Alaska Port Shuttles?

[Ithikan]

We will be first-time Seabourn sailors this September, and wonder if the ship supplies free shuttles into town, (specifically Juneau).  Any thoughts on not-to-be-missed excursions are also very welcome.  Thanks in advance -

[LMB01]

In 2019, we had a shuttle in Juneau because we were at one of the more remote docks.  Last August, we were front and center so no shuttle.  We were disembarking and embarking passengers so I think that played a role of where we got to dock.

[robertmartha]

Ithikan

 

We just completed Juneau to Vancouver.

Embarking in Juneau - front and center along with quite a few other ships - other ships had to tender in. Only other ports Wrangell and Prince Rupert no shuttle required, Alert Bay (tender). Keep in mind the southbound sailing is advertised as an expedition sailing - not about the large commercial ports but rather small ports where the "town" is at the dock basically. 

 

Bob

[SDuckers]

18 hours ago, Ithikan said:

We will be first-time Seabourn sailors this September, and wonder if the ship supplies free shuttles into town, (specifically Juneau).  Any thoughts on not-to-be-missed excursions are also very welcome.  Thanks in advance -

We took the Vancouver-Juneau-Vancouver cruise last September.  My favorite excursion was to the sled dog training facility, where we got to ride on a (wheeled) sled pulled by the sled dogs and also play with the puppies there.  It was rather chilly and very rainy that day, but still a lot of fun.  We also did an excursion (at Haines, I think) where we went out to oyster beds and got to see the whole oyster growing process and then eat fresh oysters right out of the water.  Really yummy.

[nancygp]

1 hour ago, SDuckers said:

We took the Vancouver-Juneau-Vancouver cruise last September.  My favorite excursion was to the sled dog training facility, where we got to ride on a (wheeled) sled pulled by the sled dogs and also play with the puppies there.  It was rather chilly and very rainy that day, but still a lot of fun.  We also did an excursion (at Haines, I think) where we went out to oyster beds and got to see the whole oyster growing process and then eat fresh oysters right out of the water.  Really yummy.

Thanks for the info…we’re doing the dog sled training facility again, last time was a few years ago and one time it was raining so hard we bagged the excursion.

 

I’ll take a look at the Haines excursion as we are waitlisted for something else currently …update, I just checked and the oyster excursion is offered in Ketchikan 

 

Nancy

Edited June 1, 2023 by nancygp

[Ithikan]

Thank you LMB01 and robertmartha for the shuttle reassurances.  I'm hopeful we'll be able to visit a museum or two from Juneau and Wrangell during this September cruise.  And, we are contemplating the float trip past a glacier rather than the oysters, having slurped what we suspect to be the best of the bivalves from Oregon's central coast, and during an Azamara cruise through the Adriatic.  I'm hoping to enjoy a meal of freshly caught Silver Salmon, lovingly prepared onboard by Seabourn's chef  : ) 

[PaulMCO]

Maybe it is just me -- 🙂   But me and the better half thought the Oyster Farm was pretty lame.  You taste a few free ones, but if you wanted to indulge $$$.  The same oysters from the same farm were cheaper in town.

 

The highlight is the various zodiac tours.  Do not miss them. 

[nancygp]

34 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

Maybe it is just me -- 🙂   But me and the better half thought the Oyster Farm was pretty lame.  You taste a few free ones, but if you wanted to indulge $$$.  The same oysters from the same farm were cheaper in town.

 

The highlight is the various zodiac tours.  Do not miss them. 

Thanks Paul…we aren’t doing the oyster farm excursion as we have lunch and other plans in Ketchikan.  We’ve been there several times.

 

I did take your recommendation made a while back and booked 2 zodiac tours.

 

Nancy

[SDuckers]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

Maybe it is just me -- 🙂   But me and the better half thought the Oyster Farm was pretty lame.  You taste a few free ones, but if you wanted to indulge $$$.  The same oysters from the same farm were cheaper in town.

 

The highlight is the various zodiac tours.  Do not miss them. 

Thanks for the correction up above that it was Ketchikan, not Haines.  We were lucky with the weather the day we went.  It was a beautiful blue-sky day and not all that chilly, so the boat ride out to the oyster farm was also a highlight.  I loved seeing the growing process, but if you are only in it for the oyster eating, you're right, it's probably cheaper in town.

 

We failed to book ahead on the zodiac tours, so only were able to book one on the last day, and it ended up getting cancelled due to the fog.  So be wiser than we were on pre-booking!

[nancygp]

27 minutes ago, SDuckers said:

We failed to book ahead on the zodiac tours, so only were able to book one on the last day, and it ended up getting cancelled due to the fog.  So be wiser than we were on pre-booking!

We were on the Norway cruise last summer and regretted not doing any zodiac tours and they were all sold out.   So….we are doing a couple in Alaska and glad I booked far in advance.  Hope the weather will cooperate. 🤞

 

ps…we live in the same city

 

Nancy

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by nancygp

[labonnevie]

If available in Juneau, I would highly recommend the Mendenhall Glacier helicopter and guided walk tour. 
Of over 20 cruises, this has to be one of my top 5 excursions ever. Just fabulous. 

[johng75370]

Slightly off-topic, but we'll be on Odyssey at the end of the Alaska season and wondering if anyone has been there early October.  Will things have shut down already in terms of excursions or shops being open?  Any comments on boarding process in Juneau?  

[robertmartha]

John

I can only speak to the boarding process (just returned from the second sailing of the season) - EASY

Ship was docked at the port - dropped off luggage outside the check in area (we dropped off at 11:30 for a 1:15 embarkation) walked around Juneau for and hour / half - met up with the rest of our party at 1:10 - walked thru check in kiosk - showed passports and boarding pass - on the ship to the lounge - check in received your key card - off to the cabin - luggage already in the room! Off to lunch at the colonnade!

 

We were back out and took the Mt Roberts tram (after lunch) and then hiked up the mountain at the top.

 

great afternoon and great way to start the sailing 

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, johng75370 said:

Slightly off-topic, but we'll be on Odyssey at the end of the Alaska season and wondering if anyone has been there early October.  Will things have shut down already in terms of excursions or shops being open?  Any comments on boarding process in Juneau?  

Don't worry about shops--they are just tourist shops and not very interesting at all.  The real draw is the great outdoors.  

[robertmartha]

ABSOLUTELY agree with SLSD

Juneau was a great port - we got into our hotel at midnight but got up the next morning - walked to a local coffee/breakfast spot - had a great relaxing breakfast and then walked to the ship with our luggage and dropped it off. When we walked around "downtown" Juneau ...have to agree - just tourist shops and jewelry stores (granted I am not a shopper so I may not the best person to comment on stores 😉) but even in Wrangell (really just a port town with a main street), Prince Rupert (actually very depressed downtown area once you walk up the hill from the port)...Alaska for us was all about getting out there on the water or on hikes...all outdoors. If we are lucky enough to ever do the same sailing again (and I would do it in a heartbeat) I would really plan it out more thoroughly to take advantage of ALL the hiking opportunities available in each port. The ship excursions offered only two in Wrangel. We could have done quite a few more on our own. In Prince Rupert a few of us took a cab to Butze Rapid Trail - it was fabulous. Some of us trail ran, some of us walked (actually I think the ship offered this but we did it at a fraction of the cost).

[SLSD]

There is a very good museum in Port Rupert. It has a lot of artifacts from early Alaska.  We especially enjoyed seeing the Native American masks.  They were fabulous!! It is very close to where you will disembark and a super easy walk.  It is so close you can almost see the museum from the dock.  The museum is well worth seeing.  

 

There is also a pretty sunken garden close by and another easy walk.  There is even a regular grocery store within walking distance.  

Edited June 2, 2023 by SLSD