Recommendations

[pedinurse55]

I am in the process of planning our first Alaskan cruise on the Crown Princess for next summer, which will be leaving/returning out of Seattle and traveling the inside passage with Glacier Bay. I have a request from those experienced for recommendations for the following:

 

1). Recommendations for a reasonably priced hotel in Seattle near Pier 91 that shuttles to the port. Or, a reasonably priced hotel and other shuttle recommendations.

 

2). Recommendations for must do excursions out of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchican.

 

I appreciate any feedback that will assist in our planning.

[Wehwalt]

I thought well of the Hilton. Central, not too expensive. I don't think they run a shuttle, but taxis are easy and not expensive. It isn't THAT far to the pier.

[nukesubsailor]

I would highly recommend taking a whale watching excursion in Juneau.

In Skagway, take the excursion that includes breakfast at the Red Onion Saloon/former brothel or take the train ride.

In Ketchkan, my preference is to just walk around town making sure to see the Creek Street area.

[Colo Cruiser]

Check out Silver Cloud Hotels, they have several locations around town.

 

http://www.silvercloud.com/

 

In Juneau Taku Lodge was one of the best excursions we have ever done.

 

http://takulodge.com/

Edited August 12, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[flynmess]

I highly recommend the Mayflower Park Hotel. We took the lightrail from the airport...the hotel is just a few steps from the station (inexpensive, easy and fun). Great location, super friendly staff. We took a taxi from the hotel to the Pier the next morning. We opted to stay downtown since there's more to do. Not much around the Pier.

Juneau: We took a bus to Mendenhall Glacier.

Skagway: White Pass Rail

No matter what you do you won't be disappointed! It's been our favorite cruise so far. Enjoy!

[Pam in CA]

In Skagway, definitely take the White Pass Railroad but be aware that some excursions go into Canada and you'll need your passport. You can go to a bar anytime, even if it's quaint.

[satxdiver]

Skagway - definitely take the old time White Pass train up through the pass to the Canadian border. You can take it one way and take the bus the other way otherwise it can make for a very long day. It is very scenic and really nice riding in the old time cars.

 

Juneau - First time we went to Mendenhall Glacier. It is just outside Juneau so it is not a long trip. There is a visitor center there that is very nice. You can take an excursion or a taxi or even the city bus. Juneau like Ketchikan is only accessible by sea or air and not by road. If you have extra time the AK state museum is within walking distance of the ship. The big tourist stop is the Red Dog Saloon near the ship and being a tourist stop it is usually waiting lines only to get inside.

 

Ketchikan is where they were going to build the "bridge to nowhere". The airport is on an island and you have to take a ferry to get to the airport. There is a really nice venue just outside the town with totem poles gathered from the area, reconstructed huts and lodge and a good description of the native Americans that lived in the area. Don't miss going to Creek Street (yes, a creek actually runs in the middle of the "street" and it the location of the red light district in times of old. Now it is quaint shops and really nice to see.

 

Seattle - go to Pike Place and watch them throw the fish in the fish market then stroll through the area looking at the fresh fruit and flowers offered for sale. There are some nice restaurants there looking out over the Sound. There are many things to see in Seattle.

[geoherb]

Be sure to check out the Alaska board (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=55) for ideas about excursions. Some of our favorites have been kayaking in Ketchikan and in Juneau (in Mendenhall Lake), renting a car and driving into the Yukon from Skagway, and snorkeling in Ketchikan.

[SingerEsq]

Skagway - As others have said, the White Pass train up through the pass to the Canadian border is a great way to see a lot of Alaska. It departs at the ship dock. We did both up and back. We had more than enough time after to walk into town.

 

Juneau - We did a sea plane excursion. We wanted to do a helicopter and walk on a glacier, but it was cost prohibitive at the time. The sea plane, however, was great. I believe we booked through Princess, but I would bet you can find a tour online as well. If they ask anyone to sit in the co-pilot seat, jump at the chance. As the aviation bug, my husband got that privilege. The "airport" (i.e., the inlet) was within walking distance from the ship. Plane takes off and lands in the water. I had never done that. After the flight, we then took the tram up to the top of the "mountain" that overlooks Juneau. Easily walkable once you're up there, and fantastic panoramic views. We ventured back into the wooded area while up there (marked trails, again very easy walk) and found a beautiful open meadow.

 

Ketchikan -- Our entire family did a kayaking excursion through Princess. It was a bit of a drive (by bus, included in excursion), but we had lots of fun. None of us had ever kayaked before, but it was manageable for all of us (2 to a kayak). Then, walking through the picturesque town is not to be missed (the previously mentioned Creek Street). We could hear a lot of people really enjoying the logger / mountain men "show" that they have in town, and I have heard it is very entertaining.

 

Great cruise. You will enjoy.

[caribill]

Juneau - Harv and Marve whale watching. Maximum of six passengers for about the same price as a crowded Princess tour.

 

Book in advance as the available slots can fill up quickly. Just Google their name and go to their web site.

[pedinurse55]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Will definitely take notes of things to do and see. Also, thanks for the tips for things to do in Seattle. Can't wait until our trip!

[coldinerie]

We did whale watching, the railroad journey and the 'duck tour' in Ketchikan. The duck tour was really a great way to see the town.

[pedinurse55]

Juneau - Harv and Marve whale watching. Maximum of six passengers for about the same price as a crowded Princess tour.

 

Book in advance as the available slots can fill up quickly. Just Google their name and go to their web site.

 

Checked out the website and will definitely add Harv and Marv whale watching to our excursion to Juneau.

[pedinurse55]

Skagway - definitely take the old time White Pass train up through the pass to the Canadian border. You can take it one way and take the bus the other way otherwise it can make for a very long day. It is very scenic and really nice riding in the old time cars.

 

Juneau - First time we went to Mendenhall Glacier. It is just outside Juneau so it is not a long trip. There is a visitor center there that is very nice. You can take an excursion or a taxi or even the city bus. Juneau like Ketchikan is only accessible by sea or air and not by road. If you have extra time the AK state museum is within walking distance of the ship. The big tourist stop is the Red Dog Saloon near the ship and being a tourist stop it is usually waiting lines only to get inside.

 

Ketchikan is where they were going to build the "bridge to nowhere". The airport is on an island and you have to take a ferry to get to the airport. There is a really nice venue just outside the town with totem poles gathered from the area, reconstructed huts and lodge and a good description of the native Americans that lived in the area. Don't miss going to Creek Street (yes, a creek actually runs in the middle of the "street" and it the location of the red light district in times of old. Now it is quaint shops and really nice to see.

 

Seattle - go to Pike Place and watch them throw the fish in the fish market then stroll through the area looking at the fresh fruit and flowers offered for sale. There are some nice restaurants there looking out over the Sound. There are many things to see in Seattle.

 

 

Just realized you're our "neighbor." We live in New Braunfels. Thanks for all your great advice. Do you use a TA or book yourself directly?

[Ginger27]

We did whale watching, the railroad journey and the 'duck tour' in Ketchikan. The duck tour was really a great way to see the town.

We did the same things! Want to go back.

[LeeW]

Another option in Skagway is the eagle watch raft trip - ferry to Haines, bus to the eagle preserve, raft down and then lunch. But if you like old trains and gold history, the train is a better choice for the first time visitor. Up main street on the left near the Post Office is a huge gift shop for higher end items like Inuit carvings.

 

You CAN do multiple tours in Juneau. For example Orca Enterprises (family run whale watching) and the Mendenhall Glacier. Orca is in the two story building across from the tram station. Highly recommended! Glacier busses leave from the tram station and run around $8 roundtrip. Many companies sell tickets, but are very competitive - don't get on the wrong bus!

[augies]

I am in the process of planning our first Alaskan cruise on the Crown Princess for next summer, which will be leaving/returning out of Seattle and traveling the inside passage with Glacier Bay. I have a request from those experienced for recommendations for the following:

 

1). Recommendations for a reasonably priced hotel in Seattle near Pier 91 that shuttles to the port. Or, a reasonably priced hotel and other shuttle recommendations.

 

2). Recommendations for must do excursions out of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchican.

 

I appreciate any feedback that will assist in our planning.

 

Our all time favorite tour in Alaska is the Bear Country and Wildlife Expedition in Ketchikan. This is an awesome experience. The main attraction is black bears. We saw adult and baby bears in a beautiful natural environment fishing for salmon, playing, etc. This is a Princess tour and a little pricey at $199 ea. but worth every cent!!

[Chicagobearfan]

We just got back from the round trip to Alaska out of Seattle on the Golden Princess. We stayed at the Maxwell Hotel which is a block from Seattle Center with the Space Needle and the Chihuly exhibit. It is part of a new, small, boutique chain in the Seattle area. They serve pineapple cupcakes every afternoon as their group is the pineapple hospitality group. They provide a free shuttle between 8:30AM and 5:30 PM to several locations--Pike Place market, aquarium, zoo, Westlake shopping center, Space needle, Pioneer Square. You need to sign up at the front desk to arrange for these shuttles. They also arranged for a different company to provide a shuttle to Pier 91 for $7 per person. They also provide free parking and free bikes to use (along with helmets and locks). Our son and his family rode these bikes all around the water front one day.

In Juneau, we did the whale watching photo safari and Mendenhall glacier. Our tour guide was a photo journalist and he helped everyone use the correct settings on their cameras to catch the quick movement of the whales. This tour had a limit of 14 people to a boat. We saw humpback whales bubble feeding, orcas, eagles, sea lions. Even saw a bear eating a salmon at the creek near Mendenhall Glacier.

In Skagway we did the train ride to Lake Bennett one way and the bus on the Klondike highway the other way. You need your passports for this trip as it enters Canada. Magnificent scenery.

In Ketchikan, some in our group did the lumberjack show and others did the totem bight state park tour. Definitely save time to walk Creek Street as others have posted.

Glacier Bay is amazing!

Enjoy your trip. Half the fun is in the planning.

[pedinurse55]

We just got back from the round trip to Alaska out of Seattle on the Golden Princess. We stayed at the Maxwell Hotel which is a block from Seattle Center with the Space Needle and the Chihuly exhibit. It is part of a new, small, boutique chain in the Seattle area. They serve pineapple cupcakes every afternoon as their group is the pineapple hospitality group. They provide a free shuttle between 8:30AM and 5:30 PM to several locations--Pike Place market, aquarium, zoo, Westlake shopping center, Space needle, Pioneer Square. You need to sign up at the front desk to arrange for these shuttles. They also arranged for a different company to provide a shuttle to Pier 91 for $7 per person. They also provide free parking and free bikes to use (along with helmets and locks). Our son and his family rode these bikes all around the water front one day.

In Juneau, we did the whale watching photo safari and Mendenhall glacier. Our tour guide was a photo journalist and he helped everyone use the correct settings on their cameras to catch the quick movement of the whales. This tour had a limit of 14 people to a boat. We saw humpback whales bubble feeding, orcas, eagles, sea lions. Even saw a bear eating a salmon at the creek near Mendenhall Glacier.

In Skagway we did the train ride to Lake Bennett one way and the bus on the Klondike highway the other way. You need your passports for this trip as it enters Canada. Magnificent scenery.

In Ketchikan, some in our group did the lumberjack show and others did the totem bight state park tour. Definitely save time to walk Creek Street as others have posted.

Glacier Bay is amazing!

Enjoy your trip. Half the fun is in the planning.

 

 

Thank you for your tips and recommendations. You are right, the planning is exciting and hopefully will pay off when we finally set off on our cruise.

[KLLund]

We too took the White Pass Railroad... but it was raining quite steadily the entire day and the windows fogged up so that we all spent most of the journey wiping off windows so we could see ...

 

Also, It was still raining in Juneau (it actually rained the entire trip) so they cancelled the helicopter to the glacier ( which was to be the real highlight of the trip) and the sea plane excursions and scurried around to find places on buses for people to go to the glacier.

 

So I would just say, watch the weather and decide whether your excursion will still be fun if the weather is bad. The White Pass Railroad was a bust as far as we were concerned because we were confronted with the poor visibility caused by the windows. We did wander around Ketchikan, but it got really cold so we didn't even make it up to Creek Street.

 

It will all depend on how things go as to what you can do.

Edited August 14, 2014 by KLLund

[shepp]

Thing is, OP, you gave no indication of your interests and experience. (My husband and I, for instance, have seen plenty of whales - gray, humpback, and blue - in Mexico, Hawaii, and off San Francisco, so the appeal of an Alaskan whale watch isn't strong. We've already seen a bunch of bears, too. But we're birders, and will be taking our good binoculars along.)

 

We love hiking and nature, are value oriented, and don't particularly like the group tour experience. We also have had iffy weather on every Alaska cruise and would be reluctant to commit nonrefundable bucks to outside activities. And most of the limited number of ship's tours we've taken have had real problems and seemed overpriced. (Your emphasis on "reasonably priced" is like ours.)

 

So, though Mendenhall glacier is worth seeing, we've taken the bus there, gotten away from the crowds as much as possible, and gone on both the East and West Glacier trail hikes (the West trail is strenuous but amazing, offering near-aerial views of the glacier.) This time in Juneau, we'll probably just hike through the rainforest on the Rainbird Trail, with its easy access and great views. In Ketchikan, we'll be taking the $1 bus to Totem Bight park, and avoiding the Fisherman's Wharfish honky-tonk of downtown as much as reasonable. And we've decided to try a hike up Mount Roberts instead of taking the $32 tram ride; if the mountain is socked in with clouds, we just won't go. We've reserved a rental car in Skagway. The road to the Yukon, which we've driven before, parallels part of the White Passrail way route, is spectacular, and we can pull over and get out whenever we like. Total cost: $80 plus gas. If you like rock and roll and/or science fiction, the EMP in Seattle might be more fun than the Pike Place Market (though you can see both in a day).

 

Now, I'm not saying any of this is for you. Maybe you really want to see the Lumberjack Show, and so you should do it. As a first-timer, don't deny yourself. But Alaska is an easy destination for independent travelers, and I thought I'd offer some alternative suggestions.

Edited August 14, 2014 by shepp

[AZ Ocean Lover]

People rave about the Skagway Railroad trip but we did the rafting through the eagle preserve and absolutely loved it. The tour guides took such good care of us and we were able to visit Haines. The river trip is not strenuous but exciting enough. We would pull over and hike in different areas and while we never saw moose and bears we saw plenty of footprints. The eagles are amazing. I would highly recommend. It also got us back in time to do a little exploring in Skagway itself.

[shepp]

People rave about the Skagway Railroad trip but we did the rafting through the eagle preserve and absolutely loved it. The tour guides took such good care of us and we were able to visit Haines. The river trip is not strenuous but exciting enough. We would pull over and hike in different areas and while we never saw moose and bears we saw plenty of footprints. The eagles are amazing. I would highly recommend. It also got us back in time to do a little exploring in Skagway itself.

 

It's a real shame more ships don't port at Haines. It's very low-key compared to The Usual Ports. We rented a car, drove to the eagle preserve, and watched bears catching salmon just across the road.

[Colo Cruiser]

We like Sitka too, but not on too many iteniaries either.

[TheCruisingBrewers]

All of these are easily searchable on the internet....

 

Lets see for us it would be:

 

Harv and Marv whale watching, great experience, been whale watching MANY times here in Southern CA and the is no comparsion, small boats and great guides bring you so close you can hear them breathing.

 

Taku Lodge float plane- DH and I did this the last time wanting to cross off flying in an Alaskan float plane off our bucket lists. The trip was pricey but we still talk about it often. The salmon is to die for delicious and we bear-watched a mama bear and her cub (from a safe distance) while the salmon was cooking. The lodge is old and full of Alaskan charm. Flying over the glaciers and ice fields to get there gave you a sense of how vast Alaska really is.

 

Chilkoot Charters Yukon Rail and bus, is all the best of the White Pass Railroad and a trip into the Yukon. Great guides. The train ride is full of gold rush history. Take a camera with a good zoom! We did not do the train we drove it instead, on our last trip and were sorry we did not. It is great excursion!

 

I prefer shopping in Ketchikan and taking in the charm of Creek St. We had a pretty bad experience salmon fishing in Ketkikan. Was at just the start of salmon season and on the day of a huge fishing derby, so the competition was high. In hind sight salmon fishing in the Kenai in late July or August is likely a better place.

 

I still have dog sledding and salmon fishing left to do in Alaska, so maybe in the summer of 2016. I love Alaska and do not think I will ever grow tired of it.