Looking for Bears in Alaska

We will be taking our second Alaska cruise in September 2017. Our first Alaska Cruise was in May and was too early for the Salmon and Bears. This time we are hoping to take an excursion were we will see some bears. I am looking for suggestions from someone who has taken a NCL excursion in September where there was an opportunity to see bears. I am also open to private company tours.

What ports will you be in?

Where will you be and when? As I posted on the NCL page, never book any tours with unknown destinations. If a priority, then stack your deck and get out for multiple opportunities. Spend time at Mendenhall, Us an independent vendor if in Hoonah. Do a couple fly in tours. etc.

It would be helpful if you were more specific, and I would definitely listen to Budget Queen--she's been there many times and is quite reliable.

My daughter and I did a bear viewing tour with Island Wings in mid-August. We went to Anan Creek and saw SO many bears! Personally, I would book with an independent vendor, but I tend to be biased against the cruise line tours anyway. :cool:

We will be taking our second Alaska cruise in September 2017. Our first Alaska Cruise was in May and was too early for the Salmon and Bears. This time we are hoping to take an excursion were we will see some bears. I am looking for suggestions from someone who has taken a NCL excursion in September where there was an opportunity to see bears. I am also open to private company tours.

Based on my research, September is probably too late.

(I chose to sail late July/early August so that I can see bears.)

The ports are Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. We want to use NCL's excursions because we have lots of OBC.

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The ports are Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. We want to use NCL's excursions because we have lots of OBC.

 

 

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When? Your first post states you are open to independent? So now you aren't? Then book with the ship?

The ports are Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. We want to use NCL's excursions because we have lots of OBC.

 

 

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It sounds like you have made you decision already. Sit back & relax & let NCL take you where they want to take you.

Quilting_Cruiser - thank you for the suggestion of Island Wings. I have their website and have made initial contact. (They want to wait until closer to the opening of the season re NCL port times may change.) I will nail down our excursion with them the middle of March.

Budget Queen - I would have preferred to use NCL, but they only have two excursions in that even mention bears - therefore I appealed to this board for suggestions. You have a very sharp tongue. There was no need for your rebuke.

I used Island Wings last year for Traitors Cove (toward end of August Anan Creek was already not operating). Although only black bears we saw many including cubs. Also lots of salmon that they were eating and what they left over the bald eagles had a party with. Island Wings was great and we arrived before another party at the bear viewing site and left after them so pay attention to the amount of time you have there. Also bring rain pants as one minute it was nice and the next it was pouring.

I used Island Wings last year for Traitors Cove (toward end of August Anan Creek was already not operating). Although only black bears we saw many including cubs. Also lots of salmon that they were eating and what they left over the bald eagles had a party with. Island Wings was great and we arrived before another party at the bear viewing site and left after them so pay attention to the amount of time you have there. Also bring rain pants as one minute it was nice and the next it was pouring.

We are using Island Wings in August and really excited about it. There will be six of us (4 grandchildren) so we get the whole plane. DGS really wanted to see bears. After telling DGD 9 about the bears she was in. Told DGDs 8 and 6 and now everyone is excited to see bears. Gnawing and chewing and otherwise destroying fish as they try to swim by. They have explained to me what you do if you are charged by a black bear and if you are charged by a brown bear. I asked what you do if you are charged by a white bear. You don't know!? Well, you bend over and get your head as far through your legs as you can and kiss your b*tt goodbye.

I love small plane flying. I come from a family of pilots. Dad and his brothers were all bush pilots of BC and Alaska. The original guys. The ones books are written about. (As a side note, my uncle and my dad wrote several books on flying and the history of our family and BC. BC Ferries carried his books and my dads for more then a few years.)

So, after the bears we are going to go flying for another 2 hours and see Misty Fjords and just have some flying fun. It is a short day in port but almost every minute of it will be spent flying with Michelle. Everyone is very excited and I hope she meets the wonderful expectations that everyone here on CC has given us.

Having the whole plane makes it much easier to set the events for the day to manage just our group. My DH will love it too if he hasn't had a heart attack from all the money I've spent on this trip. LOL

Michelle and her staff were very good. You will love it. I got a good picture from the plane with a rainbow in it.

I saw several bears (black and brown) during a Skagway to Yukon tour during my first Alaska cruise, which was in late May of '09. Saw tons of whales during too - all kinds of cool wildlife critters. Hope to see more next May.

Looking for advice on booking dog sled excursion and not booking with NCL.

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Looking for advice on booking dog sled excursion and not booking with NCL.

 

 

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http://www.temscoair.com

I have always had pretty good luck with bears in May, though not on bear excursions. They just seem to be "out there".

You have a very sharp tongue. There was no need for your rebuke.

Welcome to the club. Especially if you mention a ship's tour. I prefer ships' tours for various reason and often find myself on the receiving end of such comments. Between that and the member who always tells you you can find the answer if you'd just search the boards, sometimes I'd like to scream. :(

At any rate, I've seen bears in September. And, if you follow the explore . org cams from Katmai National Park, you will find that the bears are staying active much later in the season than they have in the past. And, the salmon are running longer and later. (The cams will start operating again in June - love to see the cubs! Right now, the cams are just on highlight loops.)

I hope you see lots of bears, have fabulous weather and the best time of your life.

btw - check to see if NCL will "cash out" the obc at the end of your cruise. I know a couple lines do that - one charges a small percent to actually give you the cash but both will gladly credit your credit card for unused obc. Hope NCL will do that for you!