Excursion Times

[artnerds]

If Private tour agents have a 100% record on getting people back then there isn't a risk, I have witnessed a DCL coach in Acapulco go AWOL, the tour guide didn't know we have an early departure.

Now booking private gets you a personal service its your family not 55 people on a coach or train and avoids the booking lottery of times and availability on the DCL site.

Readers need to be 'aware' of the risk that DCL may not have availability, and need to be aware that the line, with OUR port adventures you are safe and guaranteed back on ship and we will wait for you, is a SALE line to worry you into booking their trips with high commission.

Its a heavy sales technique.

We can agree to disagree on this. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and everyone is free to decide for themselves which works better for their family.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We can agree to disagree on this. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and everyone is free to decide for themselves which works better for their family.

Agree everyone has a choice, everyone needs to go in eyes wide open, like any sales pitch, from a dealership selling you a car, to an insurance salesman they play on your fears. Some will be worried and concerned in a foreign port being left and waving the ship good bye. Others will see that the independent operators have never ever missed the ship. Benefits outweigh the overplayed sales pitch that is said so strongly ,( with the 10.30am bingo sales and the 11am DVC presentation)that some circum to it.

Want to save money? Want to go at a time you want? Want to avoid the DCL website booking lottery? Book private.

 

[Disneyteachers]

Thank you everyone. I think I understand the advantages and disadvantages. Luckily, I feel somewhat more comfortable since it's alaska so I'm dealing with US companies. The challenge for me as a first timer is balancing the constraints of family, price, convenience and peace of mind! I appreciate any and all advice and will wade through it. Has anyone used viator?

 

[Disneyteachers]

You might want to look at Weather Permitting for whale watching in Juneau. As teachers you may appreciate the education side of the excursion. They were excellent and can add a stop at Mendenhall Glacier.

In Skagway, I highly recommend trying to get to the Yukon. If you don't want the train, you can take a private coach tour both ways. We used Frontier Excursions and Adventures. Skagway is a very small town that you can easily walk around in as well. They have the Klondike National Park museum with various sites around town to visit.

You can look at my Alaska trip report link below to see how we enjoyed these two companies.

I checked out weather permitting for whale watching...seemed more expensive then some other options, but I'll keep it in mind!

 

[sharksfinatic17]

We have booked all of our Alaska excursions independently. When I read the 30+ trip reports about Alaska, most seemed to have booked independently with 100% success of getting back in plenty of time. That helped to ease my worry about getting back on time, and in two of three cases we have a private (group of 10) excursion.

 

[MelSpees]

We were on an excursion once that was 30+ minutes late. Fortunately, it was through DCL, otherwise I'm sure we would have been left. (Not in Alaska.)

 

[Disneyteachers]

So, if I were to book direct and booked a morning excursion and the ship wasn't due to leave port for 4-6 hours after the end of my excursion, would I not sort of significantly reduce the likelihood of that? My inclination is to book morning excursions that are no more than 4 hrs as I think DS7 will be more "likable" on that schedule!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I have seen people left, St Thomas and La Spezia, I would think they went DIY and didn't use any local vendor and maybe didn't adjust their watches to local time. I saw a DCL coach in Acapulco go AWOL, we had a 1pm departure, ( yes a silly time) and one coach went AWOL in having too much time in a tourist shop, it delayed our departure.

If you book with a 'buffer' zone of say an hour you should be safe, our private driver in Rome last year said, if I can see a DCL coach in my rear view mirror, you are fine! Private cars and vans often drive faster on roads than tourist coaches that can be speed limited.

 

[lbgraves]

So, if I were to book direct and booked a morning excursion and the ship wasn't due to leave port for 4-6 hours after the end of my excursion, would I not sort of significantly reduce the likelihood of that? My inclination is to book morning excursions that are no more than 4 hrs as I think DS7 will be more "likable" on that schedule!

This is exactly what I do. When I called and spoke with vendors while planning our Alaska excursions, they advised me that they realize the importance of getting their customers back to their ships on time. This is their livelihood. With social media a late excursion can be viral on cruise message boards within hours, resulting in numerous cancellations from future cruisers.

 

[Disneyteachers]

This is exactly what I do. When I called and spoke with vendors while planning our Alaska excursions, they advised me that they realize the importance of getting their customers back to their ships on time. This is their livelihood. With social media a late excursion can be viral on cruise message boards within hours, resulting in numerous cancellations from future cruisers.

d.

This is exactly what I do. When I called and spoke with vendors while planning our Alaska excursions, they advised me that they realize the importance of getting their customers back to their ships on time. This is their livelihood. With social media a late excursion can be viral on cruise message boards within hours, resulting in numerous cancellations from future cruisers.

Sounds like a plan!

 

[Disneyteachers]

Okay, so let's say that next year the boat gets into ketchikan at 11:15 (that's the time listed now.). Could we make a 12:15 excursion? My understanding is that it's close (bearing sea boat tour.). This is the kind of thing I have no knowledge of as I have no idea what disembarking procedures are like.

Thanks!!!

 

[KristiMc]

Okay, so let's say that next year the boat gets into ketchikan at 11:15 (that's the time listed now.). Could we make a 12:15 excursion? My understanding is that it's close (bearing sea boat tour.). This is the kind of thing I have no knowledge of as I have no idea what disembarking procedures are like.

Thanks!!!

The time listed is an all ashore time so you should be able to get to an excursion that is 1 hour later.

 

[sharksfinatic17]

Okay, so let's say that next year the boat gets into ketchikan at 11:15 (that's the time listed now.). Could we make a 12:15 excursion? My understanding is that it's close (bearing sea boat tour.). This is the kind of thing I have no knowledge of as I have no idea what disembarking procedures are like.

Thanks!!!

We have an excursion within 15 minutes of getting to two of the ports. I believe they track the ships, and won't schedule for an excursion that won't work.

 

[Disneyteachers]

The time listed is an all ashore time so you should be able to get to an excursion that is 1 hour later.

Thank you!

 

[Disneyteachers]

We have an excursion within 15 minutes of getting to two of the ports. I believe they track the ships, and won't schedule for an excursion that won't work.

it is fun learning all of this new stuff!

 

[sharksfinatic17]

Th

is is fun learning all of this new stuff!

I have read over 30 trip reports and numerous websites by this point for our Alaska trip. I have pages of notes...I like this kind of stuff, so I agree.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We have an excursion within 15 minutes of getting to two of the ports. I believe they track the ships, and won't schedule for an excursion that won't work.

Plus, the tour companies know you'll be arriving on a ship. If you're a tad late, it's not likely they'll leave without you.

Also, one advantage to the tiny towns in Alaska -- not much traffic to worry about in getting back to the ship.

 

[xlxo]

Also, one advantage to the tiny towns in Alaska -- not much traffic to worry about in getting back to the ship.

However...

• flight tours can get fogged in some remote location and unable to return to the ship on time
• If the Klondike highway is closed... you will be dissappointed.
• did you hear about the White Pass derailment? https://www.google.ca/search?q=white+pass+derailment&tbm=isch

Missing the boat is very rare in Alaska... but it happens.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

When we arrived we were off before the normal arrival time. I had as said six tours in three Piet days all ran 100% on time, no issues. I booked with private firms that have a 100% record on never having anyone miss a ship. As said before if any of these firms ever did there would be reputational damage by social media.

Do remember the heavy instructions to buy Port adventures direct is a sales pitch that almost brainwashed into cruisers minds.

It's the main if only reason to buy theirs over anyone else so they really exaggerate the point and people believe it.

Go in with your eyes open its a sales pitch. It's a heavy sale, but also book with good firms with good records.

If there is fog then planes and helicopters will not take off so the trip is canceled you do not get stuck away as you never left and whilst conditions change they know what the next hour or two will do as they live there at least six months of the year.

 

[MelSpees]

Well, there was the report on another thread of a group getting stranded on a flight away from the ship due to fog. So it may not happen often, but it can happen. A comment above mentions that too.