Favorite Alaska Excursion

[tkq]

We are booked on HAL's Oosterdam next June and are traveling with our 2 children (ages 13 & 9). We are visiting Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. Having never been on an Alaskan cruise before here is my question:

 

If there was one excursion that would be on your "do not miss" list - what would it be?

[Keith1010]

There are so many excursions.

 

One of our all time excursions was in Juneau where we went out on a small boat that only held six of us and a captain and his assistant to see Whale. And we saw plenty of Whales and we thought it was much better to observe them from a small boat.

 

Another nice time we had was Salmon fishing in Ketchikan which we have done a couple of times.

 

 

Keith

[Budget Queen]

YOU, need to do your homework and look over shore excursions and narrow down your interests. It is important you know what is available to do, before people start listing their "favorites" which may or may not be of interest or in your budget. There are 100's of tours to consider.

[tkq]

I HAVE done my homework and we have plenty of ideas. I was just curious as to what people enjoyed since there are still dozens on the list of possiblities for us.

[Budget Queen]

I HAVE done my homework and we have plenty of ideas. I was just curious as to what people enjoyed since there are still dozens on the list of possiblities for us.

 

Flightseeing is my favorite.

[NorbertsNiece]

I can't decide. Sorry. Loved everything and would do everything again. ALASKA is the excursion.

[odd man out]

There are so many excursions.

 

One of our all time excursions was in Juneau where we went out on a small boat that only held six of us and a captain and his assistant to see Whale. And we saw plenty of Whales and we thought it was much better to observe them from a small boat.

 

Keith

 

I'm guessing you were on this boat. Here I am riding on the front deck while racing north to catch some whales getting splashed by sea water. It was the highlight of my trip.

 

[Glaciers]

I HAVE done my homework and we have plenty of ideas. I was just curious as to what people enjoyed since there are still dozens on the list of possiblities for us.

 

My favorites are whale watching and glacier trekking.

[MINIgirl71]

When in June are you booked on the Oosterdam? We're looking at the 6/12 departure and are traveling with a 16 year old, 13 year old, and two 9 year olds...all girls.

 

We're interested in the Sled Dog Discovery and Musher's Camp excursion. Has anyone done that? If so - would you recommend it?

[huskerdan25]

I loved everything about my Alaska cruise in July on the Coral but my most favorite excursion was the Chilkoot Charter Carcross Rail and Bus tour where the train took us from Skagway to Lake Bennett for lunch all the way to Carcross. The entire trip was about 9 hours (returned by bus). We paid $239pp for this but it was worth every penny. We would not hesitate to take this tour again the next time we get to Skagway.

[chipmaster]

Ha ha that would be like me asking you which of your children is your favorite or best :D

 

It comes down to your interests and budget. Some activities are very similar others only available in a specific port or best in that port.

 

Juneau: Helicopter glacier/dog sledding, Mendehnall Glacier, whale watching.

 

Ketchikan: Salmon fishing was it for me, doesn't get more Alaskan that catching Kings in Alaska. Others rave about bearing sea tour, totem poles, misty fjord, bears and of course the lumberjack show.

 

We are booked on HAL's Oosterdam next June and are traveling with our 2 children (ages 13 & 9). We are visiting Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. Having never been on an Alaskan cruise before here is my question:

 

If there was one excursion that would be on your "do not miss" list - what would it be?

[Toddy709]

Ketchikan, hands down our favorite: Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's tour! Do a search, it has great reviews! Your kids will LOVE it!

[Putterdude]

Mine is the WP&YR from Skagway.

[123dwj]

We just got off the Oosterdam this week. We had fun everyday. However, our favorite, do not miss, tours were the Wildlife Boat Tour on the Esther G with Captain Davey in Sitka and the Misty Fjords Floatplane trip with Michelle on Island Wings. Both had come highly recommended to us and both lived up to and exceeded our expectations. We did do the Sled Dog and Mushers Camp in Juneau (before trekking on our own out to Mendenhall Glacier). That was probably our least favorite. We knew it would not compare to the "real" dogsledding but were disappointed still. The weather was bad (not their fault) and the entire tour was very rushed (not all of us even got to hold a puppy since they were in such a hurry to move us along).

[BIG_Steve]

Only been on 1 AK cruise, and enjoyed all our excursions.

 

In Juneau we thought Whale watching, Mendenhall glacier, and a beer at the Red Dog was great. Yeah, I know, the Red Dog is a tourist trap. But I was a tourist, the beer was cold, and the piano player was a riot. So there......

 

Ketchikan: Misty Fjords, Misty Fjords, Misty Fjords!

 

We didn't go to Sitka.

[foodgirl]

hands down flightseeing at misty fjords out of Ketchikan...one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

[westlab]

Flight seeing and boat Misty Fjords. The boat portion was fabulous as the pilot knew where to find wildlife.

[ryanpatricksmom]

I would say that my favorite was the helicopter glacier landing because it was unlike anything else that I'd ever done.

 

We also enjoyed our boat tours in Seward and Sitka, and would gladly do either again.

 

This trip, we'll be doing our whale watching in Juneau, since DH isn't keen on the helicopter thing. We'll also be trying the White Pass railroad in Skagway this trip. My last trip, we had already spent alot of hours riding trains, so we decided to skip it.

 

Unfortunately, I found that floatplanes are not my friend, so I won't be doing anything that involves them. :(

[Purpleprincess4]

Ketchikan, hands down our favorite: Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's tour! Do a search, it has great reviews! Your kids will LOVE it!

 

 

AGREED! My whole family went and kept raving about it afterward! Took my kids 6,8,10 and 12!

[Keith1010]

I think we have come up with a nice list of excursions. Looking them over I am ready for another Alaska cruise which won't come until next August.

 

Keith

[minga2]

We were there in June for land tour and cruise and the Ketchikan Deadliest Catch tour on the Aleutian Ballad was GREAT and I think your kids would love it too! Well worth the money.

[tkq]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. We are exploring the deadliest catch tour as well as the float plane.

[CptSticky]

Not for you because you have your kids along, but our favorite is to ride city buses and get off at The Alaskan Brewing Co. Great beer (almost all you can drink) and a chance to really interact with the locals. We've done this twice now and it was great both times. Sadly Tony Hand is retiring so it might not be the same anymore.