photo tour in Juneau with Princess

[tetons]

It says indoor boat. Last time I was in Alaska and did a combination Glacier and whales, the boat had an indoor part but a huge outdoor part as well. I personally don't want to be indoors. Has anyone taken this tour? Is there an outdoor portion on the boat of this photo tour or do you have to stay indoors? If there is room for people to stand on the outside part, how many are able to stand outside? How many people are allowed to go on the photo glacier/whale tour?

 

I just love to see the whales and want as much time there as possible and I know there is a little hike involved at the glacier. How long does the hike part of the tour take and how much time is on the water?

 

Does anyone know the name of the company that does this for Princess? I could call them and find out also, I just don't know which group they use.

[cruzgryphon]

Did this tour with RCI last year..but I checked the website and Princess and RCI both use the same company - Gastineau guides. Company was superb..there is a covered area, but the windows fold in so you can keep your camera dry and still take pictures. They were in contact with the other whale watching boats and divided pods up, so there weren't too many boats around a single group of whales...which was great for seeing the orcas. The hike was about half a mile...they give a lot of great tips on taking pictures, different settings, provide an instructional disk, have access to certain trails at Medenhall to get better access. Will check back in case there are more specific questions.

CG

[tetons]

Thank you so much for answering my question. When you say the window folds in, can you see well out. How many people were allowed on the excursion? Did most people take tri-pods or not?

[bwindi]

Thank you so much for answering my question. When you say the window folds in, can you see well out. How many people were allowed on the excursion? Did most people take tri-pods or not?

 

I did this tour last September with Princess - really enjoyed it. My husband took his tri-pod but never used it - the motion of the boat makes it pointless for that part of the tour. The tour guide had mono-pods that you could borrow. A black bear walked past our group about 6 feet away on the walk to the Mendenhall Glacier!!! The group was a small size and I believe its limited to 12. The windows on the boat are large and open in over and fasten to the ceiling - you have a good and uninterrupted view - saw plenty orca's and humpbacks (there are not porthole type windows)

[tetons]

We may take this after all. Thank you. The small size of tour would be great.

[SeattleCruiselover]

How strenuous was the hike at Mendenhall. I have a bad knee due to sports injury in my youth. I can walk half a mile, but not straight up or on severely jagged terrain.

[Suzanne123]

We're booked on this excurion through HAL, but I think they use the same vendor. Great pictures here:

http://www.stepintoalaska.com/tour_shore_excursion_details.cfm?tourid=photosafari

[cruzgryphon]

How strenuous was the hike at Mendenhall. I have a bad knee due to sports injury in my youth. I can walk half a mile, but not straight up or on severely jagged terrain.

I was in a similar position last year when I took this tour. I've got issues with both knees. The first thing the photographer/guide asked was if anyone had knee problems, since they have a bunch of different trails they can take you on. The trail was very flat, a small incline, but it didn't affect my knees. Also in a pinch the monopods make useful walking sticks.

CG

[slabeaume]

Sounds like the tour I took from Royal Caribbean a couple years ago. It was great. Limited size (12 sounds about right). The boat was smaller with windows that opened, but they also had an area in the front of the boat uncovered that you could take turns getting out onto. I used one of their monopods on the walking trail to Mendenhall. Probably didn't need it, but it made for a nice walking stick, too. The trail was relatively flat---maybe a mile total distance. What surprised me is we had 2 people on the tour who didn't even have cameras! They actually gave them disposable cameras to use. There was also someone in a wheel chair that signed up for that tour, but they had to refuse him---I think because of the size of the boat?

[SeattleCruiselover]

I was in a similar position last year when I took this tour. I've got issues with both knees. The first thing the photographer/guide asked was if anyone had knee problems, since they have a bunch of different trails they can take you on. The trail was very flat, a small incline, but it didn't affect my knees. Also in a pinch the monopods make useful walking sticks.

CG

 

Thank you so much! I may just change from the straight whale watching to the photo safari then.....:o