Seward excursion help please

[tamsocal]

I posted this on HAL but no response-- trying to get some help on the Alaska board now :)

We are booked on cruisetour D9C and I am trying to decide what to do in Seward.

Option 1 The Kenai Fjord Nat Park Cruise thru HAL & dropff at Alyeska

Option 2 Either Sea Life or Exit Glacier thru HAL & ? comes back to the cruise port or do they take us to Alyeska

Option 3 try to do both Sea Life Center & Exit Glacier on our own before the 12:15 departure of our bus to Alyeska

 

Can anyone advise on what happens the morning of cruise end. Can we get off the ship and venture in to town on our own & know in advance when our cruisetour bus is going to leave & where we need to meet back at & what time? if we book a HAL tour does it come back to port or go to hotel?

 

It looks like the Kenai tour includes direct drop off to Alyeska- so no option to go the Sea Life Center

[Budget Queen]

What are YOUR interests? With a Kenai Fjords tour, I am assuming this involves 8 hours, which should be listed?

 

YOU would have to find out the departure times and locations. They start unloading the cruise ship around 6am. IF you find out the above, certainly you can get off the ship anytime you wish.

 

The add on Exit or Sealife Center tour, may bring you back to the ship, or leave for Alyeska direct, depending on descriptions?

 

IF you choose to do Exit Glacier and the Sealife Center, I, only suggest you arrange a cab transport and not waste time, you don't have doing these separately with transportation.

[tamsocal]

What are YOUR interests? With a Kenai Fjords tour, I am assuming this involves 8 hours, which should be listed?

 

YOU would have to find out the departure times and locations. They start unloading the cruise ship around 6am. IF you find out the above, certainly you can get off the ship anytime you wish.

 

The add on Exit or Sealife Center tour, may bring you back to the ship, or leave for Alyeska direct, depending on descriptions?

 

IF you choose to do Exit Glacier and the Sealife Center, I, only suggest you arrange a cab transport and not waste time, you don't have doing these separately with transportation.

 

THANKS!!

I called HAL to sea if tour desk could provide more info- they said all 3 after tour take me straight to Alyeska :(

I was hoping to do portage at 7:30 then the bus bring us back to ship & quickly taking taxi to sealife for a couple hours & catching the 1230 bus to Alyeska

 

might try again in a few days asking someone to recheck for me--

 

My kids & I love wildlife, whales, otters, etc- they are on boats all the time and would I think enjoy the Kenai tour- it states it is 6 hours I think. THis tour for certain states it takes us to Alyeska after boat trip.

 

I am leaning towards Kenai-- I want to do all 3 but feel like Kenai probably has the most to offer & we have visited many aquariums.

 

We have a full day at Alyeska that we could go back to seward but I dont think Exit or Sealife center would be worth driving back down & the expense and given that we have things we thought looked fun in ALyeska too- so might as well stay close

[CptSticky]

THANKS!!

I called HAL to sea if tour desk could provide more info- they said all 3 after tour take me straight to Alyeska :(

I was hoping to do portage at 7:30 then the bus bring us back to ship & quickly taking taxi to sealife for a couple hours & catching the 1230 bus to Alyeska

 

might try again in a few days asking someone to recheck for me--

 

My kids & I love wildlife, whales, otters, etc- they are on boats all the time and would I think enjoy the Kenai tour- it states it is 6 hours I think. THis tour for certain states it takes us to Alyeska after boat trip.

 

I am leaning towards Kenai-- I want to do all 3 but feel like Kenai probably has the most to offer & we have visited many aquariums.

 

We have a full day at Alyeska that we could go back to seward but I dont think Exit or Sealife center would be worth driving back down & the expense and given that we have things we thought looked fun in ALyeska too- so might as well stay close

Can't help you with HAL things (we don't sail them), but we have done and actually have booked again the Kenai boat. Last year, we saw so many different kinds of wild life that I will not even try to list them here. Even whales. Really a great tour. As for the sea life center, ho hum.

[Budget Queen]

THANKS!!

I called HAL to sea if tour desk could provide more info- they said all 3 after tour take me straight to Alyeska :(

I was hoping to do portage at 7:30 then the bus bring us back to ship & quickly taking taxi to sealife for a couple hours & catching the 1230 bus to Alyeska

 

might try again in a few days asking someone to recheck for me--

 

My kids & I love wildlife, whales, otters, etc- they are on boats all the time and would I think enjoy the Kenai tour- it states it is 6 hours I think. THis tour for certain states it takes us to Alyeska after boat trip.

 

I am leaning towards Kenai-- I want to do all 3 but feel like Kenai probably has the most to offer & we have visited many aquariums.

 

We have a full day at Alyeska that we could go back to seward but I dont think Exit or Sealife center would be worth driving back down & the expense and given that we have things we thought looked fun in ALyeska too- so might as well stay close

 

It is Exit Glacier, Portage Glacier is outside of Whittier. Frankly, Alyeska, has some activities, but with your listed Seward interests, I instead suggest you just skip, this first day of the cruisetour and just take the Alaska RR to Girdwood and meet up with your cruisetour there. The train routing is grossly superior to the Seward Highway as well. Other suggestion would be to book off the ship early, take a cab to Exit, THEN meet up with the HAL, Kenai Fjords boat tour and bus combo. This tour is NOT operated by HAL< and likely uses a vendor who leaves at 11:30a, plenty of time prior, to add either Exit or the Sealife Center- ON YOUR OWN.

[tamsocal]

It is Exit Glacier, Portage Glacier is outside of Whittier. Frankly, Alyeska, has some activities, but with your listed Seward interests, I instead suggest you just skip, this first day of the cruisetour and just take the Alaska RR to Girdwood and meet up with your cruisetour there. The train routing is grossly superior to the Seward Highway as well. Other suggestion would be to book off the ship early, take a cab to Exit, THEN meet up with the HAL, Kenai Fjords boat tour and bus combo. This tour is NOT operated by HAL< and likely uses a vendor who leaves at 11:30a, plenty of time prior, to add either Exit or the Sealife Center- ON YOUR OWN.

 

the HAL website notes all 3 tour options leaving between 7:00-8:00 am. I will call the shore excursion desk to see if a more specific timeline is avail

I like option 2 if we can do it-- Exit or Sealife before the HAL Kenai Fjord trip.

 

Will check in to the RR option.

 

Yes I got mixed up - typed portage- meant Exit

 

HAL is taking us to Portage & Alaska Wildlife center the 3rd day of the cruise tour before ANchorage

[tamsocal]

Can't help you with HAL things (we don't sail them), but we have done and actually have booked again the Kenai boat. Last year, we saw so many different kinds of wild life that I will not even try to list them here. Even whales. Really a great tour. As for the sea life center, ho hum.

 

I think at this point our choice is leaning towards Kenai Fjord tour or RR to girdwood- or maybe both in if can match up the times

[Budget Queen]

I think at this point our choice is leaning towards Kenai Fjord tour or RR to girdwood- or maybe both in if can match up the times

 

Yes, the times do "match up". I would suggest, if you go this route, purchase a coupon book for 2 for 1 coupons for both.

[Budget Queen]

the HAL website notes all 3 tour options leaving between 7:00-8:00 am. I will call the shore excursion desk to see if a more specific timeline is avail

I like option 2 if we can do it-- Exit or Sealife before the HAL Kenai Fjord trip.

 

Will check in to the RR option.

 

Yes I got mixed up - typed portage- meant Exit

 

HAL is taking us to Portage & Alaska Wildlife center the 3rd day of the cruise tour before ANchorage

 

WHAT is the actual Kenai Fjords tour description? Kenai Fjords- the usual ship contractor does have a few tours. The hours are listed?