i was wondering if anyone knows any good tour guides for excursions besides the ones offered by the cruise lines. im going to be in Juneau, skagway, icy strait point, and ketychikan
CruisinGirl, all of the ports you mention are easy to do on your own. I just returned from Alaska with a ton of additional information that I will post to http://www.AlaskaPortReviews.com. What shore excursions are you thingking about? Also, check out http://www.Alaska-Shore-Excursions.com for more ideas on excursions that are booked directly with tour operators, not the cruise lines.
Tom
Posts: 2305 | Location: Valley Center, CA 92082 | Registered: May 30, 2002
Having just returned from an Alaskan cruise, I would reccommend a helicopter landing on the glacier in Juneau as a must do, if the weather is nice. So wait until you arrive in Juneau and then book at the pier. I used Coastal Helicopters and they were wonderful!
In Skagway, the White Pass Railroad trip is good and you can purchase tickets at the train station when you arrive.
In Ketchikan (again - weather permitting), do a flight-seeing excursion of Misty Fjords - OUTSTANDING! I can reccommend SeaWind Aviation for this trip.
Originally posted by Sunprincess: Sorry, I used the Princess Tours.
i have never been in a chat room and am kind of messing up my message, but, want to know if anyone here can recommend the Princess cruise excursions in ports of call in Alaska from experience. i'm going to go on a cruise there soon, and haven't ever been either on a cruise or in alaska. Thanks!
Done 2 Princess Cruises to Alaska. Somewhere there are posts about tours, but, let me tell you the ones I highly recommend.
Juneau - Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Ride & Walk About. This was awesome. To actually get out & be able to walk on the glacier was great. They have more active glacier tours, but, this was fine for me. Be sure to dress in layers & warmly, as it can be quite cold on top.
The tram downtown is good to get great pictures. If you have a clear day. Be sure to save time for a stop at the Red Dog Saloon.
Skagway - White Rail Pass train ride is excellent. Again, save time to wander downtown. Good shops & taverns for an Alaskan Amber.
Ketchikan - Misty Fjords Seaplane Ride was excellent. I love to walk around & shop here too.
I have not personally done the whale watching or nature tours. However, friends have done them enjoyed it. Also if you enjoy fishing they also do some great expeditions.
Hope this helps. I typically am a sun person, but, really enjoyed the splendor & beauty of Alaska. Glacier Bay is just magnificent. I prefer Glacier Bay to Tracey Arm, based on my cruises.
We found that the weather has a significant impact on any particular tour you might be interested in going on while in Alaska. As Tom Ogg noted, all of the locations you are going to you can arrange tours on your own. In Juneau we did a whale watching tour which was outstanding. Our group was fairly large. some booked through the cruise line while others just arranged it after they arrived in Juneau. We all saw the same however those those who booked after arriving were on smaller sightseeing boats and were closer to the whales. For the tram in Juneau you can easily purchase tickets after arrival IF the weather is good. If it is overcast, don't bother. In Ketchikan I went on a Southeast Alaska Sea kayak trip. It was a good experience, however it was so because the water was like glass; the day before I was told that they had 6 foot swells. Some of our group did the Misty Fjord flight and thought it was fantastic - the highlight of the trip for them. I believe that they booked the trip after arrival.
With only 3 days in ports, and really not long enough to enjoy the towns, we did the train and the whale watch and then shopped. (Juneau, Skagway, Ketchican) Everything we did, if we would of done nothing was wonderful, the weather was a bit nasty, but not enough to curtail any of our walking or watching!!! Wet and cold we got!! But enjoyed every minute! Everyday we looked out there was an eagle or a whale! Tomorrow I would do it again!!! ...and bring heavier socks!!!
