How to do it all

[Signdy]

Heading to Alaska on Mariner in September, and I'm wondering if anyone has done what I'm trying to do during our long stop in Juneau.

 

Our helicopter glacier tour ends at 12:30 p.m. and I'd really like to also take a whale watching tour at 1:00 p.m. Possible? Regent's website usually disables the option if excursions overlap, but both appear as options for me. I would love to do both (already booked on the helicopter tour), but I don't know what kind of transportation time to expect getting from one place to the other. Thanks!

[Kwaj girl]

That likely won't work as I think Regent requires 75-90 minutes between the scheduled end of an excursion and the scheduled beginning of the next one.  If your helicopter tour is delayed....or traffic is a problem if you have a land transfer back to the ship....you get the idea.

 

[BBWC]

I have seen it done on bus tours where people literally walked from one bus to the next, but that was for included excursions. It seems that the type of excursion you signed up for are extra cost excursions, and you are likely to lose your money if you miss the later one. Sounds too risky to me.

[GOARMY]

Signdy:

 

Common-sense here based on having done four Alaska cruises, all involving Juneau.  A fifth will be September, 2023--Vancouver, B.C. on Explorer via Alaska stops to include Juneau while enroute to Tokyo. 

 

Based on experience, and having spent considerable time at Juneau not-necessarily involved with cruising, the one constant consideration is--Weather. It changes on a dime.  Literally.  

 

There are too-many known-unknowns here.  Realistically, the only way this dual Tour on the same day would work would be for the first one to be called-off due to--Weather.  

 

Pick one or the other.  Frankly, given vagaries of weather, hope one will work out.  But, as we with a Military background are fond of expounding:   

 

Hope is not a Plan.  Always have a Plan B and Plan C.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[Signdy]

Thanks, everybody! The helicopter tour is an extra cost, but the whale watching tour is included. With GOARMY's reminder about weather, it might be worth trying to book both tours, to have a backup in case the chopper gets grounded. 

[cwn]

Signdy, I agree with you. You have no risk. If the website will let you book both tours do it. You will get your money back is the morning doesn’t make. Whale watching can go in the rain. Also talk to the tour desk the day before. One time we were drop off close to the point of a second tour. They were both Regent tours. The tour desk has always been helpful in making things work for us. (At least one on one). As I recall the harbor where at least one whale tour is in the direction of the glacier. We have done both tours, just can’t remember where the helo starts from. Have fun.

If the website won’t let you book the two tours. Try booking one with Regent and the other privately and if the time is close look into a taxi between the two.

We have also rented a car one time in Juneau. Not many roads but we went to the glacier and did several things  offered there on our own then just explored.

[Got2Cruise]

The system will not allow you to book both tours. 

10 hours ago, Signdy said:

Thanks, everybody! The helicopter tour is an extra cost, but the whale watching tour is included. With GOARMY's reminder about weather, it might be worth trying to book both tours, to have a backup in case the chopper gets grounded.