We booked all of our excursions outside of DCL.
That said, we went all out as we thought once in a lifetime.
Trying to do the math after 8 months, I think we spent about $1100-$1200 total for the two of us in excursions. All booked on our own.
Skagway we did Dyea Dave tour to Emerald Lake and Train back. After reading reviews, I called, and was surprised when Dave actually answered. He spent 15 minutes talking about Alaska ports and gave lots of recommendations. However, when we showed up and we met Dave, he wasn't our tour guide and while we enjoyed the tour, would not recommend booking this without a guarantee of who my guide was. (Our guide was not one of the "other people" listed on Dave's website. I'm not sure if someone called sick or what) If Dave is your guide, GO. We also very much enjoyed the train.
After the train, Not Dave again picked us up and took us to the town overlook and then to the cemetery. We had them drop of off at the brewery as it was at the end of town for a microbrew and then walked back down the main street to the ship.
Juneau, booked the ERA glacier tour from the booths when we first got off the ship. (half the cost of Disney, but still very expense) They also threw in a shuttle to the Glacier. In the two copters, it was the two of us, and everyone else on official
Disney Cruise tours. We had the exact same tour. They only difference was after the tour, we couldn't go back in the same ERA bus. Both us and the people we were on the glacier with said they didn't mind but ERA said they had to keep us separate. So, we followed their ERA logo bus back into town in our ERA logo van.
Ketchakan, we booked the Misty Fjords flight seeing. We booked the one in the tour saver book. It was a bit of a pain, as they didn't want to take the coupon. They said we had to call the day of. Ultimately, while at full price, they would take anyone who called, they would only "fill the plane" with the discount. Even the day of, they wouldn't confirm it until lunch time. I think they kept thinking we would break, but the Juneau glacier tour was our big spend. We figured for 2-4-1, it was worth it, but we had decided if it was full price, it was no. I know Island Wings is fantastic, but our pilot was great. Yes, there was recorded narration for most of the way, but i enjoyed standing on the pontoon in the middle of the Fjords as opposed to beaching and getting out. Where else are you going to stand on a plane float surrounded by beauty.
Trying to do the math after 8 months, I think we spent about $1000-$1100 for the two of us in excursions. All booked on our own.
have a great time.
-dp