Dave's trip in Skagway

[travelbug11]

For their bus only tour, during the 7 hours, how long will we just sit in the bus, and how long we get off for sighting and something else? Do you feel boring if only bus?

 

Chilkoot's bus tour makes many stops for viewing and pix. I am one who will fall asleep on a bus, but have never done that on this tour (3 times) It is so beautifuland there are many things to stop and see and if you should run across a bear the driver/guide will always stop. They have very good guides (especially James)who will speak most of the time you are on the bus as well. I believe the lunch stop at Carabou Crossing is 1 1/2 hrs. And you can do the option of the sled dog ride while you are there.

[zamgwar]

But that doesn't include the train or lunch.....just want people to compare apples to apples!

 

Like I mentioned earlier, I took Dave's tour last summer and you're right, it didn't include lunch or the train. Dave did however get our group it's own car on the train so we weren't with the masses.

 

We also had a GREAT lunch at an incredible little diner in the yukon. The soup was outrageous and the sandwiches all had baked bread. If we spent 15 dollars a head..that was a lot.

 

I had fun with Dave. Quirky, but for our gang, He was perfect.

 

John

Office Top Hatted People

The Zamgwar Institute

[talentscout16]

Please call Dave on his cell phone and speak to him personally.

Explain you know of someone who waited on a street corner as we were told to do and were never picked up - even though they were past clients who actually bumped into dave earlier in the AM.

 

He was frazzled about something and someone trying to shut his business down - he told me this later that evening when he FINALLY called me and I was back on board the ship - TOO LATE to do anything and now my next AK cruise is NOT stopping in Skagway.

 

If you are going back to Skagway take a chance - if not, make sure you have something definite, even if you have to pay more for it.

 

Again we LOVED our 1st trip with Dave but were SO disappointed with the NO SHOW of his sister for our tour to Dyea in 2010.

 

Talent (just back from the Zaandam to Hawaii where we missed the volcano Natl park eruption by one day and the Maui tsunami by one day but felt something at sea)

[banditoo]

We are also looking at Dave's tour and have been in touch by email. Becky replied that we could book the train Skagway to Fraser and then they would pick us up there in the 16 seater van to proceed to Emerald Lake and then back to Skagway. All sounds good as long as we don't get left stranded in Fraser waiting to be picked up! If that were to happen, what are the options for getting back from Fraser?

The Chilkoot Charters tour would not be getting back to Skagway in time for our afternoon sailing as they are working with Princess that day and Princess is in port longer.

[Trailblazer99]

We are also looking at Dave's tour and have been in touch by email. Becky replied that we could book the train Skagway to Fraser and then they would pick us up there in the 16 seater van to proceed to Emerald Lake and then back to Skagway. All sounds good as long as we don't get left stranded in Fraser waiting to be picked up! If that were to happen, what are the options for getting back from Fraser?

 

There's only one option - hitchhike (there's no town and no services at Fraser).

[banditoo]

There's only one option - hitchhike (there's no town and no services at Fraser).

Well that would certainly be a new experience! Traveling after all is about new experiences, however I am not sure if that is the one I want when I am trying to catch a ship! LOL

[Abbiet33]

Round trip train $119. One way train $81 plus Daves tour all the way to Emerald Lake in a van $69. So for an extra $31 per person (69+81=$150 vs $119) you get to go explore a lot more of the area:). That is what we are choosing to do. I think getting in and out of the van when we stop will be much easier than waiting for an entire bus to get on and off so we can do more stops in a shorter period of time and we choose where to stop not the bus driver.

[banditoo]

Round trip train $119. One way train $81 plus Daves tour all the way to Emerald Lake in a van $69. So for an extra $31 per person (69+81=$150 vs $119) you get to go explore a lot more of the area:). That is what we are choosing to do. I think getting in and out of the van when we stop will be much easier than waiting for an entire bus to get on and off so we can do more stops in a shorter period of time and we choose where to stop not the bus driver.

We are looking at doing the same thing though Becky quoted us $79 on behalf of Dave. The website also says $79 (or $89 with lunch).

[Tredebo]

I booked my trip up with Dave. Dealt with Becky via email. Cost was $69 but i did book in February. Maybe the early bird got a discount?

[dasey]

We used Dave in 2009 and are booked with him again in May! Becky was our guide last time and we thoroughly enjoyed it. As someone stated earlier, Becky does have her own tour business but still works for Dave when she is not booked. She confirmed my email request and Dave called me personally to discuss our day. He did share that last year he had some problems and was upset by what had happened. He lost his date book and the computer crashed, so he had tremendous difficulties trying to recreate his bookings for a time. I felt sorry for him as well as all his clients that got left behind or missed.

 

Although he did not personally do our tour last time, I hope we are able to get him on this trip but either way, know that Dave will take care of you best way he can...

[suzski]

We booked and toured with Dave in June 2010 and had an absolutely wonderful experience. As others have stated, Dave likes to get ahead of the tour busses, but you get plenty of time to stop and take photos on the ride back. We stopped in Carcross for lunch but ended up just wandering around the town. We also got to visit the pioneer graveyard in Skagway, get a nice shot of the ship from a vantage point, etc. It was definitely worth the price and, even though we weren't on a private tour, we felt it was very personalized.

[tobecool]

Anyone has the experience with Dave, but train first to Bennett Lake and picked by Dave to Emerald Lake and back to Skagway?

[jaxxx321]

Im also trying to decide..i thought daves was much cheaper but thats not including the train ride back..which is $119??????one way?? brings it to about $200 pp..

 

chilkoot is $179 pp, not sure if it includes lunch or not..

 

Maybe ill just do the packer expeditious tour??

[VikkiGarcia]

One way train is $81....not $119

[banditoo]

One way train is $81....not $119

The one way to Fraser is $81 on the train. I think it is more to go farther to Bennett Lake and Carcross.

[JAKcruiser]

When I spoke to Dave last month, he mentioned that he hired Becky's son to do some of his tours. I don't know how you find out who is scheduled to do each tour though.

[banditoo]

When I spoke to Dave last month, he mentioned that he hired Becky's son to do some of his tours. I don't know how you find out who is scheduled to do each tour though.

You could email them and ask. When I booked, Becky said Dave would meet us at the port. I didn't specifically ask if he would be picking us up at the train in Fraser though. It doesn't really matter to me but I am sure if it made a difference for you, you could ask by email.

[ufgrad98]

When I spoke to Dave last month, he mentioned that he hired Becky's son to do some of his tours. I don't know how you find out who is scheduled to do each tour though.

 

After reading all the reviews, I decided I wanted to book a trip with Becky. Unfortunately, she was all full, so she booked me with Dave on a trip to the Summit. I wasn't disappointed, because it seemed like Dave was just as good as Becky, according to many reviews. However, on the day of my tour, Becky's son, Kevin, picked us up. I said that I thought we had booked with Dave, and he said that Dave wanted to the day off, so he asked Kevin to take us. Kevin moved up there in December and it is his first year giving tours. I was very disappointed, since I had done all this research and was expecting Dave. The tour was boring and not very informative. He did not seem to know what he was talking about some of the time. I would not have booked the tour if I had known ahead of time I would not be with Dave. I would not recommend this tour and it was the only tour on our entire trip that we did not have a good experience with. Also, I had originally sent in a check deposit to Dave (2 months before) and on the day of the tour was told that he had not cashed it and I was expected to pay the entire amount in cash and that dave would rip up the check. He said that he can't legally cash checks that are older than 30 days (which I have never heard of). I hope that he doesn't cash it, cause then I'm out double the money for a bad tour:(

[Scotch]

After reading all the reviews, I decided I wanted to book a trip with Becky. Unfortunately, she was all full, so she booked me with Dave on a trip to the Summit. I wasn't disappointed, because it seemed like Dave was just as good as Becky, according to many reviews. However, on the day of my tour, Becky's son, Kevin, picked us up. I said that I thought we had booked with Dave, and he said that Dave wanted to the day off, so he asked Kevin to take us. Kevin moved up there in December and it is his first year giving tours. I was very disappointed, since I had done all this research and was expecting Dave. The tour was boring and not very informative. He did not seem to know what he was talking about some of the time. I would not have booked the tour if I had known ahead of time I would not be with Dave. I would not recommend this tour and it was the only tour on our entire trip that we did not have a good experience with. Also, I had originally sent in a check deposit to Dave (2 months before) and on the day of the tour was told that he had not cashed it and I was expected to pay the entire amount in cash and that dave would rip up the check. He said that he can't legally cash checks that are older than 30 days (which I have never heard of). I hope that he doesn't cash it, cause then I'm out double the money for a bad tour:(

 

So sorry to read about your experience! This story (and the other one where the posters were stranded for the day) just doesn't make Dave's tour sound like a very professional operation. We're still debating about whether to tour Skagway on our own (via rental car) or take a guided tour. I would hate to have some of these experiences, particularly for my mom's first and probably only Alaska trip.

[Abbiet33]

Yes well I expect if it is Dave doing the tour it is probably great. The problem is that you can't be sure you will get on his tour or get stuck with someone else like Becky's son or in our case with Dave's sister Ruth. That was a very poor tour we had with her also.

 

Maybe if you e-mail his office and tell them that if you are not going to be on the tour with Becky or Dave you want them to cancel your reservation and let you know so you can go with another tour company?

 

WE did the train up and that was certainly the highlight of our trip and I would highly recommend the train ride but the tour to Emerald Lake with Dave's sister.... well... not so much:(

[mr green]

So sorry to read about your experience! This story (and the other one where the posters were stranded for the day) just doesn't make Dave's tour sound like a very professional operation. We're still debating about whether to tour Skagway on our own (via rental car) or take a guided tour. I would hate to have some of these experiences, particularly for my mom's first and probably only Alaska trip.

 

I enjoyed my tour with Dave a couple of years ago, and remember, one does not have to pay until AFTER the tour. Chances are if the tour is not up to standard in the future, I would not pay and state my reasons.

As it was, I told Dave after the tour that I would back him on Cruise Critics, so, I believe that I have made a fair comment.

 

john

[JAKcruiser]

Has anyone booked a Dyea Dave tour and had Barry as their guide? I confirmed our tour and found they'll have two buses that day and Barry is assigned to our bus.

[Sailor_Sally]

Great scenery but frankly this is a tour I would not repeat . Dave is kinda flaky so you spend time wandering his neighborhood and even stopping at a bank so someone can cash a check . The tour to the Yukon was seven and a half hours and on the trip back I thought I was with a race car driver going around the curves .

[suzski]

Sorry, had to pipe in here as there is a lot of Dave bashing going on. We had the exact opposite experience with Dave last year. Dave is very personable...he's not someone who is going to give you a cookie cutter experience but that's okay with us. There were my husband, 13 year old daughter and I on the tour (as well as others that we did not know) and we found Dave very engaging and down to earth. We never felt unsafe or rushed during our tour.

[double happiness quilting]

We've decided to go with Becky at Beyond Skagway Tours for our trip. From what I understand, she used to work for Dave, but decided to start her own company. This is her first year. From the conversations I've had with her so far, I'm really looking forward to this excursion. She's very accomodating and willing to put almost whatever we want into it. She's also a local, so she's knows all the best places to go based on what we want to see!

 

if you email Dave, Becky answers the email!