Incredible Train Trips Linked To Cruises Everyone Should Try. And Why!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2024
- Anyone close to cruising knows that cruise lines are incredibly involved with trains and train travel. Some even own and operate them, including some of the most famous and iconic ones, as you will hear. That’s why they really want us to do three things: book train travel before cruises, during cruises as excursions, and after the cruise.
Welcome aboard. I'm Gary Bembridge, helping you to get cruising right, including those train trips and excursions your cruise line really wants us to do and why.
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ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS: If you want to get cruising right, Tips For Travellers makes it easy to plan and have the incredible cruise experiences you dream of every time. All my Tips For Travellers advice, tips and tricks tips draw on everything that I have learnt on the 101 cruises I have done to date.
#cruisetips #CruisingTips #cruisetipsandtricks
00:00 Start
02:11 McKinley Explorer
02:58 Rocky Mountaineer
04:18 Rovos Rail
05:00 Indian Pacific
06:23 The Ghan
06:59 Eurostar
07:32 Northern Belle
08:15 Off-Ship Train Excursions
08:22 White Pass & Yukon Train
09:25 Flam railway
10:16 End Of The World Train
01:08 Trains Before and After Cruises
08:15 Train Excursions
You missed the Taieri Gorge train that runs out of Dunedin in New Zealand, using restored vintage carriages. Specially built open side carriages are also attached to the train for camera buffs to photograph the amazing scenery that the train passes through. Cruise ships dock at nearby Port Chalmers, and they arrange for the train to be waiting dock side. The journey is approx 6 hours return, and meals and drinks can be purchased onboard. The scenery is spectacular.
Another amazing NZ train trip is the " Northern Explorer, " a 10 hour journey that runs between the cruise ports of Wellington and Auckland, returning in the opposite direction the next day. Full catering is available onboard. It's very popular and is often sold out , months in advance, so prebooking online is essential. 😊
LOVED that train trip!! Amazing scenery!!
Fabulous train trip. 👍
Been there, done that
Yes the Dunedin train was great
yep - and the trans Alpine.
On our British Isles cruise on Viking, we did a post excursion on the Bergen to Oslo line. The scenery was breathtaking
I loved this train from Oslo to Bergen
Pretty tricky to link to cruises, but the best 2 train journeys we’ve ever done are the Glacier Express in Switzerland, and the Grand Canyon Railway. Both are unbelievable
(To be fair, even normal trains are world class scenic trips in Switzerland!)
Done the Glacier. The Bernina is good too and can cover similar tracks and scenery at a much cheaper price. We spent 7 days on trains in Switzerland - wonderful.
We're Canadian, and I had no idea! Well - an Alaska cruise/Rocky Mountaineer trip is now definitely on our bucket list, thank you!
We have done Alaska cruise w Princess w a train extension to Denali and Mt. McKinley with them. Fantastic! We are going again in Sept, but in reverse: train first and then Glacier Bay. Looking fwd to it again
We took the train from Oslo to Bergen to join our Viking Homelands cruise; some really lovely scenery & snow in summer.
Great video! Really interesting to learn about the connection between the cruise lines and these train journeys. The picture of you sipping tea in bed onboard the Indian Pacific is iconic!😊
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes that shot also sums up a lot of what was so great about the trip, Mark was the cameraman for that and did require a few takes before I was happy :-)
Absolutely fascinating video. I really appreciate your experience and research
I recommend the rail line Oslo - Bergen in Norway.
We took the Flam railway last August. While the scenery is good, be prepared for a noisy ride. The train is hot with the windows closed and very noisy with the windows open.
The train out of Skagway broke down when we were there, stranding folks for nearly 8 hours! Hopefully that's not a routine situation.
Thank you for mentioning The Ghan and The Indian-Pacific train trips in Australia. Both are in my to-do list. I didn't know that there were cruise ships which combine train-cruise journeys!
We did the HAL Land Sea TOUR in 2022. Bused from Fairbanks to Denali then ARR to Anchorage. Bussed down to Whitter to meet the Noordam.
Great video and so many iconic trains, we have been on the Flam railway and it is spectacular. Thanks Gary for giving us so many great journeys to try.
I love trains!!! I'd love to go on more trains!
Thank you Gary!!!
You and me both! :-)
Another superb video, thanks Gary - your production quality combined with the depth *and* breadth of information is first rate.
I'm a lifelong railfan, yet to dip my toe into the world of cruising - but the "Utopia Station" concept would singularly sell me on a ship that offered it - what a brilliant concept!! I share your surprise at the confusion this has generated - remembering "boat trains" from my formative years.
Keep up the good work, looking forward to the next instalment!
Thank you for the video!
Thank you for sharing your travel knowledge in such a pleasant and informative manner. Carry on.
Lovely video! We just did the White Pass two weeks ago and managed to see a bear eating dandelions by the side of the tracks. Our tour guide said the dandelions make the bears inebriated so they aren’t scared of the train. 😄
I have been to St Kitts many times and never knew there was the train ride. Thanks for all that great info on trains Gary. I have added it to my journal!!
Glad you enjoyed it
we've done it twice and it was so much fun. The ladies sing gospels on the train and we sang along!
London to Dublin has to be the best train / boat cruise. Leave Euston 9 AM, arrive Temple Bar 5PM. Stay overnight and get a flight back the next day
We did this both directions and it was well worth it. Take the Stena line rather than the Irish Ferry as the ships seemed newer. Also leave London early in the day or you could find yourself overnighting in Holyhead. Due to train issues had an unexpected layover on the way to the ferry and enjoyed a pint at a local pub.
Very interesting information, thank you. Some trips there i would really like to experience
Did the Glacier Discovery Route of course but failed to do the Rocky Mountaineer and the Skagway day excursion which we've sincerely regretted, as we'll never return to Alaska for another cruise. Fortunately we did did a small, 4 seater, plane journey from Anchorage airport to Denali and back, although the snow was too soft to land, we did the most amazing passes along cliff faces, through gorges and valleys of Denali. Spectacular! One train trip you didn't mention, perhaps because it's just a day excursion run by a river cruise company APT/AmaWaterways, out of Budapest is to the Royal Palace of Godollo. The steam train was quite fantastic and elegant featuring restored carriages from the early 1900s
I've done the Skagway to Yukon ride, it was gorgeous. I also just signed myself and my bf up yesterday for the Flåm railway excursion for our cruise in July. It sold out barely 10 minutes after excursions opened. I was ready and waiting, and paid for it immediately!
Fantastic subject, Gary. It’s very interesting and cruise-adjacent. I’d like to see more videos about things to do and see that are cruise-adjacent
We did the Rocky Mountaineer and the White Pass & Yukon trains (bucket-list items!) last year along with a Celebrity Alaska cruise. The RM was pricey (we also opted for Gold Leaf class) but wonderful -- I regularly recall some of the views and experiences. Alas, we arrived in Banff at the end of the trip only to find it shrouded in smoke from the wildfires! The WP&Y was completely different in style but no less spectacular in scenery. We have also done the St Kitts scenic railway twice. I hear that there's a small heritage railroad now in Barbados, so maybe that's next on our agenda.
Lots of fabulous information Gary. I am book marking this one for the future!
Glad it was helpful!
This was fabulous Gary, thank you! I love train travel. I did the Vancouver to San Luis Obispo on Amtrak - a beautiful route. I will bookmark this video for future reference 😊
I adored your Alaska train journey.
Fascinating. I’ve done some of these rail trips but need to do more..great video!
Thanks for watching. Great to hear you enjoyed this one
I love the Holland train in Alaska. The princess and Holland train cars were hooked together and were both very nice.
Thank you for your insights, Gary.
Always appreciate your considered opinions on developments in cruising and related travel opportunities.
The train journeys and lodge stays sound amazing and a great addition to an Alaskan cruise.
Such a lot of journeys you covered are on my "would love to" list, I'll keep dreaming and perhaps ----
Thanks for watching and great to hear your thoughts!
I'd suggest the Tren de Soller in Mallorca . Beautiful ride and the station jn Soller has a small museum that is well recommended
Great video. I made the "End of the World" train and really enjoyed the ride. It also stops for about 20 minutes at a station near a waterfall.
Wonderful Gary! excellent info. Oh and yes, you missed The Taleri Gorge train, South Island, New Zealand (Dunedin) as pointed out by @Bellakelpie.
My wife loves train rides, so we will definitely consider the option the next time we book. Thanks!
Gary thank you for such a fabulous video ! Given you have travelled so extensively I wonder where else you have yet to visit? 👏
We took the Rocky Mountaineer from Moab Utah to Denver last fall after hiking all five Utah National Parks and it was so beautiful! I'd love to so the Canadian one too.
Great video! I love the White Pass and Yukon also, and enjoyed the Train to the End of the World in Ushuaia. Very much want to do the Rocky Mountaineer. And all the others you mentioned too!
Thanks for watching and great to hear you enjoyed!!
I've been on the Flam railway and also Eurostar. I've done Oslo to Trondheim twice, it has fantastic scenery and can meet cruises at either end. I'm booked on Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf and White Pass on a Viking cruise of Alaska this summer. Hard to do with cruises, but I recommend the Jungfrau mountain railway and Shinkansen aka Bullet Train in Japan where we went from Tokyo to Hiroshima. And lastly if you're doing river cruises in the south of France, getting there by TGV is much nicer than flying but I've only managed to get the schedules to line up once.
As a Canadian the Rocky Mountaineer is on my bucket list also Vancouver to Toronto
Cool!
You can also do The Ghan train south to north, Adelaide to Darwin, which is less time at 3 days and 2 nights--a wonderful experience. We boarded a Silversea Kimberley cruise in Darwin.
Interesting thing about the Royal Rail on Utopia, we are booked on Utopia and there is no ability to pre-book that venue. In fact it doesn’t even appear on the planner at all. It makes me wonder if it will actually be there when Utopia sails.
Reminds me of the Hogwarts express ride at Universal Studios.....Wands Up!
You can also book a train ticket with Alaska Railroad without taking a Holland or Princess Cruise. You can check out the train's website directly. I like the roundtrip Hurricane Turn train from Talkeetna.
Although Carnival may own the White Pass train, anyone can ride it.
My issue with train tour - when I saw something interesting and want to take a closer look, it's already over!
Please share must do excursions for Juneau.
This video covers all the must-dos by port: th-cam.com/video/cy2Plr7lnOE/w-d-xo.html and in the chapters you can jump to Juneau or any other port. I also have the option to do without breaking the bank in this video: th-cam.com/video/GmGVi0v2rGA/w-d-xo.html
I am an inexperienced traveler very interested in rail/cruises. What travel agent do you recommend in the US to arrange such a rip in North America? Thanks.
I’d love to take the Rocky Mountaineer AND the one in Alaska that includes a Denali lodge stay. The only train I’ve taken in conjunction with a cruise is the White Pass Railroad in Skagway (fantastic in May when there was still a lot of snow). I took the Flam railway last August on my Overseas Adventure Tour from Copenhagen to Helsinki. When I do my Scotland tour in May, we’re riding the scenic Scottish train. Other than that, my only train experience is on Amtrak in the US, which is nothing like these others!
Are you doing the Flying Scotman? That is very plush and lovely ! On my list
@@tipsfortravellers if I may piggy back a comment….the Flying Scotsman is also a sleep story on the app Calm. I’ve listened to it many times and now that you mention it, I’m dying to go on it someday. All of your adventures, Cheri, sound wonderful too!
What about the Artic train out of Narvik. Is that any good?
Great info as usual. I remember you talking about there were 2 cruise lines that had rights to go to special Glaciers, could you remind me what they were again? Im getting ready to schedule an Alaska cruise and want to pick what you think is the best. (Not a fan of huge ships) Thanks
That would be Holland America Line and Princess.
As per Hetty, though there is a third and that is Norwegian
Do you have recommended travel agents either a personal office or website?
I’ve done my first cruise through PlanetCruise and noticed the pdfs were actually then from Iglu Cruises but noticed both these websites seem to have same prices on like for like packages.
Was super impressed with the Japan cruise as think got an amazing deal and price for what we got but curious if yourself or others have recommendations?
(I’m from the U.K. too, specifically Scotland so most likely fly to London to then onwards travels)
❄️❤️❄️🇨🇦
Does anyone know WHICH cruise line links up with Rovos rail in South Africa? Thanks everyone
Train travel is wonderful, but as an excursion, it sounds like a great opportunity to get left behind by the cruise ship. They obviously have no qualms or compunction about leaving their guests to the wolves….
I just booked a Amtrak from Boston to New York for my upcoming cruise.
Amtrak is pretty good for a way to travel just be aware most trains run late. In fact, I have never had an Amtrak leave on time. Altho leaving from DC was better than most.
We did use the rail lines whe we traveled in Britain and it was much much better. We actually got a meal on one morning train. Just be aware that different lines really run for different purposes and the vendor we used mixed different services to get us from one place to another. So from to get from one place to another we had a commuter train, a distance train and another commuter. I believe this was Edinburgh to Heathrow.
Train tho was much more relaxing than plane, except the 2 commuter trains with luggage but there was lots of time. Not some much time making US connections.
@@krab1791 we will be staying overnight in a hotel in time square.Sadly it would be cheaper to drive and park for the week then the cost of a hotel and train but worth every penny.
S/O DownieLive
1. I once took the overnight sleeper train from Melbourne to Sydney to go on a cruse, memorable for all the wrong reasons. 2 Did a day trip on the Tairei Gorge Train on a Princess NZ Cruise. 3. Recently did the Train to the End of The World in Ushaia, they were most put out when I didn't want to purchase my photo
Alaska has some amazing sights and experiences with rail. However its important that people know the cruiselines dont own the trains at all and there is nothing exclusive at all. They are all public transport. Cruiselines package convenient but extotionate rail trips that can be easily taken independently with minor homework. Their seeming exclusive usually offer very fast paced and highly abridged tours in large groups on buses. Independent travel can be more immersive
Carnival themselves say they own the Skagway train line. His info is correct. But of course it is public and anyone can ride it.
I have been on a lot of the train trips mentioned in the video . As you know, in January, I took Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Vic Falls before the Silversea Grand African Cruise. I took the End of the World train after an Antarctica cruise in 2022 . I am taking the Flam Railway in June after a cruise of Svalbard, and am considering taking the Indian Pacific train after a South Pacific Silversea cruise next year. I haven't taken the Rocky Mountaineer, but as a child, I took the same route by train to visit my grandparents who lived in British Columbia. Have you ever taken the Siberian Express? My mother took it many years ago and loved it. If the war between Russia and Ukraine ends, I would like to take that train some day.
Yes, it si so good that you share the passion for trains! I so want to do Rovos again. I have not done the Siberian, and as yous ay may be off the cards for a very long time...
Can I ask: do they have guarantees about meeting the cruise/rail trip like booking excursions do?
Hi @rosemaryf8177
did Silversea set up the rail trip as well or did you book it separately? Thanks!
@jmzlla54 My Travel counsellor booked the cruise with Silversea and she booked the other components of the trip (Rovos Rail, Botswana safari, hotel in Victoria Falls, local tours etc) with Giltedge.
@@rosemaryf8177 thank you so much!
Cruise ship have become truly ghastly awful examples of bad taste only those who want a totally packaged synthetic travel experience would take a cruise
Boo hoo, cruises are what you make them and I personally love them because they are amazing ways to get families together, but have fun being a sad sad person
@andrewwmacfadyen…That is an overly broad generalization of an entire industry, and feels both petulant and woefully uninformed. This channel repeatedly points out that you need to research cruise lines and ships that are right for you!
Wow!! Excellent tips! We can’t wait to cruise in Australia! When’s your next cruise?