Advice on Cruise excursions

[LuvToCr]

My DH and I will be taking an Alaskan cruise next summer and I am looking for some advice on cruise excursions. We will be spending 6-8 days pre-cruise exploring with an itinary of flying to Ancorage, drving to Chitina, flying to McCarthy and spending a day or two. We plan to do the hike on the Root Glacier and explore (hike) around the Kennicott area. We will then drive to Valdez where we plan to spend another two days. We are going to take a Kayaking excursion to the Columbia Glacier, to see these up close. We will then take the ferry to Whittier, drive to Seward and explore this area (Sea Center, Exit Glacier etc.)

 

In reading many of the recommendations on this board, I am wondering about doing a Kenai Fjords tour in Seward, as we will have had several glacier viewing opportunities already. I am also looking to do a fly/dogsled excursion and am wondering if we should do this as a cruise excursion or in the Seward area? If we do this in the Seward area, we would probably not do the Kenai Fjords excursion. Is there a better change of not having the tour cancelled in the Seward area rather than in Juneau or Skagway? Some of the boards I have read have indicated their tours were cancelled (understanabley, but trying to reduce the risk). Is there anyplace (close to locations we will be in) to do a dogsled tour without the fly in (not interested in a dogsled tour with a wheeled cart)? We also are planning on doing the Island Wing tour to Anan Creek in Ketchikan, so we will have several fly (sightseeing) opportunities.

 

So I guess I am looking at Anan Creek Bear excursion, possible fly/Dogsled excursion and maybe a whale watching for the cruise (unless we do the dogsled during the land portion, then this would leave open an option for something else on the cruise portion.

 

Thanks for the advice and recommendations.

[Budget Queen]

You have to fly in, if you want glacier dog sledding, less canceled out of Seward with Godwins. Kenai Fjords is NOT for glacier priorities, It's for varied wildlife. So decide for yourself. You can most likely do both if of interest. I am NEVER in Seward without at least one boat trip to Kenai Fjords, simply always a must do for me. :)