Going to Alaska July 19

[markRichmond]

Here is what we have planned for our excursions. I was wondering if you folks had any other suggestions:

 

Ketchikan: Kayaking in Orca's Cove

 

Juneau: Whale Watch

 

Skagway: Train up to trailhead and hike to Laughton Glacier

 

Sitka: Thinking of a boat ride out to see Puffins or perhaps doing some self guided fly fishing on a nearby lake or stream.

 

Anyone have some other suggestions? Also, are any of these stops tendered?

Finally will the ship pack a lunch for the day we go on a hike?

 

Thanks,

Mark

[ChatKat in Ca.]

We did the White Pass Rail in Skagway and we had a great time. We are going again in August and have booked Capt. Larry's Whale Watching excursion. As I stated in another post, the Floatplane to the Taku Glacier Lodge was a highlight of our 2001 trip.

 

The only port we tendered into was Sitka. We docked at the other ports.

Oh and yes, they will pack you a lunch. Ask at least a day in advance.

[Daw6id]

Don't skip the Tracy Arm excursion from the boat. It was the highlight of our trip - within spitting distance of the glacier, with great views of sea lions, bears, eagles and whales by the time we returned to the boat in Juneau.

[jdc]

Mark:

 

1) Agree on the Tracy Arms "tour"...basically you're transferred off the ship to a smaller boat...you get more "up close" and arrive in port (Juneau) at the same time...

 

2) Captain Larry is consider the "creme de la creme" of whale watching....we loved it..

 

3) We did the Glacier Point by Speedcat....it was the highlight for us...most knowledgeable guides and canoeing near the glacier was great...

 

4) As far as bear watching...make sure the salmon are spawning or you will be disappointed...

 

5) If you are interested in a floatplane trip...try Island Wings...she's one of the few pilots that has a license to land on the glacier lakes..which is a really nice interlude....

[hvsteve1]

We did the Temsco helicopter three glacier tour in Juneau and thought it was one of the highlights of our two plus week trip. In Skagway,Mariner booked a steam train,but I don't know if that would happen if you are doing a different kind of tour. Most of the trains are diesel and still a great trip. We did not do Tracy Arm as my wife felt it would have been too much with the copter trip the same day. From the reaction I heard from other cruisers,not taking that tour,at least on my own,is my one big regret of the trip.

[markRichmond]

OK, we are going to add the Tracy Arm tour. We were thinking of skipping it since we are going on a whale watch that afternoon but we're only going to be there once. Thanks for the suggestion.

[markRichmond]

We are a little stumped on things to do in Sitka. Should we go on a nature cruise, go hiking or just see the town?

 

Also, we were thinking about going white water rafting down sixmile creek when we get off the boat in Whittier. Has anyone tried this? It sounds pretty intense.

 

Thanks,

Mark

[dbmacruise]

I am taking the alaska cruise the last week in May and looking at the tour options. Has anyone tried the helicopter/dogsled tour?

[markRichmond]

dbmacruise, please come back and post a review of your cruise when you get back, especially the excursions you take.

Thanks,

Mark

[dbmacruise]

Absolutely! look for us in early June. I am traveling with my mom for her 70th birthday . . . and she isn't much of a fan of hiking, canoeing, and things like that . . . so that will influence our excursion choices. (Mom - if you are out there reading, Hi and I promise not to trick you into a glacier hike.) I may still try one of the helicopter trips out of juneau to the glacier. We will definitely try to get on the Tracy Arm excursion and plan to take the white pass train in Skagway. We will probably explore other cities on our own. I traveled on the Venice to Rome cruise a few years ago with a friend and we definitely enjoyed the days we explored on our own much better than the days we did a tour arranged via the cruise line.

[markRichmond]

Has anyone tried the Advanced Bike Trip excursion in Sitka? It looks like a fun 4 hour ride.