Toeknee498

24 minutes ago, Marylandteachergirl said:

Toeknee498, are you on the Radiance May 29th sailing from Vancouver?  Or Ovation?  I booked it again for Juneau for June 2nd, 2020, so you must be on a different ship.  I am thinking we may not see as many bears in May, but I just saw a review from someone who did this exact excursion on Ovation of the Seas last week, and he posted bear pictures!  I have pictures on my cruise excursions page, but not here on cc.

We are on the Ovation May 29th sailing from Seattle and the excursion is actually on May 31, not June like I originally thought.  Could you direct me to the pictures (his or yours)?  I'm new to CC and still learning how to navigate.  Even if there aren't as many bears, I'm sure the excursion will be just as great.  But I will be devastated if we don't see any!

21 minutes ago, Marylandteachergirl said:

We did this excursion in August 2017.  It was probably the best excursion I've ever done (or maybe tied with  Calabaza Sailing in Barbados sea turtle snorkel..  We are doing it again this year in August with 10 family and friends, and I just booked it again for our late May, 2020, Radiance sailing with my daughter.  I know we may see fewer bears in late May/1st June than August because the salmon aren't running.  But, back to the excursion... we were outfitted with boots at the outfitters office (and had to tell our weight privately). It was a short float plane ride from the airport.  We landed in water  (shallow) and waded to shore.  We walked maybe 1/4 of a mile along a  trail after receiving very detailed bear safety instructions, and watched bears catching/eating salmon in a waterfall.  We saw several mama bears walk by with cubs right in front of us, and one of the cubs stood up on hind legs to get a better look at us.  Probably less than 20 feet away!   On the way out, we walked past a mama bear nursing her two cubs.  I asked the guide if the bears mind humans out there.  He said they tolerate it, because the salmon is more important to consume than worry about humans.  They  guides are very careful to keep a respectful distance between us and the bears.  It was probably the single largest reason I can't wait to go back to Alaska.  I know it's pricey, but it's incredible!  The planes are part of Ward Aviation in Juneau  (look at their website)  and the bear part is guided by Bear Creek Outfitters - at least it was last year.

Thank you SO much for the information. I'm so glad I found someone who has done it.  I just hope we see bears in May...I think we are in Juneau on June 3rd so hopefully some will be out.  As an amateur wildlife photographer, I figured this excursion was a must! Thank you again.

On 3/22/2017 at 3:57 PM, Marylandteachergirl said:

Thank you all!

Did you go on this excursion?  We are looking at it for our May 2020 Alaskan cruise but can't find much information about it other than on the RCCL website.

We are sailing on Ovation in May 2020 and I'm very interested in this excursion.  Has anyone done it before?  Is it worth the price ($479/pp)?

Thanks

From RCCL:

Journey into the untouched Alaskan wilderness for an once-in-a-lifetime wildlife viewing expedition deep into the Tongass National Forest. Enjoy a breathtaking floatplane ride to and from Juneau and almost three hours of viewing Alaskan brown and black bears and other remarkable wildlife, including bald eagles, humpback whales, Sitka blacktail deer, seals and sea lions. After donning your wildlife viewing gear (provided) and participating in a safety briefing, your fully guided, small-group adventure begins with a breathtaking floatplane ride from Juneau. Marvel at the region’s natural splendor as you make your way to a remote stream in an area with the highest concentration of bears in the world. The landing location is chosen daily, based on the weather and the best chance for bear sightings. Upon arrival, your knowledgeable local guide will share the local history and insight into the wildlife and their natural habitat. You’ll also receive a briefing on bear safety. That way, you maintain your safety as you observe their movements in the wild, getting up close yet staying at a respectful distance. Then prepare to be amazed as you get a rare look into the world of one of the most majestic animals of the great Alaskan wilderness, the enormous brown bear. You’ll have almost three hours of viewing these and other noteworthy wildlife. And be sure to have your cameras and video recorders at hand, ready to capture the unexpected. Afterwards, it’s back to reality. After another exhilarating floatplane ride, this time heading back to Juneau, enjoy some free time to shop for mementos of your phenomenal Alaskan adventure. JUC9

4 hours ago, twangster said:

I recently did a different float plane sightseeing excursion in Juneau that I though was very good.  This excursion sounds better.  Keep in mind nothing is guaranteed so you might not see a bear.  

Did you see a lot of wildlife? What month did you go?

4 hours ago, time4u2go said:

What's the price?

$479/pp

We are sailing on Ovation in May 2020 and I'm very interested in this excursion.  Has anyone done it before?  Is it worth the price?

Thanks

From RCCL:

Journey into the untouched Alaskan wilderness for an once-in-a-lifetime wildlife viewing expedition deep into the Tongass National Forest. Enjoy a breathtaking floatplane ride to and from Juneau and almost three hours of viewing Alaskan brown and black bears and other remarkable wildlife, including bald eagles, humpback whales, Sitka blacktail deer, seals and sea lions. After donning your wildlife viewing gear (provided) and participating in a safety briefing, your fully guided, small-group adventure begins with a breathtaking floatplane ride from Juneau. Marvel at the region’s natural splendor as you make your way to a remote stream in an area with the highest concentration of bears in the world. The landing location is chosen daily, based on the weather and the best chance for bear sightings. Upon arrival, your knowledgeable local guide will share the local history and insight into the wildlife and their natural habitat. You’ll also receive a briefing on bear safety. That way, you maintain your safety as you observe their movements in the wild, getting up close yet staying at a respectful distance. Then prepare to be amazed as you get a rare look into the world of one of the most majestic animals of the great Alaskan wilderness, the enormous brown bear. You’ll have almost three hours of viewing these and other noteworthy wildlife. And be sure to have your cameras and video recorders at hand, ready to capture the unexpected. Afterwards, it’s back to reality. After another exhilarating floatplane ride, this time heading back to Juneau, enjoy some free time to shop for mementos of your phenomenal Alaskan adventure. JUC9

I would love to know more about the excursions in Juneau (more so than what is stated in the descriptions on RCCL).  I'm especially interested in the Brown Bear and Wildlife Search by Floatplane.