Anita Latte

A quick google search: https://alaskashoretours.com/excursions/juneau/mendenhall-lake-kayaking-adventure/ The thing about the glacier conditions...I wonder who decides what is deemed "safe" because that is what it is all about. I can't imagine that each independent tour company is the one responsible for that evaluation. I would think that since these tour companies have to have the special license to operate their tours on Federal property that somehow, the management of the land is the one responsible for letting the tour operators know conditions and what is permissible. So, I don't know that one company would be able to do something that another company would not be able to do. But you'd have to get some good communication to figure out how those decisions are being made. I saw on the Liquid Alaska site that they are just now hiring for the 2023 operating season. You might have better luck tackling this from another POV and try talking to the management at Mendenhall to see what the deal is there.

We did not do the railroad and I have no regrets for not doing it. Like you, I didn't see the appeal of sitting on a train and watching scenery go by. Maybe on a different trip...but not this one. We went into the park office and looked all around. There's an excellent relief map in there and the story of the gold rush is there on display to read about at your own pace. We did not do the historic ranger tour, I wasn't as interested in the theme of the talk for the ones that would work best with our schedule. We then headed over to the Dewey Lake trail system and hiked around. It was fabulous to get INTO the forest that we had been cruising all around and just see what we could see. We were a multi-generation trip with my parents, DH, DS and myself. It was the kind of day where we rotated pairing up on the trail and had great conversation and just enjoyed being IN Alaska. It felt great to get out and stretch our legs and do something active. We also spent time wandering in Skagway itself. We had plenty of time to do whatever we wanted there. Plan the trip that makes you happy.

Planning Alaska is EXHAUSTING... When I planned for our 2018 cruise, I was very wary of each day sort of blending into the next and not having more distinct memories of the different things that we did. I was very wary of any of the activities that were purely sight seeing without some sort of participation to distinguish each tour...because if all you do is sit and look here, sit and look there, then how do you really remember the days of the cruise? Whether or not we were doing the absolute BEST tour each day became secondary to my thoughts on what our vacation was going to be as a whole. The small boat excursion does look amazing but I am concerned over the stories of lack of seating, the length of the trip, the difficulty in hearing about what you are seeing if you weren't inside, the lack of food, etc. If you are already going to be doing a smaller boat in ISP for whale watching...and you are going into Glacier Bay...then I would definitely be going for the canoe. If you read the FAQ on Liquid Alaska, and have a general understanding about possible daily changes in glacier ice conditions, then you go into the tour with eye wide open. The ice caves and even walking on the ice is something that is assessed daily and it's possible that you could see/do both. It all depends on conditions. If it were raining, I would much rather be in the canoe than stuck on a possibly crowded boat. The canoe is a great story...at it's best, you will be in a boat full of people all hoping to have a great day. The camaraderie there is an entirely different spirit than the possible jockeying for position on the small boat to get the best photo op. In Juneau, among other things, we did visit the Mendenhall glacier. From the distance, it is true that it doesn't seem that impressive, but the view from across the lake is far and just shows a fraction of that glacier. But I would have loved to be on the other side of the lake walking along the morraine and getting a closer look at it. Again, if you already have the smaller boat excursion in ISP for whale watching...I would let that be the small boat excursion for your trip and pick this one for a more adventuring kind of a day. You family will have such a great story at the end of the canoe trip...regardless of the perfection of the weather, etc.

So you also have a 4-hour window like we did. If your experience is similar, then you may be headed out of Disenchantment Bay around 1pm...but this is all speculation. It may not be out of the realm of possibility for a 1:30 lunch, but I wouldn't chance it. There are many reasons why people need to eat on a regular schedule...this viewing around lunch time is not so convenient. I would highly recommend that you bring along something that will tide you over for the glacier view! whether that's a granola bar, fruit, protein bar...or all of the above!

So...judging from your other post on this board, you're on the Eurodam? After my one and only Alaska cruise (so far), what you are planning is very similar to what I said I wouldn't mind doing. I would spend more time just watching the scenery go by and less time doing anything else on board. I hope you have a balcony...that will make what you are planning that much more enjoyable IMO. Sharing from my own experience...Ketchikan is very walkable. I had arranged for a personal tour through tours by locals and sadly, our tour guide was a no show. So we had no plan there and all we did was walk around. IDK how your mobility is...we ended up walking through the shopping area at Creek Street and climbing up the stairs to the resort at the top of the hill. Cape Fox Lodge. Very nice view. It could possibly be a very lovely place to have a meal and/or a drink at a restaurant there. I'd check it out. We actually ate at the Fish House with so many other cruisers in port where I had the best salmon chowder I've ever eaten and DS waxed eloquent about the salmon fish and chips...they have choices on the fish. It was a struggle to find a place to sit...think group sitting at picnic like tables, so don't think that's the atmosphere you're going for. They did have alcohol...we had local brew there. I would try the lodge for better atmosphere and the view. In Juneau, we rented a car. We needed to take a taxi to and from and it wasn't super expensive OR cheap. We ate at a place called the Sand Lot, I think...one local called it the Sand Box...which is a bit of a dive atmosphere...pool tables, tvs, something of a sports bar atmosphere a la Alaska...but the food was excellent and we could have local brew there. Craft beer is more our thing. In Icy Strait Point you will have the most enjoyable version of what you are planning. The port is absolutely stunning. I recall that there is a place there with an outside patio and a fire pit going...they served food and drinks. Looks like you will be there in the evening and with the late sunsets, you will have plenty of daylight before the sunsets and should get a spectacular view there. Can't speak for Sitka or Victoria. Enjoy your cruise! If I didn't live on the opposite coast with airfare so outrageous...I would book a last minute deal in a heartbeat and do exactly what you are doing.

I'm that crazy person that has all their cruise literature from all the cruises that they have taken. So I went back to look at the one for our Hubbard day and also the time stamps on my photographs to see how the morning went. First off...there's not a single ship that I could find that has listed such a small window for seeing Hubbard. I feel like there's a disconnect there. You may be getting a more narrow window for when you are actually going to be close and in Disenchantment Bay and not just entering/departing at Yakutat Bay. Go here and check out your ship's actual allocated time at Hubbard, choosing Hubbard as the port, so you can get more perspective on timing: https://akcruise.org/port-schedule/?port=HUBBARD GLACIER&ship=0&date_from&date_to&search_schedule=Get Port Schedules We were scheduled for 7am - 11am. My cruise program says: "At approx. 6:30am we will be entering Yakutat Bay and arrive to the most permissible point possible off the Hubbard Glacier at approx 8:00am. We will stay for approx. 30 minutes....will exit Yakutat Bay at approx. 11:00 am. Note: Times are approximate and subject to change due to weather conditions, visibility and ice concentration." We were out on the forward deck early, because I wanted to watch the approach. The first pictures I took were right around 7am. We were in Yakutat Bay and still very far away. The last pictures I took of the ice floating on the surface waters in Disenchantment Bay as we were leaving there were at 9:30am. That's when the ship really started picking up speed as we were leaving Hubbard behind. Please note...the program said leaving YAKUTAT Bay at approx. 11am. Yakutat Bay is quite a ways away from the glacier. As you can imagine...almost everyone on board that ship was there to see the glacier...it was like when a concert lets out and everyone is up and now deciding what they are going to do...and many will go eat. Having a specialty lunch planned for post glacier is a great idea to avoid the crowds at the buffet. Definitely plan it for as late as you can, provided the specialty restaurants are still open for lunch.

Wanting to talk about seasickness... My DH is subject to motion sicknes; He is such that if he is not in the front seat of the vehicle, able to see the twists and turns in mountain roads, he suffers. Even so, I booked us in the most forward cabin on Celebrity Millennium back in late June 2018, deck 9. It was a 3-person cabin, oversized, and I thought it would be perfect for our family of 3. We sailed out of Vancouver and had protected waters for almost the entirety of the cruise, until we went into the Gulf of Alaska waters on approach to Hubbard Glacier, and from the Glacier on to Seward. Outside the inside passage, we hit major sea motion. The ship was definitely rocking. DH was unable to be in our cabin for the remainder of that day. DS and I packed up the family while DH took refuge on a lower deck midship. This was my experimental cruise to see how we dealt with a forward cabin, and I will say that never again will I book one for a cruise that DH is on. As I understand it, sailing from Seattle, the ship's path is around the Pacific side of Vancouver Island, outside the protected inner passage waters. You will be subject to sea conditions, similar to how we were in the Gulf of Alaska. This area and any other area where you are outside the inner passage has the potential to be problematic. The inner passage should be fine. I would advise that you figure out your plan in the event of...if you do NOT get that other inside cabin midship. If there is no additional cost to the midship cabin, then I would definitely have that cabin in your tool box if you have someone who regularly experiences sea sickness. Especially as this could hit you right at the beginning of your sailing...would not be a fun way to start the cruise.

I can’t recommend one over the other as I haven’t taken either. My family did a shorter flight/landing in Seward and it was unforgettable. Generally, I would consider your time in each port and what else you might like to do when deciding between the two. We sat and watched the helicopters take off in Skagway while eating breakfast on the ship. The logistics of getting to/from the launch pads in Skagway are right by the ship. Skagway itself is pretty pedestrian friendly as it is a very small town…so ultimately the total time for that excursion would be shorter than the one in Juneau, while the ride/landing times appears to be slightly longer at 40/40 minutes. Whereas for Juneau, the talk of the bus ride to the airport reminds me that Juneau is a much larger city and the travel time to/from the airport will eat into your port time, while the ride/landing times read to be slightly shorter at 30/20-25 minutes. Usually there’s a long port time in Juneau so might not be a big deal but I tend to think of the overall experience when considering such things. Juneau requires ground transportation to see/do many activities so coordinating what you do there in addition to the helicopter is definitely something to consider in your decision. Also, I would advise that air tours are among the most canceled excursions in Alaska due to inclement weather so definitely have a fall back plan whatever you decide.

No one has addressed this yet soooo, assuming you haven’t already made the big announcement, I would definitely suggest telling her well in advance of the sailing. My dad and I planned a surprise trip for my mom when I was a teenager and my mom enjoyed it but we hadn’t planned on everything she would want for such a trip. I would recommend sharing the ship, the dates of the sailing, and an itinerary that would have your excursions described in generic detail, and these maybe not tied to a specific port. Something along the lines of…be prepared to: Sail on a small boat excursion. Ride a historic railway through mountainous terrain. You get the idea. Remember that part of the fun of any vacation is looking forward to it. And women can be particular about things like hair cuts and/or coloring, etc, and there could be appointments and things she’ll want to plan for prior to your vacation.

Well…the month of September did not go as planned AT. ALL. First, DH tweaked his back doing a weird reaching in the shower. He has dealt with bulging discs around L4, L5, S1 for years and this tweak sent him to the days when he was dealing with serious pain. We were doing everything we could so he could be prepared for our Glacier trip…but the thought of having to endure the plane ride alone, let alone all the activities we had planned…well… Then there were weather advisories for the area. Unhealthy air because of the wildfires. We looked at the live cams around Glacier and you couldn’t even see the mountains because of the smoke and haze. I am considered a sensitive person so it was not feeling like a good idea to go on our trip. 😞 So we didn’t go. Our airfare had been purchased with miles and Delta was awesome…got all our miles back as well as the $21 or so in fees. Got back some other money we had to spend minus some admin fees. The one thing that would have been a total loss was the Outdoorsy van rental. Fortunately, the owner let us reschedule…the only thing is that the owner is moving to Eugene, OR and so our rental will be out of Eugene, OR next year. So that’s what happened there. Mom and Dad had come to see DS during his last week here. He went back to school on 9/7…so they didn’t get their time alone here to play “What would it be like to live in Florida?” They had planned to leave on 9/30 but then Ian was on his way and they decided to wait it out with us and not get caught on the road in the middle of a potential disaster zone, as early on Ian had a wide range landfall including the Florida panhandle…which is their way home along I10. We were well positioned for Ian. The eye of the storm basically went right over us but the eye was wide and most of the storm activity was on the north side and we skirted that outer eye wall a bit. Our yard flooded in the expected areas, and then it flooded in the unsuspected areas…and now we know where all the low parts in the yard are (we got 13.24” of rain)…but thankfully, our home was high and dry. We had no real damage…just a LOT of yard debris. Today most of the puddles are gone except for the actual drainage retention swales across the front of our property…we’re on septic so we don’t have storm drains…our entire neighborhood has those drainage swales along the fronts of all the properties with most properties having a culvert at the beginning of the driveways. And to top it all off, I managed to severely hurt myself with all the hurricane prep. I still don’t know exactly what I did to myself. I ended up in urgent care to get some medicine relief and have a CT scan to look at my neck to see if I had damage there…they said I didn’t…so I still need to figure out what exactly is messed up with my lower neck/upper back, shoulder, arm, and numb thumb. I’m sure I’ve got a nerve entrapment somewhere along the path…looks like the radial and median nerves if my own research into how I’m feeling is accurate, but I’ll get the dr’s opinion Wednesday. The hardest thing is sleep… Anyway… It’s wonderful to read about other trips and trip preparation! DH made me a new vegetable bed yesterday. Our growing season is kicking off into high gear here and I’m just hoping that I’ll be up to the task soon.