Waiting to schedule tours?

What are your experiences regarding booking every excursion early or waiting on some? I am going to make car rental reservations soon for Skagway, and whale watching in Juneau. However am I making a mistake leaving other times open? I have been seeing Groupons for flight seeing but am reluctant to commit due to the expense and the chances that weather will interfere. We also have 5 days post cruise and could do flight tour to see Denali. I hate to over schedule but want to make the most of this bucket list vacation. Anyone have good experience leaving some bookings last minute?

My experience is that some tours do fill up and if there are certain tour operators you want to use they can fill up too. My advice is to book early if there is something you know you want to do and would be disappointed that if you wait that you could not do it.

Keith

If you are doing your 5 days post cruise on your own, be sure and reserve your rental car now. Prices will go up as we move closer to summer.

Thanks! I already have the rental car for our land tour and cabin reservation for Denali. I am going to have to think some more on our priorities for activities and schedule those. Dh and I don't like to to be too heavily scheduled, so I will have to allow for free time too.

You'll have to find your "own way", but with your thinking now, and waiting- you also must be accepting of not getting the tour. Especially with flights, these are frequently full, or would require wasting time with scheduling perhaps. 5 days, is a very short time in mainland Alaska. You will need to decide what is your priority actually is. IF flightseeing is down the list, then wait. If it is something you want to do, then book in advance as with 5 days, there is little available, extra time.

Your mention of being canceled, which is a necessary thought with a prepurchased groupon type discount. Always verify directly with the vendor, what the cancellation policy is, specific to this particular purchase? With any regular booking (there can be discounts direct), any tour that is canceled by them is fully refundable.

I took the plunge and bought a groupon for flightseeing on Talkeetna. I can schedule after the first and get all the details. The groupom appeared tp be refundable fpr scheduling issues. I have 2 days we can do it so hoping for the best.