May 15 Alaska advice on excursions

[mydogislulu]

Hi

This first time in Alaska and first time on Silverseas.

We are fit 60 year olds and usually prefer independent sightseeing rather a bus tour with many others. Happy to hire cars etc.

Can anyone please provide information on the must see excursions on this cruise, bearing in mind that it is mid May and so I assume might be cold and snowy? Coming from Australia, we are not accustomed to such conditions, and the only other cruise we have been on was Tahiti on Paul Gauguin in Aug 2013. A stark contrast.

Would love some advice please. Don't want to miss out on the best sights as we won't be returning to Alaska. So far to travel for us.

 

Thanks

Denise and Ian

[Stumblefoot]

What are your ports of call?

 

Lots of good information has been posted here about Alaska in the past. You may want to try a search of the Silversea forum too.

[duct tape]

You might want to start a Roll Call also. Enjoy!

[RachelG]

This early May, so expect it to be cool. Bring lots of layers for sure as well as gloves and a warm hat.

 

We have been to Alaska many times. Not on silversea, but on land tours and other cruise ships.

 

In Ketchikan, you have a lot of options, but Misty fjords is amazing. If you can take the boat one way and fly in a float plane the other, that would be ideal. We saw a lot of whales on our way back.

 

We also like to hike, and there is good hiking from the town. A lot of people like to do the crab feast here as well.

 

In Juneau, if Tracy arm fjord excursion is available, do it! But it may still be iced in this early in May. We were the first group in the year we went there, and that was the last week of May.

 

If not, and if weather is bad, they have a wonderful state historical museum that is walking distance from the pier. My sons and husband have done the helicopter trek on the glacier, but it is expensive and cold. We have also done halibut and salmon fishing excursions from Juneau and caught a lot of fish. Not sure how that would work with the time you are in port though.

[mydogislulu]

Thanks Rachel for the info.

Don't think we enjoy hiking all thist much. Have you gone dog sledding and is it good fun and where from?

 

Sounds like the weather can have extremes of cold or warm. Makes packing tricky when travelling with one case each and leaving room for some purchases.

 

This forum is great to get advice from people who have actual experience.

[EagleRocker]

Hi mydogislulu. My husband and I are on the same cruise - our first time on Silversea, but we have been on four prior Alaska cruises so I have some thoughts. I look forward to meeting you.

 

I understand that the state museum in Juneau will be closed when we are there (it is moving and will be shut for a while). Whale watching in Juneau is usually very good and there are many tour operators besides the ones offered through Silversea. The Mendenhall Glacier is well worth seeing, including for the various trails around it. At the dock in town, there are various options for getting there and back, such as the "Blue Bus" (the Glacier Express), which is quite cheap (something like $16) - the key is to be sure you note the time of the last bus pickups. We took a helicopter to a glacier on our first Juneau trip and it was wonderful, but it is pricey. The Mt. Roberts Tramway will give you some incredible views of the fjord. Besides the gift shop and restaurant, not a lot to do up top other than hike, and it may be too slushy or snowy for that. We did it once in early May and the trail had a lot of snow on it and parts were closed. It was fun but tricky. This year, given that we have such a long port time in Juneau, we have a car reserved from Avis and plan to drive all over the place to see things we have not seen before.

 

Sitka is a lovely town and should be quiet - we will be the only ship in port. The totem park is not all that far of a walk from the dock. It might be a good idea to ask about bears - we went to the park as oblivious tourists and loved it, and learned when we got into town that there had been bear sightings there the day before. We took an excursion in which you take a boat ride to (I think) Baronoff Island and ride ATV/jeep-like vehicles around, including ending up on a gorgeous beach looking back at Sitka. It was fun and is not hard to do, and the boat ride lets you see a lot of beautiful scenery. I think Silversea is offering this excursion.

 

We did ATV/boat ride similar excursion in Ketchikan which was fantastic (more rugged than the one in Sitka), but I don't believe it is available to us on this cruise, because we are in Ketchikan for such a short time. My husband went kayaking in Ketchikan on our last visit and had a great time. I believe Silversea is offering at least one kayak excursion. I, instead, went with other family members on the Private Tour by Hummer, which I believed is being offered on our cruise. It is pricey, but we all enjoyed it. We got a pretty in depth tour of the town from a local and saw a lot of things I have not seen despite having been to Ketchikan several times before. You can have as many as 5 people go, so splitting the costs that many ways makes it reasonable. I am thinking of the Misty Fjords by Floatplane excursion - I hear nothing but positive things about that.

 

Skagway is in a physically gorgeous setting, but is mainly a tourist town. The White Pass Railway is pretty fun. Also, there is a (free) lovely hike you can take just outside of the main part of town that goes to Upper and Lower Dewey Lake - we only made it to Lower Dewey Lake, but it was gorgeous. Renting a car and driving into the Yukon is really fun, but I don't think we will be in Skagway long enough for that.

 

Whatever you decide to do, Alaska is gorgeous. I will keep my fingers crossed for good weather for us. For what it is worth, on our first two May trips, we had gorgeous weather almost every day, sunny and fantastic and jackets often not needed. On the third early May trip (the other was in September), the weather was not as good. You never know, although at least May is supposed to be a drier month and there are no mosquitos. Bring clothes to layer, a warm hat and gloves, and a good warm jacket as well as a lightweight jacket for rainy days.

[Stumblefoot]

...May is supposed to be a drier month and there are no mosquitos.

Those were mosquitoes we saw in late July? They were so big I thought they were small birds.

[timetravelers]

Totally agree with recommended tours. Zip lines in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan are great fun! Loved the Misty Fjord tour by catamaran or float plane.

This is our favorite time of year to cruise Alaska. We've done it 5 yr in a row and we live here!!! The train ride from Anchorage to Seward to join ship is very nice... and included in the price for SS.

 

 

 

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[RachelG]

Should not be many Mosquitos in May, which is good.

 

As far as dog sledding, we haven't personally done this. I do know that a lot of times in the summer, there is not enough snow to really do sledding, so they send you out on sled with tracks made for dirt. Not the same experience, but in May, there could be enough snow.

[laughing husky]

Actually dog sledding is very popular in Alaska....You can have your choice of carts on land or flying up on a helicopter to one of the glaciers and going dog sledding on a glacier...If possible, choose the glacier operations....I have been on all of them as I have a dog kennel and my dogs have "worked" on a glacier for their summer vacation....I personally like the operation run by Coastal helicopters...you can google it and see their options....the reasons that I like them is that all of their tour guides have at least mid distance races under their belts and most of them have completed a 1,000 mile race. The owner of the glacier operation run by Coastal is Sebastian Schnuelle who is a Yukon Quest Champion in 2009. The glaciers are absolutely beautiful and it is a real treat to soar above the glaciers and look down into a crevasse.... The glaciers are surrounded by mountains and sometimes, if you are lucky, you can watch a small avalanche....It is perfectly safe and absolutely a wonderful experience.

[laughing husky]

It tends to be cool, yes, but flowers will be blooming along the inside passage, leaves typically bud out in the 3rd week of May....Our pussy willows have been blooming for several weeks....and we have less rain than just about any other time....so I think that May is a wonderful time....I usually hand out our baskets with begonias around the 3rd week in May....and plant my garden about that time also.....(in the Anchorage area)

[annpdq]

We've been on the following excursion twice. It is the best they offer in our opinion:

BACK TO TOUR LIST

Exclusive Flightseeing & Crab Feast

 

12 Jul 2014 | 3 Hours | Morning

This exclusive Silver Shore Collection excursion combines two favourite Alaska experiences: a flight on a De Havilland Beaver floatplane and a meal featuring Alaskan Dungeness Crab.

 

Tongass Narrows Floatplane Flight

Your flight begins dockside in Ketchikan in the pristine Tongass Narrows. Once airborne, enjoy a breathtaking, fully-narrated, twenty-minute flight over the Tongass National Forest in search of mountain goats and waterfalls before landing at the remote George Inlet Lodge, a rustic yet elegant wilderness oasis. Following touchdown, you will be greeted by your host with warm cider, champagne, mimosas, Alaskan amber beer, and white wine, accompanied by an array of delicious appetisers including smoked salmon and fresh fruits. Following this welcome reception, adjourn into the lodge's richly appointed private dining room.

 

Crab Feast

Before your meal, enjoy a view of the inlet through large windows as your guide entertains you with stories of south east Alaska. The menu for your crab feast includes a delicious salad with homemade Asian dressing, steamed baby red potatoes, and the highlight: Dungeness crab with warm melted butter and accompanied by wine. For dessert, indulge in rich, creamy cheesecake smothered in Alaskan blueberries.

 

Following your meal, relax and explore the lodge or browse the keepsakes available for purchase. All too soon it is time to re-board your floatplane and return to Ketchikan and Silver Shadow.