Alaska - Best Excursions ???

[The Tsar]

We are booked on the Maasdam May 28th Alaska Cruise.

 

Are there any "Do Not Miss" Excursions in Alaska?

 

There are several Native Programs/Shows - Is one better than all others?

[3rdGenCunarder]

I know it's a long list of ports, but it would help if you could ask some more specific questions. Have you looked at what HAL offers? Are there any you think you want to do? 

 

If you go to Skagway, I think the White Pass & Yukon Railway is a "don't miss it" excursion.

 

If you go to Tracy Arm and there's the option to take a small boat ride closer to the glacier, that's supposed to be wonderful. 

 

Somewhere along the route, take a whale watch excursion. 

 

Edited May 6, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[rkacruiser]

A float plane trip that lands in a lake at Misty Fjords remains as one of my most unforgettable shore excursions that I have ever experienced.

[VennDiagram]

Are you still scheduled for Kake? (sp?)  If so, from what I could figure out, you must take the HAL shore excursion if you want to actually go to the island.

 

You're doing an itinerary that is new this year, so "several Native Programs/Shows - Is one better than all others?" may be impossible to answer, unless you tell us where they are offered.  

 

For me, a "must do" is a whale watch.

Edited May 6, 2019 by VennDiagram

[oaktreerb]

We enjoyed the Bering Sea Fisherman’s Tour in Ketchikan and the Taku Glacier Lodge five glaciers and salmon bake in Juneau.  Both of these ports will be busy and we’ll be tendering according to port schedules.   We have signed up for the Kake excursion to see the native culture presentations, otherwise we won’t be able to say we went to Kake!  The EXC staff will be able to give more information as to what to see in each port.   

[joekerstef]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I know it's a long list of ports, but it would help if you could ask some more specific questions. Have you looked at what HAL offers? Are there any you think you want to do? 

 

If you go to Skagway, I think the White Pass & Yukon Railway is a "don't miss it" excursion.

 

If you go to Tracy Arm and there's the option to take a small boat ride closer to the glacier, that's supposed to be wonderful. 

 

Somewhere along the route, take a whale watch excursion. 

 

On this cruise as well. For the benefit of OP in regards to this comment

- The White Pass & Yukon Railway excursion is an option from Haines. We will be taking this one. 

- On this particular cruise, we're scheduled to sail Tracy Arm in the ship (ice depending of course, otherwise we'll probably do Endicott Arm instead) on the morning of our arrival in Juneau, so no small boat excursion for Tracy Arm. We are going to see a *ton* of glaciers on this cruise (so for example don't feel like you must see Mendenhall in Juneau unless you want to do something spectacular like take one of the plane trips to the glacier).

 

OP, have you been to Alaska before? What are you interested in? There are more than 30 different excursions in at least two of the ports so we can give you a better sense of what you might enjoy if we had a little more info from you.

 

 

[joekerstef]

49 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

Are you still scheduled for Kake? (sp?)  If so, from what I could figure out, you must take the HAL shore excursion if you want to actually go to the island.

 

Kake is now an optional excursion rather than a scheduled stop. I'm debating this one. Guessing it's not likely something I'll get to do again.

[cruisinteach2]

Another vote for the White Pass and Yukon Railway out of Skagway. Amazing to see the trail that prospectors had to climb carrying all of their gear. Could we do that today?!

[VennDiagram]

5 minutes ago, joekerstef said:

Kake is now an optional excursion rather than a scheduled stop. I'm debating this one. Guessing it's not likely something I'll get to do again.

 

Yeah, that's the thing -- when will you get another chance to do it, right?  (Do it 😉 )