HAL Alaska shore excursions, etc?

[PenguinLife]

My wife and I just booked a last minute Alaskan cruise on Oosterdam this is our first HAL cruise and first time to Alaska and we are looking for general HAL suggestions as well as excursion specific suggestions (Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, and evening in Victoria). I suspect we will be on the younger side of the typical passengers, I am in my 40's and my wife is in her 30's. On the topic of shore excursions we probably want some that are are least partly active, but not too much so as I have some mobility / physical concerns (I fell and broke my back just under 3 years ago), walking is fine, at least up to a mile or so, but anything that is jaring to the back is out (running, ATV ride, rough boat rides (we did a speed boat river tour in Belize on our last cruise and I was fine with that), etc.) I am asking here due to the HAL older crowd concerns and how the effects shore excursions, etc.

 

Thanks for any tips on the topics, as I said this is sort of last minute and we don't have the time to do a lot of research like we usually do for cruises.

[agabbymama]

I would suggest going to the HAL website and see what is of interest to you for shore excursions. Hal will only let you book what you have time for in each port. But you do have to have your credit card handy, they have to be paid for at time of booking.

 

You might also go to the library and get a Frommer's or Fodor's travel guide and see what each port has to offer. There is also a thread here on CC for the different ports.

 

We can only tell you what we did, not what might interest you. Even though your last minute, there should still be things for you to do.

 

Have a great trip!

[zookiebird]

If your back is OK, you might want to do a whale watch in Juneau and float plane trip thru the Misty Fjords in Ketchikan. Both are unforgettable. In any case, you're going to have a terrific trip. Alaska is incredible and nobody does it better than HAL.

[jayisgerman]

My wife and I just booked a last minute Alaskan cruise on Oosterdam this is our first HAL cruise and first time to Alaska and we are looking for general HAL suggestions as well as excursion specific suggestions (Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, and evening in Victoria). I suspect we will be on the younger side of the typical passengers, I am in my 40's and my wife is in her 30's. On the topic of shore excursions we probably want some that are are least partly active, but not too much so as I have some mobility / physical concerns (I fell and broke my back just under 3 years ago), walking is fine, at least up to a mile or so, but anything that is jaring to the back is out (running, ATV ride, rough boat rides (we did a speed boat river tour in Belize on our last cruise and I was fine with that), etc.) I am asking here due to the HAL older crowd concerns and how the effects shore excursions, etc.

 

Thanks for any tips on the topics, as I said this is sort of last minute and we don't have the time to do a lot of research like we usually do for cruises.

 

We used SeaWind Aviation for a float plane. Super! They are in Ketchikan and we had a nice excursion and even saw bears. :D

We used Harv and Marv in Juneau for Whale Watch and loved it. Nice little boats.

 

Have fun!

[Crew News]

Two suggestions for Ketchikan:

 

Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad (ship from Deadliest Catch and crew from the TV show. They demonstrate how to catch the different kind of crab in Alaska and let you touch the creatures before they return them to the sea floor. Whatever fish that the find in their crab pots and are not returnable to the sea, are chopped into pieces and fed to the eagles. The 20-30 minutes at the eagle preserve feeding will get you hundreds of swooping eagles pictures. This is truly the best eagle show in Alaska.

 

Crab Feast via bus and then float plane to a cove where the crab is caught the same day and then cooked for you. All you can eat crab with an open bar is hard to beat.

 

Skagway: any excursion that involves the train ride into the Yukon Territory will be incredible. If you stand on the platform between the cars, you can get some breathtaking pictures. Some train rides include a bus stop a Liars Village for some real history of the gold rush days.

[OverandUnderwater]

I'm in your age group and my favorite Shorex was in Juneau, the Bike and Brew. It was a blast biking to Medenhall, seeing bears and salmon along the way then throwing back beer afterwards to top off a fun day. The bike ride is not strenuous and I do not remember even being winded (except for the bear that ran in front of me).

[trouble1964]

I see that you are a diver from your profile pic. There are 2 ports that do snorkeling. One with a dry suit and the other in Ketchikan with a wetsuit. I am doing that one.

 

When we went 2 years ago, we did a big excursion in each port and were tired all the time!

 

My favorites were the whale watch and Mendenhall glacier in Juneau, and the Sea Otter quest and Fortress of the Bear.

[kristinp36]

Visit the Alaska board for lots of ideas

 

I am still working on my review that you can find here

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1886845

 

I am 40 and did the Tracy Arm and Misty Fjord Float Plane excursion because scenery was my highest interest.

[PenguinLife]

Thanks for all the thoughts so far they have given me a few things to consider

 

p.s. Trouble1964, which dive operation are you going out with?

[Mumsysailor]

I did the snorkelling from Ketchikan booked through HAL. They use Snorkel Alaska http://www.snorkelalaska.com/

 

It was a fabulous experience! :D

 

We used Harv & Marv for the whale watching - incredible!! :D:D

 

Mumsy.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Juneau -- whale watching, float planes, helicopter tour to the glaciers. Blue Bus out to Mendenhale Glacier.

Sitka -- Sea otter and wild life adventure - also the raptor center.

Ketchikan, walking along Creek Street, Totem Bight, Saxmon Village.