Celebrity Shore excursions - Opinions and critiques, please :)

[AnnaNicole]

Cruise is May 24

 

Juneau - Glacier and Wilderness Photo Safari     I really like the idea that this is a small group (14) tour.   However, I am not sure about the 4:30pm excursion time. 

Sunset is around 9:30pm.

 

Has anyone done this tour?    Any opinion on the time of the tour from those who have done this or a similar excursion at this time? Should I try to get waitlisted for an earlier tour, once I am on the ship.   Advice on tipping guide?

 

Ketchikan -   Any experiences/opinion on the Ketchikan Trolley and Lumberjack show?    We would love to get crab or salmon bake while in port for lunch.   Any recommendations?

 

Skagway -  Any experiences/opinion/advice on the White Pass Scenic Railway?   Recommendations for restaurants - crab or salmon bake for lunch?

 

Victoria  - Kodiak whale watch or should we just linger in port.   We do not arrive until 5:30pm.

 

Thanks!  🙂

 

Edited May 9, 2019 by AnnaNicole

[Northern Aurora]

Just a couple of comments --  In Ketchikan we enjoy Annabelles for fresh dungeness crab.  

 

In Skagway we've taken the White Pass and Yukon Railway several times through the years, and have enjoyed it.  And in Skagway we generally have a meal at the Skagway Brewing Company.

 

This summer we be on an Alaska itinerary which also has a late port call in Victoria.  Since we have been there multiple times, including last month, we will have a casual meal at our favorite pub -- the Bard and Banker.  Great food in a historic building.

[Coral]

I think the lumberjack show is very juvenile. It is great if you have young kids - very dorky otherwise.

 

Juneau Photo Safari and White Pass are great choices. Especially for a first trip.

[AnnaNicole]

The lumberjack show is part of the "package" with Celebrity and effectively, ends up being free.    Is the trolley any good?

 

Any opinion on the time of the glacier whale watch/photo safari being at 4:30?

 

We usually do not book shore excursions through the ship, but we had OBC to use up.

 

 

[masterdrago]

23 hours ago, AnnaNicole said:

Cruise is May 24

 

Juneau - Glacier and Wilderness Photo Safari     I really like the idea that this is a small group (14) tour.   However, I am not sure about the 4:30pm excursion time. 

Sunset is around 9:30pm.

 

Has anyone done this tour?    Any opinion on the time of the tour from those who have done this or a similar excursion at this time? Should I try to get waitlisted for an earlier tour, once I am on the ship.   Advice on tipping guide?

 

Ketchikan -   Any experiences/opinion on the Ketchikan Trolley and Lumberjack show?    We would love to get crab or salmon bake while in port for lunch.   Any recommendations?

 

Skagway -  Any experiences/opinion/advice on the White Pass Scenic Railway?   Recommendations for restaurants - crab or salmon bake for lunch?

 

Victoria  - Kodiak whale watch or should we just linger in port.   We do not arrive until 5:30pm.

 

Thanks!  🙂

 

Looking at your time for the wilderness Photo Safari, I'm thinking this would be an awesome time to take it. I'm thinking it is the 5 hour tour? The best time to capture great images is sometimes called the "Golden Hour". In Juneau on May 24th it runs from ~6pm until a bit after 8pm. Absolutely the best time for the tour! If we could have gotten that time, it would have been a no brainer. All our ship had were 9:30 & 10:30 morning tours.

[AnnaNicole]

45 minutes ago, masterdrago said:

Looking at your time for the wilderness Photo Safari, I'm thinking this would be an awesome time to take it. I'm thinking it is the 5 hour tour? The best time to capture great images is sometimes called the "Golden Hour". In Juneau on May 24th it runs from ~6pm until a bit after 8pm. Absolutely the best time for the tour! If we could have gotten that time, it would have been a no brainer. All our ship had were 9:30 & 10:30 morning tours.

Yes, it is the 5 hour tour.  Thank you for that information.   I feel super excited about it now.   🙂

 

Do you think dusk will have any effect on whale watching?  I am not sure what order they are doing the tour - Glacier first or whale watching.  

[Coral]

1 hour ago, AnnaNicole said:

The lumberjack show is part of the "package" with Celebrity and effectively, ends up being free.    Is the trolley any good?

 

Any opinion on the time of the glacier whale watch/photo safari being at 4:30?

 

We usually do not book shore excursions through the ship, but we had OBC to use up.

 

I would rather walk around Ketchikan than do it by trolley.

[masterdrago]

10 minutes ago, AnnaNicole said:

Yes, it is the 5 hour tour.  Thank you for that information.   I feel super excited about it now.   🙂

 

Do you think dusk will have any effect on whale watching?  I am not sure what order they are doing the tour - Glacier first or whale watching.  

Based on the info I've read here on CC, I would say that Whales eat 24/7. There are several threads with that very question in the Alaska category going back a dozen years or so. Also, I would expect that after just making the long trek from their winter grounds, they might be hungry all the time. I'm sure that one of the multi Alaska cruisers or full timers will be able to give a more educated and experienced answer. We are scheduled for 3 whale watch tours and one full day glacier tour in the 16 days of our visit starting late next week.

[AnnaNicole]

8 minutes ago, masterdrago said:

Based on the info I've read here on CC, I would say that Whales eat 24/7. There are several threads with that very question in the Alaska category going back a dozen years or so. Also, I would expect that after just making the long trek from their winter grounds, they might be hungry all the time. I'm sure that one of the multi Alaska cruisers or full timers will be able to give a more educated and experienced answer. We are scheduled for 3 whale watch tours and one full day glacier tour in the 16 days of our visit starting late next week.

Sounds like your trip is going to be amazing.   Have a wonderful time.  

 

I think I could whale watch all day, every day given the opportunity.   🙂