Alaska is near and dear to my heart. I think it’s one of the most majestic places on earth. Last summer I went on my second cruise to Alaska. The first time my husband and I visited Alaska we did not pre-book many shore excursions but on this second trip we booked an excursion for every stop and it was AMAZING the difference.
It’s important to pre-book Shore Excursions in Alaska because the demand for an Alaskan cruise is growing and bigger ships are moving into small port towns and the supply for shore excursions, in my opinion, has not caught up with the demand. I also highly recommend booking a shore excursion in every port so that you can cover more ground and really see more of the area beside the port.
Here are the top 5 Shore Excursions that I get requested to book for Alaska:
1. White Pass Train and Drive
2. Float Plane flights over the Misty Fjords
3. Helicopter and Dog Sled ride
4. Salmon Fishing Trips
5. Whale Watching Trips
I want to share my all time favorite shore excursion from my last Alaskan cruise. We went on a float plane ride over Misty Fjords and it was AWE-inspiring. The excursion started with the co-owner of the float plane company picking us up in the company van with their dog in tow.
Our Pilot Timber was waiting on us when we arrived at the dock and for a split second I thought about backing out from fear but boy am I glad that I didn’t back out. Timber grew up in Alaska and told us that he learned to fly from one logging site to another with his grandfather as a child in Alaska.
The flight taking off was different than any other flight I have been on but most Alaskan’s are used to traveling this way as it’s a way of life for Alaskans. Once we were in the air the views took my breath away. We flew around and then landed in the Fjords.
If you want a jaw-dropping Alaskan experience I highly recommend the Floatplane and I know a great company to book your Floatplane ride with. I went by the area where excursions are booked onsite in Ketchikan and the locals told me it’s become a must to prebook your shore excursions. Most of the float planes rides were sold out before the boats get docked each day.
I highly recommend pre-booking because a lot of the best shore excursions are selling out well before the cruise season starts. There are great combo packages with some of my Shore Excursion Suppliers.