Favorite Excursion

What was your favorite excursion on your Alaska Cruise or Cruise/Land tour?

Please list only one excursion, and which port it was in. You can list two excursions, if your travel companion had a different favorite than yours. You can add one least favorite, if you'd like.

My favorite was whale watching in Juneau....Marv and Harv

The park shuttle in Denali. Definitely the best. Our best trip on that was in early September, when the fall colors were gorgeous and the grizzlies were all over the hillsides eating berries to fatten up for the winter.

The Best of Skagway. Love the train tour, entertainment, salmon lunch, and red onion saloon. We had done it twice.

For economics... I too enjoyed the Best of Skagway w/ Red Onion's lip service. But decided to splurge on the Yukon version the following year to go further North.

Oh.... perhaps the only thing better was the HAL ship tour. It was in Alaska.... does that count?

We traveled with our two children on NCL onboard the Star round trip from Seattle 12 years ago. We bit the bullet and shelled out a ton of cash for this excursion. It was the most amazing thing I have ever done. The aerial views from the helicopter were amazing. We had two landings on the Juneau Ice Fields, spectacular! Worth every penny!

OK, I have many favorites, but a slight edge goes to flying over the Gates of the Arctic Park, and getting to Prudhoe Bay, along with the road trip of the Dalton. Seeing the Arctic Ocean, and my highlight- wild musk ox herds. :) (this is all one tour :) )

My favorite: Juneau - helicopter flight out over the water, the ships in port, the mountains, rivers and glacier, including a landing with a chance to walk on a glacier!

My wife's favorite: the big green school buses of the National Park Service early morning trip into Denali/Mount McKinley National Park. We saw grizzlies, marmots, wolves, and incredible mountain views. Take a pillow to sit on - the bus seats are terrible!

My favorite: Juneau - helicopter flight out over the water, the ships in port, the mountains, rivers and glacier, including a landing with a chance to walk on a glacier!

My wife's favorite: the big green school buses of the National Park Service early morning trip .

 

 

Ditto

OK, I have many favorites, but a slight edge goes to flying over the Gates of the Arctic Park, and getting to Prudhoe Bay, along with the road trip of the Dalton. Seeing the Arctic Ocean, and my highlight- wild musk ox herds. :) (this is all one tour :) )

We also saw musk oxen on our trip up the Dalton. That was really special! :)

OK, I have many favorites, but a slight edge goes to flying over the Gates of the Arctic Park, and getting to Prudhoe Bay, along with the road trip of the Dalton. Seeing the Arctic Ocean, and my highlight- wild musk ox herds. :) (this is all one tour :) )

My favorite so far was flightseeing out of Ketchikan over the Misty Fjords National Park and lake landing, with Michelle of Island Wings . Next year my favorite might be different because we are doing a land tour. :D

All day Tracy Arm excursion from Juneau with Adventure Bound. I've done this 5 or 6 times and will repeat every chance I get. Being up close and personal with the glaciers from a small boat can be spectacular

Shuttle trips into Denali never disappoint .... awesome scenery and wildlife every trip.

Not an experience you can have via cruiseship but I loved my weekend at Glacier Bay! The boat trip was fantastic ...saw whales, bear, deer, and lots of other sealife. The lodge location is stunning in itself.

Ketchikan - Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad of TVs "Deadliest Catch" fame. The stop to feed lots of swooping eagles was a photo bonanza and the demos for several species of crab were informative. The stories from the fishermen about filming the TV show were hilarious. Covered and heated seating were a plus,

Favorite: Tracy Arm

Least favorite: White Pass Scenic Railroad (couldn't see a thing out the window; poor weather-- but liked the Yukon Suspension Bridge part of the trip). We're not into trains at all, otherwise we might have enjoyed despite weather.

Favorite - I would also add Tracy Arm excursion with AdventureBound even though I have yet to see Sawyer Glaciers....Next time.

Least favorite - Misty Fiords flight. Apparently not my thing. Lumber jack show also ranks up there.

Small boat cruise into Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords out of Seward.

9 hours and hardly a minute went by we didn't see something awesome.

The Captains of all those boats keep in touch so if one boat spots great

wildlife, they let everyone know. BUT, they are VERY protective of that

wildlife, and make certain we don't in any significant way interfere with

their lives. The Ailiak [sp?] Glacier calved like crazy.

The only danger was that we would 'tap out' on awe from overabundance

of sights to see.

If you go, take the longest one you can.

For people who tend to get sea-sick, remember that Kenai is one of the places that's most likely to happen. I've read that repeatedly. Which is not to say, of course, that one would get sick.

For people who tend to get sea-sick, remember that Kenai is one of the places that's most likely to happen. I've read that repeatedly. Which is not to say, of course, that one would get sick.

I see sick passengers, every trip. :)

I see sick passengers, every trip. :)

i like the little signs in the head that say it is permissable to throw up in the garbage cans.

I admit I am lucky in that I have never suffered from motion sickness. I

have been in 45ft seas with 80mph wind [irish Sea on Caribbean Princess]

and while it kept me awake, I felt no nausea. I did go down to a low middle

bar and sleep on a couch. My friend did not even move, nothing wakens him.

I did not even notice the movement in Kenai. I think there are some pretty

fair sized boats doing this, so if you have motion sickness, pick one of

those.

But whatever you do, do NOT miss an opportunity to see this area. I have been to many beautiful places around the World, but this is still my favorite

excursion.

To my recollection, Major Marine sold ginger candy and a Meclazine-type drug right at their window. DH shared some candy with a very, very sick young mom on our cruise, and she was so appreciative.

i like the little signs in the head that say it is permissable to throw up in the garbage cans.

I always, smile at their "shoot for distance", when it's "suggested" you head to the back of the boat. :)

Shuttle trips into Denali never disappoint .... awesome scenery and wildlife every trip.

 

Not an experience you can have via cruiseship but I loved my weekend at Glacier Bay! The boat trip was fantastic ...saw whales, bear, deer, and lots of other sealife. The lodge location is stunning in itself.

Making our first Alaskan trip in late July, and we need some help deciding about HAL tours in Denali. The one we want is Alaskan Argo ATV Adventure (we think). Also looking at the Black Diamond side by side ATV. We are on the double Denali before cruise, and we have an afternoon free -- does anyone have any comments on this or other options.

THANKS -- love cruise critic people!

The one we want is Alaskan Argo ATV Adventure (we think). Also looking at the Black Diamond side by side ATV. We are on the double Denali before cruise, and we have an afternoon free -- does anyone have any comments on this or other options.

I'd take a 2nd shuttle into the park! There's ATV'g, rafting, visit a sled dog kennel.... check the Denali Chamber of Commerce web site for other options:

http://www.a1cms.com/_dcc/activities/

Or go back into the park and see the free sled dog demo at 2pm, or hike around the entrance trails, or do the Savage River loop ( ride the free bus to Mile15 at the trailhead then follow the 2 mile trail). Other park activities in the Park newsletter.

http://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/news/upload/Alpenglow2015_INTERACTIVE.pdf

You should really start your own thread .... many people have already looked at this thread and won't check back.

I'd take a 2nd shuttle into the park! There's ATV'g, rafting, visit a sled dog kennel.... check the Denali Chamber of Commerce web site for other options:

http://www.a1cms.com/_dcc/activities/

 

Or go back into the park and see the free sled dog demo at 2pm, or hike around the entrance trails, or do the Savage River loop ( ride the free bus to Mile15 at the trailhead then follow the 2 mile trail). Other park activities in the Park newsletter.

http://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/news/upload/Alpenglow2015_INTERACTIVE.pdf

 

You should really start your own thread .... many people have already looked at this thread and won't check back.

As usuall, appreciate the advice, and I will start a thread