Allen Marine Tour questions

[MightyQuinn]

If you haven't found anything yet, check out Jim Seeland.

Appreciate the lead, ironin. Captain Jim sounds like our kinda guy. I'll be in touch with him to see if he can accommodate us.

[scrufts]

This site is a lifesaver!

 

We have originally booked with allen marine tours via holland america but by the sound of things our tour could be a crowded one. We want to go by an independent operator instead -this is a trip of a lifetime for us and we want to get the best out of it. Does anyone know if I can cancel my prebooked excursion with holland america (we depart 19th aug) and what the cancellation fee is?

[Assateague Island Princes]

With HAL, I believe you can cancel ship's excursions up to 3 days prior, so I'd do it now, get your refund and give Capt. Jim a call or send him an email. I just did and was able to book an 11AM tour with him when we are in Sitka this year. ortunately for me, others from my Roll Call, when I mentioned that I needed others to fill the boat, signed up and now we're good to go! We went with Capt. Davey last year, but he was booked this year:(. He is the one who recommended Capt. Jim Seeland and I'm so glad he did. Jim has been a pleasure to deal w/via email - and he doesn't take deposits, trusts that everyone will show up and accepts payment then. Seems like a good guy and I'm confident I'll be getting as good a tour as I did with Davey last year!

[Linsuesue]

Now that Disney goes to Alaska, I think I saw somewhere that the Disney ship and the Carnival ship go to the Tracy Arm Fjord at the same time. Does Allen Marine run 2 boats on those days or do they just allot half of the spaces to Carnival and half to Disney? I believe that excursion sold out when we went last August, so it might be hard to secure a spot at all on that excursion.

[Budget Queen]

Now that Disney goes to Alaska, I think I saw somewhere that the Disney ship and the Carnival ship go to the Tracy Arm Fjord at the same time. Does Allen Marine run 2 boats on those days or do they just allot half of the spaces to Carnival and half to Disney? I believe that excursion sold out when we went last August, so it might be hard to secure a spot at all on that excursion.

 

I would think there will be two separate boats. They are going to have different transit and boarding times. Plus the security issue, since they board direct to the cruise ship.

[Linsuesue]

Good point Budget Queen-Thanks.

[scrufts]

Well here's our update: We have cancelled our excursion with HAL mainly because of possible crowding issues and bigger boats. Got through to HAL reservations and have cancelled it without problems or penalties.

We are now booked a whale watch/glacier combo with Orca Enterprises (Captain Larry) which have smaller boats and good reviews from what I have found on the internet. Slightly cheaper as well! There's a lesson to be had here and that is research independent tours before booking through the cruise line as I have found the independents to be cheaper and most of them have good reviews.

[BIG_Steve]

Well here's our update: We have cancelled our excursion with HAL mainly because of possible crowding issues and bigger boats. Got through to HAL reservations and have cancelled it without problems or penalties.

We are now booked a whale watch/glacier combo with Orca Enterprises (Captain Larry) which have smaller boats and good reviews from what I have found on the internet. Slightly cheaper as well! There's a lesson to be had here and that is research independent tours before booking through the cruise line as I have found the independents to be cheaper and most of them have good reviews.

 

Good choice. The amount you save between the ship and independent doesn't mean much, unless you're a large group. The real reason to book independent is the many more choices you have that way.

[gillianrose]

We did the Tracy Arm add-on tour in which the cataraman meets you at the entrance and you transfer directly from the ship. Therefore, our tour was through the cruise line. It was very good! The boat was clean, and they gave lots of interesting commentary and stopped for wild life sightings. Whether you book through the cruise line or directly, I recommend them.

 

Could you describe the boat used?

[Linsuesue]

Here are a couple of pictures of the Tracy Arm excursion boat. We didn't take the tour but took photos of the boat coming up next to the Spirit to pick up the first group.

[LindaKE]

Could you describe the boat used?

 

Here are a couple of pictures of the Tracy Arm excursion boat. We didn't take the tour but took photos of the boat coming up next to the Spirit to pick up the first group.

 

Liinsuesue's picture gives you a good outside view. There are 3 decks. There is a food counter with a few souvenirs, bathrooms, and bench seats inside on the first deck. On the second are more bench seats with the captain' controls etc. There are outside obervation areas on both these levels (more on the second than on the first), with only outside observation on the third level. We didn't feel crowded. There was plenty of room to move around, and everyone got a turn at the rail when we stopped for sightings.

[mary_228]

When we took the Sea Otter Quest last year, there was no "taking turns" or any sense of being crowded.

 

It was a huge convenience for the boat to pick up us at the ship too. (I think they only do this on the first tour of the day.)

I booked this tour thru HAL and was very pleased with the comfort and multiple viewing platforms that provided lots of unobstructed viewing space. Lots of passengers seemed to stay inside the vessel so those that had some serious filming to do could easily get a spot byt he rail. I got great video footage of a mother humpback and calf at the Sitka Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest. Breaching and tail flaps,etc. All with the back drop of the volcano.

[ThirstyTurtle]

We did the Allen Marine Whale Watching tour in Juneau. We booked it thru the cruise line packaged up with the glacier trip. (This was our first cruise and we didn't know how things worked so were more comfortable going thru the cruise line).

 

The boat had about 75 people on it...not full to capacity. Could see pretty good, even thought there was some jockeying for position on the open top level. When we found some whales...and we found a lot, including a group of 7 bubble net feeding with one breech and lots of tail...they turned off the engines, and maneuvered around so all sides of the boat got to see. It's hard not knowing where they will surface, but they did a good job. The crew was great and very knowledgeable about the area.

 

Yeah...they sell stuff on board...food, drinks, merchandise, but I didn't feel they were pushy about it.

 

Next time, I will likely book myself thru a smaller boat because I want a different experience and am more comfortable doing it myself in the future.

 

Have fun no matter what option you choose!

[sharecruises]

The Glacier tour looks so awesome..and I think Allen Marine is the only game in town for that as it picks you up from the ship and delivers you back to the ship (Carnival Spirit)

 

I personally also WANT a heated/indoor area to go to IF I get really cold

 

JMO

[jimgII]

We took Allen Marine to Misty Fjords last Wednesday; they were excellent. We booked through cruise line but met some on our tour who were staying in Ketchikan and booked independently. After our tour, I came across their offices and played tourist to see how much the tour was. The price was $159 plus tax, we paid $174 through the cruise line, so it would come out about the same.

[Budget Queen]

The Glacier tour looks so awesome..and I think Allen Marine is the only game in town for that as it picks you up from the ship and delivers you back to the ship (Carnival Spirit)

 

I personally also WANT a heated/indoor area to go to IF I get really cold

 

JMO

 

Round trip- Direct to the ship, yes, ship excursions. But, it is extremely close to go with many independents, who also provide round trip transportation. I have been dropped of direct to the ship with a vendor I have used several times.

[sharecruises]

Round trip- Direct to the ship, yes, ship excursions. But, it is extremely close to go with many independents, who also provide round trip transportation. I have been dropped of direct to the ship with a vendor I have used several times.

 

I meant the glacier viewing day...which is the day the ship is just in the fiord , Tracy Arm....

ship does not dock...the Allen Marine picks you up from the ship....goes out to the glaciers and then brings you back....

 

thats why I posted it was the "only game in town" <grin>...the others on the ship watch from afar, the small boat goes up closer to the glaciers they say

[kjpabl]

We did the Tracy Arm add-on tour in which the cataraman meets you at the entrance and you transfer directly from the ship. Therefore, our tour was through the cruise line. It was very good! The boat was clean, and they gave lots of interesting commentary and stopped for wild life sightings. Whether you book through the cruise line or directly, I recommend them.

We have this tour booked thru HAL and were wondering when you get back into Juneau, as we have a whale watching tour scheduled with Harv & Marv that afternoon. Thanks for any info!:)

[Budget Queen]

We have this tour booked thru HAL and were wondering when you get back into Juneau, as we have a whale watching tour scheduled with Harv & Marv that afternoon. Thanks for any info!:)

 

Your times should be with the tour you booked??? What are the details??

[ggto4]

Budget Queen - I would really appreciate it if you would post your preference, by name, for a Tracy Arm Boat Tour out of Juneau or Ketchikan. I want to know who the Queen of cruising Alaska uses. This is our 5th Alaskan cruise, and have never done this. I truly trust your experience and knowledge and appreciate the tons of info you have given to the posters on CC. We are booked for Sept. 10, Westerdam out of Seattle, so am really late in booking excursions. Thank you so much. gg

[kjpabl]

Your times should be with the tour you booked??? What are the details??

The email receipt I received from HAL only gives pick up time from the ship at 8:45am. We will travel further into Tracy Arm, as I understand it, but it gives no further info except on the excursion page where it says 4 hour tour, don't know if they add travel time back to ship or Juneau or if that's included in the 4 hours. Not being sure about actual time of arrival in Juneau, we pushed Harv & Marv back to a 4:00pm departure. Would like to be able to feed the hubby between tours, he gets a little grumpy when the blood sugar drops and going from 8:45am to 9:00pm w/o food would make anyone a little grumpy. Sorry I didn't put complete info in my first post.

[Budget Queen]

The email receipt I received from HAL only gives pick up time from the ship at 8:45am. We will travel further into Tracy Arm, as I understand it, but it gives no further info except on the excursion page where it says 4 hour tour, don't know if they add travel time back to ship or Juneau or if that's included in the 4 hours. Not being sure about actual time of arrival in Juneau, we pushed Harv & Marv back to a 4:00pm departure. Would like to be able to feed the hubby between tours, he gets a little grumpy when the blood sugar drops and going from 8:45am to 9:00pm w/o food would make anyone a little grumpy. Sorry I didn't put complete info in my first post.

 

The tour description says it is 5.5 hours. You are going to be in port likely at 2:30pm as scheduled. You will load again, back on the ship direct from Allen Marine.

[kjpabl]

:D Thank you, not sure if we say that enough! I apparently read the wrong tour length, but 2:30 return to ship works beautifully. Now we'll have plenty of time to have lunch on board or hit Tracy's Crab Shack before our whale watching excursion.

I am sitting here surrounded by lists (created with recommendations from all the kind CC'ers out there), suitcases and Advil as I am finally in the 'teens' before our cruise and suddenly my DH wants all this info on everything, LOL!

PS -- if we packed everything that was recommended we'd need 7 suitcases:eek:! Luckily, we are driving to our initial destination, Seattle and will Amtrak to Vancouver from there, so no weight problems, except what we can pull. Happy Sailings to everyone.