Reviews of Port Promotions for excursions in Alaska?

[fishinfool]

Anyone use Port Promotions to book excurstions in Alaska?

Have discount offered for booking online.

 

Any info would be appreciated.

[mytime53]

Never used them, and haven't heard of them before (but that doesn't really mean anything). I looked up 3 different excursions that they sell tickets for: 3 different cities, 3 different price ranges-- it appears to me that they are charging a hefty service charge.

[Yukon]

Port Promotions and the other big broker, ShoreTrips, do a good job but you're often (maybe always) paying a surcharge to book through them. I've looked at a few operators who I know they use and every time it's cheaper booking directly.

[fishinfool]

Port Promotions and the other big broker, ShoreTrips, do a good job but you're often (maybe always) paying a surcharge to book through them. I've looked at a few operators who I know they use and every time it's cheaper booking directly.

 

 

Thanks for the feedback... price is obviously a factor, I was also concerned that you don't know which vendor they're using based on the excursion description. I think I'll pass on the 15% discount offer unless price is significantly less than the vendors I'm looking at for excursions.

[gkrnjlr]

I ran across Port Promotions just recently and started looking for reviews and found one on a "P*ssed off Consumer" website. Needless to say (based on the website's name) it wasn't a good review. The person stated that they booked 4 months in advance and when they were in port their excursion time kept getting bumped later and later and then there were hardly any bald eagles to see. (The excursion was apparently for seeing bald eagles.)

 

I have not found any other reviews. If I do I'll update this!

[Budget Queen]

I have personally been in Ketchikan twice, when one of these booking agents, screwed up reservations. I was waiting for my flight pick up, and both times, these people came up to me, asking questions. One had a booking for the wrong day- sold out, and the other, no booking.

 

I never recommend booking agents it is always better and simple to deal direct in Alaska, verified accurate reservations, accountablity, questions answered directly.

[PennyAgain]

If you need a security blanket, book via your own ship.

 

People in Alaska speak English so you can telephone or email and do your own bookings. If you use a booking agency: both you and the vender pay a percentage.

[Yukon]

I was just talking on the phone to an Alaska operator who has been working with Port Promotions for years. To make a long story very short, if you book through PP you may arrive to find that you have no tour and will have to go to your credit card company to get a refund when you get home. A large tour that I was guiding 10-12 years ago got burned this way by a broker in Anchorage - we arrived at several places to find that we had no hotel! I always deal direct whenever possible.