We're going to Alaska August 12 and just received out info packet, so this is the first of what may be many postings...

They are going to charge us $20 a day "service charge." Does anyone tip on top of this very generous "tip"?

My thinking (having lived in Juneau for awhile and having visited Ketchikan), is that we not sign up for shore excursions offered by the ship but just go ashore and negotiate. Your thoughts?

First of all, I do not agree that 10 per person per day is very generous at all. That covers your waiter, assistant waiter and buffet servers for all 7 days as well as your cabin steward. IMO, it is quite reasonable.

I was on Sun three times and dined most nights in the ala carte restaurants where an extra fee is charged. I normally tipped extra.

Alaska is all about excursions. I have never took a cruise line offered excursion but researched them and confirmed ahead. It is not like the Caribbean and IMO you should definitely not treat it so casually if you want to see what is magnificent in Alaska.

I did not realize that the service charge covered the waiter, asst waiter, and buffet server. Didn't see that in the paperwork. On the only other cruise we have ever taken, those worthies had nice envelopes for us to fill at the end of the trip. My concern was that we would get those envelopes IN ADDITION TO the service charge.

We're not passing up excursions, just questioning whether it is necessary to book through the ship or wait until we reach port and then patronize those little booths that sprout along the pier/waterfront selling excursions.

Here's my take. We were on the Splendour of the Seas and they give you the option of putting the tips on your sail and sign card. We did that for convenience sake..it was a 12 night cruise and filling envelopes is pain. HOWEVER, the service was so good that we couldn't bring ourselves to hand our waiter and cabin steward (who were both great, by the way) an envelope with a piece of paper in it saying we put it on our card. So we gave each $40 extra.

Since I think we are pretty 'normal' or 'average' I bet this happens a lot!

The $10 pp charge covers virtully all tipping - we gave room service a buck or two and we did give our steward a little extra because he did a lot extra for us. BTW our steward was pleasantly surprised when we showed our appreciation of his extra efforts on our behalf.

We booked our private excursion with ISland Wings for Misty Fjords flight 5-6 months ahead as there is limited # of passengers allowed.If you are interested in any flights do not wait until you arrive. You may be sadly disappointed.
Check out www.cruisecritic.com for a wealth of information. Several private tour companies are recommended.

I learned to fly in Juneau, katybird, so I don't think I will take a flight this time. My wife doesn't like to fly anyway.

As for tours- what is it that you want to do??? Wander??? Then no you don't need anything in advance.

But if you are looking to "negotiate" you are cruising the wrong area- that's the Caribbean. I never recommend to most people, just getting off the boat and then figuring out what to do. Time is short in ports and tours at the dock, grossly limited to bus tours etc. All else will be long booked. Have all plans and reservations in advance.

So I suggest you look over a shore excursion list and if there is something you want to do, book it either independent or with the ship. I only go independent- superior tours in smaller groups.

A big recommendation I have for your NCL sun is the add on Tracy Arm excursion. Since you lived in Juneau you have probably been there, but if anyone in your party has not, this is WAY superior to the ship sailing there.

Negotiate was a poor choice of words. "Go independent" is what I have in mind, and what you have suggested in other threads.

I've got Tracy Arm in my list of places to go.

One big problem with being a student pilot is the instructor, who is always telling/asking you things, trying to pour a little knowledge into your head, when you really want to look at the scenery...so we never went to Tracy Arm. I remembered that when I became an instructor, and gave my students an occasional break to "smell the roses," if you know what I mean.

You need to book the Tracy Arm ship tour, NOW, it always sells out.