Alaska Excursions--post your reviews here!

[Inkmahm]

Originally Posted by nbrmommy2005

Does anyone have a review of Harv and Marv versus doing the Whale watching with Disney?

We are on the July 26th cruise.

I did the Harv and Marv whale watching tour with them in August, 2008. If they are available for your cruise, I'd book with them in a heartbeat.

That said, I am signed up to do whale watching with Disney on our cruise in August. I picked one of the excursions with a smaller boat though. I didn't want to be on the boat with 150 people.

[nbrmommy2005]

Originally Posted by Inkmahm

I did the Harv and Marv whale watching tour with them in August, 2008. If they are available for your cruise, I'd book with them in a heartbeat.

That said, I am signed up to do whale watching with Disney on our cruise in August. I picked one of the excursions with a smaller boat though. I didn't want to be on the boat with 150 people.

How do you know which Whale watching excursion with Disney has the smaller boat?

[Aby]

From my research into picking my own whale watching excursion, I think that the trips with the smallest boat size are Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails + Alaska Whales & Science Adventure (through the Gastineau Guiding Company). The next smallest are the Exclusive Whale Encounter excursions (through Dolphin Jet Boat Tours). The rest are with Allen Marine, with the largest boats.

Personally I picked the Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails for the small size of the boat and the cool open window concept of their boats. Hope I chose wisely!

Aby

[tink1963]

Originally Posted by Inkmahm

I did the Harv and Marv whale watching tour with them in August, 2008. If they are available for your cruise, I'd book with them in a heartbeat.

That said, I am signed up to do whale watching with Disney on our cruise in August. I picked one of the excursions with a smaller boat though. I didn't want to be on the boat with 150 people.

would you share which specific excursion you chose?

[tink1963]

Originally Posted by Aby

From my research into picking my own whale watching excursion, I think that the trips with the smallest boat size are Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails + Alaska Whales & Science Adventure (through the Gastineau Guiding Company). The next smallest are the Exclusive Whale Encounter excursions (through Dolphin Jet Boat Tours). The rest are with Allen Marine, with the largest boats.

Personally I picked the Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails for the small size of the boat and the cool open window concept of their boats. Hope I chose wisely!

Aby

Thanks for sharing your research.

[Inkmahm]

Originally Posted by tink1963

would you share which specific excursion you chose?

The exclusive whale tour combined with Mendenhall glacier. The boats are supposed to fit up to 35 people I canceled the Best of Juneau after reading reviews about the 150 person boats.

[GrumpyBelle]

Originally Posted by Aby

From my research into picking my own whale watching excursion, I think that the trips with the smallest boat size are Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails + Alaska Whales & Science Adventure (through the Gastineau Guiding Company). The next smallest are the Exclusive Whale Encounter excursions (through Dolphin Jet Boat Tours). The rest are with Allen Marine, with the largest boats.

Personally I picked the Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails for the small size of the boat and the cool open window concept of their boats. Hope I chose wisely!

Aby

Glad I found this. Thanks for sharing your research. Based on this, I also just booked the Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails (switched from exclusive whale encounter). I have found some great reviews online.

[pmoments]

We wend with the a 5 years ago and it was great!! We are on the June 28th cruise and have booked with them again.

Originally Posted by nbrmommy2005

Does anyone have a review of Harv and Marv versus doing the Whale watching with Disney?

We are on the July 26th cruise.

[buddywesley]

So after reading the reviews of the so-so Salmon bake and the large whale watching boat (thinking we can see whales off the ship just as good?) We are thinking of switching to either the Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Tour OR the Mendenhall Glacier and Rainforest Garden Adventure instead. Figured we'd eat at Tracy's Crab shack too (instead of the so so Salmon )
Does anyone have anything good/bad to say about either of these tours?
THANKS

[cyclenut]

I read through most of the 14 pages of this thread. AWESOME STUFF. But I couldn't find anything about any of the bike tours. I'm wondering if anyone has taken any of the bike tours. I'm booked on the 38 mile Yukon bike tour and have a few questions. I'm not too worried about the distance since I ride about 35 miles every weekened, but I'd like to know something about the route, elevation gain, expected pace, etc.

On a related note, when booking through Disney, is there any way to contact the tour operator for questions? Do you call Disney? Some of the things I'd like to ask about are pretty specific to this tour (like ... I have SPD cleats on my bike shoes, is there a bike available equipped for them?)

Where do you go for questions like that?

[poohj80]

Originally Posted by cyclenut

I read through most of the 14 pages of this thread. AWESOME STUFF. But I couldn't find anything about any of the bike tours. I'm wondering if anyone has taken any of the bike tours. I'm booked on the 38 mile Yukon bike tour and have a few questions. I'm not too worried about the distance since I ride about 35 miles every weekened, but I'd like to know something about the route, elevation gain, expected pace, etc.

On a related note, when booking through Disney, is there any way to contact the tour operator for questions? Do you call Disney? Some of the things I'd like to ask about are pretty specific to this tour (like ... I have SPD cleats on my bike shoes, is there a bike available equipped for them?)

Where do you go for questions like that?

It's been pretty easy to find the excursion providers online through a quick search as there aren't many different options in each port. Trying searching on the excursion name and city and you should find the operator for your questions.

[wdhinn89]

Originally Posted by buddywesley

So after reading the reviews of the so-so Salmon bake and the large whale watching boat (thinking we can see whales off the ship just as good?) We are thinking of switching to either the Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Tour OR the Mendenhall Glacier and Rainforest Garden Adventure instead. Figured we'd eat at Tracy's Crab shack too (instead of the so so Salmon )
Does anyone have anything good/bad to say about either of these tours?
THANKS

I read, I believe on this thread. that the Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Tour was just OK. The Glacier part of the tour was good but the city part was a let down. Nothing to really see. I guess that is why it is only $1 more that the Glacier tour.

We decided to take the blue bus to see the Glacier on our own. It was a lot cheaper and then we will walk around the town our selves.

Here is the link http://www.mightygreattrips.com/tours/

[Diannah]

Originally Posted by buddywesley

So after reading the reviews of the so-so Salmon bake and the large whale watching boat (thinking we can see whales off the ship just as good?) We are thinking of switching to either the Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Tour OR the Mendenhall Glacier and Rainforest Garden Adventure instead. Figured we'd eat at Tracy's Crab shack too (instead of the so so Salmon )
Does anyone have anything good/bad to say about either of these tours?
THANKS

At least for our cruise (5/24), the whale viewing from the ship is very minimal, at a pretty significant distance. If you want close up views, you need to do one of the tours. At least, that's the way it was on our trip.

[laurand201]

Hi. I've enjoyed reading about everyone's adventures. I haven't seen anything on the Nature and Wildlife Expedition. It sounds great, a little bit of everything. It's six hours long in Skagway. If anyone has done it or heard anything, please pass it on.
Thanks!
Laura (traveling 7/4)

[caniac27]

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