Is 3 boat tours too many?

[TwinMomplus]

Hello experienced crusiers. This will be our first trip to Alaska with DH and 3 teenagers. This board has been awesome for ideas. We will be on Princess southbound. Have Harv and Marv booked. Have Island Wings booked. Have rental car in Scagway booked. We will be spending some time traveling on our own first and have a Kenai Fjords cruise with Saltwater Lodge booked. We will be in Anchorage on Friday night and the favorite recommendation on getting to Whittier seems to be to take one of the charter bus trips that includes a Prince William Sound boat tour.

 

But is that just too much boat touring for 1 trip? Are they different enough to be worthwhile? Or do you have other suggestions?

 

Thanks so much!

[ggprincess2004]

That sounds like a great group of sightseeing trips and excursions. Honestly, it would be something DH and I would love. Our general rule is the closer we stay to the water on shore excursions the happier we are. (We only break this rule for great museums, architecture and some natural wonders...)

That being said, you have to know your family, especially your kids, and the fact that you are asking the question leads me to believe that at least one person in your group might not be a happy sailor.

The scenery is always great - the only thing that happens is at somepoint someone might get to the "Oh, uh hummm, another glacier:rolleyes: " stage. And if the kids haven't learned to "wait" for nature to happen - they might find waiting for the wildlife sightings less than stimulating. On the other hand - they might just love the entire experience! I say, stick with your plan - you and DH will love it, and sometimes, kids will be kids!

Have a fantastic time!:)

[vbmom87]

I agree with Princess. You have to know your family. We did the Tracy Arm Fjord all day cruise and the 9 hour Northwestern Fjords Tour from Seward. I am actually sorry I didn't add in a Prince William Sound tour. I thought it was going to be overkill on glaciers, but we would have loved it!!! You just have to know what interests you and your family. Some can't get enough of scenery and wildlife, others will be bored.

[Italy52]

We did Glacier Tour with Major Marine out of Whittier, Wildlife Tour with Major Marine out of Seward and Harv and Marv Whale Watching Tour out of Juneau - all different experiences.

 

 

Agree with other posters, you do need to know what everyone wants from their experiences. I wanted glaciers and got them with the Whittier tour; I wanted wildlife and got that with the Seward tour; and I wanted to see whales up close and personal and that I got with H&M.

[lovetocruise99]

In Mid-June we did almost your exact trip except we were on Radiance. Harv and Marv were great...orcas came right under our boat and surfaced 3 feet in front of my daughter on the front of the boat. Michelle with Island Wings is great and the floatplane is well worth the money. We also rented a car in Skagway which allowed us to play in the snow along the way and see some very beautiful scenery. Our fourth excursion was another whale watch in Icy Strait Point which was also fantastic.

[kimcht]

twinmom plus, didnt I see your name on the roll call for diamond princess southbound on the 26th? we have harv and marv, the PWS tour booked and the kenai fjord through the saltwater lodge too. we are doing a few days on our own before the cruise and staying at the saltwater 7/23/24/25. maybe we are on the same tours? we fly to anchorage on the 21st, less than 2 weeks!!! are you staying at the saltwater lodge?

[Chenega]

I don't think you can ever get enough of a boat trip up here since all are different from each other. Wife and I love both Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound - we love the fjords for wildlife and Prince William Sound for the calving glaciers.

 

Juneau trips are also different since the focus is on finding whales. People are rarely disappointed.

[TwinMomplus]

twinmom plus, didnt I see your name on the roll call for diamond princess southbound on the 26th? we have harv and marv, the PWS tour booked and the kenai fjord through the saltwater lodge too. we are doing a few days on our own before the cruise and staying at the saltwater 7/23/24/25. maybe we are on the same tours? we fly to anchorage on the 21st, less than 2 weeks!!! are you staying at the saltwater lodge?

kimcht,

I was haing problems with the roll call forum. Will try again! I actually fly out on the 18th and have a week of business in alaska first! DH and kids fly on the 22nd. Saltwater was full - but they will be at their Dairy Hill lodge. The Kenai tour is the 23rd. Harv and Marv we meet at 9, well you know when that is!. You are doing PWS on the 26th? Which one are you doing? And how are you getting from Anc to Whittier. Very cool!!!

[kimcht]

we are at the saltwater lodge on the 23,24 and the yurt next door on the 25th and doing the kenai fjords tour on the 24th, will just miss you! Looks like we may be on the same harv & marv tour and may meet at the skagway rental car place as well! we are doing the 4 hour PWS tour with Alaska heritage tours, its starts at 1:30 and we had a buy one get one free coupon from the northern lights book, then on to the diamond.

[cruise junky joan]

I hate to be a downer but: we were on Kenai tour with Saltwater lodge, the adults loved it, 14 year old daughter and 18 year old son slept. We did the PWS tour, more sleep for the teens. Harv and Marv, same, good for adults, 4 hour nap for kids. My daughter says she like the Kenai trip the most of the three and prefered the trip to being left at the ship or B&B so it may be best if you describe the trip in detail and then ask them what they want to do. Both of my kids suffer from motion sickness so they were both drugged which added to the sleepiness but I have to admit to some degree of dismay thinking of all the money I spent for them to sleep thru the tours. Joan