ketchikan zipline bear creek - tight schdule?

[choover2576]

We are considering booking an excursion through NCL for the Ketchikan zipline bear creek.

 

The NCL excursion page says that it leaves at 8:30am and is a 3.5 hour excursion putting us at Noon.  The literary says that we will be in port 7am-1:15pm.

 

I feel comfortable with the timing if we book through NCL (is that a safe assumption?).

 

That won’t leave us any time to explore Ketchikan.  We will regret that?  We were initially planning on puttering around the town.  We have a 9 year old and 12 year old, so I think they’d prefer the zipline, but want to be sure we aren’t any missing any “must do’s” in Ketchikan.

 

My MIL really wants to zipline and it looks like this will be our only opportunity because we will be visiting Mendenhall Glacier and taking the White Pass Railway.

TIA!

[Jnsplace1]

I haven't heard much about the zipline in Keitch.  Many seem to perfer to do the lumber show, the walk the boardwalk/history, Misty fjords, etc.

 

Either way, you have to be on board by 1pm.   I guess it's up to you do determine if this is all you do.  Yes, NCL would be responsible for getting you back on time, if you book through them.

 

[SJSchell]

My concern would be weather. Do they cancel zip line trips for rain or only for lightning? If rain than there is a high probability it will be raining that day. Back up plan to explore the town? 

[Bellie]

I really enjoyed the zipline excursion when I did it back in 2011. There was a bit of drizzle that day but not enough to cancel the excursion. We had more time in Ketchikan so we were able to do a bit of wandering in town as well. I think if you all really want to zipline, it wouldn't be the end of the world if you skipped wandering through town.

[SightCRR]

If you have time may hinge on where the ship is parked. If the new pier at Wards Cove is open my guess is that zip line has to take you back to ship then you would need to get downtown and then back to ship. sightcrr

[SightCRR]

This says pier is 7 miles north of town. 

https://www.ktoo.org/2020/01/24/its-official-the-army-corps-of-engineers-green-lights-cruise-ship-dock-on-ketchikans-ward-cove/