Tours to do at various Alaska ports of calls

[slumdogtexan]

Beloved CC experts,

We are booked on the Diamond Princess in July. The tours/excursions at various ports of call seem to be overwhelming and I don't know which to choose. Can you please make some suggestions. Here is my Itinerary:

 

Jul 11: Hubbard Glacier

July 12: Glacier Bay

July 13: Skagway

July 14: Juneau

July 15: Ketchikan

 

Pre-cruise:

- Doing the Shuttle to Eielson (66 miles) or Wonder Lake (86 miles) ( Thank you Budget Queen for convincing me and other CC readers)

- Doing the "Fly Denali" flightseeing

- Taking the RR to Whittier and planning to do the PWS ( 4 hr cruise )

 

I am hoping BQ and/or Yukon see this query.

[negc]

Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay are sail bys and thus no tours or excursions. In Skagway, most people recommend the White Pass and Yukon railway. In Juneau, a visit to Mendenhall Glacier, a whale watching tour or a helicopter landing on a glacier are among the many tour options available to you. When we are in Ketchikan this June we intend to take the Duck tour, but there are several other tours that you might find worth your time. Check out the tour descriptions on the Princess website and see which hold the most interest for you. Then, if you have specific questions about a tour or tours, someone on this board can probably answer them.

[Yukon]

About 2 hours ago I finally finished a page that attempts to answer this common question - http://www.youralaskacruise.com/alaska_cruise_port-top_excursions.html With the usual disclaimer that "it depends on exactly what your interests are", I hope this helps narrow it down.

[themerle]

Thanks Yukon! That is really a great page. You're the best!!!:)

[ellbon]

Beloved CC experts,

We are booked on the Diamond Princess in July. The tours/excursions at various ports of call seem to be overwhelming and I don't know which to choose. Can you please make some suggestions. Here is my Itinerary:

 

Jul 11: Hubbard Glacier

July 12: Glacier Bay

July 13: Skagway-train, hike and float, flightseeing

July 14: Juneau-flightseeing with dog sledding or landing on a glacier. walk around town-tram if weather is nice, whales

July 15: Ketchikan- toem poles, crab feast, flightseeing, duck tours etv

 

Pre-cruise:

- Doing the Shuttle to Eielson (66 miles) or Wonder Lake (86 miles) ( Thank you Budget Queen for convincing me and other CC readers)

- Doing the "Fly Denali" flightseeing

- Taking the RR to Whittier and planning to do the PWS ( 4 hr cruise )

 

I am hoping BQ and/or Yukon see this query.

 

it helps to know if you are willing to book flightseeing or want to watch what you spend. also what yuor interests are

[themerle]

Beloved CC experts,

We are booked on the Diamond Princess in July. The tours/excursions at various ports of call seem to be overwhelming and I don't know which to choose. Can you please make some suggestions. Here is my Itinerary:

 

Jul 11: Hubbard Glacier

July 12: Glacier Bay

July 13: Skagway

July 14: Juneau

July 15: Ketchikan

 

Pre-cruise:

- Doing the Shuttle to Eielson (66 miles) or Wonder Lake (86 miles) ( Thank you Budget Queen for convincing me and other CC readers)

- Doing the "Fly Denali" flightseeing

- Taking the RR to Whittier and planning to do the PWS ( 4 hr cruise )

 

I am hoping BQ and/or Yukon see this query.

 

 

I'm sorry I forgot to comment on your post.....I was so excited about Yukons post! I'm sure you know how helpful all of his info is.

 

Skagway----We rented a car and used Yukon's guide to drive to Emerald

Lake. We really enjoyed doing this and Yukon's guide was very helpful. We also have tired to do the train but the track got washed out last year. We'll definitely do it the next time we go to Skagway.

 

Juneau----We have always taken a whale watching tour with Orca Enterprise with the Mendenhall Glacier added to the tour. Always have had a terrific time. I love whales and really enjoy Mendenhall Glacier, so each time we go to Juneau that's just what I like to do.

 

Ketchikan----We have taken a flight over Misty Fjord, rented a car, and just walked the town. The first time we did the flight and thought that it was a must do. We booked independently with a vendor at the pier. We didn't do this in advance because I didn't think I wanted to go up in a small plane. It is one of my favorite activities for Alaska now! We rented a car and it was an okay day but a floatplane trip was better. I love walking the town using the walking tour map that you can pick up at the visitors center. It's very easy to walk in Ketchikan and a lot to see.

 

Alaska is wonderful! Hope you enjoy your cruise and your time in the ports!

[slumdogtexan]

it helps to know if you are willing to book flightseeing or want to watch what you spend. also what yuor interests are

ellbon,

Flightseeing would be great. I am not any budgetary constraints. Outdoors, nature - anything goes

 

Yukon and themerle:Thank you so much

[ellbon]

in 06 i went to mendenhall to dog sled by plane.. landing o na blue galcier is mind blowing. i also flew to the crab feast in ketchican.. thsi can be done by bus with a small baot ride.. again even with the end of rain the views were great. Lunch included smoke salmon, salad,king crab-all you could eat and cheesecake with fresg blueberries on top.

 

this year i am flying from Skagway over parts of Glacier bay. later in the day i am doing the hike and float trip. naturally i am doing whale watchin thsi cruise.. not really big on the idea but felt i should do it once in my life.

 

 

there is always streets to walk, locals to talk to and great beer and lunch or dinner in town.

[MercedMike]

About 2 hours ago I finally finished a page that attempts to answer this common question - http://www.youralaskacruise.com/alaska_cruise_port-top_excursions.html With the usual disclaimer that "it depends on exactly what your interests are", I hope this helps narrow it down.

 

Great page, Murray!

 

I have a page of pictures from tours we have enjoyed at

http://www.bully4.us/alaskaexcursions.html

 

As said above, "It depends on exactly what your interests are!"