We are going on the Millenium to Alaska in June and am looking at shore excursions-we have one booked in Juneau-the helicopter/dog sled adventure-was thinking about the Canopy ride in Ketchican but wondering about the activity level as one person is 70 (although a very young 70!)-any suggestions, also looking for suggestions in Icy Point and Skagway. Thanks!

The best excursion in Skagway is the train. It can be done by itself (1/2 day) or as part of a tour with the bus ride either up or back.

Train ride in Skagway is the best! Not so sure about Icy Strait as it is a very new port.

You should try the zipline in Juneau if you have time!

In Skagway, the WP&YR train ride is the most popular excursion. Note that, besides Juneau, Skagway is the only other port you can helicopter flight-see and dog-sled... same ice-field between the 2 cities, so if you're after that excursion, you have 2 options.

The ziplines (1 in Ketchikan, 2 in Juneau and 1 in ISP/Hoonah) all get great reviews. The Hoonah zipline is billed as the longest and fastest in N. America... They weren't running the last time I was over there - day off for the ships.

Hoohah (ISP) is also one of the better ports for halibut fishing (also, the only place I'd bother with a 1/2 day halibut charter)... There's a decent bear-viewing excursion in Hoonah... if the bears aren't out at the salmon streams, they'll likely be found at the garbage dump!

@Majestic Gems: ISP has been running for over 5 seasons now... hardly "new" by Alaska tourism standards. You should get over there for lunch and check things out sometime... it's only a 15-20 minute flight or an hour's boat ride from Juneau!

Happy Alaska Travels all!
-Case

We've booked the WP&YR train for Skagway & Misty Fjords Floatplane for Ketchikan.

Cant wait :-)

Col & Sue

Thanks for all the advice-am booking a train ride in Skagway because of the advice-still not sure about Icy Strait

quote:

Originally posted by RFD:
Thanks for all the advice-am booking a train ride in Skagway because of the advice-still not sure about Icy Strait

Little Hoonah doesn't have much to see but I did a short (8 mile) bike ride and topped it off with the zipline ride. Thank god i did not actually SEE the zipline before I got to the 'Ride Ejection Center' over 1400 feet high otherwize I might have chickened out! It was a super-gas - especially if, like me, you never did this before. The first half descent feels more like a free fall as you are secured in something like a parachute harness. You drop like a rock after mettalic doors open - you never know what hit you as I don't remember anything except being airborne and looking at clouds around eye-level. It is one major blast...and 70 years old is NOT too old to experience a controlled fall unless the person has a heart condition. I am a fit 62 and this experience will last a lifetime.. unless I do it again! Good Luck.

Does anyone know how far Mendenhall Glacier is from where the ship docks? I was tols like 45 minutes

It's about a 20-30 minute drive. The 45 minute figure is probably on a bus tour that takes the old highway and goes slow for sightseeing purposes.

You can find a blue MGT shuttle for $7 or $8 per person each way.

-Case

thanks! do you have any tips or advise for excursions? We want the not typical excursions... we found a 1000 ft waterfall that isnt on the cruise website.

Hi Amanda! (that's my wife's name...)

I'm not sure what you consider to be "typical" excursions, so I can't really recommend anything until I know either what you're looking for, or better, what you're NOT looking for. Can you rattle off some of the excursions you've seen advertised that you're NOT interested in, and maybe I can steer you from there...?

If all else fails, I've had some great vacations hiring a local (cabbie, tour guide, boat skipper, interesting bar patron (not TOO interesting!), etc.) and asking them to show me their town. It does save a lot of time if you can find a few folks that don't mind chatting or eMailing a bit before you arrive so you can save the "get to know you and become friends" time and get strait to the good stuff when you're here...

Otherwise, there's the standard list of ziplines, glacier bus tours, whale watching, helicopter or float plane rides, beer brewery tours, etc. to choose from...

Happy Alaska Travels!
-Case

The Train, The Train:-)

I'v done it twice and will do it again...

There is a bus ride up and train back option for some ships....

Happy Crusing..

Bob E

the RCL book was showing the zip line, dog mushing, jeep adventure tour, float trips.. we wanted something off the beaten path that isnt a scheduled time... like the jeep tour is from 1-6 and then we have to get right back on the boat and cant see the rest of the town..

quote:

Originally posted by a&dspellman:
Does anyone know how far Mendenhall Glacier is from where the ship docks? I was tols like 45 minutes

Amanda-You might have taken you cruise by now but as CanCanCase had said the but service to the glacier is $14 per person round trip. I had booked in advance on line but there are numerous booths on the dock selling tickets. The bus runs continuously (approx 30 minutes between pickups) to the glacier & unlike the ships tour you can take as long as you like at the glacier & explore the trails. If you're over 62 you can qualify for a lifetime Golden age passport ($10)to get into the visitors center & watch the movie for free & use their telescope to watch the big horn sheep on the mountain.