Wallet friendly excursions question

[lifetime_learner]

I have cruised Alaska 3x. We took different excursions every time we cruised. There is so much to see and do in Alaska. Research what is offered by the cruise line to see what you are interested in and then research some companies on your own. The first time I cruised I booked everything on my own. Harv and Marv are awesome for whale watching. We booked a jeep ride through the Alaskan highways over into Canada and back (very interesting). We went on the train ride, but it was too slow of a pace for us. We booked a helicopter ride (through the ship) and hiked a glacier (most beautiful experience). A must do if you can is - while in one of the glacier areas we disembarked from cruise ship and got on a smaller boat (we were able to get really close to the glacier) and then returned to the ship. Those are just a few highlights, but there is so much more you can do.

[onespots]

We booked private excursions for all of our ports visited in Alaska last September. Saved some money, however the overall experience for us is far better than the excursions provided by the ship. Also when your roll call gets started, check it out. Many small groups our formed for private excursions.Likely you will find something of interest.

 

We began our journey with a 7 day DIY tour of Alaska, then taking the cruise from Seward to Vancouver. We learned so much on this trip & are eager to return to Alaska in the near future.

 

Ketchikan: Used Ketchikan Taxi. Private tour for 4 people with many stops for photo opportunities with Dave who has lived in this area for over 25 years. Included was Totem Bright State Park & the Saxman Native Village. If you like Totem Poles your in the right place. After our 3 hour tour, we walked Creek Street, did some shopping,& enjoyed a super seafood lunch in town.

 

Juneau: This is expensive. We took a flight-seeing tour of the Glaciers & landed at Taku Lodge. Here we explored the grounds & enjoyed a great Salmon barbecue lunch. Upon our return to Juneau we explored the capital & then returned to the ship. This was a tough decision, as we really wanted a whale watching trip. It all worked out as this ship stopped at Icy Strait Point & we had a fabulous whale watching trip. Many sightings & several whales did breach.

 

Never too soon to plan. Good luck in your pursuit.

 

Ketchikan

 

 

Saxman Native Village

 

 

Taku Lodge

 

 

 

 

[SightCRR]

Don't forget to look at 2 for 1 coupon books. Toursaver and Northern Lights. Often the flights in the books will be gone but they still offer great deals. For our Aug 16 cruise we got book from ebay missing a couple coupons for cities we didn't go to for about 20 bucks and saved 159 on Juneau whale watch. One problem with doing ebay is you can't set up tours very early in the year. Other option is get book at full price and go for the high price tours available in Jan 17 but we haven't done it that way.

sightcrr

[Ofmyheart]

Okay just my $.02

 

First time we did the floatplane in Ketchikan, White Pass train in Skagway, Helicopter with glacier landing in Juneau, and limo to Bouchat Gardens in Vancouver. It totaled $$$, more than the cruise itself. I would NOT have changed that for the world, loved it all.

 

I was sure we would never go back BUT... we leave again in 3 weeks. This time using free shuttle service in Ketchikan, poss Mt. Roberts (depending on weather) and bus to Mendenhall. No Skagway this trip so splurging on Bear Expedition.

 

Decide what you are comfortable with and go for it YOLO!!!

[OhJinkies]

I'm planning my cruise for next June and am doing some expensive stuff, so I'm trying to find some balance for my wallet as well. I want to be able to hike in the Mendenhall Glacier area and get some really nice photos, but I'm cruising solo, and am a little worried about running into bears. So I found a company that does tours -- photography and adventure hikes. They use a nice wireless communication system and the guide also takes photos that they send you when you get home. When I looked at the cost of the shuttle to the glacier ($30), the price of the Photography tour looked pretty good to me -- $79. I can't "recommend" it, since I haven't been on it, but here is their website if you want to check it out: http://www.adventureflow.us/

[bottom-dragger]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a Nash Metropolitan??? tres cool.

The hardtop version had little "opera" windows.

 

Yes, wait for it.

 

 

wait for it .....

 

 

they were Metropolitan Opera windows ......................

[dibbitz]

Ed Smith in Eastville Virginia had one just like it.....just my two cents....hehehe

[Budget Queen]

Just booked our HAL cruise to Alaska (first timers for both) - R/T out of Seattle departing 9/2/2017, and even though it is over a year out, its never too early to plan, right? :)

 

Anyway, having cruised the Caribbean a few times, we know enough to book excursions from third party vendors - besides being cheaper, often times they offer better experiences. We aren't looking at "barebones" tours but spending over a grand for a helicopter ride and dog sledding is just a little steeper than the two of us would like to pay - I know, once in a lifetime but we are hoping that it won't be.

 

That being said, we most likely won't be booking thru HAL so we just wondered what tour companies do all y'all consider more wallet friendly and reliable or your thoughts on waiting until we get to the ports to deal directly with tour operators on the docks (as cruising in late season may pose weather issues and we might be able to dicker with the rates).

 

Our ports of call include Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria, BC

 

TIA!

 

FiRST- you need to determine WHAT tours you want, not the other way around, randomly looking at vendors. I never recommend the "third party booking agents" that you may be referring to. This isn't the Caribbean. What makes independent tours significant- IS the vendor, so perhaps, you might want to be more focused on that? Those 3rd party options are going to be who ever the commission contracts are with. And your options not being all that are available.

 

You are best, taking a look at your shore excursion list, and greatly narrowing down your interests. Don't get caught up in the "must" claims, there are more of those than you can do in 10 trips. Figure out where YOUR priorities are, not just what is popular. Be true to yourself. Doesn't matter what others do or choose.

[jonsmom]

I disagree... I have not gone on my cruise yet but I am finding that booking directly with vendors is definitely cheaper than with the cruise line. For example, the Misty Fjords flight seeing is $279/pp thru the cruise but I am paying $239/adult and $189/child. That's a $260 savings and that is just for one of my excursions. It adds up if you think of multiple excursions.

 

Just my 2 cents. I found some vendors by looking through reviews on this board, some through trip advisor and some just through google. Good luck.

 

I agree - I have been doing some research for my August 2017 cruise. I have found by booking independently you are saving 70-80 per person. We are a family of 4 and that is a lot of savings in one port.

 

In the Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic it is not broken down by cities (as far as I can tell) only lumped into Alaska.

Edited September 11, 2016 by jonsmom

[matondo]

I appreciate the information I have found on this thread. We are a little under a year our from our trip to Alaska. DH does not care what we do. I have started reading and researching and I am overwhelmed with all of the options. I enjoy reading recommendations from those who have already been there done that.

 

I have rarely been disappointed in the advice I have found on this site.

[CindyLouWho2]

In Ketchikan we took the city bus to Totem Bight for a few dollars round trip. I'm pretty sure it was 2.00...20 minute bus ride to the park and I was very happy to have researched on here and found out about this option. We loved walking through the two totem parks that are there. Some beautiful scenery, neat to find out some information about each of the totem poles through the free pamphlet at the visitors centre. My whole family enjoyed it. It was recommended to us from one of the city bus drivers to go to the museum and wait for the bus there, it comes at 26 and 56 after the hour, we got better seating by walking the three blocks to the museum. And...added bonus because we went straight There we got some great pics of creek street sign with no one in them.

Juneau - I did Harv and Marvs whale watching (145) but my family paid the 30.00 for round trip shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier and really liked the falls they were able to hike to and the view of the glacier. Our 63 year old mother with bad knees did it so it must have been a fairly easy walk.

Had Tracey Crab Shack and it was delicious! The soup and crab cakes were amazing. Not cheap but really good food.

Our ship skipped Skagway :( so no reccomendations there.

Victoria we just walked around the Harbor area.

[Budget Queen]

In Ketchikan we took the city bus to Totem Bight for a few dollars round trip. I'm pretty sure it was 2.00...20 minute bus ride to the park and I was very happy to have researched on here and found out about this option. We loved walking through the two totem parks that are there. Some beautiful scenery, neat to find out some information about each of the totem poles through the free pamphlet at the visitors centre. My whole family enjoyed it. It was recommended to us from one of the city bus drivers to go to the museum and wait for the bus there, it comes at 26 and 56 after the hour, we got better seating by walking the three blocks to the museum. And...added bonus because we went straight There we got some great pics of creek street sign with no one in them.

.

 

I always suggest printing out and taking with you the totem guide- IF you have an early morning port time (6a).

 

The above information is wrong. the bus is only ONCE per hour, with 2 pick ups at Totem Bight (they continue a mile or 2 further to the end, then turn back) the 26 after is NOT the museum time, always be there earlier. that is the Dock St time. It is also essential to note it is the SILVER line bus.

 

for Totem Bight- it is best to allow 3 hours, and consider adding a stop to Potlatch Park, and taking a looking at the Totem Carving Shed in the back.

[JanetAlice]

You got some questionable responses. I have no idea why people are so snippy sometimes.... Sorry.

 

On my cruise in May I only booked two excursions at Icy Strait thru the cruise line. Otherwise I didn't see paying extra for something I could easily do myself considering I had over six months to take care of it. The price difference wasn't HUGE, but enough that it could pay for a meal or two, a few souvenir items, etc.

 

On the Dyea Dave tour we actually rode the train back from Frasier to Skagway and I picked up the tickets at the train station before leaving town - Dave took us by to do that, no big deal. I think we saved about $15 each - $30 total - just on those two tickets. You'll often see fear tactics used to scare you into buying through the cruise line because "those other tour operators might not get you back to the ship on time." Doubtful - they are as aware of the departure time as anyone and their livelihood depends on not having bad word of mouth. It would only take one bad experience broadcast here on the internet to ruin a small business.

 

Something interesting about Dave - he doesn't take credit cards, doesn't take deposits (unless it's a LARGE group) and you pay him after the tour is over. His guarantee: If you didn't enjoy the tour you don't owe him anything. He will take cash or a personal check. Since he was dropping us off at the train I tried to pay him there - NOPE! He said he'd pick us up back in Skagway and take us to the ship or wherever else in town we wanted to go. He was there waiting when the train stopped then took us by two shops we wanted to buy some things at. I had to practically force the money on him after that! I haven't broadcast this anywhere else because I didn't want others to ***EXPECT*** something like this: There was only four of us on the tour that day (early May); my cruise mate & me plus two ladies we didn't know. The two ladies didn't ride the train so after he dropped them off in town he picked us up and rode us around in the below. How cool and unexpected was that? There was about a hundred other people getting off the train as we rode off and I think most of them was staring. :D That's what makes doing your own thing more interesting. Even if you do only save a few bucks....

 

 

I wish CC had a like button inside of making a separate post. You a right on every point you made. Be nice people, it's easier to be helpful than semi-nasty.