Been to Alaska?? I'm Looking for honest reviews on some excursions

[BigZfan]

If anyone has done any of the following excursions, and would like to help me plan, please let me know the pros and cons. Thank you!!! When we got married we decided that this is what we were going to do for our 10 anniversary, and I want to do as much research as possible to get it 'right'. Both of us have dealt with more then our share of medical issues, so planning this trip is very important. Love is helping in the good and the bad, and I so happy to focus on the good right now. Also I would like to renew our vows on the ship, but we wouldn't have any guests...Is that weird? Is that possible?

 

We are thinking about doing the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer on Tuesday

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/172060

 

Then we are trying to decide on one of these two train excursions for Wednesday. Any preferences???

 

Glacier Lake Kayak & Scenic Railway Experience

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/172034

 

White Pass & Yukon Railway

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/172006

 

Then one of many Whale watching tours in Juneau, AK (haven't decided on which one)

 

Then we have no idea what to do in Ketchikan, AK

 

We saw that they have snorkeling!!! Really, in Alaska?? Has anyone done this before? I'm tempted just so I can tell people that I snorkeled in Alaska. I love snorkeling, but I never thought of doing so far north.

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170012

 

The other options we are looking at are:

 

The Flightseeing and Crab Feed. Has anyone done this before?

 

https://secure.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170036

 

Orca Beach Nature Trail. Has anyone done this before?

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170017

 

Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary, Eagles & Totems. Has anyone done this before?

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170043

[thinfool]

 

Then we have no idea what to do in Ketchikan, AK

 

 

Look at Misty Fjiords flightseeing. A bit pricey, but spectacular beyond words!!

[Trekker954]

If you are doing all this research on excursions, why in the world are you doing ship excursions. Do your research and take private excursions. On our whale watching excursions of six persons, we saw the ship excursions with probably over 150 persons, no way to get good photos.

 

I didn't see you say when you are going? The best time for Whales and bears are July, they dwindle dramatically by September. We planned our cruise a year out specific to a certain week in July and the planning paid off.

[Budget Queen]

If anyone has done any of the following excursions, and would like to help me plan, please let me know the pros and cons. Thank you!!! When we got married we decided that this is what we were going to do for our 10 anniversary, and I want to do as much research as possible to get it 'right'. Both of us have dealt with more then our share of medical issues, so planning this trip is very important. Love is helping in the good and the bad, and I so happy to focus on the good right now. Also I would like to renew our vows on the ship, but we wouldn't have any guests...Is that weird? Is that possible?

 

We are thinking about doing the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer on Tuesday

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/172060

 

Then we are trying to decide on one of these two train excursions for Wednesday. Any preferences???

 

Glacier Lake Kayak & Scenic Railway Experience

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/172034

 

White Pass & Yukon Railway

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/172006

 

Then one of many Whale watching tours in Juneau, AK (haven't decided on which one)

 

Then we have no idea what to do in Ketchikan, AK

 

We saw that they have snorkeling!!! Really, in Alaska?? Has anyone done this before? I'm tempted just so I can tell people that I snorkeled in Alaska. I love snorkeling, but I never thought of doing so far north.

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170012

 

The other options we are looking at are:

 

The Flightseeing and Crab Feed. Has anyone done this before?

 

https://secure.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170036

 

Orca Beach Nature Trail. Has anyone done this before?

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170017

 

Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary, Eagles & Totems. Has anyone done this before?

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/170043

 

The add on Tracy Arm boat tour, is excellent and a "must do" in my opinion. Grossly superior to the ship transit.

 

The White Pass RR is excellent, loaded with history, and enjoyable with any add on tour of interest.

 

I highly recommend Orca Enterprises out of Juneau for whale watching.

 

There are reviews about snorkeling in Ketchikan, do a board search.

 

The "Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary" is so so at best, do not expect any "wild" wildlife. Same with Orca Beach tour- it is so basic, is it not worth the cost, in my opinion. All of inside passage Alaska is a "rainforest" and there are plenty of better trails to consider.

[tracyktn]

I live in Ketchikan, and have done the snorkeling. You have full wet suits on and it is chilly to get in at first but then you warm up. It's actually not as cold as I thought it would be. At the end they had warm water that you could pour over your suit when you get out, which really helps warm you up. It is something unique to do and I really enjoyed it. The underwater things you see are different then what you see it in tropics. I dragged my teenage nephew with me, he didn't really want to go, but then he loved it and was so glad he did.

 

The float planes are another great experience in Ketchikan. I have not done the flight seeing and crab feed, but that sounds like a great choice too.

 

I have done the white pass railroad in Skagway and it was very good too. It is amazing to see that they built those railroad tracks in the places they did. You see some amazing views.

[Colexis Mom]

Out of your list, we've only done whale watching in Juneau with Orca. Had a great time, saw lots of whales, and I'd highly recommend them!

[BigZfan]

If you are doing all this research on excursions, why in the world are you doing ship excursions. Do your research and take private excursions. On our whale watching excursions of six persons, we saw the ship excursions with probably over 150 persons, no way to get good photos.

 

I didn't see you say when you are going? The best time for Whales and bears are July, they dwindle dramatically by September. We planned our cruise a year out specific to a certain week in July and the planning paid off.

 

 

This is our first cruise, so we figured sticking with the cruise excursions would be the safest way to go. However, I am looking into the Whale watching tours, because I was thinking the same thing you mentioned. I was hoping to find a tour that had less people. I'm glad you mentioned that you found one. I will do some more research to see what is out there. But if you wouldn't mind, if you remember the tour you took could you send me the information?

 

Our trip is in a year, July 10, 2012. But I really want to make sure everything is planned out.

 

Hence, why I put out this plea for help. Some of the other people have already mentioned that some of the cruise excursions that I was looking into were great, while others where not so good. This is exactly what I was hoping to find here, real stories from real people.

 

I hope to get as much feedback as possible from people that have been there so I can plan our trip better.

 

Thanks to everyone for their help.

[Assateague Island Princes]

We've gone twice with Harv and Marv whale watching in Juneau. Small, six passenger boats. Always been a terrific experience - from the booking process right thru to the excursion itself. Check out their website at www.harvandmarvs.com.

[Yellow Lab's Rule]

I've been to Alaska twice, the most recent time was last month.

 

My recommendations:

Junea - Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier - Or Helicopter and land on a glacier.

 

Skagway - Rent a car from Avis and drive at your own pace into the

Yukon and use Murry Guide

 

Ketchikan - The first time I did a tour that went to the totem poles and cannery tour. The totem poles were neat to see the cannery tour was a waste of time. Never again. Last month we did the Deadliest Catch Boat Tour. I was happy because I get great pictures of eagles using my 100-400 lens during the boat ride when we were close to shore. The deadliest catch part was OK, it was all scripted and fake in my opinion. I thought many of the fish they "caught" in the first part were plastic or at a minimum taxidermy. I liked the scenic cruising part the best. Next time I would try a Misty Fiord Plane Ride.

[chipmaster]

Ketchikan: Fishing ( they got this neat sign saying Salmon capital of the world )

 

Juneau: Whale watching and Mendenhall glaceier. I highly recommend you skip the cruiseline tour and book an independent boat. You'll get a smaller crowd and likely a better experience.

 

Skagway: The train is a popular one. I choose to do the glacier landing dog sledding here. That was pricey but spectacular.

 

The Tracy Arm Fjord ad on is usually a cruise line exclusive and if you don't mind the long time on a smaller boat well worth it for the views.

[Alaskanb]

I've just booked with Orca for next May after BQ's recommendation. Yeah!!!! They will pick us up at the Alaska State Museum before the boat excursion and afterwards deliver us to Menendhall Glacier and then return us to town after an hour or provide a shuttle ticket if we want to stay longer. The person answering the phone is a delightful lady who answered all my questions and provided relevant info I forgot to ask and had meant to --like cancellation policy.

[PurrSusan]

What is their cancellation policy?

[Alaskanb]

What is their cancellation policy?

My notes say: There is a $25 per person fee if cancelled prior to 72 hours and a total loss if after 72 hrs. If the ship does not make port or they cancel due to weather then there is a complete refund.

I'm not sure how travel insurance would handle the cancellation fee.

Orca does not have times set but are taking reservations for trips A, B, and C and will set them around February. If you look at their website that will give you an idea of their schedule.

[Markanddonna]

I agree with another poster about doing your own thing instead of ship excursions. You will learn SO much from the people on this board that it is 99% of the time better to do private. That said, we loved our trip with Harv and Marv and also noted the huge boats who saw mostly the same thing only if they were agressive and stayed at the edge of the boat with 150 other people. They are pros and want to make sure you have a great experience. We saw a super pod of whales. Very cool!

 

We loved our first trip to Alaska on the Whitepass railroad but opted to rent a car through Avis in Skagway on our second trip. Once again, do that private too.

 

Don't be hesitant to secure a private experience in towns either. We had a great ride in a van in Ketchikan.

[AkSusan]

It's really easy to book independent excursions with the port stops that you have.

 

Did the 7 1/2 hour Yukon Bus & Rail Excursion with Chilkoot Charters http://www.chilkootcharters.com/yukonrail.htm - loved it.

 

In Ketchikan we used Ketchikan Taxi Cab Tours http://www.ketchikantaxicabtours.com/ We were a group of 6 and I asked our group what they wanted to see and then let Taxi cab tours know and they worked out an itinerary so everyone could see what they wanted.

 

In Juneau, we did a Glacier Landing with ERA Helicopters. A great experience!

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We did the private excursion in Tracey Arm through Carnival Spirit last year and it was fantastic. In my mind a must-do! Actually we went to Endicott Arm as Tracey Arm had too much ice. It is a call the captain will make once he arrives there. The entrances to both Arms are right next to each other.

Pictures

 

In Skagway we booked Chilkoot Charters for the 7.5 hour White Pass Railroad. It was a great trip, less $$ than through the ship and very easy. They provide explicit instructions and meet you right at the ship. Then they drop you off either downtown or at the ship. We opted for downtown and then walked back to the ship.

Pictures

 

In Juneau I booked the Photo Safari on Land & Sea through the ship while my DD went on a kayak trip through the ship. The Photo Safari was a bit pricey but worth every penny. There were only 8 of us and it was very personalized. This tour is limited in number, so I recommend early booking. It included a Mendenhall Glacier hike and Whale Watching.

Pictures

 

In Ketchikan I had nothing planned. The day before we got there my DD decide to sign up for ziplining with some new friends she made on the ship. I just stepped off the ship planning on making this my shopping day since the town is so quaint. I was hoping to see totem poles, too. Right after I disembarked I impulsively joined a trolley tour being offered near the ship to Saxman Village and a salmon viewing area away from town. It was a lot of fun. Only $50. The best $50 I spent the whole time. Afterwards I met back up with DD and we still had time to shop before returning to the ship.

Pictures

 

Have a wonderful time on your cruise!:D

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I just noticed that the last tour you mentioned in Skagway "Wildlife Refuge, Eagles & Totems" sounds pretty close to the impromptu trolley tour I took in Ketchikan. I also noticed that the trolley tour (on the link I provided) is now $40 pp instead of the $50 pp I paid. The main difference I see is that you get a guided tour through the ship of the wildlife area while we were on our own. I got a lot of good eagle pictures there. We did not see any bears, which we were hoping to see. However, my DD was ziplining in the same area and she did see a bear.

[TOOTISIE]

AkSusan, thanks for your post. Did you have a good experience with the Ketchican Taxi tour? We have a group of 8-10 and that sounded interesting for our group. Was there a specifc place on the tour that you really enjoyed? Thanks

[AkSusan]

AkSusan, thanks for your post. Did you have a good experience with the Ketchican Taxi tour? We have a group of 8-10 and that sounded interesting for our group. Was there a specifc place on the tour that you really enjoyed? Thanks

We did have a very nice experience with them. We all really enjoyed Potlatch Totem Park and then right next door was the Totem Bight State Park. Interesting to see the different types of totems.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[VikkiGarcia]

Another vote for Tracy Arm. By far the best excursion we have done in Alaska.

[TOOTISIE]

Thanks Susan

[AkSusan]

Thanks Susan

You're welcome!

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[kcfan95]

Just returned from our cruise and in Ketchikan we flew to Anan Creek Reserve with Family Air Tours. You take a seaplane to the reserve where you observe bears (black and brown) feeding on salmon in a stream. We got awesome pictures of the bears as well as several dozen eagles. It was the highlight of the trip. They know the time your ship leaves and have you back in plenty of time.

[gertz]

Wow looking at your bucket list to say the least I am overwhelmed. And we have done most all, not all.

You can do great tours from small operators or from the ship's inventory just depends..............!

You can get some great advise from this board but you can get some not so good but all will mean well. You might want to just read a book or two also. But if I wanted some I could really count on I would probably ask a couple of local posters or BQ who I don't always see eye to eye with, but a wealth of information. Or maybe that guy that lives just across the boarder that takes great pictures.

This next trip will be our 6th, very small by comparison, to Alaska. Think a great deal of the fun was doing it our selves, making mistakes. But you know what we never made a mistake we wouldn't do over again even staying at Capt. C:eek:k or is that Capt Cook?:)

 

Will say out most memorial and enjoyably was taking grand daughter a few years ago. Riding on the high speed ferry to Haines listening to the history of the Tengets(sp)and then doing the Valley of the Eagles where we saw gobs of eagles when we were told by the "experts" we would be lucky to see any. If we had only seen one that would have been fine.

It is your party make your own rules and enjoy them for many years to come. We did and have.:D

[traveler525]

BigZfan, don't worry, you will have the time of your life whatever you do! Doing excursions with the ship is fine too, especially for a first time cruiser. We did our first to Alaska in 2003 and did all ship excursions. Everything was sooooo great that we have been crusing ever since. Now we do a mix of ship, independent, and just wandering around on our own:). Each has its own to recommend it. Just the beauty of Alaska will leave you breathless!!

 

One excursion we did was to take a helicopter ride and land on a glacier in Skagway. That one was so fabulous, it is the one we talk about as one of the best we have ever done, if you are thinking about including it. We can say we actually walked on a glacier:)