Private tour operators, or just ship excursions?

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen,

 

Thank you so much! We were wondering about Mendenhall vs. other glaciers. That's helpful information. By "shuttle like," do you mean less expensive?!

 

Thanks,

Allison

 

No, definately not a personal, and the flying was essentially a fixed route, seeming to just go back and forth. The other two companies, in my experience of 6 glacier helicopter tours were superior.

[allisons]

No, definately not a personal, and the flying was essentially a fixed route, seeming to just go back and forth. The other two companies, in my experience of 6 glacier helicopter tours were superior.

 

Budget Queen,

 

Thanks. That is good to know. We wouldn't like that. We will not book that.

 

Thanks,

Allison

[allisons]

And what about a brown bear search in Icy Straight Point? Does anyone have a recommendation of a private tour operator?

[allisons]

We are changing itineraries to either the Northbound or Southbound on RCI Radiance of the Seas or Celebrity Millenium. So, that adds Ketchikan to our itinerary. We'd like to do:

 

- Misty Fjords Flightseeing via Floatplane

- Bear Watching

 

Does anyone have recommendations of private tour operators? Thank you!

[Texas Tillie]

We are changing itineraries to either the Northbound or Southbound on RCI Radiance of the Seas or Celebrity Millenium. So, that adds Ketchikan to our itinerary. We'd like to do:

 

- Misty Fjords Flightseeing via Floatplane

- Bear Watching

 

Does anyone have recommendations of private tour operators? Thank you!

 

Michelle with Island Wings. She's the best!

[allisons]

Michelle with Island Wings. She's the best!

 

Texas Tillie,

 

Thank you! I really appreciate the recommendation! I'll look them up right now! I am really excited about this particular excursion!

 

Thanks,

Allison

[StarTrkGeek]

Absolutely. For whale watching we're using Scania (Adventures in Alaska). Google Scania and you'll find them but their email is scaniaww@aol.com They will pick us up at the pier and then take us whale watching and drop us off at Mendenhall Glacier where we'll do our thing for an hour and then they will drop us at Salmon Bake where we can buy our tickets directly from them.

 

Pricing works out to about the same as the "Best of Juneau" excursion on Princess that includes all of these excursions but we'll be getting a more personal touch. Scania is really good about emails and phoning you and giving you answers to any and all questions you may have.

 

Mendenhall is great, but the salmon bake is a waste of time. The only type of salmon that they serve is silver (coho) salmon. If you like Copper River Salmon or Red Sockeye Salmon, you will need to go elsewhere.

 

Gastineau Guiding offers a whale watching tour with a visit to Mendenhall, and the guide is a professional photographer who provides helpful hints. This tour is also offered by Princess.

[allisons]

StarTrkGeek,

 

Thank you! This is just the kind of information I need! Is there a good salmon bake or a good alternative to a salmon bake? We love good Pacific salmon and we love halibut. We want to eat as much good salmon and halibut as we can while we're in Alaska.

 

Thanks,

Allison

[StarTrkGeek]

StarTrkGeek,

 

Thank you! This is just the kind of information I need! Is there a good salmon bake or a good alternative to a salmon bake? We love good Pacific salmon and we love halibut. We want to eat as much good salmon and halibut as we can while we're in Alaska.

 

Thanks,

Allison

 

Hi Allison,

 

I believe that all the Salmon Bakes offer silver (coho) salmon only. If you like Copper River Salmon or Red Sockeye Salmon, you will need to find a local restaurant. A good place for restaurant reviews is tripadvisor dot com.

 

Based on positive restaurant reviews, I would try:

Ketchikan: Annabelles Famous Keg & Chowder House

Juneau: Tracy's King Crab Shack (also featured in "Food and Wine" magazine)

Icy Strait Point: The Office (a bar/restaurant that serves fresh Dungeness Crab)

 

I hope this helps.

Alan

[Budget Queen]

I really like the Thane Ore House in Juneau. With advance reservations, they did, in the past shuttle from the tram area.

 

The Office Bar in Hoonah gets rave reviews for crab, but I though the Cookhouse and Galley also excellent food.

[allisons]

StarTrkGeek,

 

Thanks again! Those are great recommendations! I really appreciate it! We are really looking forward to the delicious seafood in Alaska! (I'm a native Marylander, home of the blue crab, steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab soup, so I love seafood!)

 

Thanks,

Allison

[allisons]

Budget Queen,

 

Thank you! Those are great recommendations! I looked at the Thane Ore House online and it looks delicious! I will definitely make an advance reservation with them!

 

Thanks,

Allison

[Budget Queen]

Hi Allison,

 

I believe that all the Salmon Bakes offer silver (coho) salmon only. If you like Copper River Salmon or Red Sockeye Salmon, you will need to find a local restaurant. A good place for restaurant reviews is tripadvisor dot com.

 

Based on positive restaurant reviews, I would try:

Ketchikan: Annabelles Famous Keg & Chowder House

Juneau: Tracy's King Crab Shack (also featured in "Food and Wine" magazine)

Icy Strait Point: The Office (a bar/restaurant that serves fresh Dungeness Crab)

 

I hope this helps.

Alan

 

Have you been to any of these????

[StarTrkGeek]

Have you been to any of these????

 

No. I just read the rave reviews.

[StarTrkGeek]

StarTrkGeek,

 

Thanks again! Those are great recommendations! I really appreciate it! We are really looking forward to the delicious seafood in Alaska! (I'm a native Marylander, home of the blue crab, steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab soup, so I love seafood!)

 

Thanks,

Allison

 

Hi Allison,

 

I spent about 14 years in Maryland (Hollywood Shores -- St Marys County; and Silver Spring -- Montgomery County). My favorite restaurant for blue crab was Evans (on St Georges Island), not far from Patuxent River Naval Air Station.

 

Dungeness crab appears to be just large versions of blue crab (at least twice the size of a blue crab).

 

Alan

[allisons]

Alan,

 

I grew up in Owings Mills (Baltimore County). Now I live in Germantown (Montgomery County). Most of my favorite crab places are in Baltimore. I can't wait to try crabs in Alaska!

 

Allison

[allisons]

After we get off the ship, we're going to spend the day in Seward touring before we take the train to Anchorage. We'd like to do:

 

- Kenai Fjords Cruise

- Exit Glacier

 

Do you have any recommendations private tour operators? Thank you!

 

Will we be able to get off the ship in time to catch one of the Kenai Fjords tours? Will the tour be over in time for the 6:00 p.m. train to Anchorage? Is it set up like that? Do they drop you off at the train station?

[Budget Queen]

After we get off the ship, we're going to spend the day in Seward touring before we take the train to Anchorage. We'd like to do:

 

- Kenai Fjords Cruise

- Exit Glacier

 

Do you have any recommendations private tour operators? Thank you!

 

Will we be able to get off the ship in time to catch one of the Kenai Fjords tours? Will the tour be over in time for the 6:00 p.m. train to Anchorage? Is it set up like that? Do they drop you off at the train station?

 

with you wanting to do both, I suggest you consider the 11:30am Kenai fjords tour and get yourself to Exit via taxi or shuttle prior to that. Get up early and have a full day. Your bags can be stored at your boat tour, or if you are leaving later (an hour at Exit is enough for many) the rail depot will accept checked bags about 9am. Yes the boat operator schedule fits with the train departure.

[allisons]

Budget Queen,

 

Thanks again! That is so helpful! Do you have any recommendations of private tour operators? Am I understanding you correctly that I need to book a tour for Kenai Fjords, but that I can just take a taxi to Exit Glacier? Where will the Kenai Fjords tour depart from? The train station? Does this make sense as an itinerary?

 

7:30-8:30 a.m. - get off the ship, get baggage, take taxi to train station

 

9:00 a.m. - purchase ticket for 6:00 p.m. train to Anchorage, store baggage at station

 

9:30-11:00 a.m. - take taxi to Exit Glacier, tour Exit Glacier, take taxi to train station (or to wherever the Kenai Fjords Cruise is departing from)

 

11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Kenai Fjords Cruise

 

5:30 p.m. - dropped off back at train station

 

6:00 p.m. - train departs for Anchorage

 

Thanks,

Allison

[NancyIL]

Budget Queen,

 

Thanks again! That is so helpful! Do you have any recommendations of private tour operators? Am I understanding you correctly that I need to book a tour for Kenai Fjords, but that I can just take a taxi to Exit Glacier? Where will the Kenai Fjords tour depart from? The train station? Does this make sense as an itinerary?

 

7:30-8:30 a.m. - get off the ship, get baggage, take taxi to train station

 

9:00 a.m. - purchase ticket for 6:00 p.m. train to Anchorage, store baggage at station

 

9:30-11:00 a.m. - take taxi to Exit Glacier, tour Exit Glacier, take taxi to train station (or to wherever the Kenai Fjords Cruise is departing from)

 

11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Kenai Fjords Cruise

 

5:30 p.m. - dropped off back at train station

 

6:00 p.m. - train departs for Anchorage

 

Thanks,

Allison

 

When we arrived in Seward last August, I arranged for PJ's Taxi (http://www.pjstaxi.com) to pick us up at the cruise terminal at about 8:15. We were able to drop-off our luggage at the train station before 9 and check-in for the train. (I would purchase the train tickets online ahead of time.) Then Renee dropped us off at Exit Glacier, with a pre-arranged time for her to return to take us back to Seward. We didn't do a Kenai Fjords cruise (I did it the previous year), but I would suggest getting back to Seward no later than 11:00 a.m. to check-in for the boat tour. The Kenai Fjords cruises leave from the small boat harbor, which isn't very far from the train station.

 

There are several tour opertaors. If you have one of the 2-for-1 discount coupon books, see which vendor(s) offers the tour at a discount. We went with Renown in 2007 (http://www.renowntours.com). Alaska Heritage Tours also offers several tour options: http://www.alaskaheritagetours.com/seward-information.html

[allisons]

NancyIL,

 

Thank you! That is perfect! That is exactly what we'll do! Unfortunately, it looks likes like the coupons in the 2-for-1 books are not good for the 11:30 a.m. cruises, only for the 8:00 a.m. cruises. That is so disappointing!

 

Thanks,

Allison

[AKPeaches2]

And what about a brown bear search in Icy Straight Point? Does anyone have a recommendation of a private tour operator?

 

I'm sure either Bob or Kieth will give you an excellent tour. As coolrider mentioned both work together. Bob: http://forget-me-notoutfitters.com/ has lived in Hoonah 19 yrs and is an avid outdoorsman. Keith: http://www.teckkoutfitters.com/ is a life long resident of Hoonah.

 

Have a great Alaska visit.

[allisons]

AKPeaches2,

 

Thank you! That is helpful information! I really appreciate it! I'm sure we will enjoy our visit to Alaska! The hardest part is choosing which wonderful things to do and see!

 

Thanks,

Allison

[JRJarr]

Coastal Helicopters was a great tour. Went to Herbert Glacier and the pilot lands where he want to. Air time was longer than the ships tour, and time on glacier was awesome.

[allisons]

JRJarr,

 

Thank you! That is a great recommendation! I really appreciate it! Thank you!

 

Thanks,

Allison