Alaska Excursions - How much do you need to spend

[are wehavingfunyet]

I have been considering an Alaska cruise tour and took a look at the offered excursions. It seems like every port could cost a fortune in excursions and you would spend more than the price of the cruise tour on add-ons. Is it necessary to go with an excursion in every port? Are there some ports you can do on your own. I know this sounds like a question for the "ports" board, but I am specifically interested in responses from previous HAL Alaska cruisers. Thanks. Linda

[RuthC]

I guess it all depends on what you like to do, and how much you really want to spend. That, and do you think you will ever be back to Alaska to do what you missed this time.

Yes, there are nice things to do that don't cost and arm & a leg. Consider splurging on some excursions, and walking around town in other ports.

For example, you can easily walk around Juneau. The State Museum isn't far from the docks, and is quite interesting. The tram up Mt. Roberts isn't too costly, and gives fantastic views. You can book that on the day you are there, to be sure the weather cooperates.

Ketchikan is very tourist-trap in town now, but Saxman Village isn't too far away, and is interesting. Or, head over to Creek Street and tour Dolly's House.

What are your other ports?

[foodgirl]

Ruth is wise and I agree with her. We did Alaska and did not have unlimited funds. We did whale watching and mendenhall in Juneau, misty fjord floatplane in Ketchikan and just explored Sitka on our own. There is so much to choose from and I would say to balance your likes with your budget but also if you think this would be your only chance to go then what do you want to make sure you do. Just my two cents. We are going back next year and plan to do things we missed last time. Enjoy your trip!! Alaska has been my favorite cruise to date.

[fleckle]

I have been considering an Alaska cruise tour and took a look at the offered excursions. It seems like every port could cost a fortune in excursions and you would spend more than the price of the cruise tour on add-ons. Is it necessary to go with an excursion in every port? Are there some ports you can do on your own. I know this sounds like a question for the "ports" board, but I am specifically interested in responses from previous HAL Alaska cruisers. Thanks. Linda

There are plenty of things to see and do in all price ranges.

How much you spend is up to you. I hope you are not limiting yourself only to looking at the ship's excursions.

 

Just a few examples: For Ketchikan you can pick up free maps for a couple of nice walking tours around the town.

 

You can hop on a Ketchikan city bus and take a ride out of town to visit the Totem Bight and Potlatch Totem Parks.

 

The cruise ships sell passengers commercial tours that go to those parks too, but it is so easy to go out there on your own for a dollar ride on the city bus.

 

In Juneau, you can purchase the ship's tour to Mendenhall Glacier.

Or instead get a bus ticket from one of the companies in town that take you out to the same place for about $8 per person each way.

 

Or you can rent a car for the day for about $55 and not only drive yourselves out there but also tour all around the area to see a number of other scenic attractions as well.

 

There are a number of nice, free walking trails to enjoy out at Mendenhall Glacier, such as the hike out to Nugget Falls. Admission to the Visitor Center is $3 but free for those with a Senior Pass and their companions.

 

You can also take walking tours through the town in Juneau and Skagway. The park rangers have free guided walking tours in Skagway.

 

A great group day trip from Skagway for a reasonable price is to share the cost of a rental car for the day among a few friends (about $150 for the car for the day) and take a wonderful, scenic ride up the South Klondike Highway into the Yukon to Emerald Lake and back.

[GeriatricNurse]

I guess it all depends on what you like to do, and how much you really want to spend. That, and do you think you will ever be back to Alaska to do what you missed this time.

 

Yes, there are nice things to do that don't cost and arm & a leg. Consider splurging on some excursions, and walking around town in other ports.

For example, you can easily walk around Juneau. The State Museum isn't far from the docks, and is quite interesting. The tram up Mt. Roberts isn't too costly, and gives fantastic views. You can book that on the day you are there, to be sure the weather cooperates.

 

Ketchikan is very tourist-trap in town now, but Saxman Village isn't too far away, and is interesting. Or, head over to Creek Street and tour Dolly's House.

 

What are your other ports?

 

 

I have done the Mt. Roberts Tramway 'shore ex'! The cost is $27 for an adult! The tramway rises from 27' to 2000', (at a fairly steep angle)! :eek: Unfortunately, I had purchased the 'shore ex' onboard during the cruise, & as so often happens, in Alaska, the day in port was rainy & foggy! :( Be advised that there is not much to see on the ascent and decent in such inclement weather! :( I didn't find much at the 'summit' to do/see on such a nasty day for weather, save & except to wander, (briefly), inside/around a large (and overpriced) 'gift shop'! Not a shore event that I would stand in a long line to do again! ;)

[Roz]

$27 for something to do in Alaska is small change. We toured the nature center at the top of Mt. Roberts and sat in the restaurant and sipped an Alaskan beer while listening to a singer/guitar player. What you see going up and down is dependent on the ever changing Alaska weather.

 

Roz

[RuthC]

$27 for something to do in Alaska is small change. We toured the nature center at the top of Mt. Roberts and sat in the restaurant and sipped an Alaskan beer while listening to a singer/guitar player. What you see going up and down is dependent on the ever changing Alaska weather.

 

Roz

Exactly, Roz. And if you don't take the shore excursion, if you just go as a walk-up to the ticket window only if the weather is good, it's a great view.

Certainly it's an option that should be presented, and let the visitor decide.

[Johanna7]

I have done the Mt. Roberts Tramway 'shore ex'! The cost is $27 for an adult! The tramway rises from 27' to 2000', (at a fairly steep angle)! :eek: Unfortunately, I had purchased the 'shore ex' onboard during the cruise, & as so often happens, in Alaska, the day in port was rainy & foggy! :( Be advised that there is not much to see on the ascent and decent in such inclement weather! :( I didn't find much at the 'summit' to do/see on such a nasty day for weather, save & except to wander, (briefly), inside/around a large (and overpriced) 'gift shop'! Not a shore event that I would stand in a long line to do again! ;)

 

We did this in August last year. It was wonderful. Weather was great and visibility fantastic. We did buy the tickets from HAL but in future, due to the fact that it could be cloudy, I would buy it from them. Same price. $27 (at least in 2011). We loved the real

Eagle who was in a cage as she had been injured. Very nice to see her close up and have the explanation from her handler.

 

The nature walk was wonderful and we saw the Volendam below. Just like a dinky car but a ship the size of those. The gift shop was interesting. My dh got his favorite laptop mouse pad there. Reminds us of the lovely scenery.

 

They do have a restaurant. Not really expensive.

 

As for Ketchekan, they have the free bus and if you want to send a free email and have a laptop or netbook with you, you can do this free in the library. If you don't have your own you can use theirs free but you may have to wait. You can get out of the bus if you see something interesting and then can get back on. All free. A buck or so for the driver is very much appreciated.

 

Skagway, we took the White Pass and Yukon train and enjoyed it very much. You see a lot of great scenery. In the afternoon we just walked around.

 

If you are interested in Jewelry, they have the same stuff and same stores as in the Caribbean except you have to pay sales tax. Some of the stores (not those also on the Caribbean) sell interesting and inexpensive souvenirs including a scrapbook for only $12. There are the Ulu knives for $3 and $4 and the more expensive ones $12. Do not bring those home in your carry-on but in your luggage.

 

We loved it.

[Amuse Bouche]

The gift shop at the Tram is probably the best one in town. They have lots of t-shirts and trinkets if you are into little souveniers, and very affordable Alaskan Native Made gifts.

 

We have had spectacular viewings of eagles and ravens on the tram. There are very accessible paved trails that lead up to scenic viewpoints higher on the mountain. Before the tram was built, locals used to take day hikes from the bottom of the mountain up to this area. I've had many a brown bag lunch at this point when I was a child.

 

As a side note, this is owned by the local Tlingit tribe. All proceeds benefit the local economy, unlike MOST of the other gift shops in town. I often purchase my own souvenier from the glass room that is inside the gift shop. Many affordable Alaskan Native craft items in there.

[Roz]

Ah, I forgot about the Tlingit tribe connection. Two young men from the tribe showed us a movie about the history and customs of their tribe, and also taught us a few words in their native language.

 

Roz

[mamaofami]

Knowing we would probably not be returning to Alaska, we splurged and took the 4 Glacier Helicopter and Dog sledding excursion out of Juneau. Landed on the glacier and went dog sledding. It was something very different and while costly, something I will always remember.

[Gsel]

You can also take a City Bus out to the Glacier in Juneau. It stops a few times, but you can meet some local people, see more of the city and then return at your leisure. Can't remember what it cost, but there is a info desk right on the pier.

[Middle Aged and Happy]

On our last cruise to Alaska we did a lot on our own and saved some money.

 

In Ketchikan we rented kayaks at Southeast Sea Kayaks. The store is about a half a mile from the port. I would only recommend this if you are a relatively good paddler.

 

In Juneau we went whale watching with Harv & Marv. It was $150 per person but worth every cent. Following the whale watching we hiked the Mount Robert's Trail (saving the $27). It was a difficult hike but glad we did it. We rode the tram back down for a $5 purchase.

 

In Skagway we rented a car and did a road trip as written by Murray.

In Seward we purchased a six hour water tour of Kenai Fjords through Major Marines. It too was not cheap but very nice.

In Haines we rented bicycles for $20 for four hours and went bear watching. It was the best $20 spent.

On our next time through Juneau, we rented a car at Rent-a-wreck. We drove to Mendenhall Glacier, the arboretum, St. Teresa Shrine, NOAA, the hatchery and the brewery. The car was about $60.

On our next stop in Ketchikan we did the lumberjack show. It was the worst $35 spent on the trip. After that we caught the city bus (the blue line) to Totem Bright State Park. This was nice and worth the city bus fare.

I would not recommend going to Alaska and staying on the boat or just staying close to the boat (the tourist trap area). Do a few things but know that you can do some things without breaking the bank.

I hope this helps

[lcand1923]

Alaska was our first cruise. We had not discovered Cruise Critic at the time. We got a couple of books from the library and decided what things were MUSTS and booked our shore excursions. For the rest of the ports, we relied upon the information that we had obtained from the books for various walking tours. Alaska is such an amazing place that you will be able to enjoy yourself no matter what you do. (We now use the Ports information from Cruise Critic as well as the books from the library.)

[smilealot1882]

On our last cruise to Alaska we did a lot on our own and saved some money.

 

In Ketchikan we rented kayaks at Southeast Sea Kayaks. The store is about a half a mile from the port. I would only recommend this if you are a relatively good paddler.

 

In Juneau we went whale watching with Harv & Marv. It was $150 per person but worth every cent. Following the whale watching we hiked the Mount Robert's Trail (saving the $27). It was a difficult hike but glad we did it. We rode the tram back down for a $5 purchase.

 

In Skagway we rented a car and did a road trip as written by Murray.

 

In Seward we purchased a six hour water tour of Kenai Fjords through Major Marines. It too was not cheap but very nice.

 

In Haines we rented bicycles for $20 for four hours and went bear watching. It was the best $20 spent.

 

On our next time through Juneau, we rented a car at Rent-a-wreck. We drove to Mendenhall Glacier, the arboretum, St. Teresa Shrine, NOAA, the hatchery and the brewery. The car was about $60.

 

On our next stop in Ketchikan we did the lumberjack show. It was the worst $35 spent on the trip. After that we caught the city bus (the blue line) to Totem Bright State Park. This was nice and worth the city bus fare.

 

I would not recommend going to Alaska and staying on the boat or just staying close to the boat (the tourist trap area). Do a few things but know that you can do some things without breaking the bank.

 

I hope this helps

 

Can I ask about renting the bikes in Haines for $20? I was looking at a HAL excursion in Haines that includes bike trails but it wasn't $20! I am interested because the excursion reviews said they saw bears. I thought this would not to be missed.

[O2B@C]

Alaska is one of the easiest places to tour on your own - no currency issues, it's safe, and everyone speaks fluent English! I've cruised to Alaska twice now, loved it both times, and never once took a ship-sponsored excursion. Lots of the recommendations above are excellent. Check the Alaska Ports of Call boards on Cruise Critic for more. And do some research on the internet as well - the tourist boards and chambers of commerce in your ports will often have websites listing local attractions and tour providers. Tip: If you want to rent a car for the day in any of the ports, reserve early. They have only a small number available. Have a magnificent trip - Alaska is an amazing place!

 

PS: When packing, think layers, layers, layers - the weather varies enormously from day to day, and even on the same day. You may find yourself wanting anything from a t-shirt and shorts to a heavy sweater, turtleneck, gloves, and long johns under jeans. Have a lightweight waterproof outer layer with you at all times, loose enough to put warm layers underneath it if it's cold as well as rainy. But don't let that deter you - it's totally worth getting a little weather exposure.

[CowPrincess]

A few years ago there was a wonderful thread on the Alaska forum about lower-cost ways to enjoy Alaska. The original poster was booked and paid, then had to replace their house roof. I'll do a search (tomorrow) and see if I can find it.

 

We've never done the flightseeing stuff (you would have to pay ME to get me on a small plane :) ) and have found many budget-friendly things to do in every Alaska port we've been to. It can be done!

[arlodog]

We also didn't have unlimited funds when we went to Alaska:rolleyes: but actually some of the best things we did were a very little cost!

 

In Juneau we went with Harv and Marv's. Can't recommend this tour highly enough! Worth every penny spent. Went to Mendenhall after and walked around (saw a bear walking along the creek by the visitor center)

 

In Skagway we rented a car and drove using Murray's guide. Stopped at a store and bought food for a picnic lunch and ate it on the way. Cost was about $150 for the day (there were 4 of us who split the cost)

 

In Ketchikan we did a flight seeing flight, but if I had to do it over again I wouldn't spend the money. The best time we had was watching the salmon run/ladder around Creek St. There was a seal floating on his back eating salmon--too fun to watch!

 

You don't have to spend a ton of money to have a great time in Alaska!

[NMLady]

I have been considering an Alaska cruise tour and took a look at the offered excursions. It seems like every port could cost a fortune in excursions and you would spend more than the price of the cruise tour on add-ons. Is it necessary to go with an excursion in every port? Are there some ports you can do on your own. I know this sounds like a question for the "ports" board, but I am specifically interested in responses from previous HAL Alaska cruisers. Thanks. Linda

 

We were on the Amsterdam's 14 day cruise in 2010 and were on a fairly tight budget so did very few excursions. The main one being the WP&Y RR which we'd do again in a heartbeat.

However, in most of the other ports, after researching Guidebooks and getting lots of help on the Alaska board, we mostly did sightseeing on our own. There was plenty to see and do in each port without buying a tour.

 

I wish we could have afforded a whale watching excursion or a flight or some of the other offers, but we couldn't afford them. However I feel that we still had some wonderful experiences in the port cities.

[Cologne Cruiser]

Hi "are wehavingfunyet",

my wife and I took an Alaska cruise on Veendam in 2008 after touring Alaska independently with tent and backback beforehand for little over two weeks.

 

The things we did in port were all low budget:

 

in Skagway there is a Ranger Station at the entry to town close to the harbor and railroad tracks. They have maps for hiking trails around Skagway. About 20 minutes into the hiking trails you are alone and have wonderful Alaskan Nature at your footsteps

 

in Sitka you can explore the Totem post exhibition and the Rusiian built heritage really well on your own

 

in Juneau you can take public transport to get you to Mendenhall Glacier and hike around the Glacier lake there - exceptional views for little money. Alternatively, one can also hike up Mt Robertson instead of taking the funicular

 

in Ketchikan you can also walk around town easily.

 

Alaska is absolutely fantastic! Enjoy and try getting into touch with nature without a car if you can, you won't regret it. Of course I cannot aggree more that you should definitely pack for rain and should have hiking boots! :)

[CowPrincess]

Here's the thread from the Alaska forum

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1016318&highlight=new+roof

 

Inexpensive things we've done include taking the HoHo bus in Sitka, visiting the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, hiking in Skagway, wandering in Juneau .....

[fleckle]

I have done the Mt. Roberts Tramway 'shore ex'! The cost is $27 for an adult! The tramway rises from 27' to 2000', (at a fairly steep angle)! :eek: Unfortunately, I had purchased the 'shore ex' onboard during the cruise, & as so often happens, in Alaska, the day in port was rainy & foggy! :( Be advised that there is not much to see on the ascent and decent in such inclement weather!

The standard advice is never to buy the ticket in advance. Wait until the day you get there. Then look up at the mountain. If you can't see the top of the mountain, don't go!

No point in wasting your money if it is fogged in because if you can't see the top of the mountain looking up from below, it means you won't be able to see the views looking down from above either.

 

But sometimes it may be fogged in early in the morning and clear up later in the day. The ticket is good all day so you can ride up and down as many times as you like.

 

On our next time through Juneau, we rented a car at Rent-a-wreck. We drove to Mendenhall Glacier, the arboretum, St. Teresa Shrine, NOAA, the hatchery and the brewery. The car was about $60.

This is a great convenience in Juneau because you can see so many places for the one price of the rental car and it saves you lots of time getting from place to place without backtracking.

 

The driver can go out to pick up the rental car and drive it back to park near the ship to pick up the other members of your party, handy if you are traveling with small children or elderly people who have trouble walking.

 

Same thing at end of day -- drop off passengers back at ship before returning the car.

 

If several from your cruise share the cost of the rental car, the cost is practically nothing. (Figure around another $10 or so to top off the gas tank.)

 

Another advantage of renting a car that I really like is being able to lock up your stuff in the trunk so you don't need to carry everything around with you when you are hiking or sightseeing, the way you need to do if you take the bus out there or have a tour operator drop you off.

 

 

For Ketchican

After that we caught the city bus (the blue line) to Totem Bright State Park. This was nice and worth the city bus fare.

When you go to Totem Bight, don't forget to visit Potlatch Park too, right next door.

 

You can also ask the bus driver to drop you off at Walmart on the way back to the ship if you need to pick up anything there. Then just ride the free Walmart shuttle back to your ship

 

(We now use the Ports information from Cruise Critic as well as the books from the library.)

Yes, the public library is a great resource. If your local library doesn't have the Alaska books you want, you can ask the librarian to order them for you from another library on inter-library loan.

 

We like to browse through a number of books in advance about any destination we plan to visit to see which books we like best, and then we purchase those we want on Amazon.

 

In Skagway we rented a car and drove using Murray's guide. Stopped at a store and bought food for a picnic lunch and ate it on the way. Cost was about $150 for the day (there were 4 of us who split the cost)

That is probably the most economical way to take a sightseeing trip up into the Yukon from Skagway, and it gives you the most flexibility too since you can go at your own pace and stop when and where you want.

 

Important: Don't forget to bring your passports along, which you will need for crossing the border into Canada and again for returning into the USA.

 

I totally agree - definitely get Murray's guide to the South Klondike Highway. It is probably the most worthwhile $5 you can spend on an Alaska trip.

It is just like having Murray along as your personal guide right there in the car with you, pointing out everything to see along the way.

[PathfinderEss]

I look at it this way, I pick one tour to do in each port figuring I will come back another time and take other tours. Alaska tours are expensive but some of them are well worth the price.