Need help choosing excursions

[lucy2mb]

We will be going to Alaska for the first time next May on the Carnival Legend. There are 6 in our family with mostly young adults. We will be going to Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria. I would like suggestions for three of the best excursions not to miss that would not be over $200 per person. We will only do one big excursion and want to make sure we choose a good one. We want to do excursions at every port but looking at doing some on our own. Thank you for your suggestions!

[jonsmom]

We will be going to Alaska for the first time next May on the Carnival Legend. There are 6 in our family with mostly young adults. We will be going to Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria. I would like suggestions for three of the best excursions not to miss that would not be over $200 per person. We will only do one big excursion and want to make sure we choose a good one. We want to do excursions at every port but looking at doing some on our own. Thank you for your suggestions!

 

I am travelling to Alaska next August for the first time.

 

In doing a lot of research these past few months we have chosen:

 

Juneau - Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

Skagway - Glacier Point Wilderness Safari

Ketchikan - undecided

Victoria - perhaps just walking over to Fisherman's wharf.

 

Both of the excursions I have booked through independent excursions.

[CruiserBruce]

"Best", "not to be missed" and under $200. Wow...small shopping list...

 

We don't know your interests, and other than your budget, any limitations you might have, so hard to make a recommendation. But you know your interests, so some research on your part would be very beneficial. "Must see" is what interests you the most, not what we tell you it is.

[lucy2mb]

I am travelling to Alaska next August for the first time.

 

In doing a lot of research these past few months we have chosen:

 

Juneau - Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

Skagway - Glacier Point Wilderness Safari

Ketchikan - undecided

Victoria - perhaps just walking over to Fisherman's wharf.

 

Both of the excursions I have booked through independent excursions.

Thank you! I will check those out! 😀

[jonsmom]

Thank you! I will check those out! 😀

 

No worries. If you like, I can email you with the websites I booked them from. I am not sure if posting here is allowed.

 

Joanne

 

ps my understanding is that popular excursions sell out fast

[SmoothFlying]

We will be going to Alaska for the first time next May on the Carnival Legend. There are 6 in our family with mostly young adults. We will be going to Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria. I would like suggestions for three of the best excursions not to miss that would not be over $200 per person. We will only do one big excursion and want to make sure we choose a good one. We want to do excursions at every port but looking at doing some on our own. Thank you for your suggestions!

 

But it was on the Carnival Spirit. We did the microbreweries in Skagway and Ketchikan and a weird but amazing garden of upside down trees . NOoooo, we weren't THAT drunk, in Juneau. We were only in Victoria for about four hours, so we just got off long enough there to visit some small shops near the port. But, if the weather's cooperating , be prepared to see some the most amazing and beautiful sights in this country. We only had rain one day and that was in Skagway, so you might want to consider picking up a cheap poncho (Walmart type) and some warm clothes, at least one set. We didn't, and it WAS cold on deck sailing down Tracy's Arm. Try to check what the weather's like that week, but in Alaska it can change very quickly. Have WONDERFUL cruise !

[Deeliteful]

I did whale watching in Juneau with Harv and Marv the last two years and you may get a boat just for your family if you check. They were great. I did a rainforest trek in Ketchikan about 3 hours and got to see bears fishing for salmon there too. Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

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[lucy2mb]

But it was on the Carnival Spirit. We did the microbreweries in Skagway and Ketchikan and a weird but amazing garden of upside down trees . NOoooo, we weren't THAT drunk, in Juneau. We were only in Victoria for about four hours, so we just got off long enough there to visit some small shops near the port. But, if the weather's cooperating , be prepared to see some the most amazing and beautiful sights in this country. We only had rain one day and that was in Skagway, so you might want to consider picking up a cheap poncho (Walmart type) and some warm clothes, at least one set. We didn't, and it WAS cold on deck sailing down Tracy's Arm. Try to check what the weather's like that week, but in Alaska it can change very quickly. Have WONDERFUL cruise !

Thanks for the information! I will definitely take warm clothes and check the weather out before we leave. I am cold natured! We have had a few mornings this past month with low 40's when I walked the dogs and I started thinking that I will miss our warm Caribbean cruises but I know ALaska will be beautiful! Hopefully we won't have any rain but I will check out those ponchos! 😀

[lucy2mb]

I did whale watching in Juneau with Harv and Marv the last two years and you may get a boat just for your family if you check. They were great. I did a rainforest trek in Ketchikan about 3 hours and got to see bears fishing for salmon there too. Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

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I will check those out. I have spent most of my time researching Skagway!

Thank you!

[SuperCrewBear]

My suggestion for Ketchikan is the Alaska Canopy Adventures ziplines. We did that this past May and it was great fun. With a group of six family members it would be fun because in May you will likely be the entire group - our group was a total of four people. They have to zipline runs - basically one is for newbies who might be a little nervous and the other is for folks who are more brave. I had never ziplined in my life and chose the more advanced run just for the thrill of it. I had NO problem whatsoever even though I was pretty scared the first 2-3 lines (out of 8). The advanced run also has a couple fairly lengthy suspension bridges which also influenced my choice. I could have gone through the course immediately after finishing if I had the time. I'm not 100% sure but I think they had a nature walk with potential bear viewing in the same area as the ziplines for those who might rather keep their feet on the ground yet still be with their group. The zipline is also under your $200 per person budget.

 

An aside: We ate a really good old fashioned & greasy hamburger at a place called Burger Queen - just outside of the traffic tunnel on its north side (away from the downtown area).

 

Good luck!

[mamasylvia]

Since 2 of my family group of 6 use wheelchairs, our choices were somewhat limited, but we still have chosen excursions for next May we are very excited about!

 

Juneau: SIL and BIL are doing Mendenhall Glacier/Whale Quest ($199/person) through NCL. DH and I plan to visit the glacier on our own and do the tram (around $33/person, right across the street from the dock) on our own, both so we can move at our own pace and to cut down the expense. I am big on gorgeous scenery and not that excited about wildlife, especially bears. (I live in Wyoming and love driving by antelope and deer wandering on the roadside, but bears are dangerous animals and I am totally bemused by all the people who pay to see them.) I have no idea what my son and daughter will be doing.

 

Skagway: I told the family the White Pass Railway was my MUST DO for the whole trip. All 4 of us old people are doing a White Pass/Yukon Expedition ($249/person), also through NCL. (I called the railway and was told if we booked through the cruise line, we would board the train right by the ship and could make sure it was a rail car with wheelchair lift, critical for us.)

 

Ketchikan: all 4 of us plus my daughter have booked the Misty Fjords boat trip ($219/person), also through NCL.

 

Victoria: will probably just wander around on our own.

 

The two ports DH and I have not booked excursions for are the two ports where accessible transport (taxi, van) is available so we know we can get to whatever we decide to see. The two excursions we have booked are in ports where we would be otherwise stuck in the dock area. We are far from rich (we are only able to afford the cruise at all because we finally sold a piece of land we've been trying to unload for years) but even my very frugal SIL has said "we'll live on TV dinners instead of going out from now until next May but this will be a fantastic trip!"

 

I've explained our choices because our reasons may or may not apply to you and your family. But as I've said to other people, I don't think there is a "bad" choice in excursions here. From everything I've read and see, Alaska is simply gorgeous and you would have to work at not having an amazing visit.

 

And don't forget warm boots or hiking shoes that can stand up to snow and/or mud!

Edited November 5, 2016 by mamasylvia

[Deeliteful]

Mamasylvia, I live in the UK. No bears here [emoji4] I fulfilled one of my bucket list dreams this year seeing bears in the wild both in Alaska and in BC. Worth every penny to me as long as I was safely seeing them. Enjoy your cruise, it is an awesome place. I also highly recommend getting to see some of BC too as that is just amazing.

 

 

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[trrn2016]

My suggestion for Ketchikan is the Alaska Canopy Adventures ziplines. We did that this past May and it was great fun. With a group of six family members it would be fun because in May you will likely be the entire group - our group was a total of four people. They have to zipline runs - basically one is for newbies who might be a little nervous and the other is for folks who are more brave. I had never ziplined in my life and chose the more advanced run just for the thrill of it. I had NO problem whatsoever even though I was pretty scared the first 2-3 lines (out of 8). The advanced run also has a couple fairly lengthy suspension bridges which also influenced my choice. I could have gone through the course immediately after finishing if I had the time. I'm not 100% sure but I think they had a nature walk with potential bear viewing in the same area as the ziplines for those who might rather keep their feet on the ground yet still be with their group. The zipline is also under your $200 per person budget.

 

An aside: We ate a really good old fashioned & greasy hamburger at a place called Burger Queen - just outside of the traffic tunnel on its north side (away from the downtown area).

 

Good luck!

So, you can do the Mendenhall Glacier and Tram on your own in Juneau and it is easy to find? First time in Alaska and trying to plan everything! Thanks in advance.

[mamasylvia]

> I live in the UK. No bears here

 

We will be glad to send you some! lol Cambridge has been on my bucket list for decades but don't know if I'll ever make it. (Major C.S. Lewis, James Herriott, and history fan here) My son went to England and Scotland last summer and I asked him to please wave at the Tower of London as he went by. ;)

 

> So, you can do the Mendenhall Glacier and Tram on your own in Juneau and it is easy to find?

 

I am coming up on my first trip to Alaska also but I have researched our stops exhaustively, including Juneau. Look at Google Maps and you will see Mendenhall is a straight shot from Juneau on SR7, roughly 10 miles away. There is a local bus that stops about a mile away from the Mendanhall Visitor Center if you don't mind a walk and want to save on cab fare. I haven't looked up their schedule yet but here is the link: http://www.juneautransportation.org/bus/index.html

 

http://mountrobertstramway.com is the tram link. It says "Cars rise 1,800 feet from the cruise ship dock in downtown Juneau" so it can't be hard to find, assuming your ship docks at the cruise ship terminal (at the south edge of town). If you wind up tendering, well, Juneau just isn't that big.

 

I have to use a wheelchair or scooter, so we are buying excursions in the ports that do not offer good accessible transportation, and go on our own in the ports that do (like Juneau - accessible buses and taxis and a transport service for disabled people that tourists can also make reservations on). Our plan is to take the bus to Mendenhall first and see how much battery I have left in the scooter when we get back. If we need to take a break to charge the scooter, we will do that and then ride up the tram.

[xlxo]

So, you can do the Mendenhall Glacier and Tram on your own in Juneau and it is easy to find? First time in Alaska and trying to plan everything! Thanks in advance.

With regards to the Tram.... I recommend getting the tickets at the bottom of the mountain. If the skies are clear... Go up. If the skies are clouded over.... Wait 30 minutes and then decide to go up.

 

The tram is located by the docks and just minutes away in a walk. However if you ship is tendered or located by the AJ dock.... You need to budget extra time for the boat, shuttle, walk or swim.

 

 

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[xlxo]

So, you can do the Mendenhall Glacier and Tram on your own in Juneau and it is easy to find? First time in Alaska and trying to plan everything! Thanks in advance.

With regards to Mendenhall.....

 

You can get there by public transit.... However you will need to budget time for the extra time to walk to the visitor centre and research when the bus will be returning to the bus stop. This can add 2 hours to your day compared to other options.

 

Most take the shuttles ($30 Round trip?). This allows you lots of time to explore the visitor centre and the various trails around the glacier. On sunny days.... This can be a few hours. On rainy days.... Some may want to leave in 30 minutes after a bathroom break in the visitor centre and a few photos. One other thing to consider.... The last shuttles at the end of the day can be super busy.

 

One thing to consider is whether you plan to do a whale watch. Juneau is popular port for whale watches and looking for an Mendenhall excursion combo is a smart thing to do. Whale watches and Mendenhall are both located West of the Juneau docks. By doing a combo you save port time in not retracing your way back to the docks.

 

If you do the whale watch first in the morning.... You may choose to abandon the the tour at Mendenhall and return to the docks on one of the shuttles.

 

 

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Edited November 6, 2016 by xlxo

[Coral]

 

And don't forget warm boots or hiking shoes that can stand up to snow and/or mud!

 

I have gone to Alaska many times in May and have never brought warm boots or hiking shoes for warmth. I simply bring athletic shoes and have never had a problem.

[mamasylvia]

> have never brought warm boots or hiking shoes for warmth

 

Interesting! I would have figured a May cold snap at that latitude would be a distinct possibility.

[alwaysfrantic]

While I have not done it yet, I will say we choose snorkeling in Ketchikan. With your ages, give it a look. Sounds fun and has rave reviews

[Viv0828]

if you are interested and can afford it a bush plane or helicopter ride at one of the ports can be fabulous. our sons took a floatplane, landed on a lake and did something there - can't remember what - maybe bear watching - and they loved it.

[lucy2mb]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Very helpful information! Wish we could afford the plane or helicopter excursions, especially ones with dog sledding on glacier! This will be the only time we go to Alasks and are very excited!!! Thank you all!

[lucy2mb]

Wish we could afford the plane or helicopter ride to glacier for dog sledding. That would be my dream excursion. This will be our only time going to Alaska and we know we will love our cruise there. Thank you all for the suggestions.

[Budget Queen]

I will caution you, NOT to get caught up with any "best", or "must dos". There are hundreds of tours that get those descriptions. I'd also suggest you might want to take the time and look for first hand reports, on tours of interest to you.

 

Reading through shore excursion lists, gives you good opportunities to greatly narrow down your interests. With all adults in your group, and your stated, limited funds- I would never suggest- "group" touring. Split up and let people go with THEIR interests. I can just about guarantee varied touring preferences.

 

After- you give a good look and narrow down YOUR list to a few tours, then look for more details on vendors and booking preferences experienced by posters. A lot of good information is available, but, can take some weeding though.

[Coral]

> have never brought warm boots or hiking shoes for warmth

 

Interesting! I would have figured a May cold snap at that latitude would be a distinct possibility.

 

We did have a cold snap once - it was in the high 40's. At home in the Midwest - I don't wear warm boots at 40's.

[dyeadave]

We did have a snow storm in May in 1985, but this was such an anomaly that everyone took pictures and some of the old timers still talk about it.......especially when they see me putting in my garden, ALWAYS before the first of May:)

I always tell them that if we get a late freeze, I can just replant.

This has not occurred in those ensuing thirty years, but there are some who I know around town who are just waiting for the occurance so that they can be the first of the "see...I told you so's :rolleyes:

Soooo, wear your deck shoes and come see if my garden is doing well, In May, over on 3rd street when you are here!

Happy travels

DD