Been to Alaska?? I'm Looking for honest reviews on some excursions

[collectingcoke]

If you are doing all this research on excursions, why in the world are you doing ship excursions. Do your research and take private excursions. On our whale watching excursions of six persons, we saw the ship excursions with probably over 150 persons, no way to get good photos.

 

I didn't see you say when you are going? The best time for Whales and bears are July, they dwindle dramatically by September. We planned our cruise a year out specific to a certain week in July and the planning paid off.

 

What week in July did you go? I really want to go and plan when I can almost guaranty to see bears and eagles.

[gavavemom]

Just got back last Friday from a cruise/land tour and it was also to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary (belated by 2 yrs with the addition our daughter) and a surprise 40th birthday for my husband. We did it sans kids and it was fantastic. Planned everything outside of the cruise and it was worth the research and effort. Everything we did was more personalized and in smaller groups (6 as opposed to 30-40 on cruise tours). If I had to do it again, I would do the exact same thing. Got lots of advice from these boards and picked excursions that met our tastes and that we heard were reputable from these boards. Here is our excursion list:

 

Juneau-8hr Mendenhall glacier hike and climg-Above & Beyond Alaska

Ketchikan-Southeast Sea Kayaks + Island Wings Misty Fjord Plane trip

Skagway-Temsco helicopter + dog sledding

Icy Straight-whale watch with Misty Bay Lodge

 

I know many of the whale watches that run out of Juneau book way in advance, so it's good you are looking at this stuff so early.

 

Good luck and congratulations on picking Alaska to celebrate your anniversary!

[CruiserN1]

DH and I went to Alaska the first week of July. We did the snorkel trip in Ketchikan. We found the wetsuits VERY uncomfortable. The hood put pressure on my neck that got painful after awhile. You also have to stay with the group, which was tough for my husband who isn't a strong swimmer. He gave up and went back to the beach after awhile. That all said, we saw some awesome purple starfish, sea cucumbers, sunstars, and other cool sea life we wouldn't see anywhere else.

 

In Juneau we went with Harv & Marv and had a great experience. I've done whale watching trips on bigger boats in New England and the small boat experience was FAR superior.

[Budget Queen]

We did have a very nice experience with them. We all really enjoyed Potlatch Totem Park and then right next door was the Totem Bight State Park. Interesting to see the different types of totems.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

 

As an alternate, this is also easy to get to via the city bus. Blue line, pick up is across the street from the eagle totem on the dock. No admission. Allow 3 hours.

[Budget Queen]

What week in July did you go? I really want to go and plan when I can almost guaranty to see bears and eagles.

 

With a bear tour priority, look at after first few days of July into begining of Sept.