might differ and Google searches for " (port of call) Climate" would tell you.

Another consideration - as long as we're on a forum dealing with trains - is train travel in Alaska. Our boat's last stop was Whittier, AK and we took a very nice passenger train from there to Anchorage. There's also an excursion train between Anchorage and Fairbanks, but we didn't take it.

Love the pictures, never considered Holland America. How did you enjoy the cruise? What was the train ride like.

 

[TinCan782]

Trains and cruises a great combo...last July we did the Coast Starlight LA to SEA, overnight in SEA then NCL to Alaska and back. Overnight again in SEA an Coast Starlight back to LA. Train was a AGR bedroom redemption so that part was "free".

 

[cassie225]

Trains and cruises a great combo...last July we did the Coast Starlight LA to SEA, overnight in SEA then NCL to Alaska and back. Overnight again in SEA an Coast Starlight back to LA. Train was a AGR bedroom redemption so that part was "free".

Nice. Don't think I will ever get enough points to get bedroom free. Wish they would combine my families points together,but I see why not, that might be double dipping.

 

[niemi24s]

How did you enjoy the cruise? What was the train ride like.

Cruise was nice, but it was my first one so I have nothing to compare it with. Train ride was nice too. Unless you know somebody up there who'll come get you in Whittier the only alternative to the train is a bus. But some cruise lines have their last stop in Seward AK and I think there's an Alaska Railroad excursion train that goes from there to Anchorage too. As I recall, there were not too many cruise lines that tie up in Anchorage.

 

[jannie]

We took the Empire Builder with roomette. We had a stop over in Chicago (very short) going out. Checked our internet in the Lounge & had something to eat. The trip was nice -- maybe it just takes more for us to be bored. We read - walked to the lounge car and scenery watched. We arrived in Seattle & took the Amtrak "bus" to Vancouver. And, took the cruise out of Vancouver. Coming back we chose to have a stop over in Seattle for a day or two and continue Amtrak after sightseeing. Chicago we stayed the night as our connection didn't work out right & found that Chicago Union Station doesn't stay open all night.

2 nights on the train wasn't a big deal. meals, and walking to the lounge breaks the trip up, coming back there was a speaker from the Parks in the lounge. We went in late May/early June time frame.