Hi.

I need some help with Alaska excursions. We're scheduled for the Vancouver-Seward RSSC August 1, 2007. It's soon time to pick excursions. Can anyone recommend excursions we should absolutely not miss? Are there any to avoid? I'm traveling with 3 adults and a 15 year old boy. Thanks so very much,

Marcia

We've been to Alaska on the Mariner twice. It seems there's breath-taking views around every corner, however the absolute high-light so far for us was in Skagway where we flew on a helicopter over the glaciars and landed on one for dog-sledding. We'd do it again in a heart-beat!

Marcia, we have a forum dedicated to an Alaskan group cruise that we were all on last August. Here is the link to the forum, where you will find every possible question and answer for Alaskan cruising. The name we gave the cruise was MUSH :)


MUSH forum

Marcia--I will be on that cruise with my son, my sister and a good friend. So happy to know that there will be another LCTr aboard.
So far I am planning the tracy arm excursion and the dog sledding (not sure where yet). Let's keep in touch.

OK. This is really stupid. I think I just responded to my own sister. Way to go Diane.

LOL Diane, that is pretty funny!!

:app: :app: Way to go Diane! very funny.

It is so typical. Just call me the ditz. That teaches me to read this without my coffee!

So Marcia--where should we meet onboard? I wouldn't want to miss connecting with you!!!!

Sounds like something I would do! I hope you two have a chance to meet on board! :D

I also recommend a seaplane with a landing. One group combined this with seeing bears and loved the excursion.

The glacier helicopter was great. The Tracey Arm excursion was great and we did a whale watch. I was not thrilled with the ATV ride at one of the stops...sounds fun-especially to a 15 year old. Was just ok for the $$. Saw nothing but woods.

You can do dog sledding from Juneau also (if not through Regent, than use one of the vendors such as Coastal) and take the White Pass rail excursion in Skagway, which is great. (I assume Regent will have its own train car(s).) When we went in 2004, we did a mix of independently arranged excursions and Regent excursions. Alaska is one place that is easy to arrange on your own. Floatplane excursions over Misty Fjords from Ketchikan are always popular. We also enjoyed the Sea Otter & Wildlife Quest in Sitka.

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Eugene

Our first trip to Alaska we went to the Taku Glacier Lodge by float plane. The scenery is breathtaking flying over the glaciers. And there is a BBQ dinner at the lodge. You can hike around the area where the lodge is.

The other excursion not to miss is Tracy Arm.

Coffeecup:

let's meet at the coffee machine in the morning!!!!

Marcia

We loved the mountain peek flight seeing and crab feast in Ketchikan!

Our other excursion was the old train ride and kids would like this I think as well as adults.

Thanks for all your comments.

It sounds like some of the excursions were through RSSC, and some private. Is this correct? If you use a private company, any recommendations on which company to use is appreciated.

Marcia

Our excursions were both booked through Regent.

I would definitely recommend salmon fishing...the 15 year old would love it (everyone, in fact) and you get to eat the results later!! We did ours out of Sitka, but you can do out of Ketchikan.

OK, Diane, I am the real ditz (I can't even spell it).
Anyway,Marcia, when I went to Alaska, it was not onRSSC, but I went white water rafting near Mendenhall Glacier. It was something I would do again. However, I cannot remember what port it was. Duh!!!!Lynn

OK, I am back. It was in Juneau. RSSC has an excursion called Mendenhall glacier river float that sounds very similar, but doesn't mention white water rafting, but provides the rain gear and boots (why would you need those in calm waters?) Also, I wanted to snorkle in Sitka, but the weather didn't cooperate, but I still think it would be quite a story if you did it.
Lynn

Lynn--Did you do any kayaking? That's more my speed than water rafting.
Also, I expect I won't be picking up yarn on this trip, but you never know. That yarn in the baltics was so great, I need to make a return trip just to buy some more (thanks to your wonderful info re the yarn woman).

I've done ocean kayaking in Ketchikan before as a cruise ship excursion (Princess at that time). We were/are ocean kayaking novices so we had some issues in terms of figuring out how to avoid going in circles initially! Didn't see as much wildlife as we had hoped we would but to some extent, that's the chance that you take. Overall, a fun and active excursion but not something that I feel a need to repeat any time soon.

Masaki

Well, Masaki, I could never do the repelling you guys did. I was looking for something a little tamer, that I could actually handle. Going in circles? That's the definition of my life lately.

Hi diane,

We did the Mendehall Glacier Float, in May 2006, we were travelling with a dear friend who (at the time) was int he early Stages of ALS, she really wanted to do it (she would not be able to do it now) and of course wanted to make sure it would be safe for her, even though she wanted some thrills and not be totally bored.

Long story short..we had a patch of class 3 (almost 4) rapids towards the middle of the float, other than that it was VERY calm; however we went in May, which is early in the season, as the season progresses it gets "wilder" so I would expect that by the time you go it won't be as "calm" but certainly nothing class 5..... It is pretty nice to see the glacier up front, and you go through a state park, however, people have houses on the edge of the river so it's a little quirky. Would I do it again? Certainly. Would I try the canoe ride (similiar excursion) probably my first choice next time, as I understand they get REALLY close to the glacier (we got somewhat close but not THAT close). You need all that gear because even if the weather is warm, that glacier does make is chilly and the eqiupment makes it toasty! Nobody got wet tho....

I, too have had coordination problems with kayaking, but eventualky got the hang of it. When we did the white water rafting, we hit about 15 sec. of a 5 and it was great, albeit very wet.
Diane, I am glad you liked the yarn. I do have her updated email address if you want it.
Lynn