Misty Fjords Question

[TeeBuccs]

DH and I will be sailing to Ketchikan for the first time (been to other ports in AK, but not this one..) and I am seeking some advice on things to do in port. I am considering doing some hiking (assuming I can find decent trails that aren't too strenuous) and perhaps seeing Misty Fjords.

 

Question for those with experience - is it better to view via float plane or small boat? I have read about Island Wings (Michelle) and in some of the guides have seen information about Goldbelt Tours. Neither is cheap so I am looking for some honest feedback if one of these excursions would be better than the other and if worthwhile at all. We are spending big $s in other ports for activities so I want to be sure before spending more here that it is worth it.

 

Any recommendations for inexpensive, not to be missed things as well? Sad but true we are not interested in the history/culture as much as sites, interesting and unique views and areas,etc...

 

Thanks for any help!

[Bucky3]

If you like helicopters (I don't fly!) everyone raves about the Misty Fjord helicopter tour. We took the RT boat excursion to Misty Fjord, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. Absolutely beautiful, and we enjoyed the time we had to let it all sink in. We also saw an eagles's nest, a bear on a beach, and a mink. We likened the actually fjord area to a floating Yosemite National Park! Our trip was in the middle of May last year, so there was lots of snow. Your ship needs quite a long period in port if you do the RT boat trip. I believe our excursion was from 10:30 AM to about 3 PM. We were on HA's Volendam, and this was a ship offered excursion.

[TeeBuccs]

During the course of our cruise we are tentatively planning the following activities (I am concerned that many will be repeat activities and too similiar???)

 

* Ketchikan - ? Debating Misty Fjords

* Juneau - Bear viewing excursion

* Skagway - ? Glacier Landing (helicopter)

* Sitka - 1/2 day fishing and possibly SeaLife Discovery Center (?)

* Seward - Portage Glacier; Debating Kenai Fjords trip (?); Exit Glacier; Seavey's Ididaride;

* Homer - Halibut Fishing; Halibut Cove

* Anchorage - Saturday Market

 

Anything key that I am missing or that is overlap?

[irisheileen]

I vote for the floatplane. It was worth every penny. Here is a portion of my 2006 cruisetour review:

 

 

MISTY FIORDS FLOATPLANE was our wonderful tour in Ketchikan. Michelle Madsen (check her out in National Geographic at the library) of Islandwings.com and her assistant Jarrod were great. Michelle's love of Misty Fiords and Ketchikan shows. One person is copilot seat and there are two other rows of seats. There was only one other couple on this trip, so we got to move from side to side better than if the plane was full. The seat behind the copilot's seat is difficult to see out of if you are tall like my DH. He sat up front on the way back and loved it! I enjoyed hearing his exclamations of "Oh my gosh" and "look at that". It's just what he needed after a long couple of years of "stuff"!! If you can get the copliot's seat-go for it. I had the way back seat with no complaints.

 

Of course, it was very foggy and Misty! It was breathtaking to see landscape from such a vantage point. Michelle points out highlights along the way. It was a very smooth flight.

 

She landed ON RUDYARD BAY and taxied to shore. We were at the end of a Fiord!! We saw BALD EAGLES flying all around and got to eat Blueberries and Huckleberries that she went off to pick for us! It was awesome! There's waterfalls and trees and trees and trees...you got it trees. Misty Fiord is a Virgin Forest she said, with 250ft trees! It was so magestic with the Eagles flying around at the top of the trees with the Mists lingering. The tide rises pretty quickly, as she demonstrated for us.

 

Michelle will readily take your picture as a couple/family and did a great job. (yes, pictures are coming as soon as I figure it all out!) I have one dramatic picture of the trees and Mists. We got to explore for at least 30 minutes or more while the other floatplane that arrived only permitted the people to step out onto the pontoon.

I'm glad we booked through Island Wings. It was worth every penny! We even got berries! What fun.

On the ride back be prepared to see your ship in port and take a picture from the air before landing.

 

Before the tour we had time to take a quick walk to some of the points of interest such as the fish ladder and a Salmon overlook. Go first upon disembarking and get a walking map. Ketchikan is VERY easily walked. We aren't into Jewelry shopping and avoided the shops.

 

After the tour there was enough time before our 1:30 time limit to go back up a different street to CREEK STREET which we found to be very quaint and very pretty. We got some great bargains and postcards and our own pictures. Just today, I finally picked up, from the post office, the hand made ULU KNIFE that a local man had made from Carribu antlers. I used it to chop for dinner tonight-it's great.

 

Go up the tram, $1-2, to the top (obviously) and see the Totem Poles and walk down MARRIED MAN'S TRAIL, which was very pretty. It was a boardwalk of sorts that meandered all the way down to town.

 

We went back to the ship for a nice lunch!

The next day we'll see Juneau where we had a blast! I'll tell you about Captain Larry's WW and Mendenhall Glacier's bear and our fabulous Helicopter/Dog sled excursion.

Eileen

[LarryF]

During the course of our cruise we are tentatively planning the following activities (I am concerned that many will be repeat activities and too similiar???)

 

* Ketchikan - ? Debating Misty Fjords

* Juneau - Bear viewing excursion

* Skagway - ? Glacier Landing (helicopter)

* Sitka - 1/2 day fishing and possibly SeaLife Discovery Center (?)

* Seward - Portage Glacier; Debating Kenai Fjords trip (?); Exit Glacier; Seavey's Ididaride;

* Homer - Halibut Fishing; Halibut Cove

* Anchorage - Saturday Market

 

Anything key that I am missing or that is overlap?

 

 

You have great choices... Don't drive youself crazy as you will love whichever choices you make.

 

My advice is to do as much as you possibly can afford. We exceeded our initial budget by about $1,500 and very glad we did.

 

I have heard the Glacier landing on a helicopter is incredible. Bear viewing in Juneau sound like that would be great. The Kenai Fjords tour in Seward is a must. We did it in bad weather and it was still incredible! Just be sure to either wear the patch or take motion sickness medication.

 

We really loved the float plane flight over Misty Fjords. It was just incredible and felt like we were in heaven! I strongly recommned it, but cannot compare it to cruising in Misty Fjords.

 

We enjoyed hiking Exit Glacier and enjoyed the Saturday Farmers market in Anchorage as well and they are both free!

 

Have fun...

 

Larry

[Budget Queen]

I have cruised through Misty Fjords when RCI sailed there and have flown many times. I like the flights for all the wonderful scenery seen from above, that you can't see from a boat.

[Budget Queen]

During the course of our cruise we are tentatively planning the following activities (I am concerned that many will be repeat activities and too similiar???)

 

* Ketchikan - ? Debating Misty Fjords

* Juneau - Bear viewing excursion

* Skagway - ? Glacier Landing (helicopter)

* Sitka - 1/2 day fishing and possibly SeaLife Discovery Center (?)

* Seward - Portage Glacier; Debating Kenai Fjords trip (?); Exit Glacier; Seavey's Ididaride;

* Homer - Halibut Fishing; Halibut Cove

* Anchorage - Saturday Market

 

Anything key that I am missing or that is overlap?

 

Sitka, is not the location of the Sealife Center- that's in Seward.

Portage Glacier is not recommended if you are doing Exit, and Kenai Fjords- but the Visitor center is definately worth a stop- however, it is outside of Whittier, not Seward.

 

Of all your choices, Pack Creek out of Juneau, and Kenai Fjords are the top trips in my opinion. I have done most of your list.

[Buccaneergirl]

Go with the floatplane to Misty Fjords! We were just in AK 2 weeks ago and the floatplane was outstanding! We also did the helicopter to the glacier w/dog sledding in Skagway and it was a totally different experience than the floatplane.

[Buccaneergirl]

Here is the link to our Alaskan pics. DH took lots of pictures from the floatplane.

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/559336143hftxii

[TeeBuccs]

Thanks for sharing your pics, brought back lots of fond memories from my journey exactly a year ago. Quick question though for you - I know you enjoyed Misty Fjords flightsee with Michelle...mind me asking what you really liked about it?

 

I know we have exchanged messages before (we have the whole Tampa connection going on...haha). DH and I are debating about this excursion in Ketchikan. We are doing some rather high priced activities in other ports and post cruise so I just want to make sure before commiting a few hundred more $ for this that I am well versed with what I get. I know this is a tough question but looking for some legit feedback if possible.

 

Thanks!

[Buccaneergirl]

We booked the excursion through RCCL and flew w/Taquan air. We heard from others on the ship that night that Michelle w/Island Wings was great and less expensive. I'm just one of those paranoid people that thinks if they book an independent excursion that they won't be back in time and the ship will leave them.:o

The plane was a 6 seater (including the pilot and co-pilot) and we spent at least an hour to an hour and a half up in the air. The scenery and mountains were so amazing! We then landed on a remote lake up in the M/F mountains and we got out of the plane and stood on one of the floats for ten minutes. It was so quiet and pristine. We got a wonderful surprise when a seal swam over to our plane and looked us over! We couldn't get our camera out fast enough to take a picture of him though:mad: .

Our pilot was very knowledgable and interesting and the whole experience just gave me a peaceful feeling. I would do it again if we ever go back to AK.

[TeeBuccs]

Sitka, is not the location of the Sealife Center- that's in Seward.

Portage Glacier is not recommended if you are doing Exit, and Kenai Fjords- but the Visitor center is definately worth a stop- however, it is outside of Whittier, not Seward.

 

Of all your choices, Pack Creek out of Juneau, and Kenai Fjords are the top trips in my opinion. I have done most of your list.

 

 

***I meant the Sealife Discovery Tour which is operated in Sitka. We will be visiting the Sealife Center in Seward separate on our land tour...*

Thanks!

[gillianrose]

We booked the excursion through RCCL and flew w/Taquan air. We heard from others on the ship that night that Michelle w/Island Wings was great and less expensive. I'm just one of those paranoid people that thinks if they book an independent excursion that they won't be back in time and the ship will leave them.:o

The plane was a 6 seater (including the pilot and co-pilot) and we spent at least an hour to an hour and a half up in the air. The scenery and mountains were so amazing! We then landed on a remote lake up in the M/F mountains and we got out of the plane and stood on one of the floats for ten minutes. It was so quiet and pristine. We got a wonderful surprise when a seal swam over to our plane and looked us over! We couldn't get our camera out fast enough to take a picture of him though:mad: .

Our pilot was very knowledgable and interesting and the whole experience just gave me a peaceful feeling. I would do it again if we ever go back to AK.

 

Unfortunately, the company involved in this week's fatal crash was the company you used, Taquan Air, and the sad fact is that the passengers who booked this excursion (through Princess) did not make it back to the ship at all.