Alaska Excursions--post your reviews here!

[tweis]

I would email them all they all were most helpful and offered discounts, I think prices are not quoted so you can barter a bit there are booths in each port, where you may get deals but not the best times.

There are advantages and disadvantages in using these. At least you know the weather when your there rather than hope it will be good, but the best slots can go, I planned two Private trips in each port so my timing was important for all.

Booths are on the pier at Skagway and Ketichan but in Juneau more limited as the dock is out of the town. The big tourist building in Ketichan is good its on the dock opposite the shops in a newish building.

After we get back from the Magic, I will definitely start emailing to see if I can figure out prices so that I can get a budget in order. I may bother you with a few questions if you don't mind.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

After we get back from the Magic, I will definitely start emailing to see if I can figure out prices so that I can get a budget in order. I may bother you with a few questions if you don't mind.

Pleased to help.

 

[CruznLexi]

Having done Alaska 3 times with the last cruise being last year on the Wonder I can tell you what I have done and kept it fairly cheap as can be. Fly into Seattle and take the train up and shuttle back. Was $100 total for r/t. If I was doing Alaska again I would take train up same day and go from Train station to pier. The day at the glacier if you have late seating you can get the best views by going up to the top deck after 4pm. Skagway. I have done the train one time and then rented a jeep the second time. The jeep was less than $100. I wanted to do the horseback tour this last time but waited too long. The excursion through Disney takes just 10 riders. I could have gone through someone else but it was fun to just walk around town. Juneau. I have done Whale Watching with Orca Enterprises twice. Both great times. We even saw a whale jump out of the water. Mendenhall glacier is just a bus ride out there $15 r/t. I would have liked to have done the cable car but it was cloudy the day were there so did not do it. Ketchikan I did the Bearing Sea Fisherman's tour. Thus was by far my favorite tour. I booked thus indep with them. The price difference for 2 people was close to $30. It is the same tour that Disney offers. The only difference is that you walk with the sign from the ship with Disney escorts. Fabulous tour for all ages. You do not go into open ocean. You will go on a carb boat that was used in the sexism season of Deadliest Catch called the Aleutian Ballad that was changed to be a tour boat. They will go out to a remote area to feed Eagles. There were literally hundreds of them. You will then learn about the different crabs and pull up some grab pots. There they will have several crabs in their that they will pass around for you to hold. I can not say enough good things about the tour.Alaska is a fantastic cruise and the shore excursions are great at least the ones that we have done in the past.

 

[beeadude]

I just booked the 7:20 am tour. Simple question should we eat breakfast first? Or will we feel queezy if we do? Thanks

 

[Ware Bears]

We had an early time like you, we couldn't face a proper breakfast so what we did was order room service and had a couple of pastries with a pot of tea.

We didn't feel queasy (H&M don't go out on the open ocean so I think it's unusual to feel seasick) but it also meant we didn't have any hunger pangs either although if I remember correctly the boat did carry snacks if we wanted them.

 

[SG101]

I called each of the companies directly or booked via internet/email:

I booked directly w/Duck Tours @ Ketchikan for $40/adult and $25/child (my 10 year old is considered on adult if I booked thru Disney). - prepaid via paypal

Booked directly with M&M Tours @ Skagway - Glacier Discovery by Helicopter $299/per person (adult price --- I think this was the same price for a child) ($313.95 w/taxes) - this was $60 less than Disney (I think) - hold w/credit card

Booked directly with Wings Airways @ Juneau - Taku Lodge Feast & 5 Glacier Seaplane Discovery $297/adult $250/child (once again my 10 year old is a child; via Disney - they consider him an adult price). - prepaid via credit card

 

[beeadude]

We had an early time like you, we couldn't face a proper breakfast so what we did was order room service and had a couple of pastries with a pot of tea.

We didn't feel queasy (H&M don't go out on the open ocean so I think it's unusual to feel seasick) but it also meant we didn't have any hunger pangs either although if I remember correctly the boat did carry snacks if we wanted them.

Thank you so much. Great idea. Now wait till I tell my husband we have a 7:20 am tour. Lol

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Thank you so much. Great idea. Now wait till I tell my husband we have a 7:20 am tour. Lol

That's 7:20 Alaskan time. I don't know where you are, but for people on central or eastern time, it's difficult sleeping in anyway. Alaska time is three hours later than central.

 

[jetskigrl]

This thread is wonderful! Thanks to all that have contributed. We will be sailing July 21st and are very excited. I'm trying to figure out the excursion for Ketchikan... I heard the Eagles and Totems excursion is good, but I'm thinking that we probably will have seen Eagles by then and it sounds like most of that excursion is in a boat, The family is interested in totem poles (which I assume is better visited on land). Is is easy enough to tour the totem poles ourselves, or should we book some kind of tour? We will see the lumberjack show in Vancouver, so that isn't necessary in Ketchikan. I'm traveling with my DDs, both 15, and my youngest DD 13, along with DH and sets of grandparents. The one tour that included Eagles and a totem guy looked like there was some walking - fine for us, but a little problematic for my MiL.

You may be interested in http://www.ketchikantaxicabtours.com/

We have this booked for August so I can't give you a personal review yet, but the reviews that I have read have all been really good. This is a very inexpensive way to tour Ketchikan without all the walking.

 

[jetskigrl]

We are thinking of booking Alaska while onboard the Magic in a few weeks. DCL excursion prices are pretty expensive and I am finding that a lot of the charter companies being suggested here do not show prices. Do you all that have booked on your own mind sharing prices? I will contact the charter companies but I would like to have an idea of prices before hand if possible. Thanks.

For our upcoming trip we have the following booked (I can break the prices down further if you need). They are a total of 4 people; me, my Mom, DD (who qualifies as a adult) and DS who will be 11 so still gets child rates when booking privately.

Skagway - Chilkoot tour, bus up and train down (with dogsleding for the kids)
$720

Juneau - Whale Watching with Alaska Galore (with dropoff at Mendenhall Glacier) for 2 adults, 1 child (my Mom doesn't want to do this one).
$422

Ketchikan - http://www.ketchikantaxicabtours.com/ $74 per hour for up to 6 people per van.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

You may be interested in http://www.ketchikantaxicabtours.com/

We have this booked for August so I can't give you a personal review yet, but the reviews that I have read have all been really good. This is a very inexpensive way to tour Ketchikan without all the walking.

Most things in Ketchikan are very walk-able no need for a taxi, as a good and funny alternative, the duck tour is fun and goes further as it goes into the sea channel.

 

[bridgetmck]

Thank you CruznLexi. Your post was very helpful!

Is the train from Seattle an Amtrak train? And the shuttle? Just wanted more info so I can look into it for next year. How long is the trip from Seattle to Vancouver?
Thanks!

 

[jetskigrl]

Most things in Ketchikan are very walk-able no need for a taxi, as a good and funny alternative, the duck tour is fun and goes further as it goes into the sea channel.

The person that I quoted indicated they had a MIL that might have issues with walking. My Mom is also traveling with me so I chose a tour company to get us from place to place rather than walking (easier for her).

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

The person that I quoted indicated they had a MIL that might have issues with walking. My Mom is also traveling with me so I chose a tour company to get us from place to place rather than walking (easier for her).

Understand.

 

[MouseMomx2]

We loved the Eagles, Totems and Lighthouses excursion in Ketchikan. We saw many eagles nests both from afar and fairly close. They provided binoculars and snacks for everyone as well.

 

[tweis]

I called each of the companies directly or booked via internet/email:

I booked directly w/Duck Tours @ Ketchikan for $40/adult and $25/child (my 10 year old is considered on adult if I booked thru Disney). - prepaid via paypal

Booked directly with M&M Tours @ Skagway - Glacier Discovery by Helicopter $299/per person (adult price --- I think this was the same price for a child) ($313.95 w/taxes) - this was $60 less than Disney (I think) - hold w/credit card

Booked directly with Wings Airways @ Juneau - Taku Lodge Feast & 5 Glacier Seaplane Discovery $297/adult $250/child (once again my 10 year old is a child; via Disney - they consider him an adult price). - prepaid via credit card

For our upcoming trip we have the following booked (I can break the prices down further if you need). They are a total of 4 people; me, my Mom, DD (who qualifies as a adult) and DS who will be 11 so still gets child rates when booking privately.

Skagway - Chilkoot tour, bus up and train down (with dogsleding for the kids)
$720

Juneau - Whale Watching with Alaska Galore (with dropoff at Mendenhall Glacier) for 2 adults, 1 child (my Mom doesn't want to do this one).
$422

Ketchikan - http://www.ketchikantaxicabtours.com/ $74 per hour for up to 6 people per van.

Thank you both. This was very helpful!

 

[jbthrone]

We have this booked for August so I can't give you a personal review yet, but the reviews that I have read have all been really good. This is a very inexpensive way to tour Ketchikan without all the walking.

Thanks for the link. I will look into it. Have a great cruise!

 

[Never to old]

I called each of the companies directly or booked via internet/email: I booked directly w/Duck Tours @ Ketchikan for $40/adult and $25/child (my 10 year old is considered on adult if I booked thru Disney). - prepaid via paypal Booked directly with M&M Tours @ Skagway - Glacier Discovery by Helicopter $299/per person (adult price --- I think this was the same price for a child) ($313.95 w/taxes) - this was $60 less than Disney (I think) - hold w/credit card Booked directly with Wings Airways @ Juneau - Taku Lodge Feast & 5 Glacier Seaplane Discovery $297/adult $250/child (once again my 10 year old is a child; via Disney - they consider him an adult price). - prepaid via credit card

Taku lodge was my favorite excursion. We still talk about this one and would love to do it again!

 

[hygienist999]

We are going on the May 24th Sailing of The Wonder to Alaska and I was wondering if anyone has done the excursion on a Float Plane, stopping in the Fjords, then flying back. Just wondered if we picked a good excursion to go on.

 

[Mackie Mouse]

We are going on the May 24th Sailing of The Wonder to Alaska and I was wondering if anyone has done the excursion on a Float Plane, stopping in the Fjords, then flying back. Just wondered if we picked a good excursion to go on.

We booked this excursion last summer and it was our absolute favorite excursion of the entire trip. I got teary-eyed as we flew through the absolutely beautiful and surreal landscape around Misty Fjord.

We booked our excursion independently through Island Wings, and I cannot say enough good things about them! The excursion was a splurge and worth every single penny.