Solstice Alaska Shore Excursions?

My boyfriend and I will be leaving Aug 15 for our first ever Alaska cruise. We're very excited...but having a harder time than usual figuring out what shore excursions to do - not much is jumping out as must do. I've read a bunch on this site, though our roll call is still pretty quiet for being less than a month before sailing.

We stop in Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Victoria. The one thing I'm pretty convinced I want to do is the White Pass Railway in Skagway. The one thing my boyfriend is adamant about is visiting the Alaskan Brewery in Juneau.

I love photography and will be taking my DSLR camera and looking forward to getting good photos. So I'd prefer trips that get out and look at things and don't just point out a pretty waterfall as we zip on a bus. I absolutely love the outdoors and being in nature and seeing animals and such. I also love anything to do with crafts and seeing people work on local crafts.

My biggest limiter is that I'm not in great shape physically. I have no problem standing or walking over flat ground for a couple of hours. I can easily get in an out of busses or walk on gravel. However, a rugged hike or zip lining isn't happening; neither is kayaking or white water rafting or biking. Also out is anything that involves small airplane or helicopters. Since I'll have been on a boat for 7 days, getting on another one isn't super high on the list of priorities, though I'm willing to do it as a means to an ends if the tour is right (it's just not going to be a big attraction).

So with the above in mind, are there shore excursions that you've done that you'd highly recommend? (Or heard that other people have done and really liked them?) Or would we maybe be better off and not book anything and just rent a car or go off on our own? Are the Alaska piers like other ones we've been to where you leave the boat and there's a billion companies offering a variety of tours?

Amazing. We did this in June on our Solstice Alaska cruise in Ketchikan. :D

http://www.islandwings.com/

My boyfriend and I will be leaving Aug 15 for our first ever Alaska cruise. We're very excited...but having a harder time than usual figuring out what shore excursions to do - not much is jumping out as must do. I've read a bunch on this site, though our roll call is still pretty quiet for being less than a month before sailing.

 

We stop in Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Victoria. The one thing I'm pretty convinced I want to do is the White Pass Railway in Skagway. The one thing my boyfriend is adamant about is visiting the Alaskan Brewery in Juneau.

 

I love photography and will be taking my DSLR camera and looking forward to getting good photos. So I'd prefer trips that get out and look at things and don't just point out a pretty waterfall as we zip on a bus. I absolutely love the outdoors and being in nature and seeing animals and such. I also love anything to do with crafts and seeing people work on local crafts.

 

My biggest limiter is that I'm not in great shape physically. I have no problem standing or walking over flat ground for a couple of hours. I can easily get in an out of busses or walk on gravel. However, a rugged hike or zip lining isn't happening; neither is kayaking or white water rafting or biking. Also out is anything that involves small airplane or helicopters. Since I'll have been on a boat for 7 days, getting on another one isn't super high on the list of priorities, though I'm willing to do it as a means to an ends if the tour is right (it's just not going to be a big attraction).

 

So with the above in mind, are there shore excursions that you've done that you'd highly recommend? (Or heard that other people have done and really liked them?) Or would we maybe be better off and not book anything and just rent a car or go off on our own? Are the Alaska piers like other ones we've been to where you leave the boat and there's a billion companies offering a variety of tours?

The White Pass Railroad is not to be missed. Whale Watching and going on a crab boat take not a bit of exersion. Have fun and take great pictures. :).

Amazing. We did this in June on our Solstice Alaska cruise in Ketchikan. :D

 

http://www.islandwings.com/

I have done this same tour too and I agree...it was simply

outstanding:D but I believe the original poster said she doesn't want

to do a small plane. If it is due to claustrophobia? I would not

recommend it.......I mean I absolutley loved it and Michelle is

awesome:) but it is a small plane;)

You can go to Mendenhall Glacier on a tour or you can take a bus

and go on your own. It does not take a lot of strenuous walking.

I am not in good shape either and when I was in the Med I walked up

to the Acropolis and was fine......Alaska is much less walking.:)

Oh...this glacier is in Juneau.

Victoria? If you are going to be there during the daytime?......I highly

recommend Buchart Gardens....some of the most beautiful gardens

I have ever seen:D

Another recommendation I will make is to go over to the Alaska

forum. There are alot of friendly folks over there too with good

recommendations about all sorts of tours.

Hope you have a great cruise......Alaska is really awesome. Majestic

is the word that comes to mind for me.:)

With your photography priority, I strongly suggest you find out whether your ship offers the add on small boat excursion in Tracy Arm. You're guaranteed to have wonderful photo ops, and there's an excellent chance you'll see wildlife.

With your photography priority, I strongly suggest you find out whether your ship offers the add on small boat excursion in Tracy Arm. You're guaranteed to have wonderful photo ops, and there's an excellent chance you'll see wildlife.

I second this. When I went to book this, there was only one seat left and we missed out. We didn't make it to Sawyer Island, so didn't get to see much of the Tracy Arm at all. I really regret not booking that excursion.

As to your other questions, all the ports had a number of tour operators located on the pier after you debarked the ship, esp in Juneau. We lucked out with great weather, except in Juneau. There it was foggy and raining, so our Mendenhall Glacier pictures aren't very good. Luckily the rain stopped before we went out for our Evening Whale Watching excursion. It was the highlight of our trip; we saw tons of humpbacks and they had great food onboard, which was a bonus.

Captain Larry has a great independent whale watching tour in Juneau. I highly recommend (there is a late afternoon departure). You must hit the Red Dog Saloon in Juneau as well - save time for that.:)

Our daughter and family took the tour w/ dave McClelland in Skagway she is an avid photographer and loved the fact that they could stop when they wanted you will go all the way to Emerald Lake in the Yukon. Checkit out also more reasonable! dyeadave@msn.com We plan on using them in September.

I also recommend you go over to the Alaska ports of call boards, and also join your Roll Call if you haven't already. You'll get lots of great input.

If you don't do the whale watching tour I mentioned in Juneau, I also recommend going to Mendenhall (sp?) Glacier. You can still see quite a bit without walking a long way.

In Ketchikan, we have taken the Duck tour. That was fun. Another time we took a tour that took us to see the totem poles - don't remember the name of it but it was interesting. Years ago we took a speed boat tour - I cannot recall if it was from the ship or booked privately, but it was nice and we saw a lot of scenery. Just walking around town is fun as well. Keep in mind that in Alaska all the towns (except Anchorage) are very small. You do not have to be in great physical shape to walk most of the town.

In Skagway, we took the train tour. Beautiful scenery along the route. I don't know if this is still possible, but years ago when we did it we booked our ticket privately and saved a few $$'s. That was when ships were smaller so not sure if there would be availability when the big cruise ships are in town. Actually we did that for the Duck tour in Ketchikan also, which was a big mistake as our ship was late in docking that day and we missed a few minutes of our tour and had to catch up with them a couple blocks away. So if you do that, I'd advise not reserving the first tour:).

Captain Larry has a great independent whale watching tour in Juneau. I highly recommend (there is a late afternoon departure). You must hit the Red Dog Saloon in Juneau as well - save time for that.:)

I agree here. I loved the whale watching in Juneau but even more so, the Red Dog Saloon is not to be missed. It is so much fun -- just make sure you go when it is already hopping or you may wonder why this was recommended. You will want to go after the piano player starts.....the rest will be a surprise. Just fun for all and best if you can get a table downstairs.

As mentioned, I loved the whale watching in Juneau but you may (probably will) see whales right off the side of the ship. I might also recommend the Mendenhall Glacier tour - either from the ship or you will also have no trouble booking an independent tour once in town. The one on the ship that couples the Mendenhall with the fish hatchery was really interesting, not too long or strenuous and not very expensive. The Glacier is a must see IMHO -- at least once.

Also, it is kind of pricey but not outrageous, there is a small boat that picks you up in the Tracy Arm and takes you right up to the Sawyer (?) glacier. You can find it in the Juneau tours -- think it is $199 pp but is a 5 hr tour....looks amazing. I didn't go but heard from people that did and they said it was a tour of a lifetime.

Scarlett - we will be on the same cruise as you. For the Tracy Arm excursion, we booked "Ju94 Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer". The excursion is listed under Juneau.

Based on reviews, we also booked the Frontier Yukon Discovery Tour in Skaway.

http://www.frontierexcursions.com/yukon-discovery.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60877-d2207183-Reviews-Frontier_Excursions_Adventures-Skagway_Alaska.html

Here's the Tripadvisor review link for the Tracy Arm Excursion.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g31020-d630993-r166583819-Tracy_Arm_Fjord-Juneau_Alaska.html