Best port for helicopter glacier landing?

[karen_g]

When we go on our Alaska cruise, my husband and I would definitely like to do a helicopter glacier-viewing excursion with a landing: No dog sledding, just a glacier landing and short look-around.

 

The "pilot's choice" tour with 2 glacier landings in Juneau sounds really excellent! Problem is, there are so many other things we'd like to do in Juneau that I'm wondering if there is another ** equally-good ** port for our helicopter glacier viewing. Our other ports are: Ketchikan and Skagway.

 

If anyone is familiar with helicopter glacier tours in several ports, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

[newbie_mke]

We had the same dilemma. In Juneau we did not have much time to squeeze in another tour. So we went with TMESCO in Skagway. They are professional. We tool the Dog Sledding but there were people for the Glacier Landing as well.

 

Now, food for thought. We booked via a booking agent Alaskan Icefield Expeditions for the morning 9 AM Helicopter tour Why? They were 50$ cheaper per pax. Also, they promised to have us rescheduled for later tours if the morning tour was cancelled. And if all tours were cancelled in Skagway, they told that they would accommodate us in Juneau if possible. Well, would they have done it? Not sure; but we wanted to keep our options open. Frankly Alaskan weather changes by the hour; so the advice of not taking morning tours is not at all valid. We did the Harv and Marv successfuly in Juneau at 7:30AM

[Budget Queen]

Helicopter glacier landings are available out of both Juneau and Skagway. Also Seward, if you happen to be there.

[karen_g]

Would you say that the glacier viewing and landing experience is about the same in both Juneau and Skagway?

[Budget Queen]

Would you say that the glacier viewing and landing experience is about the same in both Juneau and Skagway?

 

Yes, very similar. I have done several out of both locations.

[karen_g]

Thanks so much. That's what I really wanted to know. Didn't want to forgo doing it in Juneau if it were vastly superior to Skagway.

 

And Newbie_mke, thanks for the tip about Alaskan Icefield Expeditions and making a booking for early in the day.

[newbie_mke]

Yep Karen. Go ahead and book it for Skagway. Dog Sledding gets cancelled more often than Glacier Landing, if you compare the two.

Go with a open mind and dont get sad if it gets cancelled. Alaska is beautiful - with or without glacier landing :)

 

Cheers!

[world_traveler_et]

When we go on our Alaska cruise, my husband and I would definitely like to do a helicopter glacier-viewing excursion with a landing: No dog sledding, just a glacier landing and short look-around.

 

The "pilot's choice" tour with 2 glacier landings in Juneau sounds really excellent! Problem is, there are so many other things we'd like to do in Juneau that I'm wondering if there is another ** equally-good ** port for our helicopter glacier viewing. Our other ports are: Ketchikan and Skagway.

 

If anyone is familiar with helicopter glacier tours in several ports, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

 

In 2013 I had the same problem. Do you know if the earliest flight with Temsco is booked? We opted to take the first Pilot's Choice tour from our ship (7:45 AM - 10:30 AM). This still gave us time to go to the Mendanhall Glacier (via the blue bus), walk to Nugget Falls and go inside the visitor's center.

[world_traveler_et]

Yes, very similar. I have done several out of both locations.

 

Budget Queen,

Did you prefer the scenery or glacier experience in Juneau or Skagway? We did the Pilot's Choice in Juneau (Gilkey Glacier & Juneau Icefields) the tour in Skagway has 40 minutes on the glacier.

 

Have you also taken the glacier point wilderness safari? If so, which did you feel was a more superior experience in Skagway.

 

I have also done the Scenic Bennett Journey which had fantastic scenery. I would have done it again but I am looking for a new experience.

[rpcv77]

Hi,

I did my Alaska cruise in mid-June. I can't speak to helicopter glacier landing in Juneau vs. Skagway, as we only did it in Juneau (loved it, used Coastal). However we did the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari in Skagway and really enjoyed the whole trip very much. It was lovely to spend a good bit of the day away from the touristy port. We saw orcas, a sea lion rookery, numerous waterfalls etc. The short hike, canoeing and wading through glacial waters at the Davidson Glacier were great (we had crystal clear weather). We had our picnic lunch in the meadow before we left and our guide picked wild strawberries for us. It was an active excursion, but not overly strenuous. The guides were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and funny. The naturalist on the boat ride out to glacier point was also great. We had the first trip of the day and returned at about 2:00 pm, with plenty of time for other things before leaving Skagway. Highly recommend this trip. Have a great cruise.

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen,

Did you prefer the scenery or glacier experience in Juneau or Skagway? We did the Pilot's Choice in Juneau (Gilkey Glacier & Juneau Icefields) the tour in Skagway has 40 minutes on the glacier.

.

 

Glaciers are in a constant state of change. These tours also have multiple landing areas, depends on that day- between the pilot and conditions.

[world_traveler_et]

Hi,

I did my Alaska cruise in mid-June. I can't speak to helicopter glacier landing in Juneau vs. Skagway, as we only did it in Juneau (loved it, used Coastal). However we did the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari in Skagway and really enjoyed the whole trip very much. It was lovely to spend a good bit of the day away from the touristy port. We saw orcas, a sea lion rookery, numerous waterfalls etc. The short hike, canoeing and wading through glacial waters at the Davidson Glacier were great (we had crystal clear weather). We had our picnic lunch in the meadow before we left and our guide picked wild strawberries for us. It was an active excursion, but not overly strenuous. The guides were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and funny. The naturalist on the boat ride out to glacier point was also great. We had the first trip of the day and returned at about 2:00 pm, with plenty of time for other things before leaving Skagway. Highly recommend this trip. Have a great cruise.

 

If you had to pick between the Juneau helicopter landing and the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari in Skagway which would you repeat? You mentioned that the glacier point wilderness safari was active but not strenuous do you think it would be to active for a 75 year old person? I would like to do the trip but I am not sure if it would be too much for my mom. Were there any other older passengers on this trip?