6 hrs in Ketchikan -- What to do?

[plenox]

lumberjack show and walk about the town

[Seabreeze8]

I booked through princess, the company that princess contracts with is http://www.snowscove.com/

 

They have two different bear trips, one for the first half of the season, which is the coastal wildlife cruise, and one for the second half of the season, Neets Bay. they contract with a couple other cruiselines also

 

Thanks, sswbeanie! It looks like that they don't do private tours. This is a first time that I see the tour company actually tell you to book through the cruiseline. Does anyone know why?:confused:

[Budget Queen]

Thanks, sswbeanie! It looks like that they don't do private tours. This is a first time that I see the tour company actually tell you to book through the cruiseline. Does anyone know why?:confused:

 

They are ship contracted. Several of the companies will have this policy.

[sunshine 229]

Thanks, sswbeanie! It looks like that they don't do private tours. This is a first time that I see the tour company actually tell you to book through the cruiseline. Does anyone know why?:confused:

I've never been to Alaska yet but I've seen this often in the Caribbean and in Hawaii, the tour companies who do excursions for the cruiselines must have a clause that forbids them to book any independant tours for cruise passengers. I suspect they have been warned that, if they are caught doing this, they will lose all their cruise ship business forever.

 

Years ago when I was in Hawaii we tried to go parasailing on a day that had a couple of cruise ships in port and were told they couldn't do it... when we said okay we would come back the next day we were booked immediately and at a much lower rate than I knew they were charging the cruise passengers.

[JJPacer]

I thought the shopping in Ketchikan was the best of all the ports. We made arrangements by e-mail to use David Freemen to take his taxi wilderness tour. When we got off the ship, there were several taxi people there, selling their tours. We met David. He had no other passengers, but us. He and his wife (who was in another taxi at the pier) asked US to stand at the pier and try to sell THEIR tour! She gave us some of their business cards to hand out. Neither of them got out of their cars to try and get more passengers. We were dumb founded! We stood at the pier for a few minutes, trying to decide what to do. We thought about taking another tour. We finally decided to go ahead with David. He was very nice and knowledgeable. We told him we would like a 2 hr. tour. He showed us some eagles and sea lions. Then took us to the totum village. We realized we could take the bus to town for free, and paid him. Our tour was just over an hour. His wife never did get any passengers. We took the bus back, and walked around town and Creek St. If you have a group together, or you want a private tour, I would recommend David. We have had some interesting experiences, while traveling. This one will be remembered! By the way, neither of us are in marketing, apparently, neither are they.

[isleptwell]

I really enjoyed the fish hatchery. The totem museum next door has some interesting exhibits, but it is kind of small. I am glad I went, however, because I did not go to Totem Bight or Saxman Village.

 

I also went to one of the museums (I can't remember the name, but it was run by the park service), and I enjoyed that too.

 

I felt I really got an idea of the area's history, which I would not have gotten if I had gone on a pleasure excursion.

[Podie]

I am not a shopper, so I couldn't get out of the downtown Ketchikan area fast enough! We did enjoy lunch at Cape Fox Lodge very much, though.