Excurision Time

[magictam]

I'm trying to plan an independent excursion and need help understanding the time.

The itinerary says:

Sitka 8am - 5pm.

What time do you actually leave the ship?

How long does it take to get to the pier?

When it says 5pm does that mean your suppose to be back on the ship by 5 or this is the time the ship leaves?

 

What would you recommend to the operator for the pick up and return time?

For example 9 - 3 or 10 - 4 or 10 - 3?

 

Thanks for your advice once again.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

In Sitka I would not plan too early of an independent tour. HAL will use their tenders for the people who have booked their tour first.

 

You will have to go to a lounge to get a tender ticket and stay there until your number is called. The place for this will be listed in your daily program.

 

There have been times when we got to the pier in 15 minutes -- this includes filling the tender and we close. Another time it seem to take forever for the tender to fill and since there were 2 other ships there, we were the furthest away -- took the better part of hald an hour.

 

You will not need a tender ticket to get back to the ship. Just get in line.

 

When it saids 5 PM - that is when the ship sails. The last tender from shore will be 4:30.

[RuthC]

If the ship is sailing at 5:00 I would be very wary about taking a non-HAL tour that was to end at 4:00. There will be a looooong line for that last tender, and if there's any problem getting back to the dock late you could be sunk.

I'd play it safer and plan to be back by 3:30 at the latest.

[Brewhaha]

Along the same lines: Is a tender necessary at Ketchikan?

[oe1]

For excursions booked thru ship what's the process? If we have 2 excursions booked close together, do you have to reboard before the second one? I've noticed the online system won't let you book excursions that are less than 45 minutes apart.

 

We're on the Volendam NB in 2 days - can't wait -- 1st cruise.

[RuthC]

If we have 2 excursions booked close together, do you have to reboard before the second one?

You have to be at the assembly point ~15 minutes before departure---that's all. If your second tour assembles on the dock then you don't have to reboard. If it meets in the lounge, you do.

It's a good thing that you're forced to leave a gap between excursions because the first one frequently leaves/returns late. And, again, you have to meet the next one before the scheduled departure.

[oe1]

Thanks for the info. We may be cutting it pretty close at least once. Since they are ship tours, I hope it works out.

[2bout2c]

Thanks for the info. We may be cutting it pretty close at least once. Since they are ship tours, I hope it works out.

Since they are both ship tours. Let them know on the 1st one you are taking the 2nd one. I'm sure they'll work with you. You are probably not alone in doing this. My other hint would be to try and be on the 1st bus of the day for the 1st tour not the last one.