Help with Alaska shore excursion after docking in Seward on Radiance

[JD Life]

I have booked a 2024 Summer cruise from British Vancouver ending in Seward.  We get off at the end of the cruise between 8am and 10am.  I really want to take the Alaska Gold Dome Service train from Seward back to Anchorage but it doesn't leave until 6pm.  What do I do with my luggage before I board the train?  Is this even doable or should I just take the bus back?  Never been to Alaska so thought I'd ask the experts.  We're Caribbean cruisers.  Thank you in advance for any advice. 

[KJones]

Take the train! You should be able to drop off your luggage at the depot soon after you disembark. I believe I read that luggage travels via truck and not with the passenger train. The depot is technically within walking distance of the ship, but would recommend the free town shuttle (RC may also provide one, but not 100% sure since we did the Seward to Vancouver route).

[JD Life]

Awesome.  Great to hear this.  Thank you for the quick response.  I really want to go on that train.  I assume it will be worth it even if it is costly but what isn't these days.  

 

[KJones]

We sat in the regular/ adventure class for $105 and thought it a fantastic value, and a perfect way to get to Seward (in your case Anchorage).

[AshleyDillo]

Seward is a cute little town to walk around. There's a Sea Life center you can check out. There's also the Kenai Fjords in Seward if you have time to do a boat tour.

[12thman]

Found this on Alaskatrain.com 

While mile zero of the Alaska Railroad main line is located at the historic depot location in downtown Seward, you will be boarding at the current depot location less than two miles away, near the small boat harbor. The harbor is the departure point for must-see wildlife and glacier cruises to Kenai Fjords National Park, as well fishing charters for Alaska salmon and halibut. If you are arriving in Seward by cruise ship, the “big ship” dock is also located nearby. Many cruise passengers disembark their cruise ship, take a Kenai Fjords cruise during the day, then travel to Anchorage in the evening by train or bus. If your schedule allows you to spend a night or two in Seward… that is even better.

After pulling out of the Seward train station you will pass the Seward airport on your right. The airport is well used by local air taxi and general aviation, however, there is no scheduled commercial airline service to Seward. Just past the airport you cross the Resurrection River. The river, along with Resurrection Bay, was named by an early Russian merchant and explorer who took shelter in the bay during an Easter storm. Also sharing this name is the Resurrection Pass trail network that travels 72 miles from Seward, over Resurrection Pass, to the small historic mining town of Hope Alaska.

As you leave Seward behind, you will soon enter the Chugach National Forest. Believe it or not… nearly all of the remainder of your trip to Anchorage will be within the borders of either the Chugach National Forest or the Chugach State Park. The National Forest is about the size of New Hampshire at just under seven million aces, 30% of which is covered in ice. The Chugach State Park is a half million acres in size, making it the third largest state park in the country.

Next you will start to climb into the Kenai Mountains, making your first crossing at 694 foot Divide. After crossing the Snow River, you follow the eastern shore of the 22 mile long Kenai Lake for approximately 6 miles before reaching the small community of Moose Pass. About 200 residents live in this scenic town which is nestled between Upper and Lower Trail Lakes, and is also where the railroad tracks “separate” from the Seward Highway.

As you cross over the 1,063 foot summit pass of the Kenai Mountains, you will understand why this area is called Grandview. For the next dozen or so miles, you will want to have your camera ready as you pass by Grandview, over the Placer River Bridge, by Bartlett Glacier and through a series of tunnels to Spencer Glacier. Part of the Glacier Discovery route offers whistle stop service to Spencer Glacier, where passengers may disembark for camping, hiking and day tours. Next you will cross the Placer River Valley before reaching the Turnagain Arm and rejoining the highway. This location is known as Old Portage Station, and is also where the 12 mile spur track to Whittier leaves the main line.

Depending on the time of the year, the remainder of your trip is often a spectacular journey into the setting sun as you travel along the Turnagain Arm to Anchorage. Keep an eye out for beluga whales and bald eagles, as well as adventurous humans surfing on the incoming tide, kite boarding along the windy points or climbing the rocky coastal cliffs. You will make a brief stop at Girdwood, home to Alyeska Ski Resort, before continuing along the arm past Bird Creek, Indian, Windy Point and Beluga Point. From Windy Point, if you look directly across the Turnagain Arm you can often just make out the community of Hope, mentioned above as the beginning or end of the Resurrection Pass Trail.

Before heading uphill into the city of Anchorage, you will pass the historic Potter Section House on your left. On your right you will see the Potter’s Marsh bird sanctuary, part of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge. After traveling through Anchorage, past several residential neighborhoods and commercial areas, you will rejoin the coast one last time as you roll along the outskirts of downtown into the rail depot. You can visit this page for more information on Anchorage, and if you need help finding or booking Anchorage hotels to tours… we can help with that as well

It does say that you should have time for a Glacier cruise. Also I'd imagine they would hold your luggage as well. 

[Dnswisher]

We just booked for Sept 2024 cruise disembarking in Seward on Sept 13th   Was wondering the same thing taking the train to Anchorage.  Since you are not leaving until 6pm is it still daylight that you will be able to see everything you mentioned?   Even thinking about taking a train to Denali and on to Fairbanks how long would that take and do you have a recommendations for that?  Not sure how long that would take and the cost.. wont be able to take many extra days but we do disembark on a Friday. Thanks