Where's The Best ?

[stampincruiser]

Was wondering if anyone that has been to Alaska already this summer, or before if you can tell me what were your must see and do's in the ports you stopped in. Also what shops did you enjoy and what were your best buy's? Did you use the coupons that you pick up at the pier? We are leaving in less than a month on the Summit and we don't want to miss anything. This is our first cruise and we can't wait. Thanks for any info.:)

[Budget Queen]

For Alaska, flightseeing is always my top pick. You really have no idea the vastness nor beauty of Alaska until you see it from the air. Always 2-3 flights per trip for me. :)

[bstrayer]

We really enjoyed float plane out of Ketchikan with Island Wings. Great trip--of course we had a beautiful day so couldn't have hoped for anything better.

[swansonia]

I totally agree the flightseeing tours are excellant if you can afford them. The views are spectacular. If money is tight, I would save up for at least one flightseeing tour...We did one over the Juneau Ice Fields and what an awesome sight...Next time we want do flightsee MistyFjords...Have a great time. Alaska is GREAT regardless of what you choose...

[dgund]

We booked a float plane tour through Misty Fjords with Island Wings and a helicopter tour with a landing on the Juneau Icefields with Coastal. Both were excellent.

[beachnative]

We booked all our excursions independenty and never did one through the ship.

 

Juneau: Capt. Larry's whale watching (Orca Enterprises) was fantastic...they then provide transportation to Coastal Helicoptor who flew us past Mendenhall Glacier and on to Herbert Glacier where we drove and rode in dogsleds. It was our most expensive excursion but we plan to book it each time we cruise Alaska.

 

We didn't fly to Misty Fjords and wish we had...we'll book that next time also.

 

(We also did a week independently on land and took several great excursions.)

 

We found that the greatest excursion was included in the price of the cruise ship cabin...watching the ever-changing Alaska landscape slip past us. After returning home and reading the ship's log we realized that we were up and on our balcony before 5am every morning!!!! We ate most breakfast and lunch meals outside ... either on our balcony (room service was great) or on a public one. We got dressed with the curtains and balcony doors open so as not to miss a thing.

 

AVOID THIS SITUATION: we were at Harvard Glacier in College Fjord around dinner time...we saw it calf a chunk as big as a school bus. As the ship was about to depart numerous people came onto the aft balcony to see the glacier and one asked, "Has it done anything?" We replied with "Definately, a lot! Where were you?" Their answer: in the dining room eating dinner. (They had missed the entire event and only enjoyed the glacier during the moments the ship was sailing away from it!)

 

Shopping: We picked up the free coupon book when we boarded the cruise ship but never used it. We found the shopping in the Alaska ports to be too touristy for us. We did buy gold items directly from the (Princess) ship and were satisfied with our purchases.

[stampincruiser]

Swansonia, what tour company did you go with for the Juneau Ice Fields flightseeing and what was the cost?

[stampincruiser]

Can anyone else also reccomend any flightseeing tours? Also what other places besides Juneau do they do them. We will be in Sitka, Icy Strait, Skagway, Fairbanks,and Talkteena. Do they land on the glaciers or do you just fly over them? Thanks

[alaswhales]

While on our cruise last month, I signed up for the snorkeling at Mountain Point in Ketchikan through Princess. It was awesome. The air and water temp were both only 54 that day, but with the wetsuit on, we all stayed nice and warm. It was my favorite excursion, especially because when you tell people that you snorkeled in Alaska, they are amazed and want to hear all about it.