TVChick16

Thanks for the responses!!! That's really sad for the Blue Bus owners. It seems like the permit restrictions were new and sudden. Since their livelihood depends on these bookings, it's such a shame that the rug was pulled out from under them only 2 months into the season. I can understand the need to restrict the number of people allowed at the glacier, but why so sudden? I sucked it up and decided to book the Mendenhall Glacier Experience through Holland America and pay $15 more pp for only 2 hours at the glacier instead of a full day. Because our sailing is in 3 days, it would not allow us to book through the Navigator app or online, so we called Holland America and successfully booked the excursion.

I booked the Blue Bus Glacier Express to Mendenhall Glacier through Viator months ago for July 13 (next week). I received an email today that my reservation had been cancelled with no explanation. I got on the site to investigate, and all dates are grayed out through August 2024. I booked this tour because it allowed you to spend as much time at the glacier as you wish whereas excursions booked through the ship and other tours I find only give you 1.5-2 hours at the glacier which is not enough time to do the hikes we want to do. I saw on another thread that someone used the white buses through Juneau Tours for the same price as the Blue Bus ($45pp), but those are sold out online. Does anyone know if there is another comparable option? I'm leary of taking the public bus as it drops you off 1.5 miles from the glacier, so that's an extra 1-hour walk round-trip along the highway. I cannot find another tour that doesn't rush you in and out in less than 2 hours (and the short tour through the ship is $75pp!).