To the Summit in Skagway?

[DT1304]

Hi all,

 

I have the adventure park and zipline excursion booked for the morning in Skagway, and am considering doing the "To the Summit" tour offered by RCI for the afternoon.

 

It is a short excursion of 1,5 hours by minibus. I do not want to do the train ride because we already going on the train to Anchorage and my kids will be bored on another train ride just for scenery (They are 12,10 and 7)

 

Has anyone done this excursion and what type of minibus is used? What I mean by this is how large a group is accomodated on this tour?

 

Another question is this: I would prefer to decide on this tour based on the weather. Are these types of "small group" summit tours offered at the port or should I stick to using the ship, and if they are offered privately, do you suggest I book a place now, or will there likely be space if I book on the day.

[Budget Queen]

Does the tour description specifically state it is by minibus?? I have never seen any ship contracted tours be transported by anything but tour buses.

 

 

With your limit of only an afternoon tour, and needing 4 seats, you may be able to pick up a tour at the dock. But you also would have to be accepting of nothing available and you would need to get off the ship early and book.

 

With 4 of you, if you rented a Hertz car in Seward- you could make some stops that probably the kids would really like. The Wildlife Conservatory, Portage Glacier Visitor Center/ranger programs, Crow creek Mine gold panning. Makes good use of time, if not flying out that afternoon.

[DT1304]

Does the tour description specifically state it is by minibus?? I have never seen any ship contracted tours be transported by anything but tour buses.

 

 

/quote]

 

Thanks Budget Queen for your usual great advice and help.

 

The excursion does specifically state "mini bus" :

"Adventure to the 3,292 foot Summit of White Pass by mini-bus in just 1.5 hours! Step off at scenic viewpoints for breathtaking photos! Your mountain guide will pass on a century of stories. You will see Dead Horse Trail, the White Pass Railroad, Pitchfork Falls, Moore Bridge, and numerous glaciers and peaks during your personalized small group experience. Stop at the Summit and US/ Canada border before returning. Bring your passport. "

 

As for renting a car, I thought about that in a few of the ports, but have found excursions in all the ports that I want to do that do not require a car.

 

We have things booked in each port we go to, some through the ship and some we booked privately.

[Budget Queen]

Does the tour description specifically state it is by minibus?? I have never seen any ship contracted tours be transported by anything but tour buses.

 

 

/quote]

 

Thanks Budget Queen for your usual great advice and help.

 

The excursion does specifically state "mini bus" :

"Adventure to the 3,292 foot Summit of White Pass by mini-bus in just 1.5 hours! Step off at scenic viewpoints for breathtaking photos! Your mountain guide will pass on a century of stories. You will see Dead Horse Trail, the White Pass Railroad, Pitchfork Falls, Moore Bridge, and numerous glaciers and peaks during your personalized small group experience. Stop at the Summit and US/ Canada border before returning. Bring your passport. "

 

As for renting a car, I thought about that in a few of the ports, but have found excursions in all the ports that I want to do that do not require a car.

 

We have things booked in each port we go to, some through the ship and some we booked privately.

 

A mini bus would be the size of an airport car rental shuttle bus, holding in the range of 20 people.

[dyeadave]

The tour you describe is sold on the ship and then contracted out to a local provider who uses a brand of bus called the Eldorado which holds around 25 people.

I own one of that Brand which holds 24, and they are a nice riding and viewing bus.

Hope that this helps clarify.

DD

[DT1304]

Thanks both for your comments.

 

I appreciate it. Will make my decision on how to go about booking in the next few days.

[Suzanne123]

I took this tour through HAL, but it was about 8 years ago. We did have a mini-bus and it was a nice trip. We stopped at a waterfall along the road and several other places for photos. I enjoyed it.

[epixx]

[]As for renting a car, I thought about that in a few of the ports, but have found excursions in all the ports that I want to do that do not require a car.

 

We have things booked in each port we go to, some through the ship and some we booked privately.

 

Note that BQ is not recommending the car rental in port, but at your disembarkation in Seward. I also agree with this suggestion. You'll find loads of interesting activities for kids with a car trip from Seward to Anchorage. Our kids loved Girdwood (hiking from top of Alyeska tram, bike riding, Crow Creek Mine hiking trail) and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. We didn't do the train ride, but my kids would not have enjoyed that, either.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks both for your comments.

 

I appreciate it. Will make my decision on how to go about booking in the next few days.

 

You may want to look at direct booking this tour, so to know who is guiding. The commentary is a significant part of the "tour". You won't know who the ship contractor is at this point.