Independent Tours

[CruisinFools]

Going to Alaska for the first time (Inside Passage / Skagway/Juneau/Ketchikan). Altho' I can get a 25% discount on shore excursions thru the cruise line (I am not at liberty to say how and why), I have never been disappointed with independent tour operators (or their prices!!) Can anyone recommend good, reliable and value-priced tours so that I may compare them with the excursions offered by the cruise line? THANKS!!!

[rjscott]

Although a lower price is one advantage of going with an independent tour, for me the draw is being part of a smaller group. We did all our tours independently, and here is who we used: Ketchikan : Misty Fjords with Island Wings; Juneau: whale watching with Orca Enterprises in the A.M. and Mendenhall Glacier on our own in the afternoon; Skagway: White Pass Railway with Chilkoot Charters, 7 hr tour. Also, we used Alaskan Leopard Tours for our transportation from Whittier to Anchorage.

 

HTH!

[stired]

Orca Enterprises for whale watching in Juneau, White Pass Railway with Chilkoot Charters in Skagway, Classic Tours http://www.classictours.com/ in Ketchikan for a very different look.

[GORDONCHICK]

Going to Alaska for the first time (Inside Passage / Skagway/Juneau/Ketchikan). Altho' I can get a 25% discount on shore excursions thru the cruise line (I am not at liberty to say how and why), I have never been disappointed with independent tour operators (or their prices!!) Can anyone recommend good, reliable and value-priced tours so that I may compare them with the excursions offered by the cruise line? THANKS!!!

 

Could you please narrow down what types of things you are interested in and what your idea of "value-priced" is? I think most of us thought what we paid for our tours were very much worth what we spent, but I think you have price specifically in mind. I know the Ducks tours in Ketchikan are very inexpensive and many love them.

[KK11]

Although a lower price is one advantage of going with an independent tour, for me the draw is being part of a smaller group. We did all our tours independently, and here is who we used: Ketchikan : Misty Fjords with Island Wings; Juneau: whale watching with Orca Enterprises in the A.M. and Mendenhall Glacier on our own in the afternoon; Skagway: White Pass Railway with Chilkoot Charters, 7 hr tour. Also, we used Alaskan Leopard Tours for our transportation from Whittier to Anchorage.

 

HTH!

 

 

would you recommend this Skagway: White Pass Railway with Chilkoot Charters, 7 hr tour over the shorter trip to the summit.

 

- I would like something like a River float for Ketchikan - can anyone recommend something.

 

THANKS

[GORDONCHICK]

would you recommend this Skagway: White Pass Railway with Chilkoot Charters, 7 hr tour over the shorter trip to the summit.

THANKS

 

Yes!

[rjscott]

would you recommend this Skagway: White Pass Railway with Chilkoot Charters, 7 hr tour over the shorter trip to the summit.

 

We very much enjoyed the 7 hr tour. In addition to the train ride, I enjoyed the stop at Emerald Lake, the lunch and wildlife museum at Caribou Crossing and seeing the sled dogs and puppies. We made many stops for photo op's that the big tour buses could not.

[petesweet]

Thanks for this information. I am contacting Chilkoot.

 

P.S. What kind of tip is appropriate for the 7-hour trip?

[Misha]

Part of our group rented a car from Avis in Skagway and part took the 7 hour chilkoot rail/bus tour.... Wish I could've done both! They were up close and personal with bears in the car. The dog sled ride was a lot of fun....In Ketchikan, we went with Michelle and Island wings.... words can't describe how awesome that was....