Alaska Rail Operations
The opportunity to work onboard a train in Alaska is definitely a unique one! Look out one of our domed windows and say this is your office; it is an experience that you will not forget. If you are looking for an adventure, step on the train where in the morning you can be in Anchorage and the evening Fairbanks. Want to see Seward too? Work on our Seward train and see a whole different part of Alaska. Don’t want to leave town? Our ground-based operations are a critical part of our operations. We have day and night positions in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Seward as well! If you want a diverse, fast paced, high energy work environment, we are the place for you.
Division Location: Main office is in Anchorage, with seasonal operations in Fairbanks and Seward
Number of Employees: 250
Housing Type: All Anchorage-based employees are responsible for finding their own housing in Anchorage. Seward-based employees will be given the option to live in company provided housing for a monthly cost similar to that of the hotel properties. Housing for overnight stays in Fairbanks and Healy will be provided at no charge to onboard employees while on shift.
Typical Season: May 6 – Sept 18
Types of Jobs
Onboard positions include:
Tour Guide
Bartender
Food Server
Cook/Kitchen Assistant
Onboard Manager
Onboard Food and Beverage Trainer
Gift Shop Clerk
Steward (mechanical)
Club Car Attendant (Seward-based only)
Anchorage and Seward-based ground positions include:
Night-shift Stocker
Night-shift Cleaner
Night-shift Maintenance Assistant
Night-shift Supervisor
Day-shift Prep-Cook
Day-shift Ground Steward (warehouse receiving)
Day-shift Office Assistant/ Administration/Accounting Assistant
Supervisor (requires out of town and weekend travel)
Fairbanks-based positions include:
Night-shift Maintenance Assistant
Night-shift cleaner
Day-shift Housekeeper
Day-shift Office Assistant
Supervisor (requires out of town and weekend travel
Anchorage Community
Anchorage is the home base for the division. Alaska’s largest city sits at the base of the Chugach mountains and overlooks Cook Inlet, offering all of the amenities of “big-city” life, as well as quick access to outdoor adventures. Anchorage is a fun place to live, with miles and miles of bike/pedestrian trails, numerous city parks, weekend festivals, farmer’s markets, shopping, movie theaters and great restaurants. Within a 45-mile radius of Anchorage you can go hiking, rappelling, whale-viewing, fishing, rafting/kayaking – and that’s just the beginning!
For more information about the Anchorage area, we recommend visiting these sites:
www.anchorage.net
www.anchoragechamber.org
www.adn.com (Anchorage's Newspaper)
www.alaska.net
Housing Options
Holland America-Princess-provided housing is not offered for our Anchorage-based rail staff. Our office is located in the Alaska Railroad rail yards in Ship Creek, near the downtown area. Many of our staff rent apartments downtown, or in the Government Hill area of Anchorage. There is one RV park within walking distance of the office. We do not find housing for our employees. However once hired, we do share the names and contact information of those employees looking for roommates to assist in the process. Most of our employees ride-share, bicycle or walk to work in Anchorage. We do provide housing and transportation for staff while on shift and overnighting as part of their run, in Fairbanks and Healy.
Due to limited housing availability in Seward, we do provide apartments for our staff based there. Fully-furnished two-bedroom apartments are shared with other onboard staff members. We do charge for housing through a payroll deduction, and the cost is similar to what our hotel employees pay.
Transportation Information
If needed, air transportation arrangements to Anchorage may be arranged through Holland America-Princess. The company offers a repayment program that will allow you to repay the cost of your ticket with your earned wages. Speak with your hiring manager for more information.
Why Work with the Rail Operations?
Are you a people person? Do you like sharing your experiences with others, telling stories, learning about new places, being “a part of something good?” Would you rather do your part behind the scenes, letting your output speak for you? We’ve got opportunities on both of those sides.
Our employees who return year after year tell us they love the people they meet and the experience they get throughout the summer on the train. As one employee put it, “It gets into your blood!” The days are long and sometimes tiring, but incredibly rewarding. You might be travelling the same route every day, but the scene is always changing and you’ll experience spring, summer and fall from the coast of Alaska to the Interior through the windows of our dome cars. Our kitchens are clean and well-run, the meals we offer our guests are high quality and delicious. Our full-time management staff has worked together for over ten years, creating a strong support team for all of our employees. On your days off you have the chance to experience Alaska in the summer. Bottom line? Its fun!
