#22708 - 06/05/06 12:13 PM
who's been to alaska
|
Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
|
i'm going on a cruise to alaska in july need some advise of things to do at ports? thanks
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22709 - 06/05/06 01:16 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
candra
Member
Registered: 05/17/00
Posts: 2877
Loc: Ripon, CA US
|
Depends on what you like to do, and what ship you are on. But there are a number of accessible options, most of which I recommend arranging yourself (as opposed to doing them with the shore excursion desk). They try but still in most cases if you don't specifically state that you cannot walk at all they will not have appropriate transportation.
In Skagway, I recommend the White Pass & Yukon Railway (which is one excursion you can book through the ship and the train stops right next to the ship as opposed to walking into town). The Klondike Gold Dredge also has tours and accessible transportation form the pier -- http://www.klondikegolddredge.com
In Juneau you can take an accessible flightseeing tour with ERA helicopters. There are some accessible trails at Mendenhall Glacier, but you do have to make sure you have accessible transportation on that one. The trolley in Juneau stops at the cruise ship pier and it is accessible and it's a hop-on and off whenever you want tour of downtown. The Mt. Roberts Aerial Tramway is accessible however if you are in a wheelchair you can't see the view on the way up (but you can at the top). You can just buy tickets for that at the pier. Whale Watching is available on Captain Larry's tours -- http://www.orcaenterprises.com -- but again, make sure if you book through the cruise line that they provide accessible transportation.
In Ketchikan you can go see the Lumberjack Show (near pier) and Saxman Totem Village has a few accessible places but you need accessible transportation. Also, take note that Ketchikan may be a tender port (even if it's not listed as such) due to traffic.
If you go to Sitka, I loved the Raptor Center, but accessible transportation is needed.
I recommend checking out the accessible cruising board over at http://www.cruisecritic.com. There'a lot of good info there and most people will answer questions. I post over there (Queenie 2) as does Splinter.
Candy
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22710 - 06/05/06 01:16 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
Up North
Member
Registered: 05/02/06
Posts: 62
Loc: Kenai Alaska
|
I have, lived here for 30 years. What ports will you be coming into?
I live in Kenai, about 70 miles south of Anchorage.
Randy
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22711 - 06/05/06 05:00 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
|
i will be on holland america the westerdam. we stop in juneau,ketchikan,and sitka. i'm a c5 c6 quad. i'm fishing in ketchikan still open at the other ports.
thanks for the tips.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22712 - 06/05/06 05:02 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
push4me
Member
Registered: 06/08/02
Posts: 3483
|
Do they let you troll off the back of those Cruise Ships? 
PUSH
_________________________
Push4Me
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22713 - 06/05/06 05:31 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
|
no but that would make life easier.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22714 - 06/05/06 07:57 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
Splinter
Member
Registered: 02/24/00
Posts: 4436
Loc: CA
|
We went on our inside passage cruise on Princess, but I would imagine HAL has access to much the same tours.
We had a great tour in Sitka when we were there in 2000. It was in a wheelchair lift-van, and we went to see the Archangel Dancers (great), the old Russian Orthodox Cathedral, and the Native America Arts center as well as a drive around town and time for shopping. We arranged this through the ship. It is a tender port, so it would probably be best to do this through the ship as it can be dicey getting refunds from tours on your own if it is too rough to get ashore.
We took the Whitehorse railway in Skagway. This was special to us as my mother had an uncle who was on that infamous trail that it follows during the Alaska Gold Rush. the In addition, there are shuttle buses that take you into town from the cruise ship pier (which is about 1.5 miles). About every 3rd one is accessible. Let the shuttle company person at the pier know you need one. The area in town is very accessible and quaint with some great shops and restaurants.
In Juneau we took a wheelchair lift-van tour arranged through the ship that included the Alaska State Museum (very interesting...could have spent all day here), the Mendenhall glacier (a very good visitors center with a spectacular view even if you can't get onto the trails), a salmon hatchery (not much to see as it was the wrong season) and a botanical garden. The last was the only non-accessible stop, but they had a nice garden type area where my mother sat and had some refreshments while the rest of us hiked a bit. We still had time to walk around the shops near the ship and had little or no problems with access.
Do you go to Glacier Bay? This was the highlight of our trip. The Crow's Nest bar would be the best place to watch the views here (or on any other sea day).
Just be certain that you make it VERY clear you must have a lift van for your tours. I can't tell you how many times we have asked for an accessible tour only to be told that it is "just a couple of steps" into a van or bus. You have to be very clear and say "I cannot walk. I cannot stand. I cannot go up even one step. I must have a lift-equipped van for my tours".
On HAL you must make arrangements for the tender lift with the purser's desk AT LEAST 24 hours in advance, and you will have to be VERY forceful in insisting that you will find it unacceptable to have to wait until all the AB people who want to go ashore have done so before you. This can result in you missing tours and at the very least cutting at least 2-3 hours off your shore time in a tender port.
You can get some help with all of this from the Access & Compliance Department (tel. 800-547-8493) at HAL prior to your trip.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22715 - 06/05/06 08:26 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
rosebud
Member
Registered: 07/20/05
Posts: 1149
Loc: NY
|
 I received an e-mail from sis #1 today saying she and a friend are going to Alaska on Princess Cruise leaving July 12, returning on the 22nd. I would love the cruise part myself, as for flying to Seattle forget it. It's not one of my fav things to do. Have a great time, and I'm really jealous about the fishing part. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22716 - 06/05/06 11:47 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
cass
Member
Registered: 03/01/00
Posts: 3505
Loc: WA
|
this will be my third summer cruising Alaska. on Holland, then Royal Carib, this summer Holland again. i depart vancouver 29 july.
in general, the port excursions are inaccessible due to both transportation and the activity. i have done the white pass railroad (take water and a snack), mendenhall glacier and the lumberjack show. but no worries, the ports are entertaining alone.
i did not tender anywhere, but as Candy said, it depends on what ships are there with you and when they arrive (no doubt money changes hands  ) plus last summer on Royal Carib the ship was huge. we docked by the helo tours.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22717 - 06/06/06 06:08 AM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
corlorde
Member
Registered: 04/24/01
Posts: 9246
|
I lived in Alaska for three years. It's where I had my accident (stationed there).
Anyway, the ports are set up for tourists. Alaska makes a bulk of its money in the summer months so they try to frazzle and dazzle as much as they can before the colder weather comes. You should find plenty of temporary entertainment. Be sure to bring your camera!
~Corey
_________________________
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22718 - 06/06/06 12:20 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
|
thanks very much for the info. my wife and son love to go on a cruise.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#22719 - 06/06/06 05:09 PM
Re: who's been to alaska
|
Janet
Member
Registered: 11/19/03
Posts: 445
Loc: The corner of 45th and Main
|
An Alaskan cruise is one of the things that I'd love to do that I can actually see myself getting to do one of these years.
Hope you have a great time! Post when you get home and let us know how it went.
_________________________
Janet
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
