Tracy Arm Excursion in August & Sea Sickness

[1stime88]

Ok, it looks like I can't do this excursion.

[kazda]

Is Tracy Arm on your itinerary? IF it is, you would book the add on Tracy Arm tour, though your ship shore excursions.

 

IF you are in port all day in Juneau- ex. 7am- 7pm- you can do this tour through Adventure Bound.

 

Hi Budget Queen

 

We're doing a southbound cruise in Star Princess late May 2016, of which Tracy Arm is not on our itinerary.

As we are in Juneau from 6:30am - 4pm, would that be enough time to do the Tracy Arm tour through Adventure Bound ?

And if so, could we also squeeze a whale watching tour in also, either through the ship excursions or independently ?

 

Travelling from Australia, this maybe our only trip to Alaska so want to get the most out of it.

[kazda]

Budget Queen, I found the Adventure Bound website and it looks like the Tracy Arm tour is not for us as it get backs to Juneau at 6PM and our ships departure is 4pm.

Edited July 10, 2015 by kazda

[xlxo]

As your cruise already has a glacier viewing (Hubbard Glacier & Glacier Bay).... I recommend Juneau things (whale watching, Mendenhall, etc...) as a priority instead of Tracy Arm.

Edited July 10, 2015 by xlxo

[xlxo]

Travelling from Australia, this maybe our only trip to Alaska so want to get the most out of it.

How are you getting to Whittier? Flying?

• Have you considered a cruising up to Whittier to double your port time?
  
• Have you considered HAL's Yukon/Denali option where you cruise halfway to Skagway where you then go over land and fly to the Anchorage area to join your Star cruise ship southbound?
  

There is so much to do in Alaska ports that many of us need to make more than one trip.

[Budget Queen]

Hi Budget Queen

 

We're doing a southbound cruise in Star Princess late May 2016, of which Tracy Arm is not on our itinerary.

As we are in Juneau from 6:30am - 4pm, would that be enough time to do the Tracy Arm tour through Adventure Bound ?

And if so, could we also squeeze a whale watching tour in also, either through the ship excursions or independently ?

 

Travelling from Australia, this maybe our only trip to Alaska so want to get the most out of it.

 

As you found out, no you do not have the time for Adventure Bound. Being you are so early, I would suggest you consider making some changes. Your southbound itinerary is a poor idea, if you are taking advantage of being mainland Alaska? Denali Park is significantly better in this timeframe with a north bound trip. I also think the northbound sailings have enough port time for Adventure Bound. Other issue is Hubbard is less accessible in May with it more frequent to have those disappointing 10 miles off viewing. College Fjords is spectacular and another highlight of Alaska travel.

 

But with your current idea of getting the most out of your trip, one "must" in my suggestion would be to insure you take a Prince William Sound boat tour. Very simple to add with your Whittier port.

[kazda]

As you found out, no you do not have the time for Adventure Bound. Being you are so early, I would suggest you consider making some changes. Your southbound itinerary is a poor idea, if you are taking advantage of being mainland Alaska? Denali Park is significantly better in this timeframe with a north bound trip.

 

But with your current idea of getting the most out of your trip, one "must" in my suggestion would be to insure you take a Prince William Sound boat tour. Very simple to add with your Whittier port.

 

 

Thanks for the reply Budget Queen

 

We are not taking partaking in mainland Alaska trips / Denali Park and the 28th May southbound departure from Whittier was within our price range. It was that or nothing at all.

 

When making bookings here in Australia for US /Alaska cruises we cannot book via online USA discount cruise agencies for Princess Cruises, hence we are already paying a hefty price for the cruise ($1969.00 AUS per person for balcony cabin) & with no onboard credit offerings to us, so late May pricing was more affordable.

We will definitely take your advice and do the Prince William Sound tour in Whittier.

 

Another planning issue was we wanted to finish in Vancouver and then look around there for a few days and then catch train to Seattle and then to Hawaii before heading home and Seattle offered better flight availability to Hawaii then flying out of Anchorage.

Hence the reason to my 'madness' of not doing a Northboard cruise., although I did consider it.

 

I really appreciate your advice and I read all your posts to gather any bit of information I can. so thanks again.

Edited July 12, 2015 by kazda

[Budget Queen]

When making bookings here in Australia for US /Alaska cruises we cannot book via online USA discount cruise agencies for Princess Cruises, hence we are already paying a hefty price for the cruise ($1969.00 AUS per person for balcony cabin) & with no onboard credit offerings to us, so late May pricing was more affordable.

We will definitely take your advice and do the Prince William Sound tour in Whittier.

 

 

Actually, you have no issue with your price. US on the Princess site, same cruise is almost $1900US now. :) You are paying less than $1500US. :)

[kazda]

Actually, you have no issue with your price. US on the Princess site, same cruise is almost $1900US now. :) You are paying less than $1500US. :)

 

We can't even look at the US Princess site as we get diverted to the AUS site once our IP address is known, so good to know pricing is in the same ball-park through Princess websites.

Although pricing through discounted US cruise providers did offer better pricing when I enquired with them, and that's when I was advised they can't offered their discounts to Australian citizens unless we were under the same booking as a US resident.

Edited July 12, 2015 by kazda