NYC Babe Posted August 4, 2013 #1 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Hello fellow travelers, We are going on a cruise on the inside passage Aug l0 to l7 and am wondering which excursions you would recommend? Are there any deals? Can we book excursions more economically by not going through our cruise ship? Where could we take a helicopter ride over the glaciers? Many thanks for your input! NYC Babe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Crew News Posted August 4, 2013 #2 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Hello fellow travelers,We are going on a cruise on the inside passage Aug l0 to l7 and am wondering which excursions you would recommend? Are there any deals? Can we book excursions more economically by not going through our cruise ship? Where could we take a helicopter ride over the glaciers? Many thanks for your input! NYC Babe Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad (Deadliest Catch TV fame) was the best excursion I have taken for seeing eagles. The crew has some of the TV stars demonstrating how they catch all of the different sea creatures. They will let you touch some of those $85/each king crabs that they raise from the sea floor. For about 30 minutes, they toss fish into the water near an eagle preserve with hundreds of eagles swooping down to snatch the food for their young. Bring a movie camera or be ready to take hundreds of still pictures. The Crab Feast via bus and return by float plane was the tastiest event in Alaska. Eating as much fresh crab, caught that morning, free open bar, and then a flight over the mountains was incredible. Helicopter or float plane flights over the glaciers are amazing. Visiting a dog sled camp on the glaciers via helicopter is also fun. Note that problems on private excursions that delay your return to the ship will let you watch it sail away without you. The ship waits for all HAL-sponsored excursions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted August 4, 2013 #3 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Welcome to Cruise Critic. Don't know what ports you will be in. Whale watching excursions are great, helicopter and float planes are great. Saxman Village and Totem Bight are great. The Yukon and Whitepass railroad in Skagway is great. You can find out more about Alaskan ports here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJSULIBRARIAN Posted August 4, 2013 #4 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad (Deadliest Catch TV fame) was the best excursion I have taken for seeing eagles. The crew has some of the TV stars demonstrating how they catch all of the different sea creatures. They will let you touch some of those $85/each king crabs that they raise from the sea floor. For about 30 minutes, they toss fish into the water near an eagle preserve with hundreds of eagles swooping down to snatch the food for their young. Bring a movie camera or be ready to take hundreds of still pictures. The Crab Feast via bus and return by float plane was the tastiest event in Alaska. Eating as much fresh crab, caught that morning, free open bar, and then a flight over the mountains was incredible. Helicopter or float plane flights over the glaciers are amazing. Visiting a dog sled camp on the glaciers via helicopter is also fun. Note that problems on private excursions that delay your return to the ship will let you watch it sail away without you. The ship waits for all HAL-sponsored excursions. The Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad tour offered by HAL is in Ketckikan and I agree with Crew News on this. If you really want to see a lot Eagles do this one. The description of fishing crabs and other varieties with examples is really fun too. In Skagway, I would recommend the excursion that takes you into the Yukon on bus and returns you to Skagway on the train. Another really good one. If you want a shorter tour in Skagway, a Taste of Skagway is interesting as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taz Posted August 4, 2013 #5 Share Posted August 4, 2013 My absolute favorite expedition was the Bear Creek zip-line trip in the Tongass National Forest. It is somewhat physical though, and is therefore not a good choice for those who aren't in good shape. I also loved river rafting in Denali National Park (as part of our land tour) and the helicopter trip to the Mendenhall glacier. I wasn't crazy about the Whitepass Railway trip. The scenery was beautiful, but I'd rather do something more active. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYC Babe Posted August 4, 2013 Author #6 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Still looking for info on excursions from our inside passage cruise Aug l0 to l7 - our ports are Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan. Any leads on helicopter trips? Is it more economical to book our own excursions versus using HAL's excursions? Thanks so much! NYC Babe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted August 4, 2013 #7 Share Posted August 4, 2013 My favorite Alaska shore excursion is the Misty Fjord Float Plane trip from Ketchikan. Flying over the mountains and forests and then landing on on a lake in the Park, standing on the plane's floats, and experiencing the silence and the beauty of the moment! Wow! I'll never forget it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJSULIBRARIAN Posted August 4, 2013 #8 Share Posted August 4, 2013 You might get more information on the Alaska section of the ports of call boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denton1 Posted August 4, 2013 #9 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Hello fellow travelers,We are going on a cruise on the inside passage Aug l0 to l7 and am wondering which excursions you would recommend? Are there any deals? Can we book excursions more economically by not going through our cruise ship? Where could we take a helicopter ride over the glaciers? Many thanks for your input! NYC Babe Our Alaskan cruise was on a different line. But the most memorable tour we took was riding the White Horse and Yukon RR up into Canada and then riding bikes back down to Skagway. The bike ride is all downhill, about 15 miles. You get to see scenery you otherwise would never see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnvcanada Posted August 4, 2013 #10 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Skagway, several tour companies(google) have bus trips one way and train they other. Juneau, walk over to the city bus stop near port, take the city bus to near the glacier. It is less than 1k to the park. Get bus back to Juneau, stop at the Costo stop and walk two small blocks, to the Alaskan Brewry. They usually have seven good beer to sample. Catch bus back to Juneau. Three bus rides 1.70 usd per ride. Flying over glaciers will be expensive. (google for). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted August 4, 2013 #11 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Still looking for info on excursions from our inside passage cruise Aug l0 to l7 - our ports are Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan. Any leads on helicopter trips? Is it more economical to book our own excursions versus using HAL's excursions? Thanks so much! NYC Babe IF, and only if, it's a clear day in Skagway, that's a great place to take a helicopter flight. There's a heli pad right by the dock. If you approach the heli pad, look up to see the mountains. It's those mountains the flight will take you over. Glacier Bay is on the other side. On my first cruise to Alaska I was advised that flight-seeing was practically a requirement there. I didn't take a flight on that cruise, but did the next time. It was great advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayloind Posted August 5, 2013 #12 Share Posted August 5, 2013 We just got home today from our first cruise. My absolute favorite excursion was the Mendenhall Glacier and Wildlife Photo Safari. Our guide was great and it is a small group-only 14. We got to see a black bear, wonderful views of the glacier and then out to see whales, orcas and seals. The White Pass train is also a great excursion. Have a great time. We did! Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowPrincess Posted August 6, 2013 #13 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Still looking for info on excursions from our inside passage cruise Aug l0 to l7 - our ports are Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan. Any leads on helicopter trips? Is it more economical to book our own excursions versus using HAL's excursions? Thanks so much! NYC Babe Generally, private excursions are no cheaper in Alaska, maybe smaller groups and more personal, but not cheaper. You are also leaving it pretty late to be booking privately -- many private operators will likely be sold out. You might get more information on the Alaska section of the ports of call boards. Yes, this ^^^^ The Alaska forum is here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVSue Posted August 6, 2013 #14 Share Posted August 6, 2013 The first time we were in Juneau, one grandson and I went on a glacier helicopter ride, I think it was Coastal. Evidently, they have an extended ride to a glacier and dog sled place. I was very pleased with the trip and found it was cheaper than th ship's tour. But we were in Juneau all day--did the helicopter in the AM and whale watching with Orca in the afternoon. See yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/coastal-helicopters-juneau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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