Best Independent travel mode: Fast Ferry

For visiting Prince William Sound, you can%26#39;t beat the new fast ferry Chenega of the Alaska Marine Hwy. 200+ feet long, goes 35+ knots, holds 250 passengers and 35 vehicles. 3 sight filled hours and you are across the Sound from Whittier to Cordova. Another two+ hrs, and you are in Valdez, or visa-versa. The ferry has Alaska art, food court, US Forest Service interpreter/naturalist, and very comfortable seats, all with great views of one of Alaska greatest bodies of water. Cordova has a jet airport with daily service from south (Juneau) and north (Anchorage), so one way ferry trips work well also. Check it out on Alaska Marine Highway website and CordovaChamber.com for information about Cordova %26amp; local flavor. The fast ferry leaves the area in mid-Sept and returns in April. During the late fall/winter months the venerable (but much slower) ferry Aurora does the same route. Also a good ride, but bring a good book, blanket %26amp; pillow.

Best Independent travel mode: Fast Ferry

Hi Cordovan

My husband and I want to travel to Alaska in March 2007 to see the Iditarod but also to see some of the Inside Passage. As I get sea sick on a wet lawn, I%26#39;m not very keen on doing a cruise (why pay top dollar to be sick for 7 nights). I thought that a couple of day trips from Juneau would let us see some of the sights without being too hard on my system. Can you tell me anything about the ferries from Juneau in March? I%26#39;ve checked the Marine Highway website but they do not show winter routes or prices yet.

I was thinking that we would see the start of the Iditarod, maybe fly out to one of the mushing stops and then back to Anchorage. Then fly to Juneau for a couple of nights and take day ferry trips to see some of the Inside Passage.

Is this reasonable / feasible?

Helen from Western Australia

Best Independent travel mode: Fast Ferry

Hi Helen

Your plan is do-able, but the airfare would be quite expensive......at least $300 each for round trip flight from Anchorage......check with Alaska Air you may be able to get a multi-city flight from Anchorage to Juneau, Juneau to Seattle......their best fares on found on their website.......Once in Juneau you would be able to take a ferry to Skagway, Haines or Sitka.......the ferries run all year long just not as frequently during the winter.......a ferry trip from Juneau to here in Haines is 4 1/2 hours on the older slower ferries and about 2 hours on our new fast ferry....they all run on different schedules so you would just have to check when you knew the exact dates.......the ferries are a wonderful ';mini cruise';.....the inside passage is very smooth sailing and the scenery is ever-changing.......there may still be snow on the ground in Juneau at that time of year, but seldom over 2 feet on the ground......since it is the capital city the roads are plowed often and you should have no trouble getting around town.....museum will be open and the visitors center at the Mendenhall Glacier....(the lake at the base of the glacier may still be frozen then too and you could be able to walk out to the waterfall) If you enjoy sports, you could downhill ski or crosscountry ski in Juneau............but most of the tourist attractions are not opened until May......

Hi Mombear from Haines, Alaska

Thanks for your reply .... you%26#39;ve calmed my worries somewhat. Since writing yesterday I%26#39;ve been on the web and tried to decipher the Marine Highway Timetable for December (they don%26#39;t have March posted yet). I found the way it%26#39;s set out very confusing. Can you tell me does the ferry make a return trip from Juneau to Haines in a day or ... what would be even better .... can we catch the ferry up to Haines one day and then return the next? Does it run every day?

Also my husband and I have decided to try to include the %26#39;Northern Lights%26#39; into our itinerary. I%26#39;ve looked up Alaska Air to check out flights between Anchorage-Fairbanks-Juneau etc and if we book now we can get some decent fares. Is Fairbanks the best viewing spot? (I know that they can not be guaranteed, but where should we go to get the best chance of setting them?)

All advice gratefully received.

Thanks

Helen - Perth, Australia

Helen

The further north you go the best chance you would have to see the northern lights......Fairbanks would be best (out of town and away from other light sources)....have heard that Chena Hot Springs is a good place to stay and see them....have never been there, think it%26#39;s northeast from Fairbanks.......

As for the ferry system......the way I use their website is to choose the reservations option.....if you know the dates you want just fill out the dates and destination and pretend you are making a reservation......the system will bring up a date range that includes several days before and after the requested dates then just write down the sailing times and dates that you may need and use that in your planning.......for me it%26#39;s simpler that way then trying to figure out that huge grid chart they have.......The ferries run daily during the summer months and probably about 4 times a week during the winter.....never a predictable schedule though......but the first thing you learn in Alaska is be patient......

Cordovan, so glad to see your post! Husband and I are planning a trip to Alaska next summer. In all my reading we have decided to stay a couple of days in Cordova. It seems like a wonderful place. While we realize that the cost of traveling there may be more we are so looking forward to visiting.

Would love some inside information. We might look at a 1/2 day fishing trip and would like to stay in a B%26amp;B. Any help would be appreciated.

I understand the Ferry schedules for next year don%26#39;t come out till Nov. Do the schedules stay the same or close to the same? I am ready to book some things but we need to see the schedule before making reservations. We are renting a car and driving.

Hope you can help us!

Thank you,

Lindsey

Hi Cordovan,

I am also interested in the new fast ferry from Whittier to Valdez.. However looking at this year%26#39;s rates for a sedan and 1 passenger, it is $570.00 one way (ouch!)

Hi aquablue, I thought that was a price for a car, driver and one passenger. Maybe I%26#39;m wrong. Such high prices scared me too this year

Ferry price during the summer is per vehicle with an additional charge for each person (driver and passengers)....price per vehicle depends on the size of that vehicle......

You may want to leave the rental car and ride the ferry as walk-on passengers....maybe rent a car in Cordova for a day........ you will not need the car on the day you are fishing.....

I had to take the slow ferry yesterday from Valdez to Whittier . It took 6 hrs and very few passengers were reading books. It was a beautiful warm sunny day,and most people were taking many pictures and enjoying the outstanding views all the way to Whittier. I had no idea it would be so incredible. I was able to make it to Homer by nine last night and sad to say that my 5 days of fantastic weather are now gone and it doesn%26#39;t look like good for the next few.

I had to take the slow ferry yesterday from Valdez to Whittier . It took 6 hrs and very few passengers were reading books. It was a beautiful warm sunny day,and most people were taking many pictures and enjoying the outstanding views all the way to Whittier. I had no idea it would be so incredible. I was able to make it to Homer by nine last night and sad to say that my 5 days of fantastic weather are now gone and it doesn%26#39;t look like good for the next few.