Viking North Pacific Passage - Alaska Ports of Calls Excursions - Any Experience Feedback?

[AlphaCentauri]

We're booked on a Viking North Pacific Passage cruise next April (2024) and trying to decide on which Alaska ports of call (Kodiac, Seaward, Valdez, Sitka and Ketchikan) excursions to book - there are many to choose from! Before we select, just wondering if there's any feedback from the experience of other travellers?

[duquephart]

Look into Kenai Fjords tours out of Seward.

[SantaFe1]

2 hours ago, duquephart said:

Look into Kenai Fjords tours out of Seward.

Yes, that was a wonderful excursion.   we saw all 22 of the 22 animals and birds they advertised we might see.  Although we were a bit later in the season, in June…

[AlphaCentauri]

5 hours ago, duquephart said:

Look into Kenai Fjords tours out of Seward.

Thank you for the recommendation.

 

3 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

Yes, that was a wonderful excursion.   we saw all 22 of the 22 animals and birds they advertised we might see.  Although we were a bit later in the season, in June…

Thank you for the information. The Kenai Fjords tour out of Seward is definitely on our short list now.

[duquephart]

Be advised that there is just the one business offering these cruises. They are right where the ship docks. Book with them directly. The only difference is that you will be paying a great deal less than everyone else.

[AlphaCentauri]

41 minutes ago, duquephart said:

Be advised that there is just the one business offering these cruises. They are right where the ship docks. Book with them directly. The only difference is that you will be paying a great deal less than everyone else.

Great advice, thank you very much!

[millybess]

We will be there in May. Any comments on “Scenic Sitka on Foot”?  

[Murt22]

We did the Scenic Sitka and theatrical performance - which involved taking a bus for one 'scenic" stop, then to a church for a performance - which was actually nice. Then they dropped us off downtown to walk around. You could pick up a shuttle bus back to the ship  when you were done. There were some nice shops, places to eat and I think some historical sites -which we didn't do. 

[Murt22]

23 hours ago, AlphaCentauri said:

which Alaska ports of call (Kodiac, Seaward, Valdez, Sitka and Ketchikan) excursions to book

We did literally nothing in Valdez - there is a museum which gets kind of crowded. We were there on a Sunday so one of the attractions was closed. Not many shops, places to eat etc. Some of the people we knew took a glacier cruise and thought it was good - but I think it was similar to the Kenai fjords cruise, which I also recommend (bring your WARM clothes). In Ketchikan, we did the bear excursion - which were black bears, not the brown bears. There was a little walk through the forest on a boardwalk, and a mom and her 3 cubs came under and went to the river for fishing.  A bald eagle landed in the tree right over our head, and a juvenile eagle was sitting by the river in front of us. There was a small raptor display with eagle, owl, etc.  There was a little sawmill and a totem carver with some totems outside and a gift shop. For being a "reserve" it is not wild - but was one of the best outings we had.

[millybess]

25 minutes ago, Murt22 said:

We did the Scenic Sitka and theatrical performance - which involved taking a bus for one 'scenic" stop, then to a church for a performance - which was actually nice. Then they dropped us off downtown to walk around. You could pick up a shuttle bus back to the ship  when you were done. There were some nice shops, places to eat and I think some historical sites -which we didn't do. 

@Murt22

Thanks.  This excursion goes to the Alaska Raptor Center and then a hike through Sitka National Historial Park, and St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral.  After that you can spend time in Sitka on our own.

 

Maybe it’s new because I don’t recall seeing it when we booked the cruise.

 

What time of year was your trip?

[SantaFe1]

41 minutes ago, Murt22 said:

We did literally nothing in Valdez

Valdez is a nothing port.  It was windy and sleeting and we didn’t even get off the ship.  I’d say, book a spa treatment!

[duquephart]

I think it was out of Valdez that we took an excursion to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Stunning!

[Mitina]

2 hours ago, millybess said:

@Murt22

Thanks.  This excursion goes to the Alaska Raptor Center and then a hike through Sitka National Historial Park, and St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral.  After that you can spend time in Sitka on our own.

Sitka actually has two different excursions.  'Scenic Sitka & Theatrical Performance' (Included) or the optional 'Scenic Sitka on Foot'  which includes the Raptor Center.