Alaska Excursions Backup Plans

[SJSMOM]

Going late July/early August on Norwegian Pearl. Have whale watch in Juneau and Island Wings Ketchikan booked. I didn't even think to have a backup plan available until started reading some posts that made mention of it. But if you have excursions planned you really can't book a backup one - if cancelled for weather reasons would find out when get to port and then just have it wing it when get off ship, right? I guess that leaves sightseeing tours etc that you could get from the vendors at the ports?

[Crew News]

Going late July/early August on Norwegian Pearl. Have whale watch in Juneau and Island Wings Ketchikan booked. I didn't even think to have a backup plan available until started reading some posts that made mention of it. But if you have excursions planned you really can't book a backup one - if cancelled for weather reasons would find out when get to port and then just have it wing it when get off ship, right? I guess that leaves sightseeing tours etc that you could get from the vendors at the ports?

 

Flying excursions are probably the only ones that might need a backup plan. There are a number of vendors for other excursions in Ketchikan if your flying gets cancelled.

 

Whale watching tours are not governed by the weather. If your are on a small whale watching boat you will feel the weather a lot more than on one of the larger Allen Marine boats.

[Budget Queen]

At the least, have ideas what may be of interest to you. Have any phone numbers and tour operators known. IF that is a fill in choice for you.

 

With Glacier dog sledding, I also suggest- deciding now, IF offered, if you'd just take a regular glacier landing. IF it's offered as an alternative, you won't likely have a lot of time to decide.

[newdestination]

Last June our whale watch excursion with Harv and Marc in Juneau was cancelled. They said it was due to high wind. It can happen, although apparently not very often.

[Sequim88]

When our helicopter tour (via HAL) was cancelled at Juneau due to low clouds and drizzle a Holland America agent was available to switch us to whale watching (large boat). If you are booking independently it might be worth a little extra planning to have a plan B then find a vendor for it at the dock.

[lynncarol]

It was September and raining when our ship docked in Ketchikan. I was very worried our morning flight with Island Wings would be cancelled. So when we got to the designated air departure dock, I mentioned my concerns to the owner/pilot of Island Wings. Her reply? "This is a northern rainforest. If I only flew in good weather, we would never get off the ground". PS We had a wonderful flight and got to see lots of bears.