Wish I would Have Known This When Booking My Excursion

[Donna6369]

Just returned from a wonderful 1 week cruise on Celebrity "Infinity" to Alasaka.

 

The one regret and let down of my trip was that my excursion that I was looking forward to most was canceled due to visability. It was the Helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier with a dog sled ride on the glacier. Just about a week before my crusie I did read somewhere that the morning tours for this are the most canceled excursions on Alaska cruises. My tour was for 10:45AM.

 

Just thought I would share this information and maybe someone will be smarter and book one of the afternoon tours as they are not usually canceled like the morning ones. It never hurts to be on the safe side as in my case my dream excursion was canceled and I may never get the chance to do it again.

[1STTIMEINFLA]

Hi Donna, sorry about your excursion being cancelled. We too had a helicoter glacier landing trip cancelled due to fog.Our trip was for 5 PMand that day all the morning flights went up so I guess you never know. Hope the rest of your trip made up for it:)

[NancyIL]

While it is disappointing to have an excursion cancelled, it is better than paying a lot of money to fly when you wouldn't be able to see anything. Our Misty Fjords flight was first thing in the morning on a very cloudy day, and it was NOT cancelled. When we got to Misty Fjords, the cloud ceiling was too low for the pilot to safely go in very far, so we turned back. We still paid full price for the excursion (the flying time remained the same), but we didn't see what we paid to see.

[bjksgk]

Nancy - what a good point you make! After reading about your Misty Fjord excursion disappointment, I think you are so right. Many of us spend lots of money for these excursions, and I for one would rather it be cancelled then have them take me up and see nothing and be out a few hundred dollars.

 

Donna6369 don't feel bad second-guessing your decision to book the tour in the morning either, because I think the dog-sled excursion is THE most cancelled one there is - I've read of lots that were cancelled both morning and afternoon. We went in early June and in Juneau and Skagway the dogsled portions were all cancelled. but we were lucky enough to get in a glacier landing instead, so not a total loss, just a disappointment. Hope you didn't let it ruin your whole trip!!

[jrw]

Sorry to hear that. We also had this booked in Juneau, it was second week of June 1999. We, too, were cancelled due to visibility. Keep in mind that it's not just the flight. The dogs can not run when they can't see far enough ahead. We were extremely disappointed, but better than losing the $ and getting nothing out of it...or worse.

 

Two other people on our ship and four on a different ship went on a helicopter flightseeing tour in Juneau -- privately arranged near the pier. Sadly, they crashed:

June 9, 1999: Coastal flightseeing helicopter crashed into glacier killing six cruise ship passengers and rookie pilot. The NTSB concluded, "The pilot's continued VFR flight into adverse weather, spatial disorientation, and failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors associated with the accident were pressure by the company to continue flights in marginal weather, and the "flat" lighting leading to whiteout conditions." NTSB Report

It is scary to think some tour operators push the envelope for profits over safety. We did not know these people, but it was devastating to know our fellow passengers would not be re-joining the ship. We only found this out after our port departure was delayed for quite some time. If it were not for the Princess tour being more conservative & cautious, this could have been our fate as well.

[Stacym]

While it is disappointing to have an excursion cancelled, it is better than paying a lot of money to fly when you wouldn't be able to see anything. Our Misty Fjords flight was first thing in the morning on a very cloudy day, and it was NOT cancelled. When we got to Misty Fjords, the cloud ceiling was too low for the pilot to safely go in very far, so we turned back. We still paid full price for the excursion (the flying time remained the same), but we didn't see what we paid to see.

 

What a trooper you are! we also had the same thing happen, plus we had high water at Carcross and didn't get the train all the way too Carcross.

 

Stacym

[NancyIL]

What a trooper you are! we also had the same thing happen, plus we had high water at Carcross and didn't get the train all the way too Carcross.

 

 

 

When were you in Skagway? We booked the train to Carcross, and the tracks washed out 2 days before we arrived on June 8. I was beginning to think our excursions were jinxed! We did the rail/bus Yukon trip instead, and it was my favorite excursion.

[Sue L]

Just returned from a wonderful 1 week cruise on Celebrity "Infinity" to Alasaka.

 

The one regret and let down of my trip was that my excursion that I was looking forward to most was canceled due to visability. It was the Helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier with a dog sled ride on the glacier. Just about a week before my crusie I did read somewhere that the morning tours for this are the most canceled excursions on Alaska cruises. My tour was for 10:45AM.

 

Just thought I would share this information and maybe someone will be smarter and book one of the afternoon tours as they are not usually canceled like the morning ones. It never hurts to be on the safe side as in my case my dream excursion was canceled and I may never get the chance to do it again.

 

 

We were on the Serenade last week and in Juneau on Thurs the dogsled tour was canceled for the whole day and the guide told us only one had gone off for the whole week. The dogsled camp is located at 3500 feet and the fog had been really bad for most of the summer. We had the Ice age by helicopter tour booked for the latest time-11:45 am (because of advice on these boards) Ours went off beautifully because this tour lands at 1000 feet. I had agonized between the two tours for months but never saw the elevation differences mentioned ( or didn't see this info) which definitely effects the cancellation rate. Also the guide mentioned that the dog sled area is all snow and not the surreal terrain of the lower area.

 

I am so sorry that your got canceled and this info does you no good, but I just thought I would pass it on to others to help them make a decision. I hope you have another chance to experience this tour.

[1stcruiser1]

We booked the train to Carcross also and had to do the Yukon rail/bus instead. That was just last week. I guess they are not having good luck with that excursion. I loved the Yukon trip, I was glad that we were able to do that one.

[Budget Queen]

There is no way to predict Alaska weather and it made no difference on when this was booked. They can cancel any time.

 

I post frequently to always have back up plans for this glacier dog sled tour- it is the MOST canceled of all Alaska tours. Juneau the most, Skagway not far behind.

 

What people do not realize, it this tour is very popular with a heavy schedule. IT also involves a FIXED camp, meaning, there is no "dog sledding" anywhere else, they have to get to that exact location- and be able to get out. Where as some glacier helicopter landing trips can go to other areas if possible and also the reason, a glacier helicopter landing may be offered to you with a canceled dog sled trip. Another suggestion, I make- to have this in mind and determined before you go, sometimes, it requires a quick decision.

 

As for flight times- early morning can be excellent, I did 2, 7am flightseeing trips this year out of Ketchikan, with perfect, clear skys. Again, just NO WAY to predict anything in Alaska.