Is it just me or do others feel that the excursion prices for Alaska are a bit steep? I THOUGHT I wanted to go flightseeing and dogsledding...but my goodness, those prices are almost as much as I pay for my 7 day Caribbean Cruises
Anyone know of some reasonably priced excursions?
Thanks

Welcome to Alaska!

Yes, we thought we got a great deal on the cruise fare. It wasn't until we tried to book the excursions that we realized where the REAL money was being made.

The White Pass Railroad seems reasonable and popular from what I read. As a "budget traveler" , good luck on this trip, that and perhaps a Glacier Tour at Seward are probably the ones I will take. Otherwise, I think I'll be sticking to walking tours or such. As you mentioned that other stuff is a whole 'nother vacation budget. I've scheduled 5 nights at Alaska after the cruise. This is the first place I've seen B&B prices lower than 1 or 2 Star Hotel prices.

We were surprised, too, at the prices. But then we realized that the towns in Alaska only have 5 months each year to catch the cruiser's dollars, while Caribbean cruise ports have 12 months each year.

Each person would handle this differently. There are some relatively inexpensive tours in the various cities, but we wanted to get beyond the cities. We pretty much decided that our Alaska cruise would probably be a one time thing and we wanted to whale watch, take a floatplane, and do things unique to Alaska. Costly, yes, but I think it would have been worth it.

As you probably know, we would have left tomorrow if I hadn't broken my wrist last week. So the trip is on hold for awhile. But, when we reschedule, we plan to splurge in Alaska!

Nadine

Mendenhall Glacier tour in Juneau is a good deal, while the White Pass Railroad in Skagway is a great trip for around $110 or so...Totem Pole and Cultural Tour in Ketchikan is a good tour and only about $45.....Alaska isn't cheap but worth every penny you spend there....

Bob E

Thanks ya'll. I think the initial "shock" has worn off. Now I just have to get my ducks in a row and get the most bang for my buck.

I am already paid for my May 08, so it gives me some time to start "chipping" away at prepaying my excursions...but I will still be budget conscience.

The Cultural Tour in Ketchikan is about my speed at $45.00, but I might do something really wild - for a once in a lifetime Alaska visit...we shall see!

Hi again! This is just a hint regarding excursions. I see you are an experienced cruiser, but for rookies, it might prove helpful. We booked a whale watching excursion through Captain Larry's. They came highly recommended and were cheaper than any whale watching excursions on the ship. The tour was also of shorter duration which left us time afterward to explore Juneau.

Problem is, there is a $25 per person cancellation policy, if cancelled more than 72 hours in advance. When I called to cancel because of my wrist, they were nice enough to waive my $25 charge, but still charged the $25 for my husband. If we had booked the ship excursion, it would have been cancelled at no charge. So there are pros and cons to private tour operators. Just be sure you read the fine print!

Also, we booked the dinner theater at Denali Princess lodge. These tickets are non-refundable and we will pursue them through our trip insurance.

Since we didn't expect to have to cancel, we were a little nonchalant about the cancellation policies. We learned!

Enjoy planning your cruise. It is so exciting!

Nadine

Nadine - What a good idea. I don't usually go on my own except for Key West. I know enough about it that I feel comfortable. But I just might check into it.
Bummer about your wrist!

Flightseeing is always expensive, no matter where you go. Between a high overhead for the tour operator, and no doubt very high insurance prices for his business, it's no wonder. If you really want to do Alaska shore excursions "on the cheap," it's one of the best places to just get off the ship and walk around the ports. No language, signage or currency barriers. If it's your first time in Alaska, though, I'd recommend some of the tours to the natural or cultural sights, such as Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau (not flightseeing, just the land-based tour), Saxman native village in Ketchikan (totem poles), and perhaps more spendy (but worth it) the White Pass RR in Skagway.

Less expensive in Skagway and also fun is the yellow-bus tour (the old 1930s stretch vans, imported to Skagway from Yellowstone & Glacier NPs way back when). The gals giving those tours dress in turn-of-the-century costume and are enthusiastic & energetic (and impressive drivers - you should see some of these old vans!)

Karen - Funny that you should mention the White Pass Railroad. I was talking with my FIL about how fun it was going to be going to Alaska....he insisted that we had to go on the White Pass Railroad, that it was "once in a lifetime" and he is a railroad nut...I am not kidding...models, etc.
Anyhow...did not know that the White Pass RR was in Skagway....and that is not one of our ports
Oh well...

At any port in Alaska you will find at least two and usually more cruise ships in at a time. That means you have 5,000+ people competing for excursions at a port that has limited choices.

Reading this thread makes me think some are under the impression that the cruiselines and vendors are gouging for Alaska excursions and other things. Think about how they have to get supplies there. Unless it's something crafted or native to the region it has to come a long way by ship, plane or other means. With fuel and other transportation costs what they are today I'm amazed things aren't higher cost there. The more remote the area the higher the cost of things in general will be.

I remember in the 70's, a neighbor of mine who's dad worked in Alaska. The complaint then was a hamburger costing over $5. and fuel then was under a buck a gallon. Translate that to today and you have a really expensive burger.

Happy sailing, Neil

As Neil says, a great deal of the price is involved in the costs of doing business or simply living in a certain area. Some places require virtually everything to be imported - even drinking water, such as many islands which do not have natural drinking water supplies. A burger is cheap in Dallas but not so in Nome. And likewise, a pound of walrus blubber probably goes for a premium in Dallas, both because of lack of demand and the shipping!

quote:

Posted June 04, 2007 04:58 PM Hide Post
Reading this thread makes me think some are under the impression that the cruiselines and vendors are gouging for Alaska excursions and other things. Think about how they have to get supplies there. Unless it's something crafted or native to the region it has to come a long way by ship

Most of the stuff that was not hand crafted was from China. It can not cost it more to get there that it cost to get it to the East Coast!!! Same goes for the everyday supplies they need.
With that said, The cost of living is different that that in Mexico, so I would expect to pay more.

jdj, you are mistaken in your assumption that it can't cost more than to get it to the east coast. They ship products and supplies in mass from China, via container and ships that sail to capacity with such containers. The major destination for these containers are major ports in the continental US (East caost, west coast & gulf coast, depending on the region being supplied). From those major shipments the containers are transported via rail and truck to distribution facilities for companies like Walmart, Ethan Allen, etc. and some to be distributed to smaller networks that can't buy entire container loads of white gym socks or end tables.

Alaska is supplied for the most part from these same shipments that arrive, mostly at the Port of Seattle. It's a long way from Seattle to the mom & pop store in Skagway for your hamburger buns which are delivered not by the container load but as needed along with other supplies that by then have been off loaded, shipped to a distribution facility, ordered, pulled loaded onto another truck, shipped again, off loaded, stocked... you get the point by now.

Logical assumptions don't always apply in the real world like, "If it's the same distance or closer from China to Alaska, it must cost the same."

Cheers, Neil

I recall shopping at Walmart in Alaska... at a cheaper rate than the other "Mom and Pop stores". Same like it is the same story all over mom and pop can not keep up with Walmart!
At the end of the season the tourist stores are selling their good for a fraction of the cost... I bet they still make money on them.

We have been to Alaska. We flew/rented car...but every thing we did had "cruisers there as well. We took the train from Anchorage to Seward....beautiful! Saw sheep, a baby black bear, awesome views. We went the first week of June and there was little snow left (which I didn't realize) Being from FL you think ALASKA=SNOW. In Seward we did the half day Resurrection Bay Tour and All You Can Eat Salmon lunch /Worth every dime. In Fairbanks- Discovery Riverboat cruise/activities- worth the $, El Dorado Gold Mine- panning...great fun.
Denali paid big bucks to fly a plane to Mt McKinley and do a glacier landing. Not enough sunlight to do the landing, but the flight itself was awesome and they gladly refunded the difference in $ for not being able to do the longer flight/landing.
Anywhere we go, we do everything we want to because we'll probably never go back (toooo many new places to explore)...
Enjoy life, live it to the fullest.

We also did the Denali Princess Lodge Dinner Night-Show. Great fun (husbands thought it was a little hokey) But they ate their entertainments worth.
We also did ATV Riding, And a covered Wagon Dinner Ride through Black Diamond! AWESOME!

quote:

I recall shopping at Walmart in Alaska

Sounds exciting, but frugal.

We booked our excursions for the following:

Skagway:
White Pass Rail, Klondike Hwy & Gold Camp Adventure Start 10:45 (7-8 hrs)($229 ea)

Juneau:
Juneau Highlights-City,Glacier & Hatchery 8AM (3 hours)($43 ea)
Four Glacier Adventure by Helicopter (w landing) 12:30 (2 hours) ($335 ea)

Ketchikan:

Totem Bight & Lumberjack Show 3PM (3.5-4 hrs)($65 ea)


Our plan is also to work in local walking tours into the mix as time is available.

(Man this is an expensive way to have fun with your clothes on.)