Excursion advice needed

[BRC6C]

We will be on the 6/17 NB sailing on Celebrity Summit from Vancouver and I am looking for advice on shore excursions. I tend to like independents, but am not opposed to ship excursions either. "We" is myself and DH (late 30's) and our son age 3 and a half as well as my parents. We're thinking we will stay away from the flight-seeing, mostly because of the expense, and the adults have all walked on glaciers before. Here are my thoughts so far, and I would love any comments...

 

Juneau noon – 10pm

Whale watching -- or should we save this for ISP?

Mt. Robert’s tram -- can we do this on our own?

is there any way to go on a dog sled without a helicopter?

 

 

Skagway 7am – 8:30pm

White Pass Railway -- it looks like booking through Celebrity is more convenient in terms of where you catch the train, is this true?

 

 

Sitka 9am – 6pm

Russian America and Raptor Tour through Celebrity

my father is very interested in the Russian history here, are there independent tours? Is the Raptor part worth it, my mom and son are raptor enthusiasts

 

 

Icy Strait Point 7am – 5pm

Whale watching - is this the place to do this? recomendations?

 

Other things to do? is it possible to get to the village?

 

 

 

Thanks everyone for any advice, I have found this forum very helpful already!

[CanCanCase]

From a Juneau local's point of view, here's what I would suggest (actually, this is what I'm sending my relatives to do when they come to visit this summer!)

Juneau noon – 10pm

Whale watching -- or should we save this for ISP?

Mt. Robert’s tram -- can we do this on our own?

is there any way to go on a dog sled without a helicopter?

In Juneau, we'll drive around for a few hours, see the Red Dog and the downtown area. Then a fishing or whale watching trip. Might look into a combination tour also - saves a lot of time returning to the harbor and getting on a different boat.

 

Skagway 7am – 8:30pm

White Pass Railway -- it looks like booking through Celebrity is more convenient in terms of where you catch the train, is this true?

definitely ride the train! That tour and a lunch at the Red Onion make Skagway an annual trip even for us locals. I'm 32, and even dragging my whole family (wife, 2 kids, dog, and gear for everyone) I don't have any trouble walking to everything in Skagway... the whole town is about 5 blocks long. I wouldn't worry about distance to the train depot unless mobility is a concern.

Sitka 9am – 6pm

Russian America and Raptor Tour through Celebrity

my father is very interested in the Russian history here, are there independent tours? Is the Raptor part worth it, my mom and son are raptor enthusiasts

Go for it! Sitka is a wonderful town, and just about anything you choose should be fun. That's probably the best place to get a feel for the Russian heritage of SE Alaska.

 

Icy Strait Point 7am – 5pm

Whale watching - is this the place to do this? recomendations?

 

Other things to do? is it possible to get to the village?

 

 

 

Thanks everyone for any advice, I have found this forum very helpful already!

 

ISP is where I go to fish halibut - and I'm in Juneau! If you don't fish in another port you might give it a thought here. Also, ISP is probably the most convenient access you'll find for brown bear viewing if a tour is available.

 

Hope this helps, let us know what you decide on, and most important... HAVE FUN!!! :D

[BRC6C]

Thanks for the great advice! Good to know we can walk to the train. Anyone else?