Alaska/Radiance Of The Seas

[cruisenovice2]

Hello, I am planning our first cruise and we are going to Alaska. I am a bit overwhelmed with all the shore excursions. Can anyone suggest any.

It is a Northbound cruise with stops in Juneau, Skagway Ketchikan Icy Strait.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Tinkerdevil]

Which date are you sailing?

[Tkaklita]

We are going to Alaska in June also and I have learned so much here by using the search feature. If you type in Alaska, Radiance in the search box, you will have a great list of previous trips and reviews to read and explore with some fantastic photos to enjoy. Lots of info that will definitely help. Have a great trip!!

 

 

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[sully108]

Hello, I am planning our first cruise and we are going to Alaska. I am a bit overwhelmed with all the shore excursions. Can anyone suggest any.

It is a Northbound cruise with stops in Juneau, Skagway Ketchikan Icy Strait.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

we did a photo safari ... it was part on boat and part a hike in national park - - it was the BEST excursion we have ever done. The photograpgher / guide was a great source of info. Also brought 15 and 18 year olds with us and they thought it was awesome.

Radiance was a great !

[molsonschooner]

In Skagway, we took the White Pass train ride. Booked this through the cruise line but there are private tours available. My dw, who does not like heights, thought this trip was the highlight of the cruise. At Icy Strait, we booked a whale watching excursion with Misty Bay Lodge. They have a very nice boat. We saw quite a few whales. They only take 6 people so you are able to get right to the side of the boat for great viewing.

[cruisenovice2]

Thanks so much all this is really helping. We are sailing 5-16-2014.

[Hoopster95]

Hello, I am planning our first cruise and we are going to Alaska. I am a bit overwhelmed with all the shore excursions. Can anyone suggest any.

It is a Northbound cruise with stops in Juneau, Skagway Ketchikan Icy Strait.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hi there. Check out this thread... scroll up as I have a few pics and a little commentary on a couple of excursions that might interest you :)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=41536774#post41536774

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We took the last NB cruise in 2012. I did a "Live" thread on our trip. We stopped at all of the same ports. We were budget minded on our trip and prioritized where we wanted to spend money. We called it the High--Low approach. :p

 

We paid for the bus/train combo in Skagway. [$120pp] and a whale watch in Icy Strait [~$160pp] In Ketchikan we took the public bus to Totem Bight and Potlach Park [$2pp] We had a tour from our TA for Juneau but you can do the Mendenhall Glacier using the "blue bus" for about $20pp RT. We could have done the Whale watch in Juneau. But, there is lots to do there for little or no cost and not much to do in Icy strait.

 

Have fun planning.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1697232

Edited February 5, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas

[cjankowski]

We enjoyed a trip panning for gold/fish fry in Juneau and then rented a car drove up the Yukon & city shopping in Skagway.

 

I beleive it really depends on how adventures you are and how / what you want to do to spend your time enjoying this wonderful land.

[NorbertsNiece]

Highly recommend :

 

Beyond Skagway Tours

Ketchikan : Island Wings

ISP : F.I.S.H.E.S

 

You're going to have a super time!!

[ikirumata]

We did that same itinerary a couple years ago. Here are my quick thoughts:

 

Ketchikan - Get all of your souvenir shopping done here.

Icy Strait - Whale Watching

Skagway - Rent a car...get out of Skagway. Drive up to Emerald Lake. Enjoy the scenery and hopefully some wildife!

Juneau - If you have time/money, take a small boat tour out to Tracy Arm. It may be a bit dicey with the weather, but you never know. We went about the same time as you and it was a warm sunny day at the Arm. We got really close to both glaciers! We even spotted a couple whales (and tons of eagles) on the way there!

 

Alaska is very port intensive. We always came back tired and even skipped dinner a couple of times.

 

Have a great time!

[kruzinkel]

Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour in Ketchikan was AMAZING! not just for the "deadliest catch" aspect, but saw dozens of bald eagles that were right off the side of the boat

[JimAOk1945]

We did the same itinerary in August of 2012 but in reverse going on the Southbound route from Seward to Vancouver. It was amazing! We still talk about it and plan to go back in a couple of years.

 

You might like to see the pictures my wife took and made into slideshows for her website. They might give you some ideas of shore excursions. She booked all our excursions through the Royal Caribbean website prior to taking our cruise.

 

Here is a link that will take you directly to the section of her website that features it. There are seven different slide shows. Just click on the link of the one you want to watch. They all open up and play automatically.

 

August 2012 Radiance Of The Seas Alaska Cruise

 

Alaska is fantastic! Happy Cruising!

Edited February 5, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[cruisenovice2]

This has been so helpful! New to cruising and this website. Thank you all.

[JimAOk1945]

This has been so helpful! New to cruising and this website. Thank you all.

 

Glad to help. We were all new at one time and received help here on Cruise Critic.

 

Take lots of pictures so you can relive your cruise.

 

Happy Cruising!

[cruisenovice2]

5-16-2014

[4cats,1dog]

Thanks so much all this is really helping. We are sailing 5-16-2014.

 

I will be on the ship with you. Please register for meet and mingle. We have a big group. Lots of information. Also, go under ports:Alaska.

All Alaska overload.

 

I booked with Misty Bay Lodge for Whale watch in Icy Straight Point.

Google their website.

 

Also, staying at Pan Pacific in Vancouver.

 

Are you going on a cruisetour also?

 

Lynn

[cruisenovice2]

Hi, I would register if I knew how. I have heard about the lodge and was thinking about doing that. Since this is my first time I am nervous about not booking thru cruise!

We are not on the land tour as we don't have this much time. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. Have you been to Alaska before?

[4cats,1dog]

Hi, I would register if I knew how. I have heard about the lodge and was thinking about doing that. Since this is my first time I am nervous about not booking thru cruise!

We are not on the land tour as we don't have this much time. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. Have you been to Alaska before?

 

On top of page you see a star with Find your RCI Roll Call: on top of roll call page it has a place where you can register for meet and mingle.

 

Real easy.

[4cats,1dog]

What part of Florida are you from.

We are flying out of Ft. lauderdale on 5/15

[cruisenovice2]

We are from Orlando. We are leaving on the 13th since we are not doing the land part. Want to spend a couple of days in Vancouver. I was there once for a day for business and always wanted to go back. Okay going to try the roll call. Now I just realized that the port in Seward is A 120 miles away from the airport any idea how we make plans to get to Anchorage? Thought vacations were suppose to be stress free! :)

[4cats,1dog]

We are from Orlando. We are leaving on the 13th since we are not doing the land part. Want to spend a couple of days in Vancouver. I was there once for a day for business and always wanted to go back. Okay going to try the roll call. Now I just realized that the port in Seward is A 120 miles away from the airport any idea how we make plans to get to Anchorage? Thought vacations were suppose to be stress free! :)

 

You can contact RCI for Transfer. Or there is a train from Seward to Anchorage.

[jmorgania]

We are from Orlando. We are leaving on the 13th since we are not doing the land part. Want to spend a couple of days in Vancouver. I was there once for a day for business and always wanted to go back. Okay going to try the roll call. Now I just realized that the port in Seward is A 120 miles away from the airport any idea how we make plans to get to Anchorage? Thought vacations were suppose to be stress free! :)

 

Train booked through RCI leaves from the ship dock in Seward and ends at the Airport in Anchorage. Leaves in AM, not sure exact time. Train booked through Alaska Railroad leaves at 6pm, a little cheaper than booking direct with RCI but train leaves from depot in Seward not dock and arrives at depot in Anchorage not airport. Also bus options or car rental via Hertz, just Google bus from Seward to Anchorage if looking for bus times and costs.