Has anyone NOT done paid excursions?

[Luv2cruz1000]

On 4/30/2023 at 8:21 AM, surgie said:

Our family of 11 will be on a northbound cruise in July 2024 Vancouver to Seward. My husband and I have previously been the same route and did a paid excursion (booked independently) at each port (Harv and Marv whale watching, Deadliest Catch boat, Dogsled demonstration etc.)

 

This time our kids will decide what they want to do as a family at each port. The cost of excursions have gone way up since 2015 so I'm collecting a list of free or inexpensive things to do at each port and they can decide I they want to go that direction or do a group excursion. We plan to rent vans in Skagway to do our own sightseeing.

 

I don't want to feel like we are "missing out". Kids are 5-11. Has anyone not done paid excursions and felt great about it LOL? 

In more direct answer to the unpaid excursions. We loved just wandering Ketchikan with a self guided walking tour! One of our best days.

[Eileen G]

15 hours ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

We are beginning to plan skagway and have rented from "Green jeep" however this trip we too have been shocked by car rental prices. Anyone have suggestions in Skagway without a car. Looking at the river float trip. Don't want to spend the day shopping and feel we missed out on seeing the area.

 

There is the Klondike National Historic Park right in town. They have several tours through out the day. We have done several. One was about Soapy Smith and the large rock he painted gold. That rock is in the Skagway cemetary which you can get to by the shuttle. There is also a nice waterfall a short walk past the cematary. We have also taken the easy hikes to Yakutania point and lower Dewey lake.

[Eileen G]

15 hours ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

We are beginning to plan skagway and have rented from "Green jeep" however this trip we too have been shocked by car rental prices. Anyone have suggestions in Skagway without a car. Looking at the river float trip. Don't want to spend the day shopping and feel we missed out on seeing the area.

 

There is the Klondike National Historic Park right in town. They have several tours through out the day. We have done several. One was about Soapy Smith and the large rock he painted gold. That rock is in the Skagway cemetary which you can get to by the shuttle. There is also a nice waterfall a short walk past the cematary. We have also taken the easy hikes to Yakutania point and lower Dewey lake.

[latebuyer]

Sounds like there is a lot to do without spending a lot! My last time to alaska i did the skagway train, and then did my own thing in juneau and ketchikan. This time i'm going to the Bering Fisherman's tour, alaska raptor centre and mendenhall glacier. I like to choose just one big thing and do small things for the other. I think you enjoy the one thing you do more rather than being overloaded with expensive excursions. Also some of these expensive tour are overrated. My sister did the sled dog one and while her kids enjoyed it she said it was over priced. I'm glad to be the type of person who enjoys inexpensive things rather than one that can only do expensive ones to get enjoyment.

[latebuyer]

Also wanted to add, am i the only one who likes to shop? Ketchikan had some really nice stores. I'm looking forward to Sitka that has some artsy stores as well. I'm also excited to go to the sealaska store in juneau that someone in this forum talked about.

Edited June 6, 2023 by latebuyer

[latebuyer]

However i do think if you are going to Alaska more than one time, you do need to find something else to do so you may end up having to do expensive excursions eventually.

[CynCyn]

We did something new in Juneau.  The Alaskan Brewing Company has opened a restaurant next to their gear store. You can try their beers and eat a snack,  we shared the appetizer plate with bbq salmon, brisket, wild boar burnt ends, and reindeer sausage,  it was delicious! The adults also tried the beer!

[LEMJMcC]

Following this thread as we just booked a cruise for next July (2024).  Here's the itinerary:

9:30 AM - 5:00 PM    Sitka  

7:00 AM - 5:00 PM    Skagway 

5:00 AM - 10:00 AM  Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier (Cruising, I assume)

1:00 PM - 8:00 PM    Juneau

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM  Victoria, BC

 

My wife and I enjoy a variety of activities from shopping to hiking and biking and just looking around.  The best option is a combination of both where we can get some exercise while enjoying the surrounding. Looks like there are several hours of daylight during the summer with sunrise at 5:00 AM and sunset at 10:00 PM, so that really opens things up.

 

Are there any easy to moderate hikes at the various ports-of-call?

Are rail excursions worthwhile?  What about whale-watching excursions? 

 

We anticipate having to pay a LOT for pretty much any excursion, but we ask ourselves just how often will we make the long trip out to the west coast to take another Alaskan cruise.  With that in mind, we don't want to skimp, but neither can we mortgage the house!

 

Thanks.

[wreckem2013]

11 hours ago, LEMJMcC said:

Following this thread as we just booked a cruise for next July (2024).  Here's the itinerary:

9:30 AM - 5:00 PM    Sitka  

7:00 AM - 5:00 PM    Skagway 

5:00 AM - 10:00 AM  Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier (Cruising, I assume)

1:00 PM - 8:00 PM    Juneau

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM  Victoria, BC

 

My wife and I enjoy a variety of activities from shopping to hiking and biking and just looking around.  The best option is a combination of both where we can get some exercise while enjoying the surrounding. Looks like there are several hours of daylight during the summer with sunrise at 5:00 AM and sunset at 10:00 PM, so that really opens things up.

 

Are there any easy to moderate hikes at the various ports-of-call?

Are rail excursions worthwhile?  What about whale-watching excursions? 

 

We anticipate having to pay a LOT for pretty much any excursion, but we ask ourselves just how often will we make the long trip out to the west coast to take another Alaskan cruise.  With that in mind, we don't want to skimp, but neither can we mortgage the house!

 

Thanks.

I do a mix of paid excursions and diy hiking excursions.

 

On our back to back in two weeks we are doing a whale watching tour each week(harv and marv and glacier wind). We are also doing two full on hiking days one at Mendenall and one at Exit Glaicer(hoping to complete the Harding Icefield trail. We are also dyi in Sitka. It’s best to do a mix or what you can afford. I’d say do atleast one paid excursion and that being a whale watching tour. IMHO if was white pass train or whale watching, I’d do whale watching. But honestly I’d recommend both(Harv and Marv  in Juneau for whale watching and Chillkoot Charters for White Pass Rail in Skagway). 
 

All told we are paying $2k for all our excursions over the 14 days, that’s 6 paid excursions and 3 diy. Only 1 of our six paid excursions is through the cruise line because it’s only offered through cruise lines.

Edited June 16, 2023 by wreckem2013

[tetleytea]

My first time cruising Alaska (and if I cruise again I will be in the double digits), I attended the shopping presentations on the cruise ship.  Free giveaways and such.   The "Shopping Consultant" gave out these port scavenger hunts, where you would go to all these shops in port and have your passport shopping books stamped.   And then you got some free swag thing.  Well anyway whatever ship you're sailing, your shopping presentation on board will probably have some sort of marketing thing to incentivize you with free stuff to go out and explore all the shops.    For my first time to the Alaska cruise ports, that was fine for me.   Ketchikan clearly was the best shopping port (and the best port for taking a free walking tour).   

 

My second time to Alaska, that strategy wasn't going to cut it.  I had to book some excursions.   But let me tell ya, if they were playing Princess Price Is Right on the ship, I would have won.

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by tetleytea