This will be our 3rd cruise with
DCL (our last was in 2013), and my parents first (so happy they agreed to join us!) - all the excursions we did were through DCL - I know lots of people have opinions about booking on your own vs with DCL, but I like the peace of mind it gives me to have them take care of everything. We've done the following excursions:
All Aboard Steam Train in Skagway - this is one of the options to ride on the White Pass Railway, and I think the most expensive option for just rail tours. You ride on one of the only still operating authentic steam trains in the world up the mountain, then back down after a short pause at the top with champagne/apple cider and a little ornament gift for everyone. You don't get off the train at all, and no food is offered, so make sure you have a good meal before you go - I believe round trip it was 4-5 hours. The scenery was beautiful - if you are a shutter bug like me you can stand out on the platforms between cars for photographs. It was a bit chilly when we went, so I didn't have anyone fighting for the spot and I stayed outside most of the journey. Inside the car, they have a host that tells you stories about the trip and the local town & culture for most of the trip. Might be a bit boring for younger children, but a great experience for the adults. There are lots of other options for seeing the white pass that are cheaper - you go on the same tracks but the engine is a diesel one instead of steam - might be a better value for those with bigger groups.
Mountain Point Snorkelling Adventure in Ketchikan - yes, there is snorkelling in Alaska! What a unique experience! You put on very thick wetsuits which keep you quite warm, and your guides take you out into a nice protected bay to snorkel. They bring up wildlife from the bottom for you to see, like sea stars, scallops, and crabs, and if you want to go down yourself you can get a weight belt to help. You are pretty much free to snorkel on your own within the marked area, which was quite large, but it was more fun to stay with the guides and see all the fun stuff they could find. We spent about 1 hour in the water - at first I was very worried about the cold, but I didn't actually start to get chilly until the last 15 mins or so. When you get back to shore they pour hot water down your suit to help you warm up. Definitely a fun and interesting trip!
Alaska Whales and Glacier Photo Safari in Juneau - there are quite a few similar excursions on smaller boats with this tour operator - I believe they are this one, Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails, and Alaska Whales and Science Adventure. They are all quite similar with a whale watching trip and a trip through the trails to view the Mendenhall Glacier. Since I love photography I picked this one - one of the guides was a photographer, and on the bus ride out to the dock they discussed some tips and tricks for taking photos of whales and the trails. Some folks without cameras were on the tour and still had a great time, but if you're not that into photography I'd probably go with one of the other tours - I've heard the science-y one is a favourite with kids. I plan to try to book one of these again when we go in August - we did have one booked for our first cruise but unfortunately all the excursions in Juneau were cancelled due to poor weather on that trip.
Neets Bay Bear Watch by Floatplane in Ketchikan - this was very amazing but very pricey. You take a float plane out to a salmon hatchery to view the bears. Beautiful scenery on the plane ride, and we were so lucky and got very close to the bears - they weren't interested in us at all due to the unbelievable # of salmon there to eat. I wish we could have spent more time at the hatchery - I think it was 60-90mins?? The only problem was that due to some rough weather, we had to wait for quite a long time to be picked back up by the plane, but weren't allowed to leave the waiting area to do more bear viewing as they didn't know when they'd be able to land. Also, the ride back was quite bumpy and a bit scary for me - but my husband said it was all normal and good and that that's just how float planes are sometimes. I definitely recommend it for anyone who loves wildlife and/or enjoys photography as I got some amazing close up shots.
I hope this helps! I'm really enjoying dreaming and planning for this cruise already. I'm looking over my old navigators and trying to remember how everything went! If anyone has any more questions I'd be happy to try to answer!
Aby
LAST DAY TO JOIN FE: JUNE 30!!!
Being a first time cruiser myself, I did a lot of lurking and learning also. Looks like you are on the right course having all you wanted booked. Lucky you for booking a Palo Brunch. That is the only thing I couldn't book at check-in, so I can't wait to get on the ship to hopefully make a reservation.
