Helicopter to Glacier

[Chemist]

We are probably splurging on a helicopter ride to land on the glacier. (With sled dog options).

Is Juneau the best port to do this?
We are looking at North Star Trekking Company.

Does anyone have reviews of this or other companies?
Other advice??

Thanks!

 

[jldcherry]

We did this in Skagway this summer. Booked through this site and had an amazing experience. It was $200 cheaper per person than booking through Disney. https://alaskashoreexcursions.com/skagway/dogsled-glacier-flightseeing-helicopter-tour

The advice given to me was to book the helicopter in Skagway because if it cancelled due to weather in Skagway you can try again in Juneau. It was the highlight of our trip and we also had time to do a fun hike in Skagway in the morning before our afternoon flight/dog sledding.

Also, in Skagway you can walk to the helicopter pad from the dock. In Juneau it's a 20 minute bus drive just to get to the helicopter pad.

 

[Lillebelle]

We did the helicopter to glacier in Juneau -- was originally supposed to be the one with sled dogs but that was canceled due to weather, so we ended up on one that was just to a glacier. Looking back at my pictures I believe the tour was done by Temsco Helicopters (we booked through Disney). Even without the dogs we had an amazing time!

The previous advice about doing it in Skagway to give you two shots does resonate since, as mentioned, our original Juneau excursion got canceled. I think it depends on how heartbroken you'd be if you ended up not being able to do it.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

I did the helicopter to a glacier w/o the sled dog's through DCL in Skagway and it was great. They also offer a dog sled option. If you want to book independently you can book the same excursion through Temsco Helicopters and in Skagway their sight is literally across the street from where you dock. If you book with DCL, they walk you there (if DCL ended up parked at the far berth the furthest you would have to walk is about a mile). They also offer a similar tour from Juneau but I'm not not sure how close their facilities are to the cruise port there but I do know they do a complimentary pick up at the Roberts Tramway.

I think either one will be a great experience. Weather does cancel these things though, so always have a back up plan for something fun to do that day that requires no reservations.

 

[KashasMom]

We've done a Pilot's Choice Double Glacier Landing in Juneau and the dog-sledding out of Skagway. Both were with Temsco Helicopters and loved them. If you love dogs, the dog-sledding is fun but it's extremely cool to be on the glaciers with the blue ice in Juneau. I have read that the trips out of Juneau are canceled more frequently - due to weather - than the trips out of Skagway. (Don't book through Disney!)

 

[KGmomoftwins]

I would also suggest doing it in Skagway because the port day is so long there you could possibly do something else as well. Plus IMO Juneau had so many other things Mendenhall should not be missed, whale watching, or fishing and the day is shorter. I would also make sure you go in June or July these excursions were cancelled by our cruise late August.

 

[Chemist]

Thanks everyone!

We are actually doing our cruise through Princess, so we go to Juneau before Skagway.
(And we learned a long time ago to avoid ship excursions.)

Our cruise is late July.

It sounds like we are better off NOT trying to do the dogsledding at the glacier as that is more likely to be cancelled.

 

[poohj80]

I am just starting to research a summer 2023 Alaska cruise and wondering what cruise dates have the dog sledding and helicopter tours to glaciers typically been available? We cruised Alaska during DCL's inaugural year in 2011 and remember that many of the excursions were not available on the early cruises so don't want to pick one where there's a higher likelihood that we won't get to do the things we are hoping to do. Thanks!

 

[jldcherry]

I am just starting to research a summer 2023 Alaska cruise and wondering what cruise dates have the dog sledding and helicopter tours to glaciers typically been available? We cruised Alaska during DCL's inaugural year in 2011 and remember that many of the excursions were not available on the early cruises so don't want to pick one where there's a higher likelihood that we won't get to do the things we are hoping to do. Thanks!

We cruised at the end of June last year and had a wonderful experience with the helicopter and dog sledding on the glacier. We also saw a lot of baby seals on the Dawes glacier excursion and whales other days. We did not see salmon or bears and we were told those are seen later in the season.

 

[poohj80]

We cruised at the end of June last year and had a wonderful experience with the helicopter and dog sledding on the glacier. We also saw a lot of baby seals on the Dawes glacier excursion and whales other days. We did not see salmon or bears and we were told those are seen later in the season.

Thank you! We are considering going earlier in the season like end May/beginning of June.

 

[erionm]

I am just starting to research a summer 2023 Alaska cruise and wondering what cruise dates have the dog sledding and helicopter tours to glaciers typically been available? We cruised Alaska during DCL's inaugural year in 2011 and remember that many of the excursions were not available on the early cruises so don't want to pick one where there's a higher likelihood that we won't get to do the things we are hoping to do. Thanks!

Back in 2007 (May 21st) during our stop in Juneau, we did dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier. That cruise was on Princess.