Helicopter excursions

[cruizergal70]

Hi. Can anyone tell me how helicopter excursions work? I'm sure they sold more than six tickets. Yet helicopter only seat like 5-6 people. Then there are weight restrictions.  Do they take multiple groups in multiple helicopters and balance out the weight?

[CruiserBruce]

Each company has multiple copters, typically.  The cruise line will have a fixed, small number of seats. The other factor is multiple flights. So, in a given port port on a given day, assuming 4 ships in port at, for example,  Juneau.  There might be 3 companies,  each doing 90 minute total flight durations, 4 copters each. 6 seats per copter. Flights every 90 minutes from 8am to last flight at 5pm. That's 7 flights per copter, total 84 flights, 6 seats, equals 504 seats each day. Those seats are somehow distributed across the 4 cruise lines, in groups of 6.

 

These are theoretical numbers..not actual numbers. But if your group is 6 or less, and you book at the same time, you should be together. If you book separately,  you might need to do some talking to the cruise to TRY to get your group on the same copter. 

[SightCRR]

In Juneau we have flown with Costal with group of six including 4 adults and 2 teens. All in one helo. They assigned us which seat based on weights. (teens in front). I think 4 or 5 helos fly at the same time so if you have 6 or more adults you could be in more than one helo but will be on the ice at the same time. Some company's pilots don't stay with the group on ice so fly one group up & take another group down. I would second CB's idea to book all at once. 

sightcrr

[ABQrobin]

In 2016 we did a helicopter excursion thru our cruiseline, Carnival, and it had 2 helicopters at each appt time.  It was amazing!  Worth EVERY PENNY!  If you want to see what it was like, here is my video: 

 

[yankeefanjenn]

In Juneau I am flying on Coastal. Did you like the tour company and experience? 

 

On 7/27/2022 at 6:29 PM, SightCRR said:

In Juneau we have flown with Costal with group of six including 4 adults and 2 teens. All in one helo. They assigned us which seat based on weights. (teens in front). I think 4 or 5 helos fly at the same time so if you have 6 or more adults you could be in more than one helo but will be on the ice at the same time. Some company's pilots don't stay with the group on ice so fly one group up & take another group down. I would second CB's idea to book all at once. 

sightcrr

 

[Lisa Sox Fan]

2 hours ago, yankeefanjenn said:

In Juneau I am flying on Coastal. Did you like the tour company and experience? 

 

 

We used Coastal last year and they were great.  Easy pick up and drop off.  It was an amazing experience.  You will love it.  Our pilot stayed with us while on the glacier.  She was great!

Edited August 2, 2022 by Lisa Sox Fan
spelling

[SightCRR]

Ours was also great. Once they picked us up and once we drove rental car so could do other things before and after.