Juneau - Airboat & Helicopter Tour..any reviews?

[SUNNY D]

We are in Juneau 10am-8pm and hope to do a whale tour and a helicopter tour. The helicopter tour will be our big splurge excursion for our trip. Hubby is most interested in the 3hr Taku Airboat and Helicopter Tour, thru our cruiseship but provided by Coastal I believe. It is the most expensive helicopter tour available and with no reviews I'm hesitant on booking. Has anybody taken this tour and what were your thoughts? Alternatively the other helicopter choices we would consider in Juneau are:

#2 Pilots Choice (most fly time and 2 glacier landings)
#3 Four Glacier Adventure
#4 Dogsled Adventure
#5 Dogsled on Mendenall
#6 Mendenall Glacier & Walk

Our main goal would be to see as much variety of scenary as we can. Dog sledding would be cool but its not a priority. Mendenall would be last on our wants as we can see it on our own I think.

Also, if we are the unlucky who have back seats in the helicopter will it greatly affect the tour for us? Any back seat flyers experiences?? It seems 5-6 passengers is the norm for a helicopter so I anticipate chances of being in the back are good.

Thanks for any info on the airboat tour or experiences out of the others I listed.

[Kamloops50]

[quote name='SUNNY D']We are in Juneau 10am-8pm and hope to do a whale tour and a helicopter tour. The helicopter tour will be our big splurge excursion for our trip. Hubby is most interested in the 3hr Taku Airboat and Helicopter Tour, thru our cruiseship but provided by Coastal I believe. It is the most expensive helicopter tour available and with no reviews I'm hesitant on booking. Has anybody taken this tour and what were your thoughts? Alternatively the other helicopter choices we would consider in Juneau are:

#2 Pilots Choice (most fly time and 2 glacier landings)
#3 Four Glacier Adventure
#4 Dogsled Adventure
#5 Dogsled on Mendenall
#6 Mendenall Glacier & Walk

Our main goal would be to see as much variety of scenary as we can. Dog sledding would be cool but its not a priority. Mendenall would be last on our wants as we can see it on our own I think.

Also, if we are the unlucky who have back seats in the helicopter will it greatly affect the tour for us? Any back seat flyers experiences?? It seems 5-6 passengers is the norm for a helicopter so I anticipate chances of being in the back are good.

Thanks for any info on the airboat tour or experiences out of the others I listed.[/quote]

When it comes to seats. Everyone will have a window seat. The scenary in Alaska is beautiful no matter where you are .

[SUNNY D]

Great, thanks.

Now...anyone with reviews for the airboat/helicopter tour please!!!

[Budget Queen]

[quote name='Kamloops50']When it comes to seats. Everyone will have a window seat. The scenary in Alaska is beautiful no matter where you are .[/QUOTE]

This is not true. There are larger helicopters who fit 3/4 people across.

[Kamloops50]

[quote name='Budget Queen']This is not true. There are larger helicopters who fit 3/4 people across.[/quote]

The ads I've seen says"Every passenger has a window view"
This was for both float planes and helicopters.
The one I've seen used for helicopter flight sighting were
small Aerostars that only fit five passengers plus the pilot.

[Budget Queen]

[quote name='SUNNY D']We are in Juneau 10am-8pm and hope to do a whale tour and a helicopter tour. The helicopter tour will be our big splurge excursion for our trip. Hubby is most interested in the 3hr Taku Airboat and Helicopter Tour, thru our cruiseship but provided by Coastal I believe. It is the most expensive helicopter tour available and with no reviews I'm hesitant on booking. Has anybody taken this tour and what were your thoughts? Alternatively the other helicopter choices we would consider in Juneau are:

#2 Pilots Choice (most fly time and 2 glacier landings)
#3 Four Glacier Adventure
#4 Dogsled Adventure
#5 Dogsled on Mendenall
#6 Mendenall Glacier & Walk

Our main goal would be to see as much variety of scenary as we can. Dog sledding would be cool but its not a priority. Mendenall would be last on our wants as we can see it on our own I think.

Also, if we are the unlucky who have back seats in the helicopter will it greatly affect the tour for us? Any back seat flyers experiences?? It seems 5-6 passengers is the norm for a helicopter so I anticipate chances of being in the back are good.

Thanks for any info on the airboat tour or experiences out of the others I listed.[/QUOTE]

Coastal is not a ship contractor, unless they are new this year? (which I kind of doubt due to their size). The ship contractors are ERA and TEMSCO, for your listed tours.

It depends where the airboat goes? I do a lot of flying in Alaska, but have no information on the airboat. If you post the description, at least you can get information on the area perhaps. With flying, it definitely equals "more" the longer you are in the air.

[Skylarr29]

[quote name='Budget Queen']Coastal is not a ship contractor, unless they are new this year? (which I kind of doubt due to their size). The ship contractors are ERA and TEMSCO, for your listed tours.

It depends where the airboat goes? I do a lot of flying in Alaska, but have no information on the airboat. If you post the description, at least you can get information on the area perhaps. With flying, it definitely equals "more" the longer you are in the air.[/QUOTE]

Not the OP here but I'm pretty sure they mean this tour at $560 a person [url]http://www.coastalhelicopters.com/tours/airboat-tour/[/url]

[SUNNY D]

[quote name='Skylarr29']Not the OP here but I'm pretty sure they mean this tour at $560 a person [url]http://www.coastalhelicopters.com/tours/airboat-tour/[/url][/QUOTE]

This is exactly the tour or at least it matches the cruise description to the tee....which is why I "assumed" the tour was run by Coastal. I have not seen anyone else offer the airboat portion but Coastal. My hesitation is simply the lack of reviews and not being able to hear from people that actually took the tour. I know everyones experience is different but I take some comfort in reading about others experiences to help base my decision...also because this is a very expensive excursion so don't take the one we choose lightly. Hoping someone out there has done this tour!

[Budget Queen]

[quote name='Kamloops50']The ads I've seen says"Every passenger has a window view"
This was for both float planes and helicopters.
The one I've seen used for helicopter flight sighting were
small Aerostars that only fit five passengers plus the pilot.[/QUOTE]

I have personally flown in helicopters with 3 across the back, in Alaska.

[Budget Queen]

[quote name='SUNNY D']This is exactly the tour or at least it matches the cruise description to the tee....which is why I "assumed" the tour was run by Coastal. I have not seen anyone else offer the airboat portion but Coastal. My hesitation is simply the lack of reviews and not being able to hear from people that actually took the tour. I know everyones experience is different but I take some comfort in reading about others experiences to help base my decision...also because this is a very expensive excursion so don't take the one we choose lightly. Hoping someone out there has done this tour![/QUOTE]

Easy to make a call and inquire if the ship tour, this may be a combo of two different vendors? This would also be new for Coastal, if they have become a ship contractor. this is a new tour. Edited March 10, 2015 by Budget Queen

[Crew News]

[quote name='SUNNY D']We are in Juneau 10am-8pm and hope to do a whale tour and a helicopter tour. The helicopter tour will be our big splurge excursion for our trip.

#6 Mendenall Glacier & Walk

Our main goal would be to see as much variety of scenary as we can. Dog sledding would be cool but its not a priority. Mendenall would be last on our wants as we can see it on our own I think.

Also, if we are the unlucky who have back seats in the helicopter will it greatly affect the tour for us? Any back seat flyers experiences?? It seems 5-6 passengers is the norm for a helicopter so I anticipate chances of being in the back are good.

Thanks for any info on the airboat tour or experiences out of the others I listed.[/quote]

Since the whole front of the helicopter is a giant window, all will have a window seat. One passenger will join the pilot in the front and four will sit across the back seat based on their weight (weight balance is important). The word "sardines" was uttered by one passenger on our helicopter flight.

[IMG]http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/gallery/mendenhall-glacier-walk/P7070077.jpg[/IMG]

Watch your step on the glacier!

[IMG]http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/gallery/mendenhall-glacier-walk/P7070063.jpg[/IMG]

[SUNNY D]

Great. My hope was no matter where we sit it will be a worthwhile experience.

BTW, Coastal and Airboat Alaska are the ones partnered in providing this tour (appears to have started in mid 2014) thru the cruiseships. I have contacted them directly as its cheaper as usual. Also asking them if they have any reviews about this tour. Not what I would normally do, asking the provider for reviews as it can be biased but it appears nobody has taken this tour on here so any info is info at this point :) Will let you know what I come up with...incase any future CC members want to know about this tour.

[Budget Queen]

OK, I'm a flightseeing snob- but, it is far better to actually have a window seat, and not one of the middle back seats on the flight. Viewing is superior- bottom line. I have flown these tours, using all three vendors out of Juneau and Skagway 8 times. The middle seats are not as good. I, fortunately, have only gotten the middle seat once.

You do not get to out run anyone, or bribe others on your trip. :) Your seat will be assigned to you, by the vendor, based on weights and balances.

[SUNNY D]

Since there is nothing we can do about what seat we will get (since the assign based on weight) I suppose it comes down to, Is it a deal breaker enough to not go? I'm thinking no. All I can do is hope our seat positions are favorable.

I have confirmed helicopter capacity of 6 passengers thru Coastal. They also mentioned if at least 3 seats are not booked and paid prior to the tour, they will cancel the tour and either refund or reschedule us on another tour. Their response to reviews is as follows:

[I]"We rebranded the Taku Adventure this season, so any reviews that are out there would be listed as Taku Airboat Tour reviews, and I know we have one or two on Tripadvisor, and I believe the Cruise Critic forums have a thread or two, but I don't have any direct links"[/I]

I did another search and found one review on tripadvisor with pics:

[I]wonderful tour. Well worth the money spent. It was the highlight of my Alaskan cruise. Both heli. pilot and boat operator were knowledgeable and added to the tour.

Visited September 2014[/I]

And another review from Holland America site:

[I]Great Ride - We both enjoyed this excursion. Our pilot was very good and we had a nice, scenic trip in and out of the inlet. Our air boat captain was great and you could tell he loved what he was doing. Well worth the cost.
July 2014[/I]