Kid Friendly Excursions

[mousecrazy]

I know this topic has been discussed before, but I can't get the search to cooperate. I would like to compile a list of child friendly excursions for each port. Please include as much information about the tour as possible like website address, phone number, tour name/description. And please tell me your child's age and why they enjoyed the tour.

 

My kids are 5 and 8. We are going on the NCL Star (Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Victoria) and am most interested in those ports, but I'm sure there's others out there that would like to hear about other ports as well.

[CanCanCase]

No specific suggestions here... I'm told I shouldn't promote any particular businesses here at cc.

 

My kids are 3 and 6. They always enjoy our fishing trips - be sure to find a charter boat that is "kid-friendly"... some of us fishing boat captains can be grumpy ol' codgers! :D

 

Whale watching tours can also be quite exciting. I've taken my kids on a few: the larger boats were a little harder to tolerate (for the kids), but there was more room to wander about. The smaller boats (the size of, say, Awesome Orca or a 6-pack charter) are usually much more interesting for the kids.

 

No matter what excursion you choose, bring the backpack full of games, coloring materials, snacks, etc...

 

-Case

[mousecrazy]

I'm still hoping to hear from families who have cruised with small children? Can someone help me out please? TIA

[FrogLover215]

Well, it's hard because so much depends on the individual child and his/her tolerance for long drives, etc. We will be taking our first cruise to Alaska this August, bringing along our 4, 7, and 12YO children. I'm happy to share our plans, and what else I've found in my research that seemed appropriate for children. Keep in mind that my children seem to enjoy pretty much anything and can tolerate 6-hour car trips with no problem. Also keep in mind that I've never yet been to Alaska, so I don't have direct experience with any of this.

 

Juneau: We are going whale watching, and chose Orca Enterprises (Capt. Larry) due to good reviews on this board. We'll also go to Mendenhall Glacier and look around a bit (don't know how much this will interest the kids). We'll try to fit in a salmon bake (probably at Gold Creek Salmon Bake because of the possibility of roasting marshmallows). Other things that looked child-friendly: a flightseeing tour. Things to avoid: Mendenhall Glacier float trip (as Budget Queen has described this as being a float past people's backyards); Macaulay Salmon Hatchery (I just don't see this as having a high kid-interest level).

 

Skagway: We're renting a car and driving to Emerald Lake, with dog-sledding in Carcross (on a wheeled cart, not snow). Hopefully the scenery will be entertainment enough. Keep in mind that many of the tour here have age/height requirements that will exclude your youngest. Other suggestions: White Pass Scenic Railway (long trip, but if your kids like trains it should be great); Alaska Nature & Wildlife Expedition (offered by Princess, but NCL might offer something similar); Eagle Preserve Wildlife River Adventure (uses a jet boat and people say it's not as good as the similar Scenic Float Adventure, but that one has an age limit). Things to avoid: any tours that highlight the "red light" history, unless you want to explain what that means or you think it will go over their heads.

[FrogLover215]

Sorry, it didn't give me room to post info for the last port we're going to:

 

Ketchikan: We plan to do Misty Fjords flightseeing, and maybe the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show (which is supposed to be cheesy and Disneyfied - in other words, perfect for the little ones). Other ideas: Lighthouse, Totems & Eagles Excursion or Back Country Jet Boat Adventure (both seem moderately interesting); Rain Forest Canoe Adventure (min weight 40 lbs); Rain Forest Wildlife Sanctuary; any totem pole tour; Orca Beach Rain Forest Adventure (min weight 40 lbs, walk 1 1/2 miles); Misty Fjords cruise (offered by Goldbelt Tours or Allen Marine).

 

Hope this helps! If you want any specifics or more of my opinions, just ask.

[CaribbeanBound]

Precruise Seattle

We stayed 3 nights at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel Towers, located at the corner of Pike and 7th. We had no need for a rental car. Great location. Highly recommended. We paid $75/night plus taxes bidding on Priceline.com We got a general idea of what to bid at biddingfortravel.com. The Sheraton hotel personnel treated us very well.

 

We were a party of four. Myself, my wife, a teenager, and a preteen girl. We had 10 bags. We caught an Airport Limousine from the SeaTac airport for $35 (including tip). Limos are located on the same parking deck as taxis --- just look to your right. Checked in at the hotel and explored the area. We spent the better part of Wednesday afternoon and evening at Gameworks. For $30/person you can play all their high-end video and electronic games for the entire day. They have like 500 games. This was a treat for the kids. We ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory located nearby.

 

On Thursday, we started the day walking down to the Seattle Art Museum ($15 total). Of interest, the Gilbert Stuart full-length portrait of George Washington was on display. [The kids were bored silly in the museum, but thought it was pretty cool to see the painting in the opening scene of -

X-Men 2). We ate lunch at the Rock Bottom Brewery. They have a great lunch menu which includes all your favorite sandwiches, including the Monte Cristo. My son is also fond of their Mud Pie. We then took the 2:00 pm reserved Boeing Tour hosted by Grey Line Bus Tour ($140 total). Awesome tour. Grey Line’s main station for tours is at the Sheraton. [The kids thought this was really cool]. Upon our return, our bus driver let us out in Pioneer Square where we experienced the Underground Tour (about $28 total). It too was fun. [The kids thought it dragged a bit, but we all learned a lot]. We returned to the hotel via the bus tunnel. Bus service is fast, and free, in downtown Seattle between 6am and 7pm!

 

On Friday, we took the bus back to Pioneer Square where we visited the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Museum. It’ll give you a great preview into the Alaskan Gold Rush before you get there, and it’s free. We then walked to Ivar’s Pier 54 for an early clam chowder lunch and checked out shops along the pier. (Hint: the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop has good prices on Dream Catchers). We visited Pike’s Market. We really enjoyed watching fresh fish being tossed around, and my son checked out the original Starbucks location. We stopped in at F.A.O Schwartz toy store at my daughter’s request on the way back to the hotel, took in a movie at one of the three nearby theaters, and ate dinner at Rock Bottom Brewery. (Hint: the lunch menu is better).

 

Saturday morning we explored the Westlake Center. It has lots of fun shops. (Hint: check out the food court on the top floor. It features almost every ethnic food you can think of). We rode the tram to the Seattle Center and walked around for a few minutes, and took pictures, but did not go up the Space Needle as it was VERY pricey. Got back to the hotel, packed, and took a Northpacific Limo Service towncar to Pier 30 for only $20 (including tip).

 

Alaska, by far, has some of the most expensive excursions. Frankly all of them look worthwhile. However, given the size of our group, we could not afford any of them. So we made our own arrangements. Here is how to do Alaska on a budget and see more of Alaska than most of the passengers on the ship!

 

Juneau: we rented a van for $65 from Rent-A-Wreck in advance and were met at the pier. We drove to Mendenhall Glacier Park where we took in the glacier and two self-guided trails: Photo Point and Nugget Falls (free). Toured the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery ($12 for our group of 6). Highly recommend both. Hit Safeway grocery store for an early afternoon snack and souvenirs. Upon returning the van we were given a gratis tour of downtown. We elected to be dropped off in town to shop.

 

Skagway: Rented a van for $75 from Avis which is located very close to the piers. We drove to Carcross, Yukon Territory, Canada (130 miles roundtrip). As it turned out, there’s really nothing in Carcross, but the trip was incredible. (It’s not the destination —– it’s the journey). There was almost no traffic at all. We saw but one bus, a truck, and maybe 2 dozen cars the entire trip. We saw bears, caribou, mountain goats and bald eagles. We saw snow capped mountains and crystal clear lakes, numerous water falls, sweeping valley and mountain views, raging rivers, the White Mountain Pass Train. The kids threw snowballs. We got back into town about 2pm and shopped. Many interesting stores. The place was packed with 4 ships in port. Enjoyed an Alaska Amber Ale at the Red Onion Saloon and were driven back to the ship by the folks at Avis. Between 8pm and 10pm that night we saw numerous Humpback whales, including tail slaps, and a breach within 50 yards of the ship.

 

Ketchikan: the skies were clear. Short-sleeved shirts were the dress of the day. We simply walked around town. They experienced an electrical power shortage for about 1 hour around 8am. Some shops closed temporarily. Not much time to do anything special in Ketchikan other than visit the National Park Service’s museum which was quite informative, and shop. The town had some really fun shopping opportunities. Three places to stop in... "Good God" and ask for a sample of his Special Reserve smoked salmon; "Sockeye Sams": a nice all-around store; check out the ancient whale bone carvings. Look for the awesome (and reasonably priced) fossils and gemstones at "Poker Creek Gold" , and ask for a taste of the Birch Syrup at “Sam McGees” on Creek Street.

 

Victoria, BC, Canada: $10 (Canadian) cab ride each way got us into downtown Victoria for beer, shopping, and sightseeing. It’s way too far to walk from the pier. [Kids were bored here].

 

Post Cruise in Seattle

We spent the day at the Woodland Zoo (outstanding all-around zoo) in Seattle and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma (a few nice exhibits in an otherwise aging zoo undergoing construction). Woodland Zoo great for kids. Point Defiance not worth your while.

 

Our complete review "Alaska on a Budget": http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/alaska.html

[mousecrazy]

Thanks for the info and ideas.

 

I found this article: http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/family/alaska-kids.cfm that has some information on traveling to Alaska with children.

 

And here's some Activity pages: http://www.mms.gov/alaska/kids/activity­_folder/index.htm

 

I'm surprised that I haven't been able to locate more information on traveling to Alaska with kids. Guess this just reinforces the 'marketing demographic' targeted for this type of adventure.

 

If anyone has any other ideas, please post. We leave on May 21 on the NCL Star..and my kids are VERY excited! Okay, I am too! ;)

[mousecrazy]

Skagway: We're renting a car and driving to Emerald Lake, with dog-sledding in Carcross (on a wheeled cart, not snow). Hopefully the scenery will be entertainment enough.

 

Can you share more information on the Dog-sledding in Carcross?

[FrogLover215]

Here is the text of an e-mail response I received from Marilyn at Caribou Crossing:

"We have two different offerrings for the dogsled ride. The first one is a package which includes the museum/puppy camp and ride. The ride portion is 15 minutes, and this includes the time to get on and off the sled. The rate for this is $37.50, and, because of the demand is first come first serve.

The second package is $57.25 which includes the museum/puppy camp and dog cart ride. The portion related to the dogs is 30 minutes. This includes a longer dog ride and an informative talk by one of the Yukon Quest Runners. During this time they tell you some of their experiences doing the Quest, and also explain how they work with their dogs. This package must be reserved in advance to ensure a spot. A $20 pre person advance booking fee is required. You can do this by sending visa/mastercard # and expiry date by fax: 867-821-4055.

 

There is an eating facility here at Caribou Crossing. We have a coffee shop which makes sandwiches, snacks, and gourmet pizza. Keep in mind that Caribou Crossing is about 2 miles past the town of Carcross on the highway.

 

The best time to avoid the groups is to come a bit later in the day, arriving here after 12:30 Skagway time. It takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours to come from Skagway to Caribou Crossing depending on how much time is spent taking pictures, etc. It is a beautiful trip, and if you take your time coming up, you will then be able to stretch your time here as long as necessary, and still have lots of time for the return trip. You might want to also consider the ATV rides and the goldpanning. One thing about coming up with your own vehicle - you have more time than the people booking this tour with a tour operator out of Skagway, so it works out great."

We are looking forward to doing this - we just have to pin down a time.

[bbcruiser]

We cruised with our son who was 18 months old back in 2004. I got the Alaska Cruise travel book from Frommers and it has info on things you can do walking around town. In Ketchikan, we got to almost all of the places listed for excursions by walking (little one in stroller). We got to see a lot of salmon because it was in August. In Juneau, we went to the Mendenhall Glacier (if your little one is very young, I recommend bringing a backpack since there are trails where you can hike). We took one of the blue busses up to the Glacier, very easy. In Skagway we mainly walked around town and shopped. Our son enjoyed the little park they have there (it has a swing set). The White Pass Railway seemed fun, but it was a bit long of a ride for our 18 month old.

 

We are going again this May and will plan on the White Pass (as long as weather looks good) and Mendenhall Glacier. Daddy and son will go as we now will also have a 6 month old with us. She'll just hang around town with mommy and grandparents.

 

There's lots to do and you can usually get excursions in port if you decide on last minute stuff.

 

Hope this helps

[twiceblessed]

I haven't gone to Alaska yet, but I know many kids who have done duck tours in other cities an enjoyed it, especially when it enters the water.

[CassCruise]

Mousecrazy would love to hear how you got on upon your return - we are doing a b2b with our (will then be) 6 & 8 year old in September - we have booked bear watching in Ketchikan with Michelle from Island Wings, Dog sledding (or if not helicopter to glacier) in Juneau (and will also hopefully catch the bus to Mendenhall Glacier) and a walk around in Skagway and the following week are doing Capt Larry and the Mt Roberts tram in Juneau, Lumberjack show and Duck tour in Ketchikan and I am taking our 8 year old on the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari in Skagway the younger will hang out with her dad! Still contemplating the train in Skagway but not sure that I would take dd's if we go............

 

Jane

[mousecrazy]

Here is the text of an e-mail response I received from Marilyn at Caribou Crossing:

 

Hey FrogLover215. Thanks for the lead on Caribou Crossing. I contacted Marilyn regarding the activities offered there, and she gave me some additional information:

 

"Some of the independant operators also offer tours from Skagway to our facility which can include the dogsled ride or the goldpanning with the tour. The people to check out for a package tour out of Skagway are: Chilkoot Charters, Frontier Excursions and Southeast Tours. All of these operators are reputable and offer slightly different package combinations.

The final option is to rent a vehicle and drive up the highway on your own. This last prospect is lots of fun as well - the roads are in good condition, so no problem with driving. If you come on your own, we can offer lighter meals in the coffee house. The museum admission is $7.25 for adults and $5.25 for children. Then if you wish to add on the dogsled ride or the goldpanning, the rates are $30 Canadian or $9.98 for goldpanning. All museum tickets includes admission to the puppies, miniature goats, etc., so the kids will love that along with either the goldpanning or dogsled ride or both. The dogsled ride is a wheeled cart that can sit 6 people at one time, and runs for about 15 minutes. The goldpanning is set up with an assistant to help. We guarantee gold with each pan, and provide a small glass vile to take your gold home with you when you are finished."

[BKM]

How did you get a location on the waterfront from Priceline? The area that you are bidding on for Seattle is so large, I would probably end up by the interstate. Did you just get lucky?