National Park Tour vs Resurrection Bay

[tamsocal]

Hi!!

I think I know what answer I will get but just wanted to ask just in case the package makes a difference.

 

Myself & 3 kids 5,5,9 yr olds traveling-

we are going to either do 6 hr national park cruise tour or I just found this package and was wondering if I shuold even consider it?

 

we don't want just a boat ride in a bay- we really want to see wildlife, marine life, glaciers, etc-- but also a super fun day for the kids would be fabulous too

 

what will we add by exploring Fox Island?

what will we lose by never cruising out of the bay?

thanks for your help & opinion!!

 

Spend time with the dogs and puppies of the the 2013 Iditarod champion, Mitch Seavey. Save when you also cruise and explore on our Noon Resurrection Bay Tour with an exclusive visit to Fox Island.

See how the two-time Iditarod champion Alaskan musher, Mitch Seavey, trains sled dogs. Ride behind a team on their training course with this 1.5 hour tour. The ride ends with a tour of the kennel where you meet the dogs and cuddle the puppies.

Before or after your sled dog tour, explore the wonders and wildlife of Resurrection Bay on our Noon Resurrection Bay Tour. Your cruise includes an exclusive stop at Fox Island for an all-you-can-eat wild Alaskan salmon and prime rib lunch. Kids can also take part in the Junior Ranger Program and have fun while they learn about this awesome region.

[frugaltravel]

we don't want just a boat ride in a bay- we really want to see wildlife, marine life, glaciers, etc-- but also a super fun day for the kids would be fabulous too

 

Actually you will probably see a fair amount of marine wildlife with just the bay cruise, but it will be nothing like the 6 hour tour. Some people despise the Bay tour. I took it one year (when it was so early in the season that is all that was offered). It was OK, but having done the longer tour it doesn't compare. And you don't get to a glacier on the bay tour.

 

what will we add by exploring Fox Island?

what will we lose by never cruising out of the bay?

 

You get a meal on shore by adding Fox Island. I would rather be on the water and maybe eating on the boat (though a meal is a very low priority for me on these tours) than sitting on Fox Island. You lose more varied marine wildlife and the glacier.

 

You can do the Jr. Ranger program with Major Marine even with the 6 hour tour I am pretty sure.

[generichandle]

If you can do the full 9hr tour, do not hesitate. More wildlife than I ever imagined [and I imagined quite a bit. Glaciers are fantastic too. I consider this the #1 tour to take in Alaska!

 

Doug

[tamsocal]

If you can do the full 9hr tour, do not hesitate. More wildlife than I ever imagined [and I imagined quite a bit. Glaciers are fantastic too. I consider this the #1 tour to take in Alaska!

 

Doug

 

we can go on the 6 hour tour that includes the glaciers-

 

just wasnt sure if fox island has something special to offer the kids. I think we would prefer the longer tour vs fox island & the sled dogs

[vbmom87]

I am sure it is different from day to day, but we saw very little wildlife when we crossed Resurrection Bay on our Northwestern Fjords tour. Perhaps when you spend more time in Resurrection Bay you will see more wildlife. However, Resurrection Bay tours will not get you to a glacier. With children I would not do the 9 hour tour, but go with a 6 hour tour. The 9 hour tour was too much for my husband. The seas stirred up and it was quite a rocky ride which he did not enjoy. It took away from the enjoyment of the day for him.

[mapleleaves]

I've done the Bay tour twice but not by choice ... our NP tour was cancelled after 15 minutes due to rough seas. (if the office tells you the NP tour might be cancelled, take the refund because chances are 99% that your trip will become a Bay tour)

We did the NP Tour once and it was fantastic! you cover the same territory as the Bay tour but then you cross the Gulf of Alaska and visit the glacier. The glacier was very active while we were there ... the capt turned off the engines so we sat there and listened to the glacier creak and groan, and eventually it calved. Fantastic! We saw a few whales along the way as well.

During the Bay cruise portion we saw several bald eagles, an eagles nest, saw a few mtn goats on the cliffs, sea lions, otters, puffins and lots of other birds. We saw this on all 3 trips.

We had kids on our cruise; they were fine. Most kids aren't into scenery but the boat is big enough that they can wander around and watch from different areas it they get antsy. Having binoculars to scan the coast or the water really helps keep them occupied and usually they'll spot something in the water.

The advantage to the Fox Island trip is that the kids could run around, throw rocks and sticks into the water, get wet, and let off steam. Sounds good but if it's rainy and windy, it wouldn't be so much fun.

[frugaltravel]

I am sure it is different from day to day, but we saw very little wildlife when we crossed Resurrection Bay on our Northwestern Fjords tour. Perhaps when you spend more time in Resurrection Bay you will see more wildlife. However, Resurrection Bay tours will not get you to a glacier.

 

Correct on multiple counts. Of course the longer NP cruises don't see a lot of wildlife in the bay - that is not their objective. They are heading out into the Gulf for the longer trip. But the bay cruises spend time more along the shoreline and searching for more wildlife in the bay. Correct also that the bay tours won't get you to a glacier (unlesss you count seeing Bear Glacier in a distance as getting to a glacier, which I don't!).

[tamsocal]

thanks everyone.

I have planned for the 6 hour tour early am and then we will have ~3.5 hours to maybe visit exit glacier & sealife center before Alaska RR to girdwood on our own-- we will catch up with out cruise tour after we get off the RR

 

any opinions on if we should pay the extra ~ $160 to be able to ride the Alaska RR to girdwood and have an extra 3 hours in Seward post Kenai Fjords tour? otherwise we could take HAL but to Alyeska right after boat tour for free

 

Also- how far is rail station from Hotel Alyeska? walking distance? shuttles? taxis?- I will call the hotel concierge :)