Do the expensive excursions sell out?

We've booked our first Alaska cruise for next summer, and are saving up for one of the expensive helicopter tours to a glacier. We were wondering if those are the type of excursions you need to jump on when they open up? Or can we wait a bit to book them?

Watching YouTube videos and the like, I've seen suggestions to book for the first port it is offered, because if it is cancelled due to weather, you can try for the next port it's offered. That would lead me to believe there must be some openings on the cruise if you're able to do that?

I'd like to think that the high-value excursions fill fast, appropriate-value excursions fill slowly, and low-value excursions don't fill up, but maybe I'm too analytical. I do think, at least for ship-sponsored excursions, they have the data necessary to know how to price it to hit their targets (which is as close to full as can be had, while at least staying above their commitment thresholds).

I would suspect in Alaska there's some "slop" in the numbers, so that if stuff gets canceled, there are other options to pick from. For example, I've heard that the Juneau whale watches get their final numbers at 11am (at which time they can sell any open seats to walk-up customers), but then if the helicopters cancel, the tour desk tries to put all of those pax on other tours if they want them.

If you're considering booking with your cruiseline...they usually always hold back a certain number for those who book once onboard. However private excursions can and usually do book up far inadvance.

We've booked our first Alaska cruise for next summer, and are saving up for one of the expensive helicopter tours to a glacier. We were wondering if those are the type of excursions you need to jump on when they open up? Or can we wait a bit to book them?

 

Watching YouTube videos and the like, I've seen suggestions to book for the first port it is offered, because if it is cancelled due to weather, you can try for the next port it's offered. That would lead me to believe there must be some openings on the cruise if you're able to do that?

yes they fill up. one year when we wanted to go to Anan bear viewing I remember searching multiple cruise ship dates because the excursion was booked.

your notation above is spot on "try for the next port" many people get cancelled in Juneau but Skagway is not available because booked 100% on next port day or vise versa- cancelled in Skagway and sold out in Juneau.

but sometimes you get lucky and space is open in the next port- not a great comparison but kind of like trying to predict the weather.

if you have something you are going to be sad about not doing- I would book now

If you are looking into booking a private tour not through the cruise ship i would book asap. We sail next Aug and i already booked our glacier and bear viewing tours. Both company's made the reservations but deposits are not due till January.

NO you do not have to "jump" on reservations, UNLESS, you are talking about Anan? Regular glacier landings, you'll have no problem getting a flight a few months ahead. A little Earlier, IF you are not flexible and have to have a specific time.

The key for rebooking a canceled flight is to do it yourself. Have the phone numbers handy and call for availability. IF in Juneau first and trying to schedule Skagway, you do have a good chance there won't be any availability, but if Skagway is first, usually you can find something as there are a lot more flights with 3 vendors.

We had planned to book a Mendenhall Glacier cruise, and I put it in our shopping cart- a year in advance, I checked about 2 weeks later, and it was gone- it had sold out :( Just to be safe, I quickly bought up the remaining excursions in my cart.

We had planned to book a Mendenhall Glacier cruise,.

There is no such tour.? Alternatively- there are kayak and maybe a canoe trip that can be booked. Many times there are other vendors. With cruise lines, there can be wait lists- I HAVE seen tours added, and cancellations happen.

Thank you to everyone who replied. It was very helpful.

I had a good amount of on board credit and booked the 5 glacier sea plan excursion. Our cruise isn't until next June. When I looked at the cruise planner, my two cabins had separate times. I called the cruise line and they said the morning one sold out and they moved my second cabin to the afternoon excursion. When I called them to put them both together, they told me that I was "in luck" because there was one more afternoon slot available. Had we not had the on board credit, I never would have booked the excursions and possibly have lost out. Not sure if I could have booked independently with the company that does those. We usually do. For 2018, most vendors aren't taking bookings yet, but it doesn't hurt to get on their lists and contacting them as soon as possible.

There is no such tour.? Alternatively- there are kayak and maybe a canoe trip that can be booked. Many times there are other vendors. With cruise lines, there can be wait lists- I HAVE seen tours added, and cancellations happen.

Lol- I meant to say "a very specific Mendenhall Glacier excursion".

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If you're considering booking with your cruiseline...they usually always hold back a certain number for those who book once onboard. However private excursions can and usually do book up far inadvance.

I'd change "usually always" to "maybe". On all of our cruises, we've boarded to find the usual excursion order forms, and more than half the time, the tours we've booked are marked as sold out. On the two times we've done Tracy Arm itineraries, they've offered the small-boat excursion as the one and only excursion in that spot (and even with two boats, only 10% of the ship can take part), and they've never even mentioned that tour in any of the excursion order forms waiting in our cabin or on display in the Shore Excursions area.