Help! New cruiser has shore excursions questions

[wickedawesomemom]

My teenage son and I are going on our first cruise next month to Alaska on RCI. I've been reading the boards and it seems like most people book excursions on their own instead of going through the cruise line. I would love to save money but I don't want to take any chances on missing the ship because something went wrong or because we got lost, so I'm wondering if it is better for us to just book with the cruise line or if I can save some money AND have peace of mind.

 

Questions:

Do the independent operators typically pick you up from the ship or do you have to find transportation to them? Do you save alot of money booking this way? Where would I even begin to find info on independent operators?

 

The excursions that are most important to us are some kind of whale watching cruise, a good salmon bake, the White Pass Railway, and Mendenhall Glacier. Ports on our itinerary are Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, Icy Strait Point.

 

Need advice please!

[lmcd]

Try these websites:

http://www.traveljuneau.com

http://www.visit-ketchikan.com

http://www.skagway.org

 

Lot of links to independent tours. The operators will pick you up at the docks or they are within a short walking distance of the docks.

 

Larry

[Without Tessa]

Definitely do what makes you feel comfortable - you do not want to spend your whole tour worried that you won't make it back in time.

 

However, that being said, the independent tour operators cater to cruise ship passengers - it will be rare I suspect that they would ever NOT get you back in time. Afterall, if they made passengers miss the ship, they wouldn't be getting a lot of referral business now would they? lol!

 

The tour operators know that the majority of people do not know the area - I have only been on a few, but each operator has been very nice and accomodating to all the visitors and often went above and beyond to make our tour a blast!

 

When I booked tours for myself and my mother who went on a recent cruise to the Southern Carribean, I used recommendations from members on CC. I have yet to be disappointed!

 

My experience is also that the majority of tour operators either pick you up directly at the pier (if they are allowed) or a short distance away.

 

Hopefully this message eased your mind a little - independent tours are great and a very good value.

[Budget Queen]

In Alaska independent venders may not offer significant savings but they certainly do offer better tours with smaller groups and more personal tours. For Whale watches my top pick is Orca Enterprises- book a time that will allow you a pick up/drop off at Mendenhall Glacier. You would then just take the $5pp shuttle in the other direction. With any independent- ALWAYS verify your ship and port times directly with the vender (another reason I won't use middle men), and go with their recommendation. You NEVER hear of missed sailings due to any Alaska vender. Most venders pick up at the ship or have a office there for meeting.

 

It is little difference how you book the White Pass RR. But do plan on getting into town for a look especially consider the Park Service Visitor center http://www.nps.gov/klgo/schedule.htm

 

If you have all day in Juneau, there are salmon bake shuttles from the dock.

[CruiseIsGood]

I just feel more comfortable booking the ship's tours, and all of the ones I took I would rate A++. None of them were with large groups except the train (obviously!) and whale watching, but the catamaran was so big it didn't matter. Plenty of viewing space indoors and out.

[denamo]

We have always been too cautious to not use the ship's excursions, but we are going to try doing a combination of some with the ship and some on our own. Since we went last year to Alaska as well, we are definitely going to do the Mendenhall Glacier on our own. City buses go there and we want to be able to have the time there we didn't have last summer. The railroad is good to book through the ship simply because it's right there as you get off at the pier rather than having to hike or take a bus into town. Either way you decide, you will have a wonderful time.

 

BTW, we're going on the Vision, June 24. We have only had four of us to sign up for the Meet and Mingle so far. If this is also your week and ship, we'd love to have you sign up to join us.

 

denamo

[Budget Queen]

We have always been too cautious to not use the ship's excursions, but we are going to try doing a combination of some with the ship and some on our own. Since we went last year to Alaska as well, we are definitely going to do the Mendenhall Glacier on our own. City buses go there and we want to be able to have the time there we didn't have last summer. The railroad is good to book through the ship simply because it's right there as you get off at the pier rather than having to hike or take a bus into town. Either way you decide, you will have a wonderful time.

 

BTW, we're going on the Vision, June 24. We have only had four of us to sign up for the Meet and Mingle so far. If this is also your week and ship, we'd love to have you sign up to join us.

 

denamo

 

 

 

For clairfication the "city bus" in Juneau is different from the independent Mendenhall "shuttle buses". The city bus drops off a level 1+++ mile from the Visitor center, be sure to verify return schedules, they don't run real often. The shuttle buses drop off at the visitor center non stop from the dock. The city bus offers the option for the hatchery and other stops if of interest.

[GloriaF]

Being that you are new to cruising and nervous about touring on your own, perhaps you should do the ship's exciursions for peace of mind. My husband has always felt the same way on our Caribbean cruises, and you do hear of more incidents (traffic jams, broken vehicles, etc) where passengers run late.

 

But in Hawaii we rented cars and went off on our own in each port, and in Alaska we are doing a combination. I think it partly depends on how far away from the ship you are going, and how long the excursion last. If you would be cutting it close getting back to the ship in time, then it is best to be on a ship's excursion since they are aware you are missing and will wait for you.

 

An example: In Skagway, we are taking the White Pass RR 4:15 to 7:30 PM, and the ship departs just after 8 PM. The difference in cost is only $8pp anyway. We are going thru the ship, thus they are responsible for our return and will wait. Prior to the RR, we will do things on our own.

 

But in Ketchikan, we want to go to Saxman & Totem Bight. We had planned to go thru the ship, but Budget Queen pointed us to Sourdough Tours. The cost is half, we can go in the morning and be back in plenty of time to do something else before departure.

 

So, bottom line, do what makes you feel comfortable. And enjoy yourself! If you're like most of us, you'll want to be cruising for every vacation.