Alaska Shore Excursions-Not Booked with X

[JoyFrances]

There are 8 of us travelling this June 20th on the Infinity. One member of our group raised the question of booking shore excursions on our own and not through X. The party line of course is that shore excursions booked through the cruise line ensures that you will not be left behind if there is a problem with the excursion and in the event the ship cannot dock at a port, your money is refunded. I know that but....there is a difference in price. In my opinion, the difference in price is your "insurance policy". Please give me your experiences in order that we can make an informed decision. Also, if you have booked on your own who have you used that you would recommend without hesitation.

 

Thank You

 

Joy

[CruisingChick]

It all depends how comfortable you feel in a certain port. We have done both independent excursions and cruise ship excursions depending on port, how much time we have in port and what the cost difference would be. Usually an independent tour is better but not always.

 

We did whale watching in Juneau with an independent tour, but the entire tour was from our ship, so when Summit was late docking in Juneau it didn't matter because they were waiting for us anyway. You will usually find that most independent tour operators are very willing to work with the ship's schedule.

 

The ports of call Alaska board has TONS of information on tours, etc.

 

Have a great time.

[Jade13]

There are 8 of us travelling this June 20th on the Infinity. One member of our group raised the question of booking shore excursions on our own and not through X. The party line of course is that shore excursions booked through the cruise line ensures that you will not be left behind if there is a problem with the excursion and in the event the ship cannot dock at a port, your money is refunded. I know that but....there is a difference in price. In my opinion, the difference in price is your "insurance policy". Please give me your experiences in order that we can make an informed decision. Also, if you have booked on your own who have you used that you would recommend without hesitation.

 

Thank You

 

Joy

 

Joy,

 

We have no problem and do a lot on independant tours. One that we did in Alaska directly (with HAL) was a Canopy Tour because we did not dock until 2:00pm, plus it was only $13.00pp more through the cruiseline and included transportation. We just schedule our return to be at least one hour prior to the scheduled departure. Sometimes you end up using the same company as the cruiseline anyway.

 

On HAL as an example there was no reason to pay an extra $50.00 pp or more for the Skagway Railway when we could book direct with the railway on our own for the train at the same time (the differance included transportation from Haines). We also phoned the ferry and knew on the 8:00pm return from Skagway to Haines they were going to pull right up to our ship since HAL's excursion group would be on the exact same Ferry. The differance was we could go early and spend a couple of hours in Skagway, plus save money.

[Squirrel's Mom]

Agree with recommendation to check out the Alaska board. There is a decided "do-it-yourself" slant over there.

 

That said, after much checking with various vendors and hundreds of web sites, we did primarily tours through the ship when on the Summit last August. The prices were generally within 10 percent and the savings didn't offset the issues with logistics -- getting to and from the helicopter, railroad station, glacier -- and the issue of deposits, etc.

 

We also did an independent whale watch in Juneau. Only mistake was booking the first cruise out of the gate that day. All the boats -- including those sponsored by the cruise lines -- are looking for the same whales and even the fishing charters are in on the hunts. So they are all helping each other out with cell phones and radios as to where to head. Being the first boat out, we had no "guidance" except to head to where the whales had been the day before! And that was fine and we did see some humpbacks but those leaving even an hour later in the day found the orcas at the other end of the island!

 

In many cases, for example, the White Pass Railroad in Skagway, you can't make reservations on line and are directed to the ship's excursions. In others, like Icy Strait Point, there are very few independent tours. The "village" is a corporation and pretty much all that there is is offered through the ship. ISP is a wonderful experience!

 

Enjoy your cruise! Alaska is fabulous!

[nannie70]

We are also on the Infinity 6/20/08 and have just booked with Orca and Captain Larry to go Whale watching in Juneau. I went on line, got the phone number and called in person and booked the 9:00 A.M. tour. Thats the only time you can go since the ship sails at 3:00 P.M. and the tour is 3 1/2 hours. Haven't done anything yet with Sitka or Ketchican. Hope that helps a little. See you soon!!!!

[DrKoob]

We would highly recommend doing your own. And Alaska is the best place to try them. You speak the language, you are in a US port and if the worst happens, it would be much easier to handle than say being on your own in Kusadasi or Istanbul.

 

The price difference is not the biggest reason to do your own shore excursions. In many cases, it will cost you more because there will be less people to share the cost with but we can tell you, the real reason to book your own is the experience. We did Harv and Marv's whale watching last year in Juneau with only 6 of us in the boat (plus Harv) and watched the boats with the X shore excursions with more than 60 people on board near us. They were on big boats and packed like sardines running from side to side to see the whales which were hundreds of yards away. While at the same time we were munching on kayak delivered chocolate chip cookies sitting in the middle of an entire pod of whales with a guide who could answer just our questions. It was outstanding.

[Double Nickel]

Thanks DrKoob and gang for the suggestions. I agree, it is not so much the cost, but the amount of people on one large excursion! If we were to do any flights....then I would most likely do them thru X.

 

Hi Joy!

 

After alot of looking, we will probably go with a private kayak guide in Sitka. The tour is only a couple of hours, so we will have time in port to see/do other things. (We are there from 10 - 6; and one other ship HAL is scheduled in port w/us that day.) If not Harv and Marv, will see about joining you Joy w/capt orca while in Juneau.

 

The other kayak tour I found, in Juneau, was 5-6 hrs, and since we leave at 3 we would be hard pressed to find time for anything else. If we had a longer port day they sounded like a nice excursion.

 

If you want more info on the Sitka kayak tour, email me. I lose track of the boards/post (must be my old age).

nonamary@rcn.com

 

Safe travels, and 5 months from now we will be sailing out of Sitka!

[CelticEyes]

May 2007 DH and I took his parents on an Alaskan cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. This was our first cruise and I was also concerned about taking private tours and possibly missing the boat. We had no problems with any of our private excursions but I did find most of their names off of the cruise critic boards. I recommend the following with out any reservations. They were all prompt in responded to emails and phone messages. They also made us feel like that really cared that we enjoyed our excursions and they seemed to love their jobs and Alaska. I am in no way affiliated with any of the below business'

 

Sitka- An excursion with Capt Davey Lubin and the Esther G. at http://www.puffinsandwhales.com/

We were in the middle of pods of whales with our own biologist imparting interesting facts.Yes not only is he a "USCG licensed 100 ton master with more than 20 years experience," he is also a certified biology teacher and more. Read his bio at the above link for all the info.Captain Lubin and the Esther G were one of the highlights of our trip. His love of the area and wildlife is infectious. We paid for a catered lunch that was out of this world which we ate onboard. Now comes the bummer...I don't know if the Ester G can handle 8 people. If not, I am sure he could recommend a reputable replacement. If I ever get back to Sitka I'll book another trip on the Esther G with one of the nicest guys you could ever want to meet.

Ketchikan-A flight with Steve Kamm over Misty Fjords National Monument including landing on a lake. His wife, Lesley, sent a picnic basket with Champagne and cookies to celebrate our parents anniversary. We loved every moment we spent with Steve and Lesley. She picked us up from the cruise dock and whisked us away to the seaplane were we met Steve. Another wonderful memory of Alaska thanks to Steve and Lesley. Almost forgot their business is called SeaWind aviation and can be located online at http://seawindaviation.com/index.html

Juneau-Took the cruise lines Taku lodge excursion. The food was amazing but the real show was being that close to a bear. The lodge is also close to a

spectacular glacier. A little less personal than a private tour but by no means a cattle call excursion.

Victoria BC-We booked a city tour with http://www.ascotlimo.com We were hours late arriving b/c of pod problems. I was able to notify them about possible

delays before we left San Francisco. The owner, Gilles Proulx, calmed my fears with his email stating a car would be waiting when ever we should arrive. He

was able to keep track of the Infinity's arrival time and adjusted our pick up time accordingly. In fact, we were so late arriving that the original driver

was off and Mr.. Proulx himself was our driver, tour guide and even took photos of us in front of his limo. To say he was well versed in all things Victoria would be an understatement to say the least. Part of my parent's wish list was tea at The Empress. Giles dropped us off with his card and instructed us to have the staff call him 10 minutes before we ready to leave. What service. He was waiting as we exited The Empress.

 

As you can probably tell we loved our cruise and feel that the excursions played a big part in making it a once in a lifetime experience. I hope that you have a similiar experience on your cruise.

[mahdnc]

In many cases' date=' for example, the White Pass Railroad in Skagway, you can't make reservations on line and are directed to the ship's excursions.[/quote']

 

You can book directly with White Pass Railroad (http://www.whitepassrailroad.com) but the cost savings are only $10 pp. The only disadvantage with booking directly is that you have to walk 1/4 mile to the train depot instead of boarding the train at the pier. You can ride the train back to the ship though.

 

The only other excursion that we booked ourselves during our 2000 Alaskan cruise was a floatplane trip to Glacier Bay National Park out of Juneau as I always wanted to see it but Celebrity stopped sailing there in 1999 (actually they were unable to get permits from the National Park Service).

[lovesublime]

May 2007 DH and I took his parents on an Alaskan cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. This was our first cruise and I was also concerned about taking private tours and possibly missing the boat. We had no problems with any of our private excursions but I did find most of their names off of the cruise critic boards. I recommend the following with out any reservations. They were all prompt in responded to emails and phone messages. They also made us feel like that really cared that we enjoyed our excursions and they seemed to love their jobs and Alaska. I am in no way affiliated with any of the below business'

 

Sitka- An excursion with Capt Davey Lubin and the Esther G. at http://www.puffinsandwhales.com/

We were in the middle of pods of whales with our own biologist imparting interesting facts.Yes not only is he a "USCG licensed 100 ton master with more than 20 years experience," he is also a certified biology teacher and more. Read his bio at the above link for all the info.Captain Lubin and the Esther G were one of the highlights of our trip. His love of the area and wildlife is infectious. We paid for a catered lunch that was out of this world which we ate onboard. Now comes the bummer...I don't know if the Ester G can handle 8 people. If not, I am sure he could recommend a reputable replacement. If I ever get back to Sitka I'll book another trip on the Esther G with one of the nicest guys you could ever want to meet.

 

Ketchikan-A flight with Steve Kamm over Misty Fjords National Monument including landing on a lake. His wife, Lesley, sent a picnic basket with Champagne and cookies to celebrate our parents anniversary. We loved every moment we spent with Steve and Lesley. She picked us up from the cruise dock and whisked us away to the seaplane were we met Steve. Another wonderful memory of Alaska thanks to Steve and Lesley. Almost forgot their business is called SeaWind aviation and can be located online at http://seawindaviation.com/index.html

 

Juneau-Took the cruise lines Taku lodge excursion. The food was amazing but the real show was being that close to a bear. The lodge is also close to a

spectacular glacier. A little less personal than a private tour but by no means a cattle call excursion.

 

Victoria BC-We booked a city tour with http://www.ascotlimo.com We were hours late arriving b/c of pod problems. I was able to notify them about possible

delays before we left San Francisco. The owner, Gilles Proulx, calmed my fears with his email stating a car would be waiting when ever we should arrive. He

was able to keep track of the Infinity's arrival time and adjusted our pick up time accordingly. In fact, we were so late arriving that the original driver

was off and Mr.. Proulx himself was our driver, tour guide and even took photos of us in front of his limo. To say he was well versed in all things Victoria would be an understatement to say the least. Part of my parent's wish list was tea at The Empress. Giles dropped us off with his card and instructed us to have the staff call him 10 minutes before we ready to leave. What service. He was waiting as we exited The Empress.

 

As you can probably tell we loved our cruise and feel that the excursions played a big part in making it a once in a lifetime experience. I hope that you have a similiar experience on your cruise.

 

We also flew with Steve Kamm in May 2007. He and his wife are very lovely people. We also got to meet his oldest daughter Kendall (she rode in the van with us). We had a nice time with them. I just wanted to mention (in case you didn't hear) that Steve's plane crashed last August. He survived the crash, but sadly 5 people were killed. Another little girl on the plane died 7 weeks later-bringing the tragic total to 6. Steve was only recently released from the hospital and is reportedly undergoing rehab. It appears to have been weather related. Unexpected high winds kicked up and forced the plane down-probably a microburst. In fact, the FAA just released a report that clears Steve of any infractions.

 

I just wanted to mention because I don't know how close he is to being back up and running for the upcoming season. BTW, I wouldn't hesitate to fly with Steve again given the chance.

[Iggipolka]

 

Sitka- An excursion with Capt Davey Lubin and the Esther G. at http://www.puffinsandwhales.com/

We were in the middle of pods of whales with our own biologist imparting interesting facts.Yes not only is he a "USCG licensed 100 ton master with more than 20 years experience," he is also a certified biology teacher and more. Read his bio at the above link for all the info.Captain Lubin and the Esther G were one of the highlights of our trip. His love of the area and wildlife is infectious. We paid for a catered lunch that was out of this world which we ate onboard. Now comes the bummer...I don't know if the Ester G can handle 8 people. If not, I am sure he could recommend a reputable replacement. If I ever get back to Sitka I'll book another trip on the Esther G with one of the nicest guys you could ever want to meet.

 

Woohoo! I'm so happy to hear of your great time with Davey. We have an excursion booked with him in May 2008 and he has been wonderful to talk to over the phone and through email. I can't wait until our trip with him!

[JoyFrances]

There is nothing more wonderful that CC people. I must admit I can get very anxious about getting back to the ship. Your experiences and suggestions have help put my mind to ease. You have offered suggestions and alternatives. Our shore excursion meeting is on Feb 10 and when we open the laptops I will take them to this posting so that everyone can read what you wrote. We will all have to make the decision that works for each of us, however, I think the biggest points that you made is that booking yourself can personalize the experience and that often the ship is using the same companies as ones you book yourself. Thank you again.

 

Joy

[bigblueeyes]

We did the cruise on the Infinity June 07. Unfortunately, Sitka was not on the itinerary. What not to miss the Helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier. It is the experience of a lifetime. Although it is expensive, it was well worh the money. We looked into doing it privately, and not much of a price difference. The company the cruise line uses it knowledgeable, professional, and most importantly safe. Hope you have great weather. Unfortunatley, for the 10 days we were away, 3 in Vancouver, and 7 on ship we had 7 days of rain. Do not miss taking the ferry to Victoria. Bucharet Gardens is a must see.

[CelticEyes]

We also flew with Steve Kamm in May 2007. He and his wife are very lovely people. We also got to meet his oldest daughter Kendall (she rode in the van with us). We had a nice time with them. I just wanted to mention (in case you didn't hear) that Steve's plane crashed last August. He survived the crash, but sadly 5 people were killed. Another little girl on the plane died 7 weeks later-bringing the tragic total to 6. Steve was only recently released from the hospital and is reportedly undergoing rehab. It appears to have been weather related. Unexpected high winds kicked up and forced the plane down-probably a microburst. In fact, the FAA just released a report that clears Steve of any infractions.

 

I just wanted to mention because I don't know how close he is to being back up and running for the upcoming season. BTW, I wouldn't hesitate to fly with Steve again given the chance.

 

Thanks so much for informing of Steve's accident. I had no idea it had happened before your post. I have been exchanging emails with Steve's wife, Lesley, this morning. She reports that Steve spent two months in the hosptial, but is at home improving. He is not flying but expects to be this summer. Meanwhile SeaWind is still up an running. Straight from Lesley, "In the meantime, we have hired 2 pilots, who are from Ketchikan and have much experience here. We’re very exited to have them fly for us. We are in the process of putting them on our website, but I have explained this to our customers when they call, especially our customers flying in May."

 

I also would not hesitate to fly with Steve or SeaWind aviaton. It was a tragic but unforceable accident. I grew up flying around in my father's small plane, and I felt that same sense of safety with Steve as I did with my father.

 

Monica

[CelticEyes]

Woohoo! I'm so happy to hear of your great time with Davey. We have an excursion booked with him in May 2008 and he has been wonderful to talk to over the phone and through email. I can't wait until our trip with him!

 

I am soooo jealous! I remember laying on my belly at the bow of the Ester G, bracing my camera, and trying to get the perfect shot of the whales. Mean while there were large tour boats packed with people trying to get shots and not knock into each other.

 

Davey is so enthusiastic and his love of the area and the wildlife that it is infectious. When he felt there were too many large boats in the area we would whiz off in the Esther G and before we knew it we had another pod of whales surrounding us. He is very respectful of the wildlife and would posistion the Esther G carefully so as not to threaten the whales.

 

One thing I did not mention in my original post was that my mother-in-law is mobility impaired and uses a scooter for distances. All of the people I recommended, along with Davey, were very accomodating about her mobility issues and scooter. At first Davey was more conservative with how far out he should take the Esther G. There was rough water reported out by the bird rookery. Little did he know my inlaws are a hearty pair. They were whopping it up and asking for more. So after awhile he decided we could take the trip out to the rookery. What a wonderful ride, what a beautiful place. We got quite alot of info about the birds and vegetation.

 

Enjoy every minute of your trip and if you remember please tell the Dave the Blakes say Hello. I booked his excursion over a year in advance and he said I may be the only person more organized than his wife.

 

Monica

[hajekfam]

We did Alaska a number of years ago and booked our excursions through Celebrity. In Ketchikan we were glad that we did. We decided to the Misty Fjord sea plane and boat trip where you take either the boat or sea plane one way and the other back to the ship. I can't remember if it was one of the boats or seaplanes that had some trouble and we were stuck waiting for our next leg. We did get the complete tour, but we arrived at the ship at the time it was supposed to sail - well after the all guests onboard time. That was one day that we were very glad we took the ship's excursions.

Now we look at the time constaints. If it looks like the tour will be cutting it close (we figure that we need to back at least 1.5 to 2 before sailing to allow for problems), we opt for a ship's tour.

[lovesublime]

Thanks so much for informing of Steve's accident. I had no idea it had happened before your post. I have been exchanging emails with Steve's wife, Lesley, this morning. She reports that Steve spent two months in the hosptial, but is at home improving. He is not flying but expects to be this summer. Meanwhile SeaWind is still up an running. Straight from Lesley, "In the meantime, we have hired 2 pilots, who are from Ketchikan and have much experience here. We’re very exited to have them fly for us. We are in the process of putting them on our website, but I have explained this to our customers when they call, especially our customers flying in May."

 

I also would not hesitate to fly with Steve or SeaWind aviaton. It was a tragic but unforceable accident. I grew up flying around in my father's small plane, and I felt that same sense of safety with Steve as I did with my father.

 

Monica

 

I'm so happy to hear that. We'll be back in Alaska at the end of June and hopefully can fly with Steve again. Again, I'm so glad to hear that he's doing better-they are a wonderful family and I know they are looking forwared to getting past this. Thanks for the update.