Alaskan cruise port excursions?
 

My husband and I will be in Alaska this May/June, and will be traveling with a 15 month old baby. We are doing the 7 night northbound cruise with Royal Caribbean beginning in Vancouver, and ending in Seward. The cruise stops at the following ports: Ketchikan, Icy Straight Point, Juneau, Skagway, and finally, Seward.



I have two specific questions I would like some opinions on:

1. If we can only afford to go on one smaller cruise, which would you recommend as the better choice? The Misty Fjords cruise in Ketchikan, or the Kenai Fjords cruise in Seward? Hopefully, someone has been on both, and can give us some advice.

2. Secondly, while in Skagway, we definitely want to take the train to White Pass, but have some options:

Option A - (4 and a half hours) round-trip rail excursion to White Pass, followed by a visit to the Red Onion Saloon, and walking tour of Skagway.

Option B - (7 hours) one-way rail excursion to Fraser (past White Pass), Motor Coach ride to Yukon Suspension Bridge, followed by a stop to the Klondike Gold Fields for a salmon buffet and gold panning before heading back to Skagway.

Option B is considerably more expensive (about $90/each), which is why I'm hoping for some opinions on the worth of the additional sites. Additionally, if you think the first option would be better, are there any recommendations for our remaining time spent in Skagway?



Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you.

We just booked the train to White Pass and back only. Then we spent the rest of the time with a nice lunch and then just exploring Skagway on foot.

Here's a blog post that summarizes a Princess survey on the best Alaska shore excursions:

http://allthingscruise.com/here-are-...re-excursions/

I hope you find it helpful.

Good luck!

We were at the suspension bridge 3 years ago and it is something that I would say not going to be high on my list for a return visit any time soon.

Confirm with the cruise line if the baby will be allowed on any tours, even if it's a baby-in-arms. And if yes, ask them if you will be charged for the child.

I appreciate all your help and suggestions! I know the baby is allowed on the catamaran excursions, so I didn't even think to ask about the train/motorcoach excursion. I'll make sure to ask before setting my heart on something we can't do.

NO flames please, BUT these are "trapped" excursions you are looking at with NO way out. A toddler is not appropriate running around a boat on a 6 hour tour (Kenai Fjords), Silence is demanded at close up wildlife viewing. Sorry, but there is no way to predict any behavior with a toddler, despite what you may think. Same with the train, it is tight spaces, and it is unacceptable, to let your kid loose running up and down aisles, which WILL happen on these long tours. A toddler is just not going to be able to sit still. I have personally seen these parents trying to control the situation with no success. They miss out significantly.