mkcoombe

Can anyone recommend a good company for whale watching in Juneau? Forget Harv and Marv since it will cost $890 for 3 of us! Also have been with Orca Enterprises twice many years ago and looks like they've slipped a bit. So other than those two companies?

I have not been to Alaska yet but I have booked a private whale watch cruise for June 2018 with Rum Runners Charters. They have a couple different price options and will book whatever time works for your schedule. I am looking forward to it and hoping for the best!

Princess also uses Gastineau Guiding (JNU-670, JNU-700, JNU-705), and IMHO they're way better than all of the rest. Their boats are more stable than Harv&Marv, have better windows (they swing up and out of the way, so they're 100% open) than all the rest, and much better window/open space to passenger ratio than the 40-pax operator(s) or Allen Marine.

Thank you for the suggestion! I have looked into Gastineau and their available tours from my cruise and the times just don't work out for me with my earlier excursion. Thanks again for trying and it looked like a good alternative.

That’s cutting it too close for me. Don’t you need to be on board 30 minutes prior to departure? Usually the tour operator will tell you if you will be able to make it.

 

The cruise lines normally contract through Allen Marine. They are a well run company with the big difference being the size of the vessels. Allen Marine can carry dozens of passengers.

Thank you, I am nervous about the timing as well. Was looking forward to the small vessel with 6 ppl. Though

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This is too tight, IF your ship- leaves at 9p then you have to back on board at 8:30p

 

No princess uses Allen Maine which are 100++ passenger board, unless specifically mentioned smaller numbers, then it would be Dolphin- which does a good job.

 

Have you looked to see what is offered time wise with other vendors?

 

Being you are so limited with your time- finding a tour timed to end at 8p the priority. I'd simply go with that vendor. IF there is a horrid company operating- which I have not heard of, that would be a reason to avoid, but seems all vendors get at least good reviews.

That's what I was thinking...i was curious because the Princess excursion ended at 8:30 as well. I liked the idea of Harv and Marv since there are only up to 6 people on each tour boat. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

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I would like to book a whale watching tour while in Juneau and while I would like to book an independent tour such as Harv & Marv, I am nervous about the time constraints as the tour ends at 8:30 pm and the ship (Golden Princess) departs at 9pm. In this case, I would be inclined to use the Princess excursion which ends at the same time but I would not have to worry about making it back on time. Does anyone know if the Princess excursion is as good as Harv & Marv or who their tour operator is? Due to other planned activities that day I can't simply book a tour earlier in the day. I appreciate everyone's opinion on the matter to help me choose.

I don't know about you, but we'll be on our balcony for sail away.

 

LOL....I'd say that's a good call!

Thank you for your replies...We are looking forward to this day cruise and our entire Alaska trip!!!

I am booked for this post cruise day trip in June 2018 and was interested to see if others had done the same.

mkcoombe;54578867]We will be on the Golden Princess northbound from Vancouver in June, followed by DIY land portion renting a car from Anchorage and flying home from Fairbanks. We will be staying in Girdwood, Denali, and one night in Fairbanks before returning home to the east coast. Needless to say we can't wait for our DREAM vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hope you are planning to spend a couple of days in the park (Denali) It takes most of the day to drive up to it...and it is basically a 2 lane road in most of it, and most of the excursions leave very early in the am....and take all or a good part of the day....and it takes 2-3 hrs to drive to Fairbanks depending on where you are staying. That said, that is the way to do it. If you have to cancel Girdwood, to spend more time in the park do it....as it is only about 45 minutes or so south of Anchorage. You could see what you want to see in a few hours including a tour of the Wildlife Conservation Center. On your way out of town going north (Anchorage) you can stop in the Native Heritage Center...it is only 100 yards so off of the exit (muldoon North) and then see the the very interesting cemetery in Ekunltna...The graves along with the oldest Russian Orthodox church in Alaska, again, is only a 100 yards off of the Ekluntna exit. Lots of interesting places to see on the drive up if you do it yourself...

I wanted to spend an extra day in Girdwood to get in a glacier sightseeing day cruise before heading to Denali. I would also like to take our time on the way up to Denali so we can stop along the way as you suggested. Once there we will be spending 3 nights in Denali (Healy) with the full 95 mile bus trip on our first day in the park and an evening ATV tour on another day there. We won't see everything but then we'll have an excuse to return!!!!

We will be on the Golden Princess northbound from Vancouver in June, followed by DIY land portion renting a car from Anchorage and flying home from Fairbanks. We will be staying in Girdwood, Denali, and one night in Fairbanks before returning home to the east coast. Needless to say we can't wait for our DREAM vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!!

210 days to go before our Alaskan adventure begins!!!

Hi again, I just heard back from the other company (ACT) and they discounted their pricing so it would now be only $100 more for us than AT&T.

When you say that you booked with AT&T for $32pp, how many people is that for? And is it a direct private transfer from Whittier port to your car rental office? Or is it a shared transfer?

 

 

 

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It is not a private transfer but a direct transfer via small shuttle bus, not a large tour bus

Good to know...thanks for the reply!

I am also looking at using this company for June 2018. I am interested in a private transfer for five of us in a minivan from Whittier port to our hotel in Anchorage. The owner of this company has been very responsive by email. Their rival company appears to be ACT (Alaska Cruise Transfer), and they have yet to respond to my email. They are also double the price of this AT&T (Anchorage Tours & Transfers, not the phone company haha), for the same private transfer.

So I am also interested in getting feedback on Anchorage Tours & Transfers. Hopefully someone from this current Alaska cruise season will respond...

Has anyone used Anchorage Tours & Transfers (www.whittierbus.com)???

I just booked a direct transfer for June 2018 from Whittier to Enterprise car rental in downtown Anchorage for $32/pp. I was hoping someone could share their experience with this company. Thank you!

I have not been to Alaska yet (June 2018 can't come soon enough) but I thought I'd share our plans for the upcoming journey. Cruising northbound on the Golden from Vancouver to Whittier. Shuttle to Anchorage to pickup rental car @ Enterprise. Spend the day/night in anchorage. The next morning we will leave for Denali where we will spend 3 nights at McKinley Creekside Cabins. Next is off to Fairbanks for 2 days and possibly a trip to the Arctic Circle (Arctic Ocean would be better yet if I can work it in). Then fly from Fairbanks home to the east coast:(.

Thanks to some advice I was able to get a fair price at Enterprise in downtown Anchorage (about half of the price of the airport location even dropping off in Fairbanks!

Thanks for the advice. I wasn't sure with the one true sea day and then scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and College Fjord.

What nights are typically the formal nights on the Golden Princess Northbound Voyage of the Glaciers out of Vancouver? Any assistance is appreciated.

The one way rates from Seward to Anchorage through Hertz for June 2018 is running $169/$189 per day for mid/full size and nearly double that per day for a Fairbanks drop. Anchorage round trip was $50 and up on recent checks. But there 4 of us which makes it easier to justify the cost vs other modes

This is similar to what I was finding on one way rentals from Anchorage to Fairbanks on a weekly rental

We took a bit more pessimistic approach. By renting in Seward even though it was more, we get right on to our own adventure. We plan to stop before Talkeetna on the first day, leaving us a modest drive the next day with time to explore as we go. Than we plan to spend 2 nights in Healy before returning to Anchorage for a late night flight home.

 

But i always encourage everyone to do their research and make their own plans as it always seems to work out best...

Thanks for sharing your input and planning!

I asked the people at McKinley Creekside to help with estimating my arrival. They thought 5 pm would be ideal, but to expect 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm.

 

We should leave Hertz with car by 11 for 2 hour 10 minute drive to Talkeetna for lunch, arriving at 1:15. We'll leave at 2:15 pm.

 

It's a 2 hour 20 drive to McKinley Creekside Cabins from Talkeetna. That would have us in at 4:35 pm. But we will stop for groceries in Wasilla and add 30 minutes there. That would have us in at 5:05. However, the people at the hotel said to leave another hour for stops, etc and expect to be there closer to 6 pm. If we get in by 7:00 pm, that's great too and gives us two hours rather than one of slack. I think OP has the exact same situation, arriving at the final port and over two hours travel to Anchorage. The bus is the way to go to eliminate a couple hours of driving and to make the car rental much cheaper. OP's bus is only $35 per person, which is nice too. As far as gas goes, if you go to $3 per gallon, the difference is all of $11.

 

I feel much better about my plan after running it by Monika at Creekside Cabins.

Great feedback...Thanks!

We took a bit more pessimistic approach. By renting in Seward even though it was more, we get right on to our own adventure. We plan to stop before Talkeetna on the first day, leaving us a modest drive the next day with time to explore as we go. Than we plan to spend 2 nights in Healy before returning to Anchorage for a late night flight home.

 

But i always encourage everyone to do their research and make their own plans as it always seems to work out best...

Thanks for sharing your ideas/plans...much appreciated!

Just a suggestion if you decide to do the RT Anchorage rental W/ Enterprise: If you can pick up and drop off at a non-airport location, its' cheaper. I had a reservation for 6/6/2018 - 6/9/2018 picking up at the Spenard location and dropping off at the airport. I was being charged $35 drop fee plus the taxes were higher. i just changed to dropping off at the South Anchorage location, which is down the street from the hotel we are staying 6/9, and the price went down $41! So I got a full size car for Wed AM through Sat night for $173.03 including all taxes and fees.

Thanks,

Maybe I'll look into RT back to Anchorage, or just eat the one way drop off fees and venture further...

I'm guessing you are planning for 2018. Can you make reservations this early? I know typically the best rental car prices are in October/November. You can also make a reservation (as long as you don't have to enter payment) and then check back for price drops. I think you'll probably find the car will be cheaper than train tickets and gives you the freedom to find cheaper lodging and dining options. Between Anchorage and Denali, I personally recommend a rental car.

Edited to add: yes, there's a drop-off fee for renting in Anchorage and returning in Fairbanks... I still prefer the car.

Thanks for the advice! I will check back this fall to see if the rates dropped. I was just looking now to get an idea of my budget for the trip. As of right now the rental car is more than Gold class service on the Denali Star route from Anchorage to Denali, then from Denali to Fairbanks combined. I have been pricing a rental car for 6 days (Saturday until Thursday)

to avoid the high one-way rental cost, you could take a bus, transfer or train to Anc, then pick up a RT rental.

As of 2 weeks ago a car from the Enterprise office on Int;l Airport Rd was $35 a day for June 2018.

Either skip Fairbanks or add a couple of days.

Thanks, I'll keep checking back to see if the prices drop again.