Alaska Shore Excursions?

[Moodyblue]

Hi

I am starting to investigate the options for our Disney Alaskan Cruise in August

The official excursions are incredibly expensive so I am looking into local providers as I know lots of people do this quite successfully...

However, there is so much choice! Can anyone recommend any firms that they used? I have come across Alaska Shore Tours which look quite good? Has anyone used them?

Any help/hints/suggestions would be gratefully received

[Omega1]

Which ports do you call at? Have you had a look at Cruisecritic - loads of recommendations on the 'ports of call' section.

[Moodyblue]

Hi,

We stop at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.

Thanks, will have a look at cruise critic 👍🏻

[TinkTatoo]

We did the White Pass railway tour in Ketchikan which took us back into Canada and up into the Yukon. The railway journey was on an old style train that you could stand outside on and lasted about an hour and a half. After that we transferred onto a mini bus for the rest of journey and made frequent stops to photograph the breathtaking scenery and look at points of interest. We had lunch at Carcross and then went as far as Emerald Lake. The whole excursion took about 7 and a half hours and was brilliant day out. I think we booked this directly with the railway.

The best excursion was a helicopter ride up to the Hubert Glacier in Juneau and then a visit to a dog sled camp. The whole thing was just amazing as there were only 6 of us, we got very lucky with the weather as it started to close in just as we finished. we booked this with Coastal Helicopters

Our last excursion was a float plane trip in Skagway which was another unforgetable trip. The views from here were amazing and the lake we landed on in the middle of the Tonga National Park was just breathtaking. We didn’t see as much wildlife as we expected but did see an eagle, some seals and mountain goats. The only down side was that DD suffered very badly with motion sickness and I didn't feel that great myself but the boys had a fantastic time. We booked this with SeaWind Aviation

[Moodyblue]

Wow! They all sound amazing, thanks for sharing. I am looking at the train trip but a bit worried DD won't really enjoy it 😕

She is desperate to see whales & bears so I am trying to focus on those.

[Omega1]

This is what we did on our 2014 Alaska cruise (from my notes):
Ketchikan
Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows - main attractions - Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park, Saxman.

The Totem Heritage Center is located in Ketchikan and is an easy walk from the cruise docks. Can take the free shuttle loop bus (Salmon Loop). Since the totems are inside it is a nice option when Ketchikan is experiencing some of their "liquid sunshine," particularly if the "sunshine" is pouring heavily. There is a nominal admission fee, so check their website for current rates.
Totem Bight State Park by silver bus north route $1 each way (25 min journey). Outward 25mins past the hour; return 13 past the hour. Also, silver route South to Saxman village totem park.
You would need to check recent info for timings/costings.
Juneau
Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on the Gastineau Channel, the town of Juneau has the massive Mendenhall Glacier and the immense Juneau Icefields at its back door.
Glacier Express Blue Bus to Mendenhall Glacier - operated by MGT Blue Bus (Mighty Great Tours). When in Juneau Alaska, a must see is the Mendenhall Glacier, which is only 13 miles from downtown Juneau. The Glacier Express Blue Bus out to Mendenhall was $16per person round trip in 2014. Tickets can be purchased at or near the ship docks on Franklin Street - near the Mt Roberts tram station.
After the glacier we had a wander round town (lots of self guided walks on line) and then took the Mt. Roberts Tramway (cable car) for spectacular views. We did a short hike to some great viewpoints.
We didn't call in at Skagway. We did our whale watching from Icy Strait Point saw lots of whales, sea otters and also a female grizzly on the shore eating seaweed - it was early in the season and the salmon weren't running yet. Our captain took the boat in close and we had a great view - better than those who had taken mega expensive helicopter trips to see bear.
Others might be able to advise on whale watching from your ports of call.

[Moodyblue]

That's brilliant! Thank you so much... hope we get some time to fit in the totem poles!

[daffodil92]

Thank you so much for starting this thread - I'm following with great interest! : )