Juneau excursion

[Aubriee01]

We are interested in doing a helicopter ride over the glacier and dog sledding on the glacier.  We'd be there in mid September.  Has anyone done this excursion and if so how did you book it, how much was it, and was it worth it?

[Coral]

4 hours ago, Aubriee01 said:

We are interested in doing a helicopter ride over the glacier and dog sledding on the glacier.  We'd be there in mid September.  Has anyone done this excursion and if so how did you book it, how much was it, and was it worth it?

Unfortunately this is not going to be an option for you.

 

The excursions that do this in Skagway and Juneau go to glaciers that will no longer have snow come mid-August. Though this year, Alaska is incredibly warm so I suspect the excursions will stop earlier rather than later.

 

There is one excursion in Anchorage that goes to a glacier that goes until early September. Just looked at their website and they have Sept 10th as their last date. It may actually be earlier but their website says Sept 10th.

 

This is an issue with going late in the season. 

 

Edited to say some may book your dates but definitely ask them the chance of the tour being cancelled and ask them how late their ran their tours last year. This is not a tour that ever runs past mid-August most years.

 

I wish people would figure out tours they want to do before they book so they are not looking at disappointment when the tours are not running when they cruise. This happens a lot in Alaska 😞 I hope you can find a tour that you are happy with.

Edited March 21 by Coral

[Aubriee01]

Thanks!  Sorry we can't do it, but I'm sure we'll find another excursion we'll enjoy.  We are easy to please and not picky.

 

Any suggestions for mid September?  We are not interested in hiking or ziplining. lol

Edited March 21 by Aubriee01

[Coral]

2 hours ago, Aubriee01 said:

Thanks!  Sorry we can't do it, but I'm sure we'll find another excursion we'll enjoy.  We are easy to please and not picky.

 

Any suggestions for mid September?  We are not interested in hiking or ziplining. lol

Taku Lodge is very popular. Whale Watching also. You can still do a glacier landing - just not dog mushing. People rave about Mendenhall glacier landing (I wouldn't recommend going to the visitor center and face of the glacier).

[Aubriee01]

Thanks!  Who would you recommend for a glacier landing?  and why not go to the visitor center and face of the glacier?  I thought Mendenhall glacier was the main thing to see in Juneau?  We'd really like to walk on it, even if we can't do the dog sledding.

Edited March 22 by Aubriee01

[Coral]

A ton of people go to Mendenhall visitor center and look at the face of the glacier and hike Nugget Falls.

 

The glacier from that view has retreated so much - I just don't think it is worth it. I think it is popular because it is economical.

 

I wasn't that impressed 25 years ago and am even less impressed now. If you had planned on landing on a glacier - that experience is going to be far superior than this.

 

Just my opinion.

[lobsternight]

We will be doing the glacier landing this year, looks great. From past experience I also suggest the Taku Lodge trip. Great views of the glaciers, good salmon BBQ, more than likely to see a bear, fun floatplane trip

 

Don't forget to stop in at the Red Dog Saloon for a Duck Fart

[Aubriee01]

1 hour ago, lobsternight said:

We will be doing the glacier landing this year, looks great. From past experience I also suggest the Taku Lodge trip. Great views of the glaciers, good salmon BBQ, more than likely to see a bear, fun floatplane trip

 

Don't forget to stop in at the Red Dog Saloon for a Duck Fart

Who do you book through for either the glacier landing or the Taku Lodge?  I know nothing about Alaska and am just now starting to research.

[lobsternight]

@Aubriee01 you may book Taku lodge either through your cruise line or direct with Wings Airways.  Wings has multiple departures all day long, probably want to avoid the first flights out as sometimes fog will force a cancellation.  Look at their utube video, sums it up.

 

The Glacier Landing we are booked on is the Pilots Choice flight through Temsco Helicopters.  Saw someone's photos on the ship last year and just had to do it.

 

Another interesting tour we took in Ketchikan was the Blackbird Hovercraft tour, thought I'd mention that

 

[Aubriee01]

Thanks so much for the information.  We'll check into it.

[Donwoods123]

When we were in Juneau one time, we went on a Princess excursion that was a canoe ride to the base of the Mendenhall Glacier and we got to walk in the glacier.  We really enjoyed it.  

[wolfie11]

19 hours ago, Donwoods123 said:

When we were in Juneau one time, we went on a Princess excursion that was a canoe ride to the base of the Mendenhall Glacier and we got to walk in the glacier.  We really enjoyed it.  

I don’t think they do that anymore.  Not much glacier left to walk on.

[Ileneilene123]

On 3/24/2024 at 5:26 PM, lobsternight said:

The Glacier Landing we are booked on is the Pilots Choice flight through Temsco Helicopters.  Saw someone's photos on the ship last year and just had to do it.

We are also looking for a Glacier Landing (with Dog Sled) excursion in Juneau. Unfortunately, Temsco does not have one during our afternoon in port. Any other 3rd party company recommendations? Thx. 

[karatemom2]

On 3/29/2024 at 3:50 PM, wolfie11 said:

I don’t think they do that anymore.  Not much glacier left to walk on.

 
They still do the tours but no longer advertise the ice caves or glacier trek as part of the experience. You still canoe across the lake and trek as near to the glacier as is possible for the close up views. We are considering it for our September cruise as it is something we have never done and it sounds fun. It’s still a well reviewed tour and a chance to see the glacier in a new way then we have ever seen it before. 

[LAX]

On 4/2/2024 at 7:56 AM, Ileneilene123 said:

We are also looking for a Glacier Landing (with Dog Sled) excursion in Juneau. Unfortunately, Temsco does not have one during our afternoon in port. Any other 3rd party company recommendations? Thx. 

Please share if you end up with other recommendations. I am planning for next year and want to know what options are available since we won't be in Juneau until the afternoon.

 

LAX

 

[wolfie11]

2 hours ago, LAX said:

Please share if you end up with other recommendations. I am planning for next year and want to know what options are available since we won't be in Juneau until the afternoon.

 

LAX

 

Try Coastal.

[Ileneilene123]

7 hours ago, LAX said:

Please share if you end up with other recommendations. I am planning for next year and want to know what options are available since we won't be in Juneau until the afternoon.

 

LAX

 

We actually ended up booking the excursion through HAL. They scheduled one with a 5:15 pm departure which will work after our return from the Tracy Arm excursion. 

[2BACRUISER]

The day we are scheduled in Juneau there are 6 ships due in 🙄🙈 in that case is it preferable to do a ships excursion or just get a private one booked early. Probably looking at either whale watching or dog sled camp 🤔

[Lirio]

The day we are schedule there are 8 ships due........Almost everything is fully booked. 

[LAX]

20 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Try Coastal.

Thanks. It's probably too early to start emailing them to inquire about availability for 2025. I figure they are likely gearing up for the upcoming cruise season at this point.

 

Have you heard of Northstar? That's another company I was able to find through searches. Not sure which one is the best (Temsco vs. Coastal vs. Northstar) if they are all available.

 

LAX