Non-CL Excursions/Tours

[reeltrouble11]

(Non-Cruise LIne offered excursions, I mean)

 

We are taking our first Alaskan cruise next month, with two 13 year olds, and trying to make the most of our experience. I would really like to take my son fishing (Ketch) , and then do a whole family whale/wildlife tour (Juneau). I want to look outside of our cruise line for these two, specifically, as I know I can get them at a much lower price that way. Without saying what specific companies to search for, is there any help you can give me to point me in the right direction for my searches, instead of just a broad Google search?

 

Thanks!

[CruiserBruce]

Have you looked down the board at the many, many threads on each port, with recommended vendors? There is all the vendors you will ever need discussed here.

 

We can mention vendors names if we have used them.

[reeltrouble11]

Have you looked down the board at the many, many threads on each port, with recommended vendors? There is all the vendors you will ever need discussed here.

 

We can mention vendors names if we have used them.

 

 

I will go through and do that, thank you. I thought the names couldn’t be used, so didn’t try that first. Sorry

[inspectorcheapo]

We use Tripadvisor, which bought cruisecritic. I have found many helpful posts and have many great tours there. Be advised thought if someone gets hurt while on a private tour, meaning not from the cruise line you may have to pay big bucks when you get treated on the ship. We had a friend whose foot was smashed in the transport van. When we got back to the ship they treated her and there was no bill. It could have been ugly price wise. Just giving you one more thing to think about. We did a whale tour on a private tour and it was a blast, small boat and one of the van drivers daughters birthday was on board, we had cake and great memories.

[JT1962]

We generally do non-ship excursions and have never had an issue. There does not seem to be as much of a price difference in Alaska as we have found in the Caribbean though. What you do usually get is smaller groups, possibly a longer tour and better service.

 

 

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[1025cruise]

Unfortunately, you may be pushing it for scheduling excursions if you are cruising next month. A lot of the popular ones book very far in advance.

[donaldsc]

We use Tripadvisor, which bought cruisecritic. I have found many helpful posts and have many great tours there. Be advised thought if someone gets hurt while on a private tour, meaning not from the cruise line you may have to pay big bucks when you get treated on the ship. We had a friend whose foot was smashed in the transport van. When we got back to the ship they treated her and there was no bill. It could have been ugly price wise. Just giving you one more thing to think about. We did a whale tour on a private tour and it was a blast, small boat and one of the van drivers daughters birthday was on board, we had cake and great memories.

 

That is why you buy travel insurance. One one trip, both my wife and I were in the ship infirmary on the same day for different reasons. Our travel insurance paid for everything. Just don't buy insurance from the cruise company. Over priced and under valued.

 

DON

[JT1962]

I used M & M Tours Sales in Skagway located in Skagway. They have over 40 options in Skagway and offer other options in Juneau and Ketchikan as well. Very helpful staff that are actually Alaskan residents. Great prices.

 

 

What excursion did you choose? How was it? How much did it cost?

 

 

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[Budget Queen]

Do not expect big discounts booking independent in Alaska. It is not the Caribbean. :)

 

I would not suggest booking through a Skagway company- for tours in Juneau and Ketchikan. They would simply be a booking agent , not the vendor. It is not difficult to book direct with vendors, and being I am very picky is the only way I book. Especially with both these 2 specific tours, I'd want to know a lot more details then using a booking agent who is only concerned with commissions.

[JT1962]

I disagree. The Tour booth I went to in Skagway is not commissioned. That is why I feel M & M Tour Sales in Skagway is the way to go. Good honest people is rare. Apparently not in Skagway. Not these guys.

 

 

 

C.W.F.

 

 

This sounds like a representative of the tour company. Beware of new posters with glowing reviews but no details of the tour they took, time they went, etc. and posting the same message in multiple threads. These types of postings are a violation of the CC policy. Always report these types of postings so the moderators can verify they are legitimate.

 

 

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[Herfnerd]

That is why you buy travel insurance. One one trip, both my wife and I were in the ship infirmary on the same day for different reasons. Our travel insurance paid for everything. Just don't buy insurance from the cruise company. Over priced and under valued.

 

DON

 

Ditto. We always buy travel insurance - I wouldn't count on the ships medical staff to be able to treat major trauma/illness either. Check with Insuremytrip.com or Squaremouth.com

 

OP - when we were in Juneau, we used JuneauTours.com for our whale watching/Mendenhall Glacier tour. Awesome experience and less than half the cost of the ships tour.

[CruiserBruce]

We use Tripadvisor, which bought cruisecritic. I have found many helpful posts and have many great tours there. Be advised thought if someone gets hurt while on a private tour, meaning not from the cruise line you may have to pay big bucks when you get treated on the ship. We had a friend whose foot was smashed in the transport van. When we got back to the ship they treated her and there was no bill. It could have been ugly price wise. Just giving you one more thing to think about. We did a whale tour on a private tour and it was a blast, small boat and one of the van drivers daughters birthday was on board, we had cake and great memories.

 

If I were seriously injuried in Alaska on a tour, I would go to a hospital, and my insurance would cover it. American citizen, American insurance, American state and hospital.

 

Of course if you aren't going to do something based on a far less than 1% chance of a problem....guess I shouldn't be in Europe right now.

[capriccio]

OP - when researching private tours (which are almost all our excursions) I start with TripAdvisor and then go to the appropriate Port of Call Board. For Alaska you are on it. Use the Search button entering each port. You can also break this post into two separate ones with new titles: Recommended Whale Watching/Wildlife Tour in Juneau; Recommended Fishing Tour in Ketchikan. Have a lovely trip - we leave on our 3rd Alaska cruise at the end of the month.

[donaldsc]

If I were seriously injuried in Alaska on a tour, I would go to a hospital, and my insurance would cover it. American citizen, American insurance, American state and hospital.

 

Of course if you aren't going to do something based on a far less than 1% chance of a problem....guess I shouldn't be in Europe right now.

 

You are right except what if the illness or injury occurred on the ship. Once you get to the American hospital, you will be covered but I bet that you can run up quite a bill on the ship before you get to the hospital.

 

DON

[Budget Queen]

I disagree. The Tour booth I went to in Skagway is not commissioned. That is why I feel M & M Tour Sales in Skagway is the way to go. Good honest people is rare. Apparently not in Skagway. Not these guys.

 

C.W.F.

 

They are a booking agent. And do NOT operate either the whale watch in Juneau or a fishing tour in Ketcikan

 

Both these tours, have multiple differences between similar listed tours. The details are especially important for fishing, and for me, whale watching as well. Sure a lot of people, don't have preferences or don't know about the differences. Knowledge is power in travel perhaps?