Alaska Shore Excursion for 2022

[sabrefan]

Going on the Orion June 12th, about 110 more days to go. The shore excursion for our cabin class will open on March 27th. However when I go into my account on the Viking site, I see shore excursions with costs and description. It also states that these are of course not available for purchase yet. I just wonder if this listed of shore excursions will change much if at all? I would think that those leaving on cruises in May might already have some experience with this.

[dwlmg]

We are on the 12 July sailing from Seward. We have looked the WHALE WATCHING & MENDENHALL GLACIER PHOTO SAFARI on the Viking web site. We have seen an offering of this excursion done by Gasineau Guiding and they have some very positive reviews for this excursion on line. Can someone verify that Viking's offering is done by Gasineau Guiding? 

[dd57]

I went on this excursion in 2018 and it was with Gastineau Guiding.  One of the best excursions I've ever been on for the whale watching part.

[dd57]

Sorry, I meant 2019.

[dwlmg]

49 minutes ago, dd57 said:

I went on this excursion in 2018 and it was with Gastineau Guiding.  One of the best excursions I've ever been on for the whale watching part.

dd57 Thank you.

[katjop]

Please share your excursion experiences and advise when you return from your trip.  We just booked Viking's Alaska for June 2023 and we are first time cruisers.  We are usually independent travelers but are hesitant to book independent tours as we aren't familiar with the ins and outs of cruising.  Thanks!  Go Sabres and Go Bills '22.  (We are also from the Rochester area

.)  

[katjop]

Hi Sabres Fan  Did you enjoy your Viking cruise?  I would love to hear about your excursions.  We are able to select ours starting April 13.  Froma Bills and Sabres Fan in Rochester, NY

[Vagabond51]

Having lived in downtown Juneau for 40 plus years I hopefully can offer some advice. If your going to buy excursions, go with Whale Watching (or flightseeing). Gastineau Guiding does a cracker jack job. Plus, you don't have your own boat or plane. EVERYTHING else should be done by hiring a taxi or tour driver from the dock. Especially Mendenhall Glacier. May I also suggest should you go to the Glacier you ask the driver to take you to the end of Montana Creek Road, just about 15 minutes from the Glacier road. Get out of the cab, walk across the old bridge that has been shut down to vehicles, and resume the road walk that hugs Montana Creek for about 2 miles, going as far as you wish, or have time for. Eagles, Salmon, relatively wild Alaska. You will not regret the time, very special place. Gastineau Salmon Hatchery right midtown is worth a stop. The Shrine of St. Terese is a 40 minute cab ride and one of the most scenic jaw dropping views in Southest Alaska. AND... most summer days whales will be there. You won't get as close as a boat, but a much better time. If you go whale watching, its become Coney Island Alaska style, but still a memorable day. Have fun, hope this helps. Oh... and stop at the Sand Bar in the Valley for a basket of Halibut, half the cost, much more in the basket and five times as good as the tourists shops next to the cruise dock! But it's a bar and pretty much a dive, where locals eat their butt.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Vagabond51

[sabrefan]

Sorry for the delay in excursion review that we did back in June. Due to a delay in this cruise we did not go to Sitka. Ketchikan we just walked around town as we had been to Ketchikan before. Juneau we did the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watch. Auke Bay had a lot of whale activity. Saw both Humpback and a pod of Killer Whales. In Skagway we did a river raft and bald eagle reserve watch. We took a catamaran from Skagway to Haines. River rafting was calm and very relaxing, saw a few bald eagles along the river. We also did a whale watch in Icy Strait Point, saw a few humpbacks but not as many as in Auke Bay. Our last excursion was a whale watch in Seward, went into Fjordland National Park. Saw Humbacks, Killer Whales and bald eagles. All of our excursions were through Viking.

 

Go Sabres

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, Vagabond51 said:

Having lived in downtown Juneau for 40 plus years I hopefully can offer some advice. If your going to buy excursions, go with Whale Watching (or flightseeing). Gastineau Guiding does a cracker jack job. Plus, you don't have your own boat or plane. EVERYTHING else should be done by hiring a taxi or tour driver from the dock. Especially Mendenhall Glacier. May I also suggest should you go to the Glacier you ask the driver to take you to the end of Montana Creek Road, just about 15 minutes from the Glacier road. Get out of the cab, walk across the old bridge that has been shut down to vehicles, and resume the road walk that hugs Montana Creek for about 2 miles, going as far as you wish, or have time for. Eagles, Salmon, relatively wild Alaska. You will not regret the time, very special place. Gastineau Salmon Hatchery right midtown is worth a stop. The Shrine of St. Terese is a 40 minute cab ride and one of the most scenic jaw dropping views in Southest Alaska. AND... most summer days whales will be there. You won't get as close as a boat, but a much better time. If you go whale watching, its become Coney Island Alaska style, but still a memorable day. Have fun, hope this helps. Oh... and stop at the Sand Bar in the Valley for a basket of Halibut, half the cost, much more in the basket and five times as good as the tourists shops next to the cruise dock! But it's a bar and pretty much a dive, where locals eat their butt.

I just took a picture of this post for future reference. Thank you 

[dd57]

In 2019 we took the Viking "Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari" excursion in Juneau.  The excursion was with Gastineau Guides and was awesome.  There was at least one person on the excursion who wasn't a photographer, but wanted the experience.  Others used their cellphones, iPads, and "real" cameras.  The guide did discuss photography and camera settings.