Skagway - Southeasttour - anyone recommend this ???

[KK11]

http://www.southeasttours.com/skagway_sightseeing_tours_yukon_skagway_alaska_tour_info.html

The Skagway Sightseeing Tour, also known as Brian's Skagway Spectacular, combines a tour of historic Skagway, a tour of the scenic White Pass Summit Area, and a tour of the daunting Tormented Valley. This Skagway Sightseeing Tour parallels the White Pass Railroad train ride much of the way to the White Pass Summit Area. Brian's 3.5 hour Skagway Spectacular tour is the most entertaining and comprehensive land-based tour offered in Skagway, Alaska and is rich in our Klondike Gold Rush history.

Price Per Person: $50.00 tax included

Duration: 3.5 hours

Availability: Sunday thru Friday

Departure Times: Sun at 12:00pm or Mon-Thur at 1:00pm

[bdbj2512]

i just booked them today. they were very pleasant on the phone. i am doing the deluxe yukon adventure. hope it is good. i don't think anyone has tried it.

[flashdog_1]

Since no one else has responded, I'll tell you about our experience with SE tours. When comparing tour companies I checked the age of the vehicles (didn't want a breakdown preventing our getting back to the ship) and at the time, they had either the newest, or at least equal to new equipment at other tour agencies. In 2005 there was a considerable difference in price between the others and SE tours, so I went with them. Brian was enjoyable and we certainly learned alot.

 

He picked us up outside the dock, using a sign with our name on it (in case we hadn't seen the van). Taxis and other tour vehicles are not allowed inside the dock area. Only ship's tours/train are allowed inside. They took us to their store in downtown Skagway where we paid for the trip. We did the 6 hour Yukon trip, so we got the whole works!

 

Most ships are in Skagway for a prolonged time, so unless you have another tour scheduled from there, you might consider the longer tour. How often are you going to be that close to the Yukon and get to go there?

 

The scenery really is different in Yukon territory. In addition to what is listed in the tour brochure, you might have a chance to go into the little town and have your passport stamped, buy some made in Yukon stuff (I got jelly and a raccoon hat) and see cabins with no electricity, just as they were during the gold rush. We very much enjoyed the dog cart ride and talking with the mushers there. These dogs were in much better shape than those we saw on the helicopter tour. The museum at Caribou Corners is very thorough. You will see the smallest desert on the planet, Emerald Lake, possibly some wildlife and last but not least, have your picture made at the Welcome to Yukon signpost to prove you were there.

 

Since you return by the same route, Brian puts in a tape of funny stuff about the area to listen to if you want. Most people were very tired and sort of rested or dozed.

 

the advantage of going by van rather than train is that the train will not stop, but the van will.

[KK11]

Thanks for those replies ...

 

8 hrs seems too much to spare for one excursion .i.e the train - and the one from the ship leaves at 8 a.m so we cannot do the afternoon (which can also be warm in the train ???) as suggested in some of the posts

 

 

SO are you suggesting that this is a good option to the full 8 hr train ride ??

[flashdog_1]

It just depends on what you want. Are you comparing the 6 hour SE Yukon tour in a van with lunch and a dog cart ride, booked independently at $100+ per person to an 8 hr train ride combined with a bus ride back booked by the cruise line at x price?

 

If you want the train experience, then you have to do the train. There are videos on Youtube you can see of it. Just search for Skagway train ride. My daughter watched those and decided she did NOT want the train (too scary for her from the views she saw on the videos. She felt better being on a road!).

 

I think independent tours give you so much more personal attention because they have smaller groups instead of mobs of people from the ship (which also require much more time to move from one place to another).

[buttah75]

I just spoke to Dave at SE. Apparently they no longer pick up at the dock - you have to walk or take the shuttle to their office in town. That's the only thing I didn't love. He was extremely helpful and friendly. I'm trying to decide between SE's Yukon Discovery and Frontier's similar tour.