Please Advise on my Shore Excursions

[amisup]

Thank you everyone who suggested to book directly with the vendor instead of 3rd party agent or cruise line. The markup the other guys apply is mind blowing.

So here is what I am planning for our family of 8 adults and 1 child. 

 

Kethchikan :  I wanted us to do Totoem Bight State Park and the City Tour as offered by NCL. But I couldn't find any cheaper or comparable alternative that was from a direct vendor. Also after reading up it seems this is something we can do on our own as well. So we will do that. Is this good or bad idea with a large group like ours ? Bus lines ? 

 

Juneau : Mendenhall Glacier and Town Trolley. here again I could not find a direct vendor for this tour. But given the cost of shuttle or taxi, I think a tour maybe worth the cost. I found that Alaska shore excursions offered exactly the same as NCL for lesser cost.

Question-  anyone have experience on this tour?  I don't want the cost per person more than $100. Any direct vendor that offers this ? 

 

Skagway:  We want to tour the mountain via bus, not train since we do coastal classic later. . 4 hr is preferred vs 7 hours. White Pass Summit and Beyond (upto the Yukon Suspension Bridge). I had a hard time finding a tour company that operates this.  But late night yday I found Frontier Excursions so I believe they are the vendor. 

Question: Frontier Excursions and Alaska Shore Excursions both seem to offer this for same price. Who should I pick? Is there another vendor that offers a 4-5 hrs bus tour for under 100 per person ? 

 

Seward:  This was an easier find. We arrive 5 am at port. We have a train from Seward to Anchorage at 6 pm. Thinking of taking the Kenjai Fords National Park Tour.

Question:  The tour offers a 8 am and 11:30 am option. Many have said the 11:30amoption is fine and brings you to the train station in time for the train.  But given our large group with some seniors ,I am wondering if 8 am is a better choice. Then the question remains what do we do for the few hours we have before our train? is the train station in Seward large enough where we could hang out- catch a nap before the train journey?

 

thanks in advance ! 

[AKStafford]

This is a great way to spend an hour or so in Seward:https://www.alaskasealife.org/

[Budget Queen]

14 hours ago, amisup said:

Thank you everyone who suggested to book directly with the vendor instead of 3rd party agent or cruise line. The markup the other guys apply is mind blowing.

So here is what I am planning for our family of 8 adults and 1 child. 

 

Kethchikan :  I wanted us to do Totoem Bight State Park and the City Tour as offered by NCL. But I couldn't find any cheaper or comparable alternative that was from a direct vendor. Also after reading up it seems this is something we can do on our own as well. So we will do that. Is this good or bad idea with a large group like ours ? Bus lines ? 

 

Juneau : Mendenhall Glacier and Town Trolley. here again I could not find a direct vendor for this tour. But given the cost of shuttle or taxi, I think a tour maybe worth the cost. I found that Alaska shore excursions offered exactly the same as NCL for lesser cost.

Question-  anyone have experience on this tour?  I don't want the cost per person more than $100. Any direct vendor that offers this ? 

 

Skagway:  We want to tour the mountain via bus, not train since we do coastal classic later. . 4 hr is preferred vs 7 hours. White Pass Summit and Beyond (upto the Yukon Suspension Bridge). I had a hard time finding a tour company that operates this.  But late night yday I found Frontier Excursions so I believe they are the vendor. 

Question: Frontier Excursions and Alaska Shore Excursions both seem to offer this for same price. Who should I pick? Is there another vendor that offers a 4-5 hrs bus tour for under 100 per person ? 

 

Seward:  This was an easier find. We arrive 5 am at port. We have a train from Seward to Anchorage at 6 pm. Thinking of taking the Kenjai Fords National Park Tour.

Question:  The tour offers a 8 am and 11:30 am option. Many have said the 11:30amoption is fine and brings you to the train station in time for the train.  But given our large group with some seniors ,I am wondering if 8 am is a better choice. Then the question remains what do we do for the few hours we have before our train? is the train station in Seward large enough where we could hang out- catch a nap before the train journey?

 

thanks in advance ! 

It depends when your port time is for Totem Bight  and a "group" taking the city bus.  You'd have to have the very early port time.   Are there mobility restrictions?   If so,  how much.  Frankly-  I always suggest splitting up,  no way does everyone have the same interests.   :)  

 

Juneau -   MGT  http://mightygreattrips.com/tours/    This is a long established vendor,  who offers combo Mendenhall tours.    

 

Skagway-    again-  everyone is on board with this limited choice?   Nobody is interested in getting into the Yukon, do the Lake Bennett excursion?   Interested in history and is a rail fan?       Your choice is offered by Frontier.    Approx.  50 miles round trip.  I find the suspension bridge so so at best.  :)    Certainly no highlight.  

 

Seward-   either tour could work.    But-   you will  be exiting during an extremely busy time.   All the land tours are rounding up,  very crowded and you'd need to verify if the boat tour vendor you book with is running their shuttle that early???   You'd have to be off the ship,  and have your luggage  by 7am.    

 

The 11:30a   works just fine.    No the train station is not a "hang out"  place.   Very small.   You'd be better going back to the cruise terminal,   if you're going on the early boat tour.  

[amisup]

Thank you for some great recommendations and concerns. We are a couple in our 40s accompanied by both set of parents in their late 60s. Mobility is limited in the sense they cannot hike rugged terrain due to knee issues. 

All the seniors would definitely like to stay in a group and be together. Also we don’t want the per port tour cost to be more than $100 per head. 😏

 

Ketchikan - you mention about trouble having a “group of 8” take the city bus. Can you elaborate ? We get to the Ketchikan at 7 am and are there till 4. 

 

Juneau - thanks I will look into this vendor. 

 

Skagway - I haven’t looked at the lake Bennett excursion. We have train lovers but since we are doing the coastal express the next day I thought a bus tour where we stop and see would be more fun. 

 

Seward - I will reach out to the tour company and find our. I am sure they work with NCL cruisers all the time for their 8 am tour. 

[Budget Queen]

12 hours ago, amisup said:

Thank you for some great recommendations and concerns. We are a couple in our 40s accompanied by both set of parents in their late 60s. Mobility is limited in the sense they cannot hike rugged terrain due to knee issues. 

All the seniors would definitely like to stay in a group and be together. Also we don’t want the per port tour cost to be more than $100 per head. 😏

 

Ketchikan - you mention about trouble having a “group of 8” take the city bus. Can you elaborate ? We get to the Ketchikan at 7 am and are there till 4. 

 

Juneau - thanks I will look into this vendor. 

 

Skagway - I haven’t looked at the lake Bennett excursion. We have train lovers but since we are doing the coastal express the next day I thought a bus tour where we stop and see would be more fun. 

 

Seward - I will reach out to the tour company and find our. I am sure they work with NCL cruisers all the time for their 8 am tour. 

Ketchikan-    IF you want to take the bus-   then it leaves around   7:25a-    be on that bus.   Stop is near dock 2.    Cross the street. Stop is, Corner of Dock and Front.   Correct change.    Silver line.  

 

Your referring to the Alaska RR?   At best it would be 2 days away.     Very different routes and experience between the 2 trains.     The RR is a highlight of Skagway.  

[amisup]

Thank you. We read up a bit more on the train experience between Yukon railway and coastal express and realized that they are poles apart. We have decided to do a for few more $$ the train and bus combo in Skagway instead of the summit and beyond tour. 

 

Thank you for underscoring the differences. I really appreciate your inputs !