Am I wasting my money on these shore excursions?

[bakerguys]

Our first cruise (ever) will be on the Princess Sapphire in July. We are booking several shore excursions and any info (pro or con) on these would be appreciated. Or any other good excursions that I did not sign up for. Thanks.

Ketchikan - "Rain Forest Wildlife Sanctuary"

Juneau - "Photo Safari by Land & Sea"

Juneau - "Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Quest"

Skagway - "Glacier Point Wilderness Safari"

Skagway - "White Pass Scenic Railway"

Skagway - "Dog sledding & Glacier Flightseeing"

[Coral]

The only tour that looks overpriced to me is the Juneau Photo tour. I looked at this and it looks $$$ for what you get. This is a new tour for Princess. Hopefully you can get some feed back from others in the next month or two before you leave to see if it is worth the price.

 

I have looked at the Glacier Point Wilderness safari and the price seems high to me but everyone raves about this trip. I may have to try it one of these days.

 

Your other choices are solid excursions and people rank them very high. You are going to have a very busy Alaskan trip!

[MtnManX]

Generally speaking, I have found that most tours sold on ships are more expensive than comparable tours that are sold by independent operators. Try looking up independent operators in each port if you'd like to save money, and have a great Alaskan experience.

[bakerguys]

Thanks for the info. I know it looks like a busy schedule, but the four of us are splitting up on some of the trips - 2 doing whale watch while 2 of us are doing the Photo Safari - that's why there are so many. Is there much to do in Skagway besides the excursions? We are booked pretty solid on excursions all day and won't have much time for the town. We are more into the nature stuff anyway but I'm wondering if there is something we are going to miss that we really should see.

[Budget Queen]

If going end of July, my clear recommendation over the "rainforest" tour would be Anan bear watching. If you are photographers, clearly this is a highlight. Frankly I would skip the above tour anyway. Not likely much if any wildife in my opinion. And rain forest IS Alaska inside passage ports. :)

 

If you are into "nature stuff". I would get away from some of these tours. :) There are some wonderful hiking trails just ideal for photography and more natural then some tours. :)

 

Alaska is a muti trip destination. Go with your priority interests but have some down time too for a look at the gems in the towns. Each is distinctly different and worthwhile. :)

[DrJamba]

You're going to have to decide for yourself whether the convenience factor of booking a cruise excursion versus a "self-arranged" tour is worth the extra money.

 

Yes, arranging your own tour is a sometimes significant cost savings. Using boards like CruiseCritic will be ultimately helpful in finding stuff to do/see/experience on any vacation.

 

There is a major downside to a self arranged tour: If the tour is late returning to the originating location and you miss the departure of the ship, you are stuck. Cruise ships will wait for their own excursion groups, but will not wait for anyone else.

 

This is also the same for Cruise line arranged air travel to the port of departure.

 

Our cruise to Alaska in July will not be our first cruise, just our first time to Alaska so we can't help with alternatives in the destination ports.

 

Hope this helps.

[K.T.B.]

Generally speaking, I have found that most tours sold on ships are more expensive than comparable tours that are sold by independent operators. Try looking up independent operators in each port if you'd like to save money, and have a great Alaskan experience.

 

However, while more expensive, if you book through the ship you're GUARANTEED to be off the ship first to make your excursion and make it back to the ship on time. :)

[bakerguys]

I wasn't too excited about the Rainforest deal in Ketchikan either, but I also wasn't too interested in the rest of the excursions that Princess offered. Maybe the jet boat adventure would be nice or I saw one about Orca Beach Rainforest Adventure. That one sounds more remote than the other one but I don't know if it is or not. I figure the more remote we can be, the better chance of seeing wildlife. Not too interested in the bears, especially at $300/person. We camp yearly in the High Sierras and have had many, many bears wandering through our camp at all hours of the day & night. I love to see them, but not at that price when I can go to Yosemite high country and see them for $15/night.

[Budget Queen]

However, while more expensive, if you book through the ship you're GUARANTEED to be off the ship first to make your excursion and make it back to the ship on time. :)

 

 

 

This is only true if you tender, and in my experience I am in line an hour before posted for tendering and still get off on the first tenders. Key for independent touring in Alaska is planing, always go with the vender's recommendation for timing and have plans made early in the port day. NEVER have I read of people being left in Alaska due to tour operators, and it certainly would be blasted all over these boards.

[Budget Queen]

I wasn't too excited about the Rainforest deal in Ketchikan either, but I also wasn't too interested in the rest of the excursions that Princess offered. Maybe the jet boat adventure would be nice or I saw one about Orca Beach Rainforest Adventure. That one sounds more remote than the other one but I don't know if it is or not. I figure the more remote we can be, the better chance of seeing wildlife. .

 

 

 

Orca beach isn't "remote". High tourist traffic and probably at the most a 1/2 mile walk? Don't expect any wildlife except maybe birds.

[tetleytea]

I think it's important to book your excursions through the cruise ships so that the cruise companies can get the kickbacks from the tour guides.

 

:mad:

[bakerguys]

Okay, so what is the neatest thing to do in Ketchikan? The best chance to see eagles, or bears, or ???:confused:

[Budget Queen]

Okay, so what is the neatest thing to do in Ketchikan? The best chance to see eagles, or bears, or ???:confused:

 

 

 

You always have to be looking up for eagles everywhere in Alaska. No sure place. There are no cheap bear options either. But my clear preference out of Ketchikan is Misty Fjords floatplane, especially if you haven't gone in one??