Excursion flights in Alaska

[19Revretired47]

Is it better to book a flight excursion in Alaska on the cruise ship website before the trip or wait until closer to the time in order to check the weather?  Also, cruise ship booking or other flight excursion outfits at the port where we are going?

[BaumD]

If you wait until it is close enough to check the weather, chances are the flightseeing excursions will be sold out. The cruise lines will have locked up most of the seats.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, 19Revretired47 said:

Is it better to book a flight excursion in Alaska on the cruise ship website before the trip or wait until closer to the time in order to check the weather?  Also, cruise ship booking or other flight excursion outfits at the port where we are going?

Whatever you do, make sure you’re booking a flight on one of the classic Dehavilland Beavers (while they’re still around).

[XBGuy]

OP, I had the same goal mentioned by @Flatbush Flyer.  I wanted to to fly in a DeHavilland Beaver.  On our fourth AK cruise I booked an flightseeing excursion in Ketchikan on a Beaver through the cruise line,  (My coffee shop buddy did not understand this, "Let me see if I have this straight.  You're going to fly in a plane that was designed and engineered in the 1940s?")  When we arrived in Ketchikan, it was pretty drizzly.  (No real surprise there,  Ketchikan is in a rain forest.)  We walked off the ship to the dock looking our tour.  We found a lady with a clipboard, and she told us that all floatplane excursions were cancelled that day because of the weather,  OK, I guess I understand that.  Within a day our onboard account was credited to reflect the fare that we had prepaid for the excursion,  So, as far as I was concerned that all worked out seamlessly.

 

The next year on our fifth AK cruise, I booked the same excursion prior to departure,  It was bright and sunny in Ketchikan when we arrived.  Our little trip in the Beaver was great.

 

I don't see any reason not to pre-book your excursion.  The weather is going to be whatever it is going to be regardless of when you book.  My opinion has nothing to do with a choice of booking through the cruise line or making your own private arrangements.  As you can see from my story, there is no downside when booking through the cruise line.  I know many people prefer to book their own excursions.  That is fine.  If the weather prohibits flying on the day you arrive, the private providers will also not be able to fly.  They will then refund your money to your credit card account.

[MCC retired]

Any tour with limited capacity such as helicopter and float plane , book up fast in advance.

Don;t wait !

[olemissreb]

Book now! It is totally worth the price. My family and I flew with Michelle at Island Wings in Ketchikan and if I remember correctly it was on a Dehavilland Beaver.  Michelle had some music playing as we flew toward the Misty Fjord National Monument that had my mom and I in tears...it was so beautiful and just "fit" the scenery we were looking at. One of the best excursions we took.