Anyone ever take the "Photo Safari By Land & Sea" excursion in Juneau?

[Love Boat Dream]

Thinking about it for my July 26 cruise on the Golden Princess.

 

Thanks

[mom2agr8boy]

Thinking about it for my July 26 cruise on the Golden Princess.

 

Thanks

 

 

No, I am on NCL, Pearl in September. I have read on the board that the one NCL offers is good and books up fast because of the small number in a group.

[ggprincess2004]

Yes, we did it last year and loved it. Gatineau Guiding does a great job and has very knowledgeable people as guides.

The watercraft is small and very very low to the water, you will bob around like a cork at times, so if you have any real seasick issues, please be advised of that. We got great shots of wildlife at Auck Bay. We also got fantastic shots at Mendenhall glacier.

I think you would really enjoy it - small group and lots of opportunity for great shots. It was kind of a play date for people who are nuts about cameras - but it is advertised as a photosafari so have fun comparing telephoto lenses!:)

[ggprincess2004]

Oh, I think it has a C.R.U.I.S.E. award as well, which is a good thing.:)

[LRDR01]

Yes, we did it last year and loved it. Gatineau Guiding does a great job and has very knowledgeable people as guides.

The watercraft is small and very very low to the water, you will bob around like a cork at times, so if you have any real seasick issues, please be advised of that. We got great shots of wildlife at Auck Bay. We also got fantastic shots at Mendenhall glacier.

I think you would really enjoy it - small group and lots of opportunity for great shots. It was kind of a play date for people who are nuts about cameras - but it is advertised as a photosafari so have fun comparing telephoto lenses!:)

 

 

ggprincess2004-

Do you happen to have your photos while on this excursion posted anywhere? We are on this one in August. We have taken 10 of the 14 available spots on the excursion and have heard really great reviews on this one. I would love to see some pics.

Thanks.

[ggprincess2004]

Sorry - they are not posted on the internet. If you google Gastineau Guiding you will find their website - great photos there - some taken by their guests, some by their guides.

[steinbird]

I went on this excursion in mid-June and I have one word - amazing. I booked it through RCI but it's run through Gastineau Guiding. We had the best guide, Jim. Out of all the excursions I took over 13 days (often two a day), Jim was the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic. It was a nice combination of seeing both Mendenhall Glacier and marine life.

[cruzinisgood]

We went on the Photo Safari and loved it, except for half the group came couldn't speak english so the people that wanted individual attention with their camera's couldn't get it. We already knew about our camera so that didn't bother us but did lik the small group. We were on the Celebrity Infinity, we went to the Mendenhall Glaciers and ran iinto a bear and then out on the water and watched humpbacks whales. One in particular because it put on such a show.

Here's a few pictures my husband took. Hope i did this right for you to see them.

[Love Boat Dream]

I have a digital camera that does not have telephoto lenses. Would it still be worthwhile for me to do this tour?

[cruzinisgood]

I think having some kind of zoom is good in Alaska. The glaciers you need them because you are not that close. The bear in our picture was actually to close for the lense we were using.

Most of the time what you're taking pictures of are further away, as that's the way it was with us.

 

Hope this helps.

[ggprincess2004]

I have a digital camera that does not have telephoto lenses. Would it still be worthwhile for me to do this tour?

 

If you happen to have a zoom option - go for it!

[LRDR01]

Thank you so much for giving me a "taste" of the excursion. Fantastic photos. Just beautiful.

I have a digital with a 10x zoom. Hopefully, that will be enough to get some great shots.

Thank you again. Now, I'm really excited.

[RVRCLC]

Does anyone have more recent experience with this tour? In 2009?

(Makes no difference which cruise line.)

[trophy_23]

Not my own experience, but chatted about cameras etc with a fellow cruise last May on HAL who went on it ( we went heli dogsledding instead) and he absolutely loved it!! Said it was wonderful and had had some amazing pictures. We thought about it for this May, but decided on Harv and Marv and they were a bit cheaper for a more intimate tour (6ppl max).

[tee_harbor]

Does anyone have more recent experience with this tour? In 2009?

(Makes no difference which cruise line.)

 

Are you concerned it's changed in some way? Same company, same fine guides, same animals and glacier, every year. I'd recommend Gastineau Guiding to anyone. They hire knowledgeable locals, not the usual college kids flown in a day before the season begins.

[Cheryl H]

We are planning to take this tour also (May 2011). I just wish they took early reservations. I was disappointed when I learned that I could not book directly with them. I bet RCCL won't have next's year excursions available to book for awhile.

[RllyDrvr9]

Still considering this for our upcoming cruise... it's either this or sea kayaking.

[nurseone]

We sail 5-28 and have already booked this one. Only one we've pre booked as I understand they don't take large groups so since we wanted to be sure to get in we booked early. I'll report back.

[RVRCLC]

We sail 5-28 and have already booked this one. Only one we've pre booked as I understand they don't take large groups so since we wanted to be sure to get in we booked early. I'll report back.

Wonderful! Thank you! Please do report back, I'm anxious to hear all about it. I will be doing it in August.

[parganut]

Hi

We did the photo safari land and sea last September and when I first communicated with them they told me they have several boats in use.

 

We had a lady guide who was also very good and even though the weather was bad we still saw eagles, seals and whales. Would definitely recommend them. As someone else has said the boats move around quite a bit but everyone has a seat and it felt safe.

 

Enjoy it, we certainly did.:)

[DizzyDallasDi]

Does anyone have more recent experience with this tour? In 2009?

(Makes no difference which cruise line.)

 

I took this excursion in late May 2009 with HAL and had a wonderful time. I'm a novice photographer and only really get serious about it on vacations. George, our guide, gave lots of great advice about using certain features for different conditions and I came back with some amazing shots. The whale watching portion is on a small boat and since there are so few people in your group it's a fun time with lots of individualized attention from the guide. Here's a shot from that part of the tour.

 

 

 

The short hike around Mendenhall Glacier was a little hurried (I think we were runnng late) but I loved it also. I highly recommend this excursion.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Still considering this for our upcoming cruise... it's either this or sea kayaking.

My DD is booked for the sea kayaking and I am booked for the Photo Tour. So we will have experiences for both. I am going in July. Can't wait.:)

 

I took this excursion in late May 2009 with HAL and had a wonderful time. I'm a novice photographer and only really get serious about it on vacations. George, our guide, gave lots of great advice about using certain features for different conditions and I came back with some amazing shots. The whale watching portion is on a small boat and since there are so few people in your group it's a fun time with lots of individualized attention from the guide. Here's a shot from that part of the tour.

 

The short hike around Mendenhall Glacier was a little hurried (I think we were runnng late) but I loved it also. I highly recommend this excursion.

What an amazing shot! Loved it.:)

 

I have a digital with 12X zoom. Between that and Photoshop I am usually pleased with my results. I hope I will be this time, too. A DSLR is just not in the budget at this point.

[candysmom]

I agree with Dizzy Dallas Di. I took this May 2009 while on the HAL Ryndam with my daughter and son in law. I hesitated going since I am not up to date with photography and was concerned that it also was marked as medium (for hiking). But there were only a couple SERIOUS photographers from Australia with their wives. My daughter took some wonderful pictures and we first saw a large pod of whales and skipper immediately radioed the competition the location. The official photographer was in his second season doing this. his father is a pro and he started at the age of 7. we had a second guy onboard getting his feet wet for the season. then we were taken by van to Mendenhall.as we got out at the dropping off area and a park ranger came over to tell us that a bear was up a tree about 100 yards away along an elevated trail. naturally all went over (about 20?) all the reading on this site indicated no bears this early. I guess he didn't read. really a good tour. Also first time I saw closeup whales from the deck that same day.

[joesan]

Does anyone have experience with the HAL photo tours in Sitka and Juneau? There are a lot of good reviews about Jaunea. What about Sitka?

[RVRCLC]

Has anyone taken this tour this summer?

or do you plan to do so?