<p>We’re taking my almost-80-year-old Dad on an Alaskan cruise (no kids) in July. I will be ■■■■■■■■ the ‘other’ cc forum, but thought I’d ask here for any good excursion ideas! Our ports will be:</p>
<p>Juneau, Alaska, US
Sitka, Alaska, US
Ketchikan, Alaska, US
Victoria, British Columbia, CA (evening only)</p>
<p>There will be 4 fairly fit 50ish year olds, Dad & a 60 year old Uncle. Dad may not want to hit every port so if some activities requires ‘fitness’ they can still be considered.</p>
<p>We had evening tea at a fancy hotel in Victoria–Fairmont Empress. There were excursions with the ship but I purchased it independently. It was a rather long walk between the boat. </p>
<p>We rented a car in Ketchikan and drove up to the Yukon and went to Carcross Desert. The world’s smallest desert is in the Yukon. Driving gave us a lot of freedom and it wasn’t very expensive. Other people took a train ride. In Juneau, we made the mistake of hiring some locals at the docks to take us to see bears. They did- at the dump. So avoid doing that!</p>
<p>Go to the mother of all cruise info websites (LOL) which is cruisecritic dot com. There’s tons of info on there, but in particular, at the top right side of the page, click on Forums and that will take you to all the message boards similar to College Confidential. You can find a thread for your ship and even one for your specific cruise (look under the Roll Call forum). There is also a forum for Alaska ports with lots of excursion info on there. We cruised Alaska in June 2011 and hope to do it again some day. </p>
<p>We didn’t do the whale watching, but some other people in our group really enjoyed that one.</p>
<p>In Victoria H and I were walking down the main street and heard Irish music coming from what appeared to be an old bank converted to a restaurant/bar. Went in and enjoyed some live music and cocktails. It was Victoria Day so there were people and events everywhere.</p>
<p>Mendenhall is one of very few glaciers that you can actually walk up to and it isn’t far from port. (Taxi ride, not walk). My dad used to live quite near it. </p>
<p>When we did an Alaska cruise a few years ago we visited the Mendenhall Glacier but I think it would be a long walk from the port especially if raining because when you are there you are going to be walking also. We took a bus that was basically a school bus for minimal dollars. In Ketchikan we did the white pass railroad with a tour operator that was train one way and van one way back so you could stop for photo op at the Welcome to the Klondike sign. It was awesome and I highly recommend. Our cruise did not stop in Victoria as it left from Vancouver but Victoria is lovely and the Buchardt Gardens are incredibly lovely and I highly recommend. We did this as a day tour from Vancouver as we had a week there before our cruise.</p>
<p>We did virtually that same itinerary some years ago. A highlight was whale watching in Juneau. We had heard about Orca Enterprises and specifically, Capt. Larry (Google it.) A smaller boat than some of the ones that the cruise line contracts with. We saw tons of whales…spectacular. We were supposed to take the helicopter trip to a glacier in Ketchikan (I think?) to dogsled, but we couldn’t go due to fog. Instead we hired a driver near the dock and he took us on a tour of the Yukon Territory and Carcross and to a dog sled training facility. It really was a wonderful trip. Have fun!</p>
<p>In Ketchikan, we did a combination float plane and boat trip through Misty Fjords. Really enjoyed the float plane and would have preferred a longer flight and shorter boat trip but overall really great.
In Juneau, we did Medenhall glacier and then whale watching. We went at the end of July when the humpbacks do the bubble feeding. Really spectacular and the highlight of our trip.</p>
<p>The Alaska towns have local historical societies staffed by knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers who will give tours, etc. at no charge. Do not pay for the cruise tours unless it’s something like a glacier visit or whale watch. Sitka, for example, is very walkable and has a nice little local museum, Russian Orthodox church, and totem park out on a little peninsula, all of which you can see all by yourself. As I recall, the port in Victoria was a ways away from the city center and we had to take a bus. </p>
<p>In Juneau, take the Mt Roberts tramway up to the top of the peaks overlooking the town. Nice easy hike in a loop at the top, great views, and real authentic Alaska art and crafts in the gift shop, not the usual made-in-China mugs and tshirts. </p>
<p>My best friend and I (we were in our early and mid50s) splurged in Juneau and took a helicopter tour with Temsco (not through the cruise ship). They have a “pilots choice” which included 6 of us, 2 separate glacier landings. It cost us $375 each (I said it was a splurge) and worth every single penny. From the time we took off until we returned was about an hour and a half. Flying through glaciers and then landing on them, and walking around on them was like nothing we’d ever experienced, and we have done some amazing journeys together. Maybe some in your group would like that? Alaska is kind of a once in a lifetime trip, so try not to pass up once in a lifetime opportunities if you can help it. We talk about that trip all the time. </p>
We also did Orca Enterprises, and loved it! After the whale watch, they drove us to Mendenhall where we hiked the trails and went up to the glacier for about an hour. They picked us up again and brought us back to their office, within an easy walk of the ship. Can’t say enough about them!</p>
<p>In Ketchikan, if some of the more fit folks want an active excursion, I highly recommend SouthEast Sea Kayaks (<a href=“http://www.kayakketchikan.com/”>http://www.kayakketchikan.com/</a>). They take only 6 kayakers on each tour - I asked why and they said that otherwise, they spend all their time getting people in and out of kayaks! It does take a while. We were the only 2 on our tour, so I was afraid they’d cancel, but they didn’t, and we had a fabulous time! We did the Orca Cove tour - no orcas, but lots of seals, otters, and bald eagles.</p>