Sitka Question

[jrmende63]

Hi we will be in Sitka May 22, 2006. We are booked with Sitka's Secrets for a wildlife tour at 1230. I would like to go to the Raptor Center and see the Eagles.( Before the Wildlife tour) I would like to know if anyone has did the Raptor Center without going through the Ship. the ship has a $51pp price and it seems awefully high for the excursion. Can I buy tickets from the dock?

Thanks, Julie:D

[djacobson]

Hi we will be in Sitka May 22, 2006. We are booked with Sitka's Secrets for a wildlife tour at 1230. I would like to go to the Raptor Center and see the Eagles.( Before the Wildlife tour) I would like to know if anyone has did the Raptor Center without going through the Ship. the ship has a $51pp price and it seems awefully high for the excursion. Can I buy tickets from the dock?

Thanks, Julie:D

 

Julie- there is a tour operator www.sitkatribe.org that offers a 3.5 hour excursion that includes the historical sites, the Raptor Center, Sitka National Historical Park, Sheldon Jackson Museum and the dance performance for $57. This may be one of those times where Carnival is not overcharging.

 

Admission to the raptor center itself, according to Fodor's, is $12.

[sea_u_onboard]

I'm not sure if I'm confused or the other poster.

 

The way I read your post is the Rator Center Tour is a seperate tour from the one you described and that the Raptor Tour is $51.00 through the cruise. Is this correct? I haven't been there but if that is true then I would think $51.00 pp is sort of pricey just to go to the center when admission is only $12.00 pp.

 

This is their website - http://www.alaskaraptor.org/AboutArc/Visiting.cfm - according to the map in the bottom section of the site it shows the center to be on the "walking route". As long as you don't have mobility problems you should have no problems getting there on your own.

 

You didn't say how long you would be in port - but I'm sure you would have time before (maybe after) to walk over. They are open from 8 to 4 - looks like they are closed on Saturdays.

[djacobson]

I'm not sure if I'm confused or the other poster.

 

The way I read your post is the Rator Center Tour is a seperate tour from the one you described and that the Raptor Tour is $51.00 through the cruise. Is this correct? I haven't been there but if that is true then I would think $51.00 pp is sort of pricey just to go to the center when admission is only $12.00 pp.

 

This is their website - http://www.alaskaraptor.org/AboutArc/Visiting.cfm - according to the map in the bottom section of the site it shows the center to be on the "walking route". As long as you don't have mobility problems you should have no problems getting there on your own.

 

You didn't say how long you would be in port - but I'm sure you would have time before (maybe after) to walk over. They are open from 8 to 4 - looks like they are closed on Saturdays.

 

Sorry for the confusion, Cheryl. Julie and I will be on the same cruise. I was indeed trying to say that the $51 charges by Carnival is for essentially the same tour that I saw at sitkatribes.org, which includes a city tour, the museum, the Historical Park and the Raptor Center. We will be in Sitka from 630am-500pm. I think it would be better to do the walking tour or get around by bus, which Fodor's says is $7 for the day.

[jrmende63]

Sorry for the confusion Cheryl. I know that the tour from Carnival is more than just the raptor center. But I have the Wildlife excursion set for 1230 and wanted to see the Raptor Center in the morning before the wildlife excursion. I just wanted to know if I could get tickets for Just the raptor center and not all the other things...with the wildlife tour I don't think I would have time to do the museum and the churches.

David...Frodor says the tickets are $12 to the center...that is cool. I still wonder how we get them and if it is a far walk or if we take the bus?

 

Well after re-reading your post Cheryl, I went to the link and printed out the map. I hope to have time to go in the morning before our wildlife cruise. Thanks!

[jrmende63]

Julie- there is a tour operator www.sitkatribe.org that offers a 3.5 hour excursion that includes the historical sites, the Raptor Center, Sitka National Historical Park, Sheldon Jackson Museum and the dance performance for $57. This may be one of those times where Carnival is not overcharging.

 

Admission to the raptor center itself, according to Fodor's, is $12.

Hmmm I emailed them to see what time the tour starts. It seems they give you alot of things to do for the $57.

[djacobson]

Sorry for the confusion Cheryl. I know that the tour from Carnival is more than just the raptor center. But I have the Wildlife excursion set for 1230 and wanted to see the Raptor Center in the morning before the wildlife excursion. I just wanted to know if I could get tickets for Just the raptor center and not all the other things...with the wildlife tour I don't think I would have time to do the museum and the churches.

David...Frodor says the tickets are $12 to the center...that is cool. I still wonder how we get them and if it is a far walk or if we take the bus?

 

Well after re-reading your post Cheryl, I went to the link and printed out the map. I hope to have time to go in the morning before our wildlife cruise. Thanks!

 

Julie- it looks like a bus trip would be in order. I tried to do a mapquest search and the raptor center appears to be 3-4 miles from the visitor's center. I don't know about tickets, maybe you just pay at the door.

[jrmende63]

Thanks David...it looks like a bus trip is needed!

[Budget Queen]

To answer the orginal question- IF your ship has a 7am port arrival, be ready to go and in line at least 1/2 hour before to get on the first tenders. AND yes, you have plenty of time for the Raptor Center, it IS walkable from the dock IF you have no mobility limitiations, last section uphill. It is an individual attraction- just pay your admission and walk in, not tour required. It is on the shuttle route, in the past was $7 for an all day ticket. Some waits involved however and walking could be faster if you just miss it.

 

Requst the visitor guide, should be a map inside. http://www.sitka.org

[Budget Queen]

Julie- it looks like a bus trip would be in order. I tried to do a mapquest search and the raptor center appears to be 3-4 miles from the visitor's center. I don't know about tickets, maybe you just pay at the door.

 

 

I hate to sound harsh, but if you don't know the answer, mapquest in Alaska is not the source to use, first hand information is often best. This board prides itself on accuracy and misinformation can run like wildfire.

[nanashirl]

We have booked other tours on our Alaskan cruise but thought we would just go into Sitka and look around and shop. Is this a good place to do this? Hate to have to tender in - hard to judge time needed to be at anything at a particular time.