helicopter vs. seaplane & fav. excursions

[shipl0ver]

I justed booked a cruise for May, Inside passage, on the Dawn Princess. I have been researching excursions and would like to know if one is better than the other? Is flight time more important or the area that you are flying over? I would also like recommendations for other excursions.

[Budget Queen]

My favorites are always flights. I am on 2-3 every trip. But my top choice is a glacier helicopter landing. :) Do them both, distinctly different.

 

Look over a shore excursion list and narrow down your interests. there are many excellent tours to recommend, way more than for 10 trips. :)

 

 

Having an idea of your preferences will get you more specific information.

[Sheilanne]

I justed booked a cruise for May, Inside passage, on the Dawn Princess. I have been researching excursions and would like to know if one is better than the other? Is flight time more important or the area that you are flying over? I would also like recommendations for other excursions.

I loved every minute of our August cruise/landtour on Coral Princess.

I recommend Valley of the Glaciers from Skagway which is a glacier landing via helicopter.

Float plane trip to Neets Bay bear watching from Ketchikan.

Saw fantastic scenery on both of theses trips and loved watching the bears catching the salmon.

[suron]

I justed booked a cruise for May, Inside passage, on the Dawn Princess. I have been researching excursions and would like to know if one is better than the other? Is flight time more important or the area that you are flying over? I would also like recommendations for other excursions.

 

We are also booked on Dawn Princess in May 06 sailing from Seattle on 27th May. We will be taking a Rockies Land Tour starting on 22nd May from Calgary prior to joining Dawn in Seattle. There is a Roll Call for this sailing if you are on the same one and would be interested in adding your name to the list.

 

I have been wondering about whether to take helicopter or seaplane flights and have been reading reviews written by others to get some ideas.

 

We booked under a special promotion in England but unfortunately it did not permit us to book anything other than an inside cabin. We are in C319 on Caribe which we are told is a good deck to be on so are loathe to put in for an upgrade as we could finish up in any part of the ship and on a less favourable deck. Will be talking to our TA to make final decision because if offered an upgrade you apparently have to take it no matter what.

 

Would be interested to hear which trip you are on.

 

Regards from

Suron in Bristol, England

[shipl0ver]

I am cruising May 13, 2006. This will be my fist cruise to Alaska. Just me and the hubby. :) (The kids will be in school):D I have spoken to several people at work and they have given me feedback on their excursions. None of them have gone on the seaplane or helicopter tour. I think this sounds like one of the most exciting. I have never seen snow before.;) So, Alaska should be the place to see it first. I live in FL. I am interested in nature, snow, mountains. I am less interested in history. I enjoy the ocean. I have seen dolphins in our rivers and ocean. I hope to see whales and other aquatic life from my balcony cabin. Has anyone been horseback riding in Juneau?

[Budget Queen]

I am cruising May 13, 2006. This will be my fist cruise to Alaska. Just me and the hubby. :) (The kids will be in school):D I have spoken to several people at work and they have given me feedback on their excursions. None of them have gone on the seaplane or helicopter tour. I think this sounds like one of the most exciting. I have never seen snow before.;) So, Alaska should be the place to see it first. I live in FL. I am interested in nature, snow, mountains. I am less interested in history. I enjoy the ocean. I have seen dolphins in our rivers and ocean. I hope to see whales and other aquatic life from my balcony cabin. Has anyone been horseback riding in Juneau?

 

 

IF you want to see snow, your best opportunity will be to rent a car in Skagway and go to Emerald Lake, entire area snow covered. Print out Murray's excellent highway log for South Klondike Highway.

I will say again, flights are the top tour option in Alaska, do it if of interest. :) Plenty of regrets from those who don't.

As for seeing whales from your balcony, don't count on it. Tours are necessary for close up extended viewing, IF YOU care to invest a good deal of time, from your cruise ship, you need to be out on a front open deck, you cut you sightings by over 50% from the side. You need to track whales from ahead, not the side. A good pair of wide angle binoculars are a must with 10x50 my preference.

 

I ALWAYS have numerous sightings, but I also spend all my time out on deck and know the areas where they are. A great many people see no wildlife on

Alaska cruises, it is nothing like the brochures. :)

 

The horseback riding in Juneau is only so so, way superior is Joni's out of Carcross, with the car rental in Skagway I would suggest you do horseback riding there.

[Budget Queen]

I loved every minute of our August cruise/landtour on Coral Princess.

I recommend Valley of the Glaciers from Skagway which is a glacier landing via helicopter.

Float plane trip to Neets Bay bear watching from Ketchikan.

Saw fantastic scenery on both of theses trips and loved watching the bears catching the salmon.

 

 

For clarification Neets Bay bear watching is not available in May, August is peak and the only time I would recommend going. These are also black bears.

[OnlyMe]

We just got back from Radiance. The tours we took were as follows:

Juneau - Helicopter flight and landing with Coastal Helicopters - AWESOME. I would book a longer landing if I had the time - just didn't want to leave.

- Whale watching with Captain Larry - good.

 

Skagway - Glacier Point Wilderness Safari - Booked through ship (cannot book this excursion elsewhere as only one tour company does it and they contract only with the ships). Basically this tour takes you into the complete wilderness where you get in a kayak (boat) and you get right up to Davidson Glacier kayaking among the ice. I have one word for this excursion - AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME (even in the rain)!!!

 

Ketchikan - We walked around the town - my favourite of all the port towns.

[Love Cruis'n]

I am cruising May 13, 2006. This will be my fist cruise to Alaska. Just me and the hubby. :) (The kids will be in school):D I have spoken to several people at work and they have given me feedback on their excursions. None of them have gone on the seaplane or helicopter tour. I think this sounds like one of the most exciting. I have never seen snow before.;) So, Alaska should be the place to see it first. I live in FL. I am interested in nature, snow, mountains. I am less interested in history. I enjoy the ocean. I have seen dolphins in our rivers and ocean. I hope to see whales and other aquatic life from my balcony cabin. Has anyone been horseback riding in Juneau?

 

In Juneau would highly recommend a whale watch with Capt. Larry and Glacier landing with Coastal (helicopter). Orca Enterprises (Capt. Larry) can book both of them for you, and also coordinate transportation between them, so you don’t need to waste time returning to ship/dock.

 

Also highly recommend Island Wings in Ketchikan.

[Armchairtravelwoman]

We did the helicopter glacier landing in Skagway with Temsco (booked with cruiseline) and it was the absolute highlight of the trip. We also did two floatplane trips, one in Ketchikcan, one in Juneau, but they paled by comparison.

[shipl0ver]

We did the helicopter glacier landing in Skagway with Temsco (booked with cruiseline) and it was the absolute highlight of the trip. We also did two floatplane trips, one in Ketchikcan, one in Juneau, but they paled by comparison.

 

Thank-you all for your input. It seems like the helicopter is the preferred way of transportation. I like the idea of doing the helicopter ride and whale watching combined. I am looking at a horseback riding excursion in Skagway that goes near Emerald Lake. Any comments on that?

[Cruisechick82]

Thank-you all for your input. It seems like the helicopter is the preferred way of transportation. I like the idea of doing the helicopter ride and whale watching combined. I am looking at a horseback riding excursion in Skagway that goes near Emerald Lake. Any comments on that?

 

Joni's out of Carcross I believe gets awesome reviews for horseback riding. http://www.yukonhorse.com/

 

I was having the same question as you about whether to do a helicopter or float plane trip. I think we are going to go with the helicopter glacier landing with Coastal. They just released their pricing for next year.

[shipl0ver]

The adventure tour vs. Icefield. Does anyone know if the 1/2 is worth the extra price? $185 vs. $299. Do you know if they require you to find the 3rd person, when the tour is for 3 ppl?

 

*Did you get the 2006 pricing by calling? I don't see them on the website.

[Budget Queen]

The adventure tour vs. Icefield. Does anyone know if the 1/2 is worth the extra price? $185 vs. $299. Do you know if they require you to find the 3rd person, when the tour is for 3 ppl?

 

*Did you get the 2006 pricing by calling? I don't see them on the website.

 

 

Is this a double glacier landing??? Yes certainly worthwhile. But if doing this more costly tour has you cutting back on other touring, I am a firm believer in varied Alaska travel, so the single landing would be my preference over skipping something else.

 

They usually do the bookings, and if they can't get their min. give you the option to change or cancel, verify this directly with any vender.

[Cruisechick82]

The adventure tour vs. Icefield. Does anyone know if the 1/2 is worth the extra price? $185 vs. $299. Do you know if they require you to find the 3rd person, when the tour is for 3 ppl?

 

*Did you get the 2006 pricing by calling? I don't see them on the website.

 

I had e-mailed them for a brochure and they sent this e-mail with their pricing for next year:

 

The pricing for Coastal Helicopters tours for the 2006 season is as follows:

Icefield Excursion, approximately 1 hour including a 15-20 minute landing on the glacier, $192 per seat

Adventure Tour, approximately 1.5 hours, including a 15-20 minute landing on the glacier, $315 per seat (3 seat minimum)

Dog Sled Tour, approximately 1.5 hours, $395 per seat

**Note: for all three tours, passengers 250 lbs or more must purchase an additional ½ seat.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.

--Lisa