ALASKA EXPERTS -Help Please!!

[Murphey]

If you could have done only 1 shore excursion on your Alaskan cruise, which one would it have been? Thank you to all that take the time to respond!!

[PreciousPain]

My favorite shore excursion was in Skagway.

I did a Yukon Jeep Adventure excursion.

http://www.alaskaadventures.com/pages/skagway_yukon.htm

It was so much fun and so much to see.

 

~*Precious Pain*~

 

Holiday 12/91 - W. Caribbean

Sunbird 7/01 - Mediterranean

Grand Princess 6/03 - E. Caribbean

NCL Sky 7/03 - Alaska

Next up -

Golden Princess 2/05 - S. Caribbean

[Tina0922]

In Juneau, took helicopter up to Mendenhall Glacier and then walked around. It was AWESOME to stand and see this massive block of ice.

 

Tina

 

Upcoming voyages:

Carnival Fascination May 14

Caribbean Princess June 12

 

Carnival- 7 voyages

Celebrity- 3 voyages

NCL- 2 voyages

Princess- 2 voyage

Royal Caribbean- 7 voyages

 

[srphnx]

St. Therese's shrine in Juneau. It is so profoundly peaceful and pristine. Also as it is not well publicized it is rarely crowded, I have been there alone once. Just rent a car at the dock and take the only real road up about 15 miles. It is also dead cheap, as there is no admission and we rented the car for about $25.

 

<FONT color=red>Alaska</FONT>

Diamond Princess 05/04

Mercury 06/02

Rhapsody o.t. Seas 05/98

Legend o.t. Seas 09/95

<FONT color=red>Mexican Riviera</FONT>

Diamond Princess 04/04

Sea Princess 01/02

Vision o.t. Seas 04/02

Star Princess 12/02<FONT color=red>

West Coast-Baja Mexico</FONT>

Ecstacy 09/01

Vision o.t. Seas 10/02

<FONT color=red>Eastern Carribean</FONT>

Century 12/97

<FONT color=red>Western Carribean</FONT>

Century 9/96

 

[Chester]

Helicopter Landing on the Glacier Icefields in Juneau was awe-inspiring. It was followed closely by the seaplane tour of the Misty Fjords.

 

Cruise the "Ports" board under Alaska - your question comes up frequently with many good, informative replies.

 

Rest assured that no matter what you do or where you go, Alaska will always give you more memories than you can remember so don't sweat trying to figure out the "best" thing to do.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[Palomino]

Definitely try to get on at least one flight to really appreciate the vastness of the land. I have done the glacier landing in Juneau with Coastal Helicpoters ($$$) (wonderful) and the Anan Bear Watch ($$$$)(amazing)with Island Wings out of Ketchikan.

 

Alaska is beautiful, but do get out of town where the 1000's of people are shopping and into the wilderness.

[Guest]

It would have to be a helicopter ride out onto a glacier.

 

May you have clear skies and calm seas!

 

[Murphey]

Thanks for all your help. As we can't do "everything" and the Alaskan tours seem to be more "expensive" than normal, we have to pick and choose carefully. All your input was appreciated!!

[geoherb]

One of the less expensive excursions offered through Princess is snorkeling in Ketchikan. It was a fantastic experience.

[starsjohn]

On the cheap, a nice walk up to the Deer Mountain Eagle Center and Tribal Hatchery in Ketchikan. Small donation and not on ship tours as far as I know.

 

Bear watching on Neets Bay which is a flyout from Ketchikan. Lots of bears and nice views from the float plane. Price has really gone up on this one.

 

White Pass and Yukon railroad train ride up the White Pass. Affordable and great scenery.

 

John

[vacationhappy]

Mendenhall Glacier - without the excursion. There is a lot to see, hiking, and wildlife and it is virtually free.

 

We saw salmon spawning, black bears, and eagles.

[CruisinChris]

Wildlife seeking boat trip in Juneau. Also highly reco the train in Skagway the bike ride to Dyea in Skagway.

 

Cruisin' Chris

 

 

 5/19/04 Grand Princess Baltic Heritage

 

[islandermg]

We have done Alaska 4 times and I think Our best trip was actually the 5-day pre-cruise land tour from Calgary to Vancouver with Princess. Stayed at the best hotels and just signed for meals. Luggage all taken care of each night and then in our cabin on arriving at the ship.

dirk

[starsjohn]

Here is another freebie. The National Park Service hosts a free walk and guided tour around the infamous town of Skagway. Join the tour at the park headquarters next to the WP & Y main rail station.

 

John

[Murphey]

Great suggestions everyone...appreciate the input, especially the "walk". Get to see something neat and have dessert in the evening!! One more thing, I assume that when you get off the ship there will be lots of "local" people with which to book something. We try to do one thing a week from the ship and the rest "on our own".

[starsjohn]

Yes, in Juneau the tour booths are at the aerial tram station. In Ketchikan you can find tours on the wharf and in the large visitors center at the wharf. Seward is the only place I have not seen any tour people but then again, I am off the ship early for fishing. Skagway, you will find tours all over the place, from the wharf and completely through town.

 

John

[hulagirl101]

I think my favorite was the Wildlife/Whale-watching excursion on Auke Bay in Juneau. We saw tons of whales & other wildlife and Auke Bay is spectacular.

 

I agree on Mendenhall Glacier - just take the inexpensive blue bus (which you can find in the lot just above the Mt. Roberts Tramway building). They run about every 15 to 20 minutes. Go and spend as much or as little time as you like, explore the visitor center, walk the trails, etc.

 

[Hlitner]

Last summer we were on the Crystal Harmony, and decided to "bite the bullet" and take the most expensive excursion on the cruise. We flew from Juneau by helicopter and were given a good 30 minute air tour on our way to a glacier. We than landed on the glacier, at a dog sled camp, and got to drive dog sleds in a large 3 mile circle in the region around the camp. Most of these dogs are Iditarod dogs who train in this camp during the summer months. We were very lucky because the day that we were in Juneau was crytal clear with the temperature near 70. The pictures of my wife driving a sled (with 9 dogs) still make me smile.

 

Hank