Alaska!

[Sarahraegraham]

DH and I will be going to Alaska on DCL in just a few months, completely unexpected so I am feeling off on my planning game.

Favorite non-excursion thing you’ve done?

Any oddball tips or advice?

TIA!

 

[jdb in AZ]

Our favorite non-excursion thing was having lunch at Tracy's Crab Shack near the base of the tram in Juneau. Their crab legs are amazing!

 

[tanya0369]

Also doing Alaska! Super excited to learn and tips or info..

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Rented a car in Juneau. Visited Mendenhall Glacier, Eagle Beach etc. On our own. It was a great day!

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

We did the same /\; Juneau car rental is right on the pier. Very easy and very handy to have the car.

 

[doublesided]

We did the same /\; Juneau car rental is right on the pier. Very easy and very handy to have the car.

Did you plan the car rental in advance or just walk off and rent one? Considering this for Juneau. Thanks.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Did you plan the car rental in advance or just walk off and rent one? Considering this for Juneau. Thanks.

I called and arranged it over the phone. I told them the ship, date and whatnot. DCL apparently, uses the AJ dock and you go off the pier, turn right and the cars are lined up on the fenceline just aft of the stern of the ship. There's a little office where I picked up the keys and dropped them through the slot when we got back. Easy-peasy. Just checked my notes: $94 for the day (plus filling up with gas). Totally worth it

JUNEAU CAR RENTAL COMPANY
2450-C INDUSTRIAL BLVD
JUNEAU, AK 99801
(907) 957-7530(W)
(866) 535-7649(Fax)

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I would like to try Tracy's Crab Shack next time. I was so excited for crab on the cruise and was terribly disappointed in the quality.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

I would like to try Tracy's Crab Shack next time. I was so excited for crab on the cruise and was terribly disappointed in the quality.

Tracy's was great. Definitely worth it for the food and the atmosphere

 

[belle2008]

Check out Skagway Brewery.

We just walked around Ketchikan and that was nice. FYI, they have a free bus you can get on and off of as needed which was nice depending on where in the town you were going.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

We will be on the 5/27 sailing. We booked our excursions ourselves as booking for us peasants, um first time cruisers, hasn’t opened yet.
Love hearing what others have done! Really hope to try Tracy’s

 

[AngelDisney]

Our favorite non-excursion thing was having lunch at Tracy's Crab Shack near the base of the tram in Juneau. Their crab legs are amazing!

Totally agree! I am still craving for those crab legs. I have eaten king crabs in Toronto and Seoul as well. Tracy’s Crab Shack in Juneau is the best!! I may go on another Alaskan cruise just to taste that again!!!

 

[EllieBride]

We will be on the 5/27 sailing. We booked our excursions ourselves booking for us peasants, um first time cruisers, hasn’t opened yet.
Love hearing what others have done! Really hope to try Tracy’s

We're on the 5/27 sailing, too! It will be here soon. What excursions did you book? I'm still trying to figure out what to do for Ketchikan. I think we may just explore it on our own.

 

[AgentMama]

What ports are you stopping at?

 

[Sarahraegraham]

What ports are you stopping at?

Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. We’re silver, and booking isn’t for a little longer, but we are planning on the Yukon Expedition in Skagway, maybe using the bus or renting a car in Juneau to see Mendenhall Glacier, the glacier rainforest gardens, taking the tram and Tracy’s Crab Shack (maybe some other stuff depending on how much time we have), and the Misty Fjords Seaplane in Ketchikan.

This will be our first cruise doing excursions, so we are trying not to do too much, but also hoping for some things like Tracy’s that aren’t actual excursions but that would make the trip special and different. Things others might not know or think to do.

 

[lorimay]

I have to tell you, for me I loved my port excursions so much, seeing Mendenhall Glacier was amazing!
The thing I enjoyed most was just the scenery throughout the cruise, you are sailing inside passage and all around you, you are surrounded by the most beautiful sights almost the entire cruise. We spent so much time on our balcony on this cruise just enjoying it all.
It didn't get dark until very late on our cruise, so the days are bright and long, its a very peaceful sailing on calm water.
Hope to do it again someday!

 

[kickash]

We did Alaska last summer but a 5 night. We stopped in Ketchikan and walked around the town, shopped, came upon their first local brewery, and then we had a kayaking excursion booked through an outside company. It was a highlight of our trip!!

 

[bcwife76]

I'm another vote for Tracy's Crab shack in Juneau! We went there in 2017 and it was so delicious!! Been dreaming about it since then lol Definitely on our to-do list this August when we return to Alaska

In Ketchikan, after our excursion, we dropped our kids off on the ship in the clubs and then DH and I went back out for an hour or so and just wandered the streets. It's such a cool little town and we lucked out with the weather that day(75F and sunny).

 

[CyndiLouWho]

We're on the 5/27 sailing, too! It will be here soon. What excursions did you book? I'm still trying to figure out what to do for Ketchikan. I think we may just explore it on our own.

We booked Yukon bus with Dogcart through Chilkoot Charters in Skagway; Mendenhall Glacier and Whalewatching through Juneau Whale Watch; and Misty Fjords Flight tour through Seawind Aviation in Ketchikan. Can’t wait!

 

[EllieBride]

We booked Yukon bus with Dogcart through Chilkoot Charters in Skagway; Mendenhall Glacier and Whalewatching through Juneau Whale Watch; and Misty Fjords Flight tour through Seawind Aviation in Ketchikan. Can’t wait!

Those all sound great! I keep coming back to the floatplane idea for Ketchikan, but I’m terrified! I think my husband and kids would probably love it, though.