Help-Which Alaska excursions are 'Don't Miss' and how to do this all for a Newbie!!

[mnmama43]

This seems like a really helpful place so thought I'd ask. We just booked our 2nd ever cruise on HAL. First was NCL over 7 years ago to Caribbean-Meh!. We choose HAL (first time!) to Alaska. Starting July 25, 2024 on 10 day Denali starting in Fairbanks then, after 3 days on land, we cruise southbound 7 days and disembark in Vancouver.

I'm a bit overwhelmed with the excursion choices to make-some of them are already sold out. Here's my questions/pleas:

 

-I have a $200 credit for the HAL excursions but I know a lot of people talk about using other venders. My worries is WHO? I don't have anyone to ask or check with or plan this for me and I don't want to be stuck with a dud! When would I book those, and are any going to be 'same-day'?

 

-Which excursions, HAL or otherwise, are absolutely not to be missed?? This would be for 2 nights in Denali, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau and Katchikan. 

 

-Can we generally just make a day of wandering around the ports above? My hubby is not so hot to 'overbook ourselves' (his words) with back-to-back tours at every place for all day. We would like to be kinda chill and just see nice stuff and maybe eat really good local food. Could we even hang out on the ship a few of the ports and look at things from there?

 

-My main hopes are to see some whales!!!!!, maybe salmon swimming/spawning if in season, big game wildlife and awe-inspiring sights!  We have a lot of Bald Eagles where I live so not crucial I see those. 

 

Thanks everyone!!

 

[oakridger]

Use part of your excursion credit in Skagway to take the train.  Then after there is still time to look around Skagway.   Whale watching in Juneau.  I took Harv and Marv and had a great trip with only about 25 people on the boat.  Lots of whales and orca that day!

 

 

~Nancy

[dawnvip]

Agree whale watching in Juneau is awesome - pretty much guarantee sightings. Doubt you will see any salmon though. We found it hard to get a private tour operator (most are tied to the cruise lines) but check the Alaska port of call board for more info. 

 

Ketchican is easily done on your own. There is a bus stop right beside the port that does a loop around town for $1. If its raining, one of the bus stops is right at the Native totem pole museum (about an hour to see everything). Also stops at the old time boardwalk, great for shopping, seeing what it was like back in the day. Then wander back towards the port and you have a nice easy day!

[oakridger]

Oops...posted the same time a Dawn and Allan.  🙂  We did offer similar thoughts!

 

Hubbard and Glacier Bay you stay on the ship for scenic viewing (!!!!) and get commentary from the Park Rangers on board in Glacier Bay.  There should be two talks in the afternoon, one from the Ranger and possibly a native American speaker.   

 

Ketchikan seems like a good day to wander around town and DIY.  I've not taken any tours there but depending on your interests there are other things to do outside of town too.

 

Visit Ketchikan Alaska Sightseeing Tours in Ketchikan (visit-ketchikan.com)

 

Look on the Alaska Ports of Call forum as well, here on Cruise Critic, to find lots if info from a wider audience than just the HAL forum.

 

Alaska Cruises Q&A: Find Tips & Recommendations - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

 

Have a great cruise and enjoy the planning.  Alaska is just beautiful!

 

~Nancy

Edited November 8, 2023 by oakridger

[RuthC]

18 minutes ago, mnmama43 said:

-Which excursions, HAL or otherwise, are absolutely not to be missed?? This would be for 2 nights in Denali, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau and Katchikan. 

IMO, Hubbard is the most spectacular of all the glacier viewing opportunities. On a good weather day. On a bad weather day, none of them are great. 
But weather, at any of the glaciers is not under anyone's control, so my advice is, if an excursion there is offered, it will be on a smaller catamaran. It is a fabulous tour! 
You will transfer directly from the ship to the catamaran, then head closer to the glacier, and around the bay area. If there is calving (fairly safe bet there will be), you will feel it much more powerfully as the waves pass under your small boat, vs the ship. 
I took this excursion the last time I was in Alaska (I had never seen it offered before), and plan to take it again on my next cruise there. It's an entirely different perspective than the one you get from the ship. 
Oh, the sail up Disenchantment Bay is spectacular. Again, on a good day. 

I agree with oakridger that you should plan your whale watching tour in Juneau. Either a HAL tour, or a tour with Allan Marine would be good. 
I also agree that the train in Skagway is a good tour. I have done it twice, but have never taken the tour with the train one way and the bus the other. Similar sights, but from a different angle. I would love to take that. Maybe next trip. 

I think you will get a lot more out of your trip if you take tours, but you could think about 1/2 day tours, and then spending the rest of the day walking around and soaking up the atmosphere. 

[YourWorldWithBill]

You made a good choice, as HAL has been going to Alaska longer than any line, knows its way around, and may get the choice berths. Glacier Bay is an example, as the number of ships allowed each day is limited.

 

We decided that for the Alaska cruise we would splurge, as we weren't sure we'd be back. We loved our helicopter from Juneau to Mendenhall Glacier and walk on the glacier. Well worth it. In Ketchikan we did the black bear and nature walk and were lucky to see some bears close up; this was a real highlight. You're probably in the right season for whale watching in Juneau, if that's something you think you'd like.

 

We the HAL excursions, as we felt that Alaska was one place where using the choices of the line was important. Others might chose differently, but we thought it was worth it.

You can always hang out on the boat on a port day, and it will be less crowded. Not a bad thing to do.

 

Our cruise was the reverse of yours: Started in Vancouver, Denali and Fairbanks after the cruise. By the way, I said "we weren't sure we'd be back"... as soon as the cruise was over we were ready to return.

[RuthC]

I forgot to mention Denali! Sorry. 

On my first cruise to Alaska, I was strongly advised to go flight-seeing. I didn't go on that trip, but did on the next one. I went up 11,000 feet in a small plane at Denali. The original advice was so right! Picture-perfect day, sparkling snow and ice. Absolutely breathtaking! 
If you do only one flight in Alaska, this is the one to take. But there are others that are great, too. Misty Fjords is an excellent tour by plane. 

You don't have to try to do it all on one trip. You will be back to Alaska. 

[oakridger]

Harv and Marv's Outback Alaska | Juneau Whale Watching (harvandmarvs-juneau-whale-watching.com)

 

There are other well reviewed Whale Watch trips such as the company @RuthC mentioned, Allan Marine.

 

I didn't know about the catamaran tour Ruth mentioned at Hubbard Glacier, but would definitely try that if I go back again.  I took a catamaran tour with Allan Marine from HAL to Tracy Arm Fjord and it was excellent! I highly recommend that one. 

[oakridger]

3 minutes ago, RuthC said:

You don't have to try to do it all on one trip. You will be back to Alaska.

 

I agree.  I thought I would only go once in 2002...four times later and I "think" that will be it, but, who knows???  😉

[RuthC]

2 minutes ago, oakridger said:

 

I agree.  I thought I would only go once in 2002...four times later and I "think" that will be it, but, who knows???  😉

Yup! I took my 'one' cruise to Alaska in 1990. I have now cruised 17 weeks there on a combination of 1, 2, 3, and coming up a 4-week cruise there. 
Plus a HAL land tour, and a couple of weeks independently. 

The 2019 3-week cruise there may have been the first time the tour at Hubbard Glacier was offered. Mostly I have taken HAL tours, but have also walked around (or scooted on a mobility device), so I have seen a lot. 

Oh, one more thought for OP: 
In Skagway, do walk around the town. It is mainly shops, but the facades of the buildings are interesting. Check out the Arctic Brotherhood Lodge, and learn the story of the front of the building.
There is also a National Park Ranger building close to the docks; the same area the train leaves from. Great museum inside. 

[mnmama43]

Wow - I'm talking detailed notes. Thanks everyone so far!

 

[Gsel]

Have been to Alaska 11 times, from Fairbanks to Barrow. Ten cruises and one by plane and motor home. I highly recommend Jayleen's Alaska in Juneau. Have also done the air trip to Denali, absolutely wonderful! 

[OlsSalt]

Ketchikan: You can also take the local bus to Totem Bite State Park if you want to really immerse yourself more deeply into the local culture, totem poles and short walks into this beautiful coastal scenery.   https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/southeast/totembigshp.htm

 

Skagway: Agree, the White Pass train is a must and a great way to appreciate the history of the Yukon Gold Rush and the National Historic Park Yukon Gold Rush displays and visitor center in town. https://www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm

 

Juneau: did have an original Woolworth's store, still operating a few years ago - if it is still there.

 

Hubbard Glacier: still our very favorite. Hope you get to see and hear the massive calving that can happen with regularity at this location.

 

Denali land trip: There was a recent trip report about one of the land and sea combination cruises - may offer some helpful tips. Search for "copper 10-8".

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by OlsSalt

[unclerich]

So much to agree with. You're getting great advice. In Ketchikan I have to add Island Wings seaplane tour. It was fabulous and memorable. https://www.islandwings.com/mistytours.html

[Caribbean Chris]

Good plan to go on a whale watching tour.

 

We had been on several other whale watching tours in Eastern Canada so opted for a sea otter & wildlife quest tour on our last Alaska cruise. I love watching the sea otters.
 

It was a gloomy, rainy day with minimal otter-sighting but the boat captain took us to a place other boats had been seeing whales that morning. Suddenly a humpback whale began putting on a show for us, breaching repeatedly for quite a long stretch. Wow! We’d never seen anything like it.

[Angel75]

You've made a great choice for a cruise!  In 2019 we did a 7-day cruise on the Westerdam.  We took the HAL small group whale watch and Mendenhall Glacier tour in Juneau, and just loved it.  In Ketchikan we took the floatplane tour with Island Wings mentioned above (booked independently).  I highly recommend it.  We rented a car in Skagway and drove to the Yukon as far as Emerald Lake, using Murray's Guide to the South Klondike Highway.  In all three ports we had time to wander around the towns after our tours.  A humpback whale swam alongside our ship in Glacier Bay while we were sitting on our balcony - just magical!  You'll have a fantastic time!

[syesmar]

@mnmama43

—Skagway: Agree to do the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park after the train. Hopefully, there will be a walking tour or other ranger-led event; they are fun!

 

—Juneau: whale watching would be a priority + Mendenhall Glacier viewing. You will likely pass a beachy area with lots of eagles! We bought a Mt Roberts Tram ticket on board our ship, but it was so cloudy they allowed us to return it for free, so it was risk-free. We went to the Alaska State Museum one trip in the late afternoon after whale watching (some days or hours are free days, too!).

 

—Ketchikan: there are lots of options. We have done this independently. You can stroll around town easily. Last time we took the bus to Potlatch Totem Park and Totem Bight (the landscape is just lovely!), then a taxi to the hiking trails at Ward Lake and then a taxi back to town. The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is there, too, if you have time. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/about-forest/offices/?cid=fseprd547855

hiking trails: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5413489.pdf

Have fun!

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by syesmar

[skrufy]

I would skip the train and book a whale watch out of Juneau. You can book an independent whale watch right on the dock, you can’t miss the vendors.  Skagway and Ketchikan are nice to walk around and have lunch. Our first trip to Alaska, we just walked around the towns, only 1 excursion that was in Skagway, a bus tour. 

[Puchi boy]

Katchikan Lumberjack show was lots of fun. Best part is you can take a gingerly walk from the pier, through town, and be there in 30 minutes.

 

[YourWorldWithBill]

In case you don't get to see the lumberjack show in Ketchikan (or choose something else), if you are in Vancouver for a day there is a lumberjack show on Mt. Grouse, which is an interesting place to see, with a nice cable car ride up to the top of the mountain.

[Haljo1935]

You've received lots of tips to help you put together a great trip!

For us, not-to-miss (in addition to Whute Pass Rail in Seward) is Ketchikan 4x4 self drive. This is the one port we welcome rain as the wetter, the better! We did this our first AK cruise and now make it a staple.

You can book through the ship or through various providers. https://www.alaska.org/detail/adventure-kart-expedition

 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[EarthByShip]

Ketchikan- Bears by SeaPlane. We did Noordam SB end of July 2022.  Lots of excursion splurging. No regrets. 

[EarthByShip]

Juneau- Lots of whales. Gotta be quick but not “worry so much about getting photos “

[sambamama]

You can easily do Ketchikan on your own. It is small and rains about 350 days a year. I just went in, walked around for awhile, and came back to the ship. I took Harv and Marc's whale watch and it was awful. Our captain decided to do her own thing, and all we saw was a brief tail. I would book elsewhere. In Skagway, I recommend either the railway or a van drive to the Yukon territory and back, which is what I did. That was fantastic!

[Haljo1935]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:43 AM, Haljo1935 said:

You've received lots of tips to help you put together a great trip!

For us, not-to-miss (in addition to Whute Pass Rail in Seward) is Ketchikan 4x4 self drive. This is the one port we welcome rain as the wetter, the better! We did this our first AK cruise and now make it a staple.

You can book through the ship or through various providers. https://www.alaska.org/detail/adventure-kart-expedition

 

Update to say Skagway not Seward. Geez, sorry.