What to do if your helicopter glacier trip gets cancelled due to fog/bad weather?????

[sarahjane]

We have our helicopter glacier trekking tour (4+ hours) scheculed to depart at 8 a.m. and done at 12:15 p.m. It sounds as if the morning helicopter trips are more likely to get cancelled because of fog or mist?
So how does that work? They just say sorry, you're not going? Do they substitute some other pretty good excursion in it's place? The problem is that if you've booked this, you obviously haven't booked anything else as a back-up. So most likely all the "best" excursions are already booked, and you just don't get to do something great?? I'm having a problem with this! Are there any great things to do at the last minute that aren't already all booked up? The glacier trekking is our BIGGIE for the trip, the most adventurous thing we could think of!
Has it happened to any of you guys? And what did you do instead? It's got to be a huge let-down.
Help me out with some advice on this!
thanks
sarahjane

Serenade to Alaska 7/25/04!!!
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Serenade 7/04
Enchantment 1/04
Voyager 7/02
Majesty 2/01

[jezzdogg]

Yes it happenned to us they could not get the helicopter up to the dog sledding camps, wound up running back to the ship and doing an excursion that they had some available room on.
Just to let you know we booked the dog sled at two different stops and got closed out of both, that is how warm it was last year.

norm

[Genessa]

we were cancelled out of the dog sledding.
When we went over to the tour leader for our tour number, she offered us an option to take a sea plane tour.

It was fun and better than doing nothing. We were only charged for the cost of the float plane, not the cost of the dog sledding.

[Budget Queen]

Are you booking this via the ship excursion or independent??? The ship may offer you something else. But to answer your question- yes flights get canceled all the time. Trekking and dog sledding more due to the fixed location. Regular glacier helicopter landings may have a choice of several locations per the pilots choice. There is nothing you can do about this nor predict the future. I have been canceled several times, never did make the glacier dog sledding. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Best advice - have back up plans. Look over a shore excursion list and see what else may interest you?? There is plenty to consider in Juneau, request their visitor guide- [url="http://www.traveljuneau.com"]www.traveljuneau.com[/url] Consider having some numbers of possible options.

[sarahjane]

Budget Queen,
How do we have back-up plans without actually making reservations and putting money down? You mean just think about what our alternate choices would be? Isn't it very likely that most of the popular (because they're good) things to do will already be booked up? I'd expect it to be very difficult to "get in" on a popular excursion at the last minute. Am I wrong about that?
Thanks for your experience!
sarahjane

Serenade to Alaska 7/25/04!!!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=da70d6&cdt=2004;7;25;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

Serenade 7/04
Enchantment 1/04
Voyager 7/02
Majesty 2/01

[Palomino]

The best thing to do is have alternative things you would like to do in case your excursion is cancelled. Make a list of alternatives and take the contact information for excursions with you.
We had a Misty Fjords flight cancelled once, so we grabbed a tour to Saxman (there was space). You won't want to waste time trying to figure out what else there is to do, and how to contact the operator. That's why I recommend you bring an alternative itinerary with you. You'll most likely find one of your alternatives open, especially if you aren't traveling with a group of 7 like I was.

As far as banking your trip on one excursion, I don't recommend it. Why not book one more flight excursion in another port just in case? Although our Misty Fjords flight was cancelled, we were able to do our glacier landing in Juneau. The flights were definitely highlights for me. On our next trip I have 2 booked as well. At least if one gets cancelled, there is another opportunity.

[Ann-Marie75]

Palomino, I have considered booking two different flight excursions in case one is cancelled. When do you have to cancel to not be charged the fee if you are able to take the first flight excursion?

Ann-Marie

[sarahjane]

I think if you book 2 separate flight excursions, you'd better be prepared to go on and PAY for both, just in case neither one gets cancelled. Pretty sure that you can't cancel a very desireable booking like that without losing a chunk of $$, at least half, on the deposit. Problem is, we are already spending a lot on other excursions we wanted to do, and the glacier trekking was our #1 first choice of ALL the excursions on the entire cruise. Can't really afford to book a second flight trip "just in case," you know?
I guess we'll just decide on some other choices in advance, and then scramble to find one that's available if the need arises.

have fun!
sarahjane

Serenade to Alaska 7/25/04!!!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=da70d6&cdt=2004;7;25;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

Serenade 7/04
Enchantment 1/04
Voyager 7/02
Majesty 2/01

[Budget Queen]

My suggestion is to look over an excursion list- rank perhaps 5 tours of interest. If you care to email me, or post here. I will try and give you contacts and probability of availability. Flights will probably not be available- but if the trekking is not an option, a flight still might be- think ahead if this is something you would consider. Since this is so important to you- you do need to NOT let this be your whole trip. I am hopeful everything runs for you. And correct- if you book any "back up " flights- you will be taking them unless canceled by the OPERATOR, or big cancelation fees if you cancel.

[email]Budgetqueenalaska@yahoo.com[/email]

[Palomino]

Ann Marie--I meant that you should actually plan to go on both. As mentioned, you can't usually cancel without penalties. If you choose 2 flights that are somewhat different, I don't think you will be disappointed with them, if you can squeeze them into your budget.

[GlacierLady]

If you get cancelled in Seward there is lots to do.Exit Glacier,Sealife Center,Iditaride,to name a few, which can be done at the last minute.