Princess Flightseeing Excursions in Ketchikan

[lucky cal]

I'm trying to find out which local company or companies Princess uses for their flightseeing tours to Misty Fjords and for bear viewing trips out of Ketchikan?

 

Does anyone know? I will post this in the Princess forum as well.

 

Thanks.

[Budget Queen]

Taquan and Pro Mech are the ship contractors.

 

More important is where the bear tours are and the timing.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Budget Queen

[lucky cal]

Taquan and Pro Mech are the ship contractors.

 

More important is where the bear tours are and the timing.

 

We're thinking of the tour that goes to either Traitors Cove or Polk Inlet which is 3.5 hours long (50 minutes of flying and an hour at the site).

 

We're also thinking about booking the Traitors Covetrip independently, which would give us more time at the site. Independent Anan Creek bear viewing also sounds great but it's a lot more pricey.

 

I do think the safety record of the flight operators is pretty important as well, though I suppose Princess wouldn't risk using operators with a poor reputation.

Edited January 31, 2015 by lucky cal

[Budget Queen]

We're thinking of the tour that goes to either Traitors Cove or Polk Inlet which is 3.5 hours long (50 minutes of flying and an hour at the site).

 

We're also thinking about booking the Traitors Covetrip independently, which would give us more time at the site. Independent Anan Creek bear viewing also sounds great but it's a lot more pricey.

 

I do think the safety record of the flight operators is pretty important as well, though I suppose Princess wouldn't risk using operators with a poor reputation.

 

All the Ketchikan vendors comply with safety regulations.

 

Your Traitor's and Anan reference needs further research. These two locations are not peak at the same time, so in my opinion your date will dictate where you go. Anan is peak the month of July, Neets starts about the 3rd week of July through August, and Traitor's Cove is August. General timing estimates.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Budget Queen

[lucky cal]

All the Ketchikan vendors comply with safety regulations.

 

Your Traitor's and Anan reference needs further research. These two locations are not peak at the same time, so in my opinion your date will dictate where you go. Anan is peak the month of July, Neets starts about the 3rd week of July through August, and Traitor's Cove is August. General timing estimates.

 

We will be in Ketchikan on August 3rd so it sounds like Traitors Cove would be the best option. My concern about the Princess excursion is that it says Polk Inlet or Traitors Cove so you have no control over which location you go to. For Neets Bay, I believe they only have a boat tour and you don't even get out of the boat which doesn't seem like much fun to me.

Edited January 31, 2015 by lucky cal

[xlxo]

I do think the safety record of the flight operators is pretty important as well, though I suppose Princess wouldn't risk using operators with a poor reputation.

 

Safety is #1. If the fog rolls in while you are on a plane stop.... The pilot will not take off as you wave good bye your cruise ship sailing away...

Edited January 31, 2015 by xlxo

[5waldos]

We will be in Ketchikan on August 3rd so it sounds like Traitors Cove would be the best option. My concern about the Princess excursion is that it says Polk Inlet or Traitors Cove so you have no control over which location you go to. For Neets Bay, I believe they only have a boat tour and you don't even get out of the boat which doesn't seem like much fun to me.

 

They have a Neet's Bay boat trip but they do also have a plane trip out there, if that is where you wanted to go.

[mapleleaves]

This web site has a pretty concise outline of bear viewing sites near Ketchikan:

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/bear-viewing-in-alaska.html

[Budget Queen]

We will be in Ketchikan on August 3rd so it sounds like Traitors Cove would be the best option. My concern about the Princess excursion is that it says Polk Inlet or Traitors Cove so you have no control over which location you go to. For Neets Bay, I believe they only have a boat tour and you don't even get out of the boat which doesn't seem like much fun to me.

 

I like Traitor's Cove better than Neets. Have been to both several times. In your timeframe, I would go to Traitor's.

 

You may want to consider an independent vendor.