Gold panning and salmon bake worth it?

I booked an excursion through the cruiseline to take the train and then go to Klondike Gold Dredge in Ketchikan, which also includes salmon bake. My husband and son don't eat seafood, so I'd be the only one eating. The price was over $200pp. Is this worth it or should we just go on the train and do something else while we get to wherever the train leaves us?

I booked an excursion through the cruiseline to take the train and then go to Klondike Gold Dredge in Ketchikan, which also includes salmon bake. My husband and son don't eat seafood, so I'd be the only one eating. The price was over $200pp. Is this worth it or should we just go on the train and do something else while we get to wherever the train leaves us?

Do you mean Skagway? If they don't like Salmon, there should be chicken there as well.

You could also look at independent tour operators and see if you can get the train and gold panning separate for the same or less.

I think there are better excursions in Skagway.

There will be chicken there also.

Yes, I meant Skagway.

I have been there a couple times. The dredge was bought from a guy in Dawson City, YT, so the gold is salted. You get a small poke and are shown how to pan in troughs of heated water. If you are interested in mechanical things, the dredge tour is interesting. I am not a fan of salmon so I ate the chicken. It was ok. They have musicians and a Robert Service poet. A big gift shop on the premises. As Coral said, there are a lot better things to do in Skagway. BTW, you can ride the Skagway town shuttle bus out to the Dredge and pay them directly. They close early, about 4pm, or at least they did when I was there, so it's not something you can do if you are staying late in Skagway.

I have no experience but won't the ships have salmon available almost daily.

I have chosen to book excursions based on what the excursion and a salmon bake would not be a determining factor. I'm sure salmon is available at just about every meal on the ship. Including Lox for breakfast.

I think there are better excursions in Skagway.

 

There will be chicken there also.

do you have other recommendations?

do you have other recommendations?

I haven't been yet, but the trips with Dyea Dave or Chilkoot Charters where you take the train one way and take a small bus the other way get good reviews. The bus makes stops for viewing and pictures.

There are several variations of this excursion depending how far you go. The least expensive option going 28 miles on the train through White Pass Summit and on to Fraser and coming back is around $130 pp. One where the bus takes you farther to Emerald Lake before returning to Skagway and includes a lunch (chicken) is still under $200 pp.

We are taking the bus (or possibly van because that depends on how many sign up) to Emerald Lake and then to Carcross to get the train back to Skagway. This longer train journey includes a stop to tour around at the gold rush boom town of Bennett which isn't accessible by road. There is a box lunch provided on the train. That one's over $200 pp.

There are other options too.

I have no experience but won't the ships have salmon available almost daily.

 

I have chosen to book excursions based on what the excursion and a salmon bake would not be a determining factor. I'm sure salmon is available at just about every meal on the ship. Including Lox for breakfast.

Yes ATLANTIC salmon will be available. Sorry but no comparison to Alaska salmon.

do you have other recommendations?

You need to take a look at your shore excursion list and narrow down your interests there are multiple tours to choose from.

An easy add on salmon bake is Gold Creek out of Juneau. I'd suggest, only booking this as a walk up when you get there. Sold from the dock booths, so you can check out the weather.

I keep calling the city Segway lol...

Gold panning to me is more something to do if you have kids but I'm sure many adults have fun with it. I personally would skip a salmon bake and maybe just go to a restaurant known for good salmon.

I booked an excursion through the cruiseline to take the train and then go to Klondike Gold Dredge in Ketchikan, which also includes salmon bake. My husband and son don't eat seafood, so I'd be the only one eating. The price was over $200pp. Is this worth it or should we just go on the train and do something else while we get to wherever the train leaves us?

Don't know what cruise line you're on, but we are doing this excursion in Juneau with HAL & it's only $90pp. We all love salmon, I eat sea food every day on board ship. The gold panning is something that sounds like it would be different & interesting. Looking forward to our cruise, leaving on the NA on 1 July.

Allan

Don't know what cruise line you're on, but we are doing this excursion in Juneau with HAL & it's only $90pp.

Are you sure it's the same? The OP is doing the White Pass train and Gold Dredge/salmon bake combo.

Personally, I think there are better choices for the OP. It seems a shame to pay so much extra for a salmon bake when 2 out of 3 will just eat chicken. For about the same price, they could do the Yukon train/buss combo with chicken lunch at Caribou Crossing, which is a much better tour overall.

I have no experience but won't the ships have salmon available almost daily.

 

I have chosen to book excursions based on what the excursion and a salmon bake would not be a determining factor. I'm sure salmon is available at just about every meal on the ship. Including Lox for breakfast.

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do you have other recommendations?

I would probably do the train one way and the bus the other way. Two entirely different views plus you get off the bus several times for photos and get to see things the train doesn't see.

Check with Dyea Dave or Chilkoot tours.

I would probably do the train one way and the bus the other way. Two entirely different views plus you get off the bus several times for photos and get to see things the train doesn't see.

 

Check with Dyea Dave or Chilkoot tours.

Last week I did this with Dyea Dave taking the shuttle bus up and the train back from Fraser. It was wonderful. We only had 14 people on the bus and 8 of those were from the same family.

We went to a salmon bake in Juneau and Skagway. I would not do that again. Think Golden Corral in the woods.

We did a tour/salmon bake on our first cruise in 2012 out of Skagway. IMO it was not worth it. the train ride is worth it, but my hubs does not eat salmon, and I barely care for it so it was a waste.