JP-Cruise

Had my EDocs and luggage tags ready To print at 75 days out. 100% checked in and no excursions. Only had my dinner reservations and wine lovers the musical booked. Who knows how they figure that stuff out.

 

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Nice. 54 days to go, still no edocs lol

I'm shocked they don't have bookings? They usually are tough to get. I'm going out twice with them this and next month, and lucky to get the last 2 seats a month ago for one trip.

 

Have you posted on your roll call? That's really the best place, since there will only be those people who can go. One ship in port?

Yes budgetqueen when I spoke with Teresa from glacier wind, she told me my cruise ship is the only ship in port that day. But I do find it strange that nobody has booked with FISHES for this day, and I just got the last seat with glacier wind

I don't remember them having a hydrophone unfortunately. Although I recall Teresa saying they have just got a new boat, so you never know!

 

What was good was that Shawn stays in communication with other boats and he was told of a sighting and we were able to go over to where there were a few whales playing around. Shawn has such knowledge and experience and Teresa's salmon dip is not to be missed!

That's awesome! Will remember that :)

You will definitely have a great time with Shawn and Teresa really is so lovely - they both are. I have already booked with them for next year!

 

When I went with them last, we did spend some time near the shore looking for bears, as well as watching many whales and the sea lions.

 

Have a great trip!

That is absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for your input :). Do they have a hydrophone on their boat so they can listen to the whales?

Glad everything worked out for you. You spoke with Teresa, Shawn's wife. As I said previously, we have gone with both F.I.S.H.E.S. and Glacier Wind and both companies offer a great excursion. Enjoy your cruise and excursions!

Thanks very much! Ya Teresa was super nice on the phone :)

I'm confused....so who did you decide to go with for your excursion?

Oh, sorry about the confusion. I decided to book with glacier wind. I actually spoke with one of the owners yesterday, she was super nice and re assured me that the 9am start was perfect. I couldn't believe I got the last spot, I almost didnt get to sleep lastnight thinking about this lol. And that works perfect for me because it's 3 and a half hours, so I'll be able to make the 1:15pm ziprider. So super excited!!!

So this just leaves one more excursion left for me to book. Southeast sea kayaks in Ketchikan, but I am waiting for others to book for that since they as well do no take single bookings

Please let us know when they show up, and how you received them!

 

 

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Will do. When is your cruise?

There is also Misty Bay Lodge. See what they may have available.

 

I think you may be making some wrong assumptions with the "cold" mention? 9a is hardly "morning', dawn was about 5 hours prior. I don't find the temps significant and it's darn easy to dress for it anyway The negative with this tour is rain- which they WILL run in. Paying the tax which is a few added dollars is a benefit here with walk up- which I did for my nephew last year. He's looking to go again this year, after out trip with FISHES. I went when this first opened years ago. It isn't mine kind of preferred zip, so not repeating.

Oh, hahhaha omg I totally forgot about that! How sunrise in Alaska is 5am and sunset is around 11:30pm lol. Ok I made my decision, looks like I'll have to go with FISHES next time. I saw that there was a 9am time, and guess what?! Only one spot left!! What luck!... I had to take it

Ok here is my latest dilemma if anyone can help with. To sum it all up...

So I will be in icy strait point on July 12 from 9am - 5pm

I booked the ziprider at 1:15, hoping to do the whale watching with FISHES at 9:30am. But waiting for others to book on FISHES since they won't take a single person (I am going solo on my trip)

But the I was told about glacier wind charters and they are also a good vendor. And they seem awesome like FISHES. I went on the glacier wind website and there are only 2 more spots available for 12 pm. No morning times available. But that means I'll have to cancel my 1:15 ziprider which will be a pain and specifically chose the afternoon for the ziprider cuz I was thinking the morning would be too cold for it.

I was looking at the pros and cons between glacier wind and FISHES. Glacier wind is 3 and a half tour. FISHES is a half hour shorter.. buttt FISHES goes by chigacof island, so you have a chance of also seeing bears. I dunno what to do guys

This is my all-time favorite port for souvenirs-you will get a coupon booklet from the ship and if you go to Tongrass Trading Company- (there are three or four of these in the small town) you can pick up free items at each one and also you can take all of the souvenirs that you buy in any of these three or four stores of theirs to the last one that you go in and they will ship everything home for you that have bought from Tongrass for a flat rate of i think it was $14.99 when i went two years ago. I bought some Ulu knives, sweat shirts, hats, a couple of hand carved wooden statues and totems which would have been taken from me when i went back to the ship anyway until i disembark and it was just so much easier then schlepping everything back home on the airplane, and making my luggage heavier. I must have had 60 or 70 lbs. worth of merchandise and it was all shipped to my home for $14.95. It took about three weeks to get it but i did not mind at all. Save all your souvenir shopping for here.;)

That's awesome Robin ya I've heard from many people that Ketchikan is the best port for shopping.

Will keep that in mind, thanks :)

Online check in was done shortly after booking. The german website states that the edocs are available at 60 days and i called around day 50. I am a bit of an obsessed organizer 😉

 

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Haha I'm an obsessed organizer toooo! lol

Compare with Above and Beyond. There are only 2 vendors, if you look at Liquid, it will be the same you are already referencing.

Yes I agree, definitely compare the two, above and beyond Alaska and liquid Alaska tours. It depends how long ervengel is in Juneau for. If she is in port for longer than 5 and a half hours, then I definitely recommend above and beyond. The difference is with above and beyond it is about 6 - 8 hours long, correct? And you get to hike all the way to the glacier, which is pretty amazing, hiking all that terrain. With liquid Alaska tours, it is 5 and a half hours and you canoe to the glacier. Both tours allow entrance to the caves (if conditions are safe)

That's the one I am doing :). The Mendenhall glacier ice adventure tour. Really looking forward to it

Why don't you call them if you have any questions

Yup, that link above, that tour is by liquid Alaska tours. You can find all the reviews from last summer on the above link I sent :)

That's the one I am doing :). The Mendenhall glacier ice adventure tour. Really looking forward to it

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

This was the one I'm looking at:

http://alaska-shoreexcursions.com/juneau/mendenhall-glacier-ice-caves-adventure-tour

 

However, I will look in the liquid Alaska one. If I can do the one with the kayak, even if the ice caves can't be ventured into, I think it'd still be worth it.

Yup, that link above, that tour is by liquid Alaska tours. You can find all the reviews from last summer on the above link I sent :)

Hey everyone,

 

We will be doing our first Alaska trip.

 

I checked most of the excursions for our cruise and none of them seem to do the ice cave exploration. I was able to find it through another tour company.

 

However, I came across this:

 

 

 

Has anyone done this tour in the summer months? July/August.

 

I'd hate to go all the way there and then tell us, we can't go in.

 

Thank you everyone in advance.

Sorry, my mistake. The last review for this tour was last Sunday.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g31020-d10342096-Reviews-Liquid_Alaska_Tours-Juneau_Alaska.html

I have different information from a vendor contact (I'm a several time customer) You must be accepting of not getting in the caves. This tour is brand new, and only has run one season with 2 companies. The caves are NOT accessible a fair amount of time. It is also important to note with one vendor and the tour being an hour shorter. No guarantee. I know with the vendor I use, caution will be a significant. All it will take is a warm spell, which does happen in Alaska and I'll speculate that will be it for any cave entry.

 

I'd suggest you contact the vendor direct and simply, ask them what it's been like this year? What the stats were last year, and be mindful of the possible vague responses, which tell you more than anything else. :)

The last paragraph is excellent advice, I will definitely call them and ask them these questions. You're super smart! :).

Ya if only my stay was longer in Juneau I would have definitely booked the Mendenhall glacier trek with above and beyond Alaska

Hey everyone,

 

We will be doing our first Alaska trip.

 

I checked most of the excursions for our cruise and none of them seem to do the ice cave exploration. I was able to find it through another tour company.

 

However, I came across this:

 

 

 

Has anyone done this tour in the summer months? July/August.

 

I'd hate to go all the way there and then tell us, we can't go in.

 

Thank you everyone in advance.

Hi. Is his the Mendenhall ice cave adventure tour with liquid Alaska tours? I am booked on this excursion this July. Like you, I chose it specifically to explore the inside of the ice cave just because I think this is a unique and once in a life time Experience. I read all the reviews on trip advisor, there is a recent review on there of someone who just did it last week. Of all the reviews, it seemed everyone got to go inside, there was only 2 reviews (out of the 4 pages of reviews) where they couldn't go in. So I think that the odds are pretty darn good that we will be able to explore them. Though Mother Nature is unpredictable and anything could happen, the glacier is in fact receding daily. I'm going in with zero expectations. If I don't get to go in the caves, will I be disappointed? Of course, but I'm not gonna let that ruin the whole trip, I would just be happy that I'm there, exploring the glacier and taking on all the breathtaking scenery :). Try to look at it through this perspective ;). Hope this helps

Had a similar problem. Booked my excursion after payment and they told me to pay excursion on the ship. No edocs came and i called again. They had to do it manually as the excursion was still shown as unpaid. A day later they were available.

 

Happy travels 😊

 

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Really, how many days or weeks before your cruise did you call about your edocs?

If you're doing a land tour as well as cruise your docs won't be available until 30 days out.

Yes I'm doing a land tour as well. I'm doing the 12 Day alyeska explorer. Did you do a land tour as well? And yours was available 30 days out? I'm trying not to freak out also out of sheer excitement but it's kinda hard haha

Haha, yep definitely won't be forgetting my binoculars, having them on at all times...excellent. I will be doing that also :). Also for the Denali national park tour, in your opinion where is the best place on the bus to sit?

Never mind budget queen I saw your response to this question the Denali thread.

The driver will answer questions over and above all the canned stuff, so if you sit up front you get to ask more questions. Right or left only makes a difference if the action happens to be on the other side. You will see one side going out and the other side coming back and animals show up on both sides.

 

 

Wear a jacket or layers enough to keep you warm - it snowed on us a little in the first week of August and there is generally a pretty strong breeze.

 

Oh, and for those who carry a book to get stamped at the national parks, they do that for you at the gift/rest center (at mile 18, if I remember correctly) where we got out to stretch our legs. That is where I got the video of the beautiful colors of the Polychrome valley.

 

p.s., look around at the rest center. We were standing, looking and talking when my wife happened to look up on the ridge behind the center and discovered 4 Dall Sheep grazing around up there.[/quote

 

Thank you very much for your input

I go out on bear tours, where 100% of my trips have seen bears in Hoonah. Occasionally I do see them on shore lines. If you don't look, you won't see any, only guarantee, there is. :) My binoculars go on my neck sailing out of Vancouver/ landing at Anc and don't come off until packed in my suitcase at the airport. :) Yep, they look "great" in the dining room (rare occasion I'm there) and at cocktail parties. :) :) :)

Haha, yep definitely won't be forgetting my binoculars, having them on at all times...excellent. I will be doing that also :). Also for the Denali national park tour, in your opinion where is the best place on the bus to sit?

You are in a wild environment and not in a zoo. The tour vendor can not always tell where the animals are although they do their best based on their experience. Also, the tour operator can not manufacture good weather - that is controlled by a higher being.

 

I did a 1 week kayaking trip in the Puget Sound near Seattle once. I was really hoping to see orcas and we all know that there are several pods of them there. Did I blame the tour operator for their failure to produce orcas for me - no. Stuff happens.

 

I will also add that we did a trip out of Seward once and we saw what seemed like several hundred orcas. Even the captain was amazed. Next year we took out granddaughter on exactly the same trip and saw maybe 5 or 10 of them, Again - stuff happens.

 

To put it bluntly - you are being totally unrealistic about nature. If you want guaranteed sightings, go to a zoo and sometimes you do not even see the animals in a zoo as they may be in a spot in the enclosure where they can not be seen.

 

DON

Couldn't have said it more perfect then that Don! Brilliant

While I am not Budget Queen (I am sure she will be able to add something once she sees your post), Floyd did take us by the dump near the shore line and we did see a bear or two --- the bears were not there on all of our trips but they were there on some of them.

Oh nice. Good to know, that is always exciting when you see bears and other wildlife on your whale watch excursion :)