Southeast Sea Kayaks vs. Carnival tour

[nanaknees]

In Ketchikan, Carnival is offering a Whiskey Cove Kayak tour for $74 which sounds like the same tour Southeast Sea Kayak is offering for $79 (Pennock Paddling) where you paddle up Creek Street. I had intended to book with SE, but now that the excursions are up on the Carnival site, and I see the Carnival tour is $5 cheaper, I was having second thoughts. Any opinions or experience with these tours?

 

Cindy

[CEWayfarer]

In Ketchikan, Carnival is offering a Whiskey Cove Kayak tour for $74 which sounds like the same tour Southeast Sea Kayak is offering for $79 (Pennock Paddling) where you paddle up Creek Street. I had intended to book with SE, but now that the excursions are up on the Carnival site, and I see the Carnival tour is $5 cheaper, I was having second thoughts. Any opinions or experience with these tours?

 

Cindy

If it's cheaper through Carnival, it's unlikely that it's the same tour. I'd email SE and ask them.

[hooked-on-travel]

Money isn't everything. If it's just $5, I'd compare the intangibles. SE limits group size to 6, the ship tours are commonly crowded. Is $5 worth the quality attention you can get from a guide of 6 vs. many more?

[jrask]

Pennock Paddling actually maxes out at 12 (Orca Cove at 6), but the message here is still the same. Carnival is likely to have a larger group (either by way of a larger maximum or because people book through the cruise company without knowing about independents). I wouldn't hesitate to go with S.E. Sea Kayaks ... they are really good people who have an excellent tour with great guides. For $5 there's really no question. For $20 still no question. Often the reason to go independent has less to do with saving money and more to do with getting a smaller group and more interaction with better guides that are more likely to be local.

[hooked-on-travel]

OK, I got the details wrong, but you got my message right. We did the Orca Cove tour with SE and enjoyed it so much that when we went back the next year we hired them for a private tour for four to a different location of their choosing. We had a blast. They are a first rate outfit, no matter what the price.