I am cruising to Alaska in June 06 - my first cruise ever. We have an 8 hour excursion in Skagway -- the "Yukon Expedition and White Pass Railway" combination. On that, we ride the Yukon route bus up to and past the summit and retrun back down via the White Pass Rail.

I only see reviews for the White Pass Railway...but has anyone on this site ever taken the Yukon coach tour up to and past the summit...then returned via the White pass Rail back down into Skagway????

I want to know if the Yukon bus trip is worth the extra time and money. Since the combination of the two is 8 hours long...I wonder if we should just take the 3 hour round trip White Pass rail...then another short excursion and shopping/dining to fill our long stay in Skagway???

Comments/thoughts pleaseeeeeee!!! Thanks so much!!!!!

I haven't done it, but heard from a friend that the combined White Pass/Yukon trip was not to be missed, and much better than the shorter one roundtrip on the White Pass. It will depend on your interests; if you really like walking around historic towns (with lots of other people) and poking into shops, you may want to save some time for shopping as well.

There is some beautiful scenery on the long tour, however some of the areas can be pretty boring to look at. With the winters getting so cold in some of the areas you see there is not much that grows to see.

There are some beautiful lakes. It is interesting to see some of the stunted trees due to the harsh winters also.

It will all be up to your interests but the long trip can be a little long for some.

I go to Alaska on a cruise often and have done the long trip but once on the long trip was enough for me. I did feel the views from the train were better then the ones from the bus but that is just me.

Let me clarify a couple of things...I do not expect that the scenery from the bus to rival that from the train...I just would like to know if the long tour that includes the Bus is worth it. Or.....should we use take just the White Pass 3 hour train trip and shop/tour Skagway the rest of the time in port?????

Garden4cook you ask if the long tour is worth it. This is hard to answer because what may be worth it to me may not be worth it to you or vice versa.

For me was it worth it when I did it? Yes for me it was worth it but as I said once was enough. I totally enjoyed both the bus and the train but I would gladly do the train again but not the bus. The bus and train tour is just to long for me and I did not see anything on the full trip that would make me want to do it again.

I do not know your likes and dislikes so I have no idea if it will be worth it for you. The only one that will know that is you or someone who has taken the tour and knows what you may like.

thanks for your thoughts on the Yukon Bus tour in combination with the Whit ePass Railroad. That trip is 8 long hours...and I think that we will look at altering that excursion...of course still taking the White Pass Train, but another combination tour that is perhpaps 2 hours less in length, still giving us the scenery we desire to see, and time in Skagway for some fune.

Thanks again...


June 26, 2006
Northbound on Island Princess
room A-3x7

My wife and I are cruising the northern Island Princess departing June 26th as well. Are you traveling alone or not and how old are you?

To Chris and Kim...it is just my boyfriend and I traveling. He is 54, and I am 50 (will turn 51 on the cruise). We are from southern California, and it is our first cruise. I'm so excited and I've got sooooooo many questions...Cheryl


June 26, 2006 to Alaska
Island Princess
northbound "Voyage of the Glaciers"
deck/room: Aloha 3x7

Doesn't the bus trip make a few stops for shopping, sightseeing, etc.?