Heli tour vs. Taku lodge seaplane in Juneau

[travel_frog]

We're thinking of splurging on an air tour in Juneau during our port day there in June. I've done a helicopter tour with glacier landing in Girdwood a few years ago and want my family to experience this as well. On the other hand, Taku lodge seaplane tour also sounds amazing and seems like they fly over Juneau Icefield as well, so we get glacier experience... Any pros and cons for either to help us choose one over the other? In case it makes a difference, we'll be in port 1-10pm.

 

Also, is it better to book this kind of tour through cruise line or do you have recs for direct booking with flight operators?

 

Thank you!

[rkacruiser]

I have experienced the Taku Lodge and Salmon dinner flights and recommend it.  The flight to and from the Lodge does fly over 5 glaciers in the Juneau ice field.  There is narration by the pilot.  Each passenger has a set of earphones so the clarity of the narration is excellent.  The experience at the Lodge is very pleasant with time to do some exploring of a trail at the Lodge.  If your party includes children, they, particularity, will be delighted if a bear appears after the Salmon is grilled to eat the bits left on the grill.  The adults enjoyed that as well!  I have not experienced a helicopter tour.  

[DougH]

I liked the Taku lodge flight more than my helicopter flight. It is getting pretty expensive IMHO. My favorite is actually a flight over Glacier Bay with Mountain Flying Service out if either Skagway or Haines.  But any flight anywhere is pretty nice

[DaveOKC]

On 4/30/2022 at 1:01 PM, travel_frog said:

We're thinking of splurging on an air tour in Juneau during our port day there in June. I've done a helicopter tour with glacier landing in Girdwood a few years ago and want my family to experience this as well. On the other hand, Taku lodge seaplane tour also sounds amazing and seems like they fly over Juneau Icefield as well, so we get glacier experience... Any pros and cons for either to help us choose one over the other? In case it makes a difference, we'll be in port 1-10pm.

 

Also, is it better to book this kind of tour through cruise line or do you have recs for direct booking with flight operators?

 

Thank you!

I would book through the cruiseline as I trust them more than some unkown quanity locally (yes some are great and others not so).  Just look at last year's Ketchikan Misty Fords seaplane crash.