New to cruising- heading to Alaska

Going on a cruise in September to Alaska on Holland America. I'm looking for excursions outside of what's offered by the ship. I've been told this is the way to go- more economical and smaller groups. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your help.

There's a wealth if info on the Alaska forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Going on a cruise in September to Alaska on Holland America. I'm looking for excursions outside of what's offered by the ship. I've been told this is the way to go- more economical and smaller groups. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your help.

IMO: whatever you do, do a float plane excursion in an old "dehavilland beaver" (before there are no more). Skip glacier helicopter rides (boring) and save those dollars for the NaPali Coast helicopter tour when you finally get to Kauai in Hawaii.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

That's great advice, Thanks! We were supposed to go to Kauai this year but had to cancel due to a family death. I'll make a note of it.

Have to disagree with the skip the helicopter to the glacier.

Far from boring , perhaps our best Alaska Shore tour of 3 Alaska cruises.

Float plane came in 2nd for us.

Alaska is over-whelming with excursions both private & DIY. However you have to do the research that fits your interests & budget. Making plans depends a lot on the port you are leaving from & your final destination. We like to fly into the nearest town a few days before the cruise to explore Alaska & then get on the ship. If leaving from Seward, Ak a boat trip around the Kenai Peninsula is a good choice. Checkout the Alaska ports of call board & trip advisor for ideas. When your roll call is up & running, join it. You will find some small party excursions that someone is offering fellow CC members to join. We have done several of these. Planing is very important in Alaska with a short tourist season & some excursions get booked out early. Most outfitters will take a reservation very early in advance of your trip. Light packing & flexibility are some of the keys to enjoying Alaska. Locals & passengers around the ship dress casually & for warmth & comfort.

This is a great trip, so enjoy every moment & be adventurous. John

Have to disagree with the skip the helicopter to the glacier.

 

Far from boring , perhaps our best Alaska Shore tour of 3 Alaska cruises.

 

Float plane came in 2nd for us.

No glacier has ever looked like this.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Going on a cruise in September to Alaska on Holland America. I'm looking for excursions outside of what's offered by the ship. I've been told this is the way to go- more economical and smaller groups. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your help.

We did about a month in Alaska last summer, 14 days on a b2b cruise Seward-Vancouver-Seward, the remainder around Seward, the Kenai, Anchorage, 4 days inside Denali. On the way there I did a lot of research, especially on the Alaska board here on CC, but also using the many State of Alaska and various Park resources. A few comments. 1. Excursions are not always necessary. Our best whale viewing was from the deck of the ship after it was docked at Icy Strait Point - a pod of 5-6 whales were bubblenet fishing about 50 yards off the side of the ship, they were there for about half an hour. All it takes is luck. 2. The ship vs. private comparison isn't that obvious. E.g., the White Pass & Yukon train from Skagway. I could have saved $10pp booking directly rather than through Celebrity. The extra $10 was worth it to me for the convenience of boarding the train pier side. 3. On the other hand, small private can work well! Using comments from CC plus Trip Advisor I found Captain Jack and Captain Alan [aka Adventures in Alaska] doing whale watching out of Juneau. There were many ship's tours and many (larger more crowded) recommended private tours, but with Cpt Alan it was just the two of us on his boat and a wonderful half day with him. Very knowledgable, knows where to look and is a fine photographer which means that he knows how to position his boat to give his clients the best shot at good photos.

4. I think the main thing is to be clear on why you are going. Is it for adrenaline stimulating heart pounding adventure? You can find zip lines and helicopter flights etc. Is it for wildlife? They mostly won't be hanging out on the pier, so your best opportunities are going to involve a fair amount of expensive plane or boat travel to get to where they are. Unless you get lucky, see #1 above! The smaller the group the better. But also more expensive. Is it for the awesome scenery? Hang out on deck and watch the mountains go by. [No extra cost.]Take the tramway up Mt. Roberts and hike from there. [Very low cost.] Take the Yukon & Whitepass rail trip. [Very moderate cost.] Take the Major Marine Fjords boat trip out of Seward. [About $200pp] (Which also gives you ample wildlife sightings.)

If you go on a cruise to Alaska, you will get a small taste of one small section of a very large State. If you spend time ashore pre and/or post cruise, you will see more, but it is still a very large State. We like cruising, but if/when we are able to return to Alaska, we will fly to Anchorage, rent a small RV for 4-6 weeks, and do some more leisurely exploration. Definitely enjoy your time there, whatever you choose, excursions or private time on your own, you can't go wrong. But you'll be hooked, so plan on going back again...

Stan

Is this thread about Alaska or Hawaii? :confused:

Anyways, OP, what are your ALASKAN ports? Do you prefer active excursions that require some physical exertion or do you want to sit on a tour bus? Do you like to hike? I've done some hiking trails on my own that were wonderful.

Going on a cruise in September to Alaska on Holland America. I'm looking for excursions outside of what's offered by the ship. I've been told this is the way to go- more economical and smaller groups. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your help.

Besides reading the Alaska forum, already referenced, read the Roll Call for your cruise and seeif anyone is organizing private tours.

Just be aware that any tours in Alaska are expensive.

Going on a cruise in September to Alaska on Holland America. I'm looking for excursions outside of what's offered by the ship. I've been told this is the way to go- more economical and smaller groups. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your help.

We prefer more active activities- not zip lines or sky diving but hiking/ kayaking would be good. Definitely not sitting on the ship!

We prefer more active activities- not zip lines or sky diving but hiking/ kayaking would be good. Definitely not sitting on the ship!

Lots of opportunities for these but do be prepared for any type of weather. On our first Alaska cruise we left Vancouver in glorious sunlight, never to see it again. My teenage son and I kayaked in Ketchikan in pouring rain, outfitted in multiple layers. It was still a blast. The DW opted for shopping. Just go with the flow. Next visit to Ketchikan it was so warm and sunny even the locals were shocked

...I'm looking for excursions outside of what's offered by the ship. I've been told this is the way to go- more economical and smaller groups. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your help.

Just booked our very first cruise for Alaska, June 2018. I am going to book through the ship for a few reasons. As I stated, it's our first cruise, so I want to keep it simple. There are going to be seven of us and it seems easier to do it through the ship for a group. Lastly, if weather prevents the ship from going into a port, excursions booked through the ship will be automatically refunded. I checked with a private company and they require cancellation 30 days in advance for a refund.

Of course, lots of people books excursions privately and have great experiences. Just some food for thought.

... if weather prevents the ship from going into a port, excursions booked through the ship will be automatically refunded. I checked with a private company and they require cancellation 30 days in advance for a refund.

You checked with one company? First, note that different companies do have different policies with respect to cancellations. Second, a cancellation of an excursion just because you decide you would rather sleep in that day, or whatever, will in fact be penalized by many if not most if not all companies. However, a forced cancellation at the last minute due to weather, earthquake, or zombie apocalypse is not going to cost you a penny in most/all cases.