Alaska shore excursions sell out?

[CruiseBunny425]

Hello! First time poster. I’m doing my first solo in studio Alaska trip on the Bliss in April for my birthday. I already booked the bear one I want to do in Ketchikan (and hope the bears wake up early lol), but I’m also very interested in the White Pass train/bus tour where you go one way by train and back by bus and the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Quest. I wanted to wait to use my NCL MC OBC to book those, but worry about them selling out since I’m going so early in the season. Is that common for excursions to sell out before day 1 even starts?

[Dcoy]

Since your cruise is next year, NCL maybe still negotiating with tour operators  on tours & prices. I would not be surprised to see additional tours pop up closer to your cruise. 

[mapleleaves]

you might want to check with White Pass RR to see when they open in 2023.  I thought it was the beginning of May.

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, CruiseBunny425 said:

Hello! First time poster. I’m doing my first solo in studio Alaska trip on the Bliss in April for my birthday. I already booked the bear one I want to do in Ketchikan (and hope the bears wake up early lol), but I’m also very interested in the White Pass train/bus tour where you go one way by train and back by bus and the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Quest. I wanted to wait to use my NCL MC OBC to book those, but worry about them selling out since I’m going so early in the season. Is that common for excursions to sell out before day 1 even starts?

Welcome to Cruise Critic posting!

 

For the past 2 seasons (2021 and 2022), tour operators have had problems getting seasonal workers to come and run the tours. Some tours cancelled before the season started. And many tours this year are sold out before embarkation day. 

 

2021 and 2022 also have the challenge that Canada has not really opened their boarders for tours, so ship's tours (in general) are abbreviated and not crossing the border. 

 

I don't know what will happen in 2023. But if there is an absolute must tour, then book it before you go. 

 

BTW: April is a bit early for bears. 

 

[don't-use-real-name]

Don't be discouraged by being a solo single - often tours excursions wind up needing

a party of ONE to fill the docket. While cabin occupancy is based on double - tours and

excursions are not - sometimes working to your advantage to riding the shot gun seat on a

small van for the best seat in the house folks/couples sitting together.

[CruiseBunny425]

On 7/23/2022 at 10:18 AM, mapleleaves said:

you might want to check with White Pass RR to see when they open in 2023.  I thought it was the beginning of May.

I was able to book the Railway / Klondike Highway tour, so I hope that means it’s running. If not, I hope I get a refund. 🙂 

[CruiseBunny425]

On 7/23/2022 at 6:01 PM, BirdTravels said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic posting!

 

For the past 2 seasons (2021 and 2022), tour operators have had problems getting seasonal workers to come and run the tours. Some tours cancelled before the season started. And many tours this year are sold out before embarkation day. 

 

2021 and 2022 also have the challenge that Canada has not really opened their boarders for tours, so ship's tours (in general) are abbreviated and not crossing the border. 

 

I don't know what will happen in 2023. But if there is an absolute must tour, then book it before you go. 

 

BTW: April is a bit early for bears. 

 

If I see even one bear it will have been worth it. If not, at least I got to walk around something pretty? 🙂 

[CruiseBunny425]

On 7/24/2022 at 4:33 AM, don't-use-real-name said:

Don't be discouraged by being a solo single - often tours excursions wind up needing

a party of ONE to fill the docket. While cabin occupancy is based on double - tours and

excursions are not - sometimes working to your advantage to riding the shot gun seat on a

small van for the best seat in the house folks/couples sitting together.

Hoping that works to my advantage on the seaplane tour since I plan on using OBC to pay for it, so can’t book till on the ship. 

[tetleytea]

Free at Sea totally works to your advantage, being solo.  $50 off your first shore excursion ticket...oh wait, you're only a party of 1 anyway.

[CruiseBunny425]

On 8/14/2022 at 12:12 PM, tetleytea said:

Free at Sea totally works to your advantage, being solo.  $50 off your first shore excursion ticket...oh wait, you're only a party of 1 anyway.

Yeah I was confused about that. So in regular rooms is it more like $25 off per person? 

[PATRLR]

3 hours ago, CruiseBunny425 said:

Yeah I was confused about that. So in regular rooms is it more like $25 off per person? 

It really just $50 off the first passenger.  I suppose if both passengers go on the same tour it's effectively $25 pp, but, formally it's $50 off the first.

 

[Treasure Hunter]

Tours definitely sell out. If your plan is to book excursions thru the cruise line ( a good plan) you will be refunded if that tour is canceled. Weather will be a factor that early in the season. Expect very cold temps and maybe snow. The best tour we ever did in Alaska ( and a fortune but worth every penny) was a helicopter over the glacier to a dog camp where we went dogsledding with future Iditarod dogs. Amazing! Alaska is unbelievable and good you are going as there is half the ice and glaciers as our first trip 20 years ago.