Great excusion in Ketchikan

[Cathy Young]

I wanted to share our GREAT excursion experience in Ketchikan. We sailed on the Diamond Princess which offered an Exclusive Filighseeing & Crab Feast Tour. We booked it early because there was very limited availability. I believe there were 2 tours offered with a limit of 12 people per tour. It included a fantastic ride in a De Havilland Beaver float plan with panoramic views of the Tongass National Forest, Mountains, lakes,and a waterfall before landing on the water in George Inlet. We walked up the pier to the Old Inn for a personalized greeting from the host as he told us about the art of crabbing, and spoke of other interesting information about the area. We were seated in a welcoming dining room, decorated with Alaskan artifacts included a bear skin rug on the wall. It had a fireplace burning and large windows that gave everyone a waterview. The meal was delicious. First we were served smoked samon with crackers, then salad, and a whole Dugeness crab (with melted butter) followed by cheesecake topped with blueberries. This definately was one of our most memorable experiences!

[wspatton]

Glad you had a great time!

 

I wonder if your Crab meal is the same thing I am getting on my "Wilderness Exploration & Crab Feed". :confused: :confused: :confused:

 

As described in brochure:

 

"Explore Alaska’s wilderness by boat and savor Dungeness crab amid the

hospitality of a historic Alaska lodge.

 

Leave downtown Ketchikan behind on a narrated drive that follows the

coastline past scenic sites that include canneries, an old sawmill, totem

poles and waterfalls. At the George Inlet Lodge, board your vessel and

cruise the Inside Passage waterway on a seven-mile journey that

explores the region’s history and natural beauty. Pass the George Inlet

Cannery and learn about fish traps and the “pirates” that plagued the

area. View a short seam gold mine and the Mahoney Glacial Cirque, with

snow-capped mountains and 2,000-foot waterfalls. A river at the bottom of

the valley is host to salmon, bears, eagles and other wildlife.

Cross the fjord and view the Tongass rain forest in all its splendor.

 

Aremote cove is home to a Dungeness crab fishery and sees little boating

activity. Volunteers help pull crab pots, and while these crab are set free,

you first have the opportunity to see them up close and learn about their

anatomy and life cycle. Important measurements and statistics are

recorded for Fish and Game. Once the pots are reset, return to the lodge

for your well-deserved meal.

 

Relax in the rustic charm of the lodge while seated at linen-draped tables.

Crack the shell of your crab and relish the rich delicacy of its meat. Your

banquet includes an Oriental salad, steamed baby red potatoes and

cheesecake smothered in Alaska blueberries."

 

Any comments welcome.

 

Bill

[Cathy Young]

Bill,

I sure it is the same inn and meal. When we were there we saw another grow arrive by bus and they dined in the larger room next to ours. I'm sure you will love the food!

[Cathy Young]

Bill,

Let me try that response again. I'm sure your bus trip in Ketchikan goes to the same Inn that went to, and you should have the same great meal and views! There was another dining room next to the one we were in, and as we were leaving a bus tour was just arriving. I believe that there is also a third tour that goes to the Inn by a boat.

[wspatton]

Bill,

Let me try that response again. I'm sure your bus trip in Ketchikan goes to the same Inn that went to, and you should have the same great meal and views! There was another dining room next to the one we were in, and as we were leaving a bus tour was just arriving. I believe that there is also a third tour that goes to the Inn by a boat.

 

Thanks Cathy! I am looking forward to this one. We had a hard time trying to decide on the best way to spend our time in Ketchikan. Definitely did NOT want to fight the crowds in town. Glad to hear this is a good choice, at least food wise!

 

What other stuff did y'all do?

 

Bill

[kirstie101]

We also did this excursion, minus the float plane.

 

We were suppose to be fishing in Ketchikan but when we arrived we found out our charter had to cancel due to a medical emergency. We went to the visitors bureau and we're looking for something else to do when we stumbled upon this. And I must say it is now one of our favorite memories from our cruise! Wonderful staff, wonderful food (and beer) and a wonderful time! We even saw a bear on our bus ride over to the George Inlet Lodge. My husband, who was very depressed over his cancelled fishing trip, ended up saying to me as we were eating our crab, "I guess everything happens for a reason."

I'm so glad we found this excursion at the last minute.

[natesfirewife]

I have been trying to see if the George Inlet Lodge is open for lunch or if it is only open for tour companies. I thought we might rent a car and just drive the 15 miles to the lodge and not spend the $500 for four of us to have a crab meal. LOL. Any suggestions?

 

Misty

[cruisegirl]

Is this an excursion that can be booked through a cruise line or is it an independent excursion? I can't seem to figure that out from the posts. Hope I'm not just missing the answer to my question!

[ONLINEAHOLIC]

It is the same meal. Truly a great tour.

[natesfirewife]

I called and talked to the Inn. They only take people through the tours and is not open for walk ins. I believe they also said you had to book through the ship but frankly I can't remember. I didn't feel like paying over $500 for a crab lunch for the four of us so they recommend some places in town for crab.

 

Misty

[cricketz]

We (group of 8) did this excursion on our May 27, 2006, Summit cruise. You do have to book through the ship's shore excursions. A bus picked us up at the ship and we had a little tour through town on the way to the inlet and lodge. Upon arrival we put on slickers and took boats holding about 16 out to the crab nets, where one of the group gets to bring up the basket holding dungeness crabs, while our guide gave an interesting lecture. I think there would have been sightseeing involved, but it was raining and foggy and hard to see anything from the boat. We returned to the lodge for a wonderful crab dinner with wine or beer. I had called to make sure we'd have an all-you-can-eat dinner, which you do. However, you do only have a certain amount of time in which to eat, so don't waste time on conversation! The crab was delicious, as was the blueberry cheesecake. Fortunately we did have about an hour to walk around town before sailing, because it would be a shame not to see Ketchikan and Creek Street. We were docked right in town so an hour was plenty of time for sightseeing.

[cruisegirl]

The crab was delicious, as was the blueberry cheesecake.

 

This may seem like a strange question but do they serve anything besides crab? I'd love to do this my husband doesn't know what is good and won't touch crab!

[codyody]

Trusty Google found the website www.catchcrabs.com where it appears you can book a tour independently. I emailed for more info.

[LarryF]

This may seem like a strange question but do they serve anything besides crab? I'd love to do this my husband doesn't know what is good and won't touch crab!

 

I have the same question as my wife is allergic to crab, but the tour sounds great...