Tons of Alaska questions!

[swooshbear]

What month did you sail? We have this excursion booked and I am really hoping we get to get out as well. I've read on trip advisor that not everyone does so the only thing I can surmise is that maybe the weather has something to do with that.

We were on either the first or second cruise of the season in May 2013. Weather is so unpredictable in Alaska, the only rainy we had was in Juneau. Last year in late August, we had nothing but sunshine for the entire week. The cruise the week before had nothing but rain. Just make the best of it if the weather doesn't cooperate, I could have stayed at Tracy's Crab Shack all day eating king crab legs!

 

[jackieinJuneau]

Here are my questions:
I'm worried about our dog sledding tour getting canceled because of weather. I can't seem to find anything else that interests me for our family. I have a game plan for Juneau and Ketchikan should tours get canceled. I even read that there are places locally to go should your tour get canceled to find other tours options, but couldn't find any information like that of where to go in Skagway.

Will we have enough time to do mendenhall glacier on our own? We should be heading that way around 2 pm. Is that enough time?

If our Skagway excursion gets canceled, what are some last minute things we can do? Any must try restaurants in town?

Are there any Starbucks and or hard rock cafes in any of the stops? We collect things from both places around the world.

My dilemma is Ketchikan is that if our dog sledding tour in Skagway gets canceled, I'd love to splurge and do the flight seeing bear tour in ketchikan. But if it doesn't get canceled, I don't want to end up double splurging and I know there's no way of knowing what the weather will be like. So I think it's best to do a less expensive tour in Ketchikan and just keep our fingers crossed that the dog sledding works out.

Welcome to AK, hope your family has a great visit.
Your issue with Skagway depends on if this is the type of Sled dog excursion that you have, if you fly to the location or not? The only tours that have a high risk of cancelation are the ones that fly. Some of the tours fly you up onto a Glacier and you sled there and some of them drive you to a location in the rainforest and use wheeled carts. If you have the flighing type your back up could be the wheeled ones if they have room. I have heard good things about the Salmon bake in Skagway but have not been yet.
On Crabs vs bears I would go with bears. Both are good tours but the bears are more authentic, you are not in the bearing sea its kind of an imported "family" version of being on a crab boat. You are in bear country and may never get to see these really impressive animals this close in the wild again, safely.
If you plan on leaving for the Mendenhall form down town it will take you about 3 1/2 hours to see it with travel time. It is about a 20 minute ride out to the Glacier. I would suggest the hiking trail that goes out to the water fall, it is an easy hike even for a child and a much better less crowed view than the main viewing decks and go out into the lake. For 3 people a cab is about the same cost as the busses that charge $15 each person each way, and faster.
Tracy's is great us locals love it too.
There is now a Starbucks in downtown Juneau in the Baranhof hotel.

 

[uncw89]

subbing to find out inf on Alaska cruises.

 

[WDW_Diane]

Do you

We did whale watching in Juneau and it was unbelievable! We chartered a private fishing boat in Ketchikan and it was our other favorite excursion. Our kids were 8 and 10 and they loved it!

Do you not see whales from the ship anyway? Pondering an Alaskan cruise....

 

[xlxo]

You might see a whale on the cruise.... but you more likely going to see whales during a whale watch trip that takes you to their feeding areas.

Also what type of whales do you seek.... you see the larger humpbacks around Juneau. You see the smaller and faster Orcas around Vancouver/Seattle's San Juan.

 

[albumlady]

We booked this excursion on our upcoming June 2015 Alaska cruise....did you book direct or through DCL? If you booked direct, did they refund your payment fully?

We booked directly with them since it was less expensive that way. They were really great with communication and refunded our payment in full that day. Even though we didn't get to go I would recommend them just because of how well they responded.

 

[Donald & Daisy Duck]

Great information...we are sailed DCL to Alaska in August and cannot wait

 

[MickeyD74]

We did the Alaska Whales and Rainforest Trails Disney excursion. I would recommend it highly!

We are trying to decide between the Science tour and the Alaska Whales & Rainforest Trails. Were there any activities/interaction for kids? I emailed with the company and they told me there was, but I am reading there is not. I was thinking of the science whale watch but I like the idea of the rainforest. Any info is welcomed! Thanks