Anchorage to Seward

Ray, I'm glad that you are laughing!

The "funny" thing is that Hertz can charge over 200% for this one way
rental in a market where they turn the car around with the next cruise
passenger going the opposite direction, charging him over 200% again.

This is not going to save Hertz from going out of business, but it will
end when competition wakes-up.

There's a business here, just waiting to be born: Matching arriving and
departing cruise passengers up. This way a car rented for a few hours
in Anchorage can be driven to Seward or Whittier by one party and driven
back to the airport in Anchorage by another. Total cost would be a one
day rental round trip at less than 25% ($50.each) of the cost of two one
way, rentals ($200. each)

If I make a profit of 100% on each renter, I still save them 50%.over
Hertz

Inspector "Genius" Gadget

>
>The "funny" thing is that Hertz can charge over 200% for this one way
>rental in a market where they turn the car around with the next cruise
>passenger going the opposite direction, charging him over 200% again.
>
>This is not going to save Hertz from going out of business, but it will
>end when competition wakes-up.
>
>There's a business here, just waiting to be born: Matching arriving and
>departing cruise passengers up. This way a car rented for a few hours
>in Anchorage can be driven to Seward or Whittier by one party and driven
>back to the airport in Anchorage by another. Total cost would be a one
>day rental round trip at less than 25% ($50.each) of the cost of two one
>way, rentals ($200. each)
>
>If I make a profit of 100% on each renter, I still save them 50%.over
>Hertz
>
>Inspector "Genius" Gadget
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

The pricing is on par with the high costs of Alaska. The only other car rental
in Seward - an independent stopped serving Seward the last 2 seasons. Avis now
has the one way Whittier/Anchorage route. To make the best of it, I only
rent a one way car for only as long as I need it to get to Anchorage. I then
turn it in and rent a cheap round trip Anchorage car. Frankly- most people
just pass through, having no idea the excellent touring opportunities they have
missed. The Alaska RR is also an excellent transfer option.

To start a cruise in Seward I need to fly to Anchorage.
What is the best way to get to Seward?

We took the train.
"Miles" <webmilesremove@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Qdp9g.1574$KB.1210@fed1read08...
> To start a cruise in Seward I need to fly to Anchorage.
> What is the best way to get to Seward?
>
We took the train.

"Miles" <webmilesremove@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Qdp9g.1574$KB.1210@fed1read08...
> To start a cruise in Seward I need to fly to Anchorage.
> What is the best way to get to Seward?

The Alaska Railroad has service at 06:45 am..The arrival time in Seward is
around 11:15 am...It is a lovely scenic ride..we have taken it twice. Last
July, we took it from Seward on a Saturday morning and stayed at the fairly
new Holiday Inn in Seward which is a short walk from the train station...We
awakened the next morning to see the HAL Ryndam from our window waiting for
us..What a lovely sight..there was a marina filled with boats with the
mighty *R* docked next to it with snow capped mountains framing it all...I
love Alaska!

--Jean
P.S. I believe there is also bus service from Anchorage to Seward.

Miles wrote:
> To start a cruise in Seward I need to fly to Anchorage.
> What is the best way to get to Seward?

I don't know why everyone who responded said the best way was
to take the 6:45 am train!

OTOH, I think I know why. Probably because the Old Bag who
has been there tells others so, and others follow suit.

It COULD be the best way for SOME folks, but here are some
reasons WHY it ain't the best for us (or any small group of two
to 4 passengers).

1. Getting up at ungodly hours to take ANYTHING at 6:45 am.

2. Have to take a cab to the train station, and then hire
porters to lug the big suitcases to the train.

3. What do you do when you get OFF the train at the other
end? More luggage lugging and cab ride to the pier? Or
pay the cruiseship for the transport?


My wife and I just rent a car on arrival to Anchorage, stay
overnight at the Hilton, use the rental car to go dinner and
see a little of Anchorage, and drop the car off leisurely the
next day at Seward, after seeing what little there is to see
in that little town. One-day car rental does it ALL!

You have a choice of ONE car rental company -- Hertz. No
other company has a one-way drop off at Seward. That's the
only downside to the car rental option. Hertz got ya by the
balls, if ya have any of those.

Otherwise, it's a great, 120 or so miles of scenic drive from
Anchorage to Seward, where you can stop enroute and look
at mountain goats, the river, and other flora and fauna on
the leisurely drive; drop off the luggage DIRECTLY from
the rental car to the metal bins for cruiseship passengers'
luggage, then go sightsee Seward <G>, and finally drop the
rental car off at a little hut right outside the cruiseship pier
terminal!!

What could be simpler and more leisurely and enjoyable?

Why didn't your travel agent know and tell you about this?
Why didn't Ray , with all his press releases, offer
you any help on this?


-- Dr. Bob. (aka Reef Fish).

That's interesting.
Thanks,



"Reef Fish" <Dr_Bob_Lingm> wrote in message news:1147642035.437528.41670@y43g2000cwc. ...

Miles wrote:
> To start a cruise in Seward I need to fly to Anchorage.
> What is the best way to get to Seward?

I don't know why everyone who responded said the best way was
to take the 6:45 am train!

OTOH, I think I know why. Probably because the Old Bag who
has been there tells others so, and others follow suit.

It COULD be the best way for SOME folks, but here are some
reasons WHY it ain't the best for us (or any small group of two
to 4 passengers).

1. Getting up at ungodly hours to take ANYTHING at 6:45 am.

2. Have to take a cab to the train station, and then hire
porters to lug the big suitcases to the train.

3. What do you do when you get OFF the train at the other
end? More luggage lugging and cab ride to the pier? Or
pay the cruiseship for the transport?


My wife and I just rent a car on arrival to Anchorage, stay
overnight at the Hilton, use the rental car to go dinner and
see a little of Anchorage, and drop the car off leisurely the
next day at Seward, after seeing what little there is to see
in that little town. One-day car rental does it ALL!

You have a choice of ONE car rental company -- Hertz. No
other company has a one-way drop off at Seward. That's the
only downside to the car rental option. Hertz got ya by the
balls, if ya have any of those.

Otherwise, it's a great, 120 or so miles of scenic drive from
Anchorage to Seward, where you can stop enroute and look
at mountain goats, the river, and other flora and fauna on
the leisurely drive; drop off the luggage DIRECTLY from
the rental car to the metal bins for cruiseship passengers'
luggage, then go sightsee Seward <G>, and finally drop the
rental car off at a little hut right outside the cruiseship pier
terminal!!

What could be simpler and more leisurely and enjoyable?

Why didn't your travel agent know and tell you about this?
Why didn't Ray , with all his press releases, offer
you any help on this?


-- Dr. Bob. (aka Reef Fish).

Miles wrote:
> That's interesting.


It has its plusses and minuses ... itinerary freedom is a plus, just
like having one of your party behind the wheel not completely free to
watch the scenery has to be a minus. Transferring via Hertz will run
you roughly $125 (more for a larger-than-econobox), assuming that its
even available for the day you want (they do sell out).


But insofar as the complaint about the early hour that the train runs,
it isn't necessarily anywhere near as burdensome as what was being
suggested because if you've just arrived the day before, your circadian
rhythms ("internal body clock") haven't yet adjusted to local time:

everyone arriving from the Lower48 is coming from 1-4 timezones to the
East, which makes it easier for them to wake up "early" in AK.

For example, for an Eastern Time Zone visitor, they've incurred a four
hour shift, so on their first morning in AK, that "ungodly" 6:45AM
train perceptually feels like a 10:45AM appointment.


-hh

-hh wrote:
> Miles wrote:
> > That's interesting.
>
>
> It has its plusses and minuses ...

Of course it does. I have stated the pluses are mostly for TWO or
more passengers travelling together.

> itinerary freedom is a plus, just
> like having one of your party behind the wheel not completely free to
> watch the scenery has to be a minus.

A very minor minus, especially on the connecting highway where one
can STOP to observe or change driver.


> Transferring via Hertz will run
> you roughly $125 (more for a larger-than-econobox), assuming that its
> even available for the day you want (they do sell out).

There shouldn't be a problem in sufficiently early booking. I griped
about the rental (two years ago) when it was almost $60. But for
2007 booking, the $125 figure is good for some midsize to full size
cars with 5 large pieces of luggage. Even so, dividing that amount
by 2 or 3, it should counter the cost for taxi + train + porter for the
same 2 or 3 passengers.

The convenience I mentioned of using the rental car for OTHER
minor sightseeing AND one 1-day rental does all is good enough
for my travel.

YMMV of course.

-- Bob.

"Miles" <webmilesremove@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Qdp9g.1574$KB.1210@fed1read08...
> To start a cruise in Seward I need to fly to Anchorage.
> What is the best way to get to Seward?
>
>
You might ask the cruise line.I did the same with Holland America and
they booked a hotel in Anchorage as well as a bus trip for me - added it
to my bill. The bus stopped along the way at a wildlife "hospital" for
and hour or so , for snacks and to take a break ( and to have you
"donate to the cause") and dropped us off at the pier .