Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Alaska Shore Excursions

carnival cruise alaska excursions

If it all sounds a bit daunting, know that you don't need any experience at climbing to do it; I sure didn't have any when I tried it, nor did my young daughters, who absolutely loved it. There are multiple routes up the cliffs, some perfect for beginners. After making it to the top, you'll rappel back down — an entirely different kind of thrill. Once you arrive at the camp, you'll meet the dogs and their mushers, see where they live, get a quick tutorial in mushing, and then head out for a spin around the camp on a dog-pulled sled. I once took my entire family of five on this excursion, dropping more than $2,000 in the process. That's a huge chunk of change for an outing that lasts three hours.

Dog-sledding and glacier adventure by helicopter

Just beyond is a series of small, remote mountain lakes that would be next to impossible to reach on foot. Your pilot picks out one of the lakes, lands the floatplane, and turns off the engine. You can step out on the pontoon, breathe in the fresh air and listen to the silence. Well, we've done the legwork for you, and you find the answers to that question here. Since our film crews have shot more than 150 Alaska cruise excursions in the past few years, we know them intimately.

Adventure Karts Expedition

(Your tour operator will process, freeze, and ship the fish back home for you.) Sitka sits directly on the open ocean, so you can go after all five species of Pacific salmon in an easy outing from Sitka. The halibut fishing grounds are farther from shore, requiring a longer tour. All these species, plus lingcod, rockfish, and others feed heavily in Sitka Sound throughout the summer. It’s a great way to explore Alaska’s cap­i­tal city, with lots of scenery and his­to­ry along the way.

How to Plan the Best Alaska Cruise - Travel Alaska

How to Plan the Best Alaska Cruise.

Posted: Thu, 26 Jan 2023 17:02:13 GMT [source]

Free and Cheap Things to Do in Juneau

What It's Like Sailing on a Carnival Cruise in Alaska - Cruise Critic

What It's Like Sailing on a Carnival Cruise in Alaska.

Posted: Sun, 17 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

When you’re fin­ished, you’ll go on a short walk through a dra­mat­ic old-growth forest. Expe­ri­ence kayak­ing in Alas­ka the way it should be — away from the crowds — with these unique Ketchikan pad­dling tours offered by Alaska Kayak Company. Your small group (usu­al­ly just 4 peo­ple) will board the company’s com­fort­able boat and set off from the Ketchikan cruise-ship dock, leav­ing the big ships and the crowds behind. Get a thrilling, bird’s-eye view of Alaska’s snow-capped peaks, mountain lakes, waterfalls, and more on an unforgettable helicopter flightseeing tour from Ketchikan. Indeed, in some cases, the cruise lines own the tour operators in Alaska ports, or at least a piece of them.

The purchase window for certain products and activities closes before to the sail end date. If you missed the purchase window, check with us on board, we'll help you find what you’re looking for. But Carnival's greatest asset is the hardworking, friendly crew aboard Carnival Spirit. The ship feels nearly full, yet not understaffed (at least compared to 2019). And I'd forgotten how soft and welcoming the beds in Carnival's staterooms are, across all cabin categories.

I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise

Their fascinating history and culture is one reason Ketchikan is such a special place to visit. Another important element of the town is the logging industry, which was one of the mainstays of the Ketchikan economy through the 1990’s. You'll dri­ve your own jeep along pri­vate log­ging roads that wind up into the moun­tains, on your way to an alpine lake. Pad­dle across the shim­mer­ing lake to a shore­line camp for a deli­cious snack over an open fire. Enjoy some sto­ry­telling, then go on a short nature walk through a beau­ti­ful old-growth forest. For the listings below, I've used the tour names and pricing listed in the current tour sheets at Princess, which along with sister line Holland America, is the biggest cruise operator in Alaska.

10 of 498 Carnival Alaska Cruise Reviews

There’s a bike and brew tour, which includes see­ing the Menden­hall Glac­i­er as well as a tast­ing of Alaskan beers. Or ride your bike out to Dou­glas Island for a tram ride, 1,800 feet up Mt. Roberts for some spec­tac­u­lar views. Pack Creek Bear Tours offers ful­ly guid­ed adven­tures to Admi­ral­ty Island or Chichagof Island, each home to more than 1,500 brown bears! After a beau­ti­ful 20- or 25-minute float­plane ride, you’ll land on a remote beach. Take a short walk to the bear-view­ing area, where you can watch these mag­nif­i­cent crea­tures for hours in their nat­ur­al environment. You'll stop off at a shore­line camp to enjoy a snack over an open fire.

The whole thing is covered with temperate rainforests and features huge waterfalls (thanks to all that rain). Ships like Carnival Miracle have more balconies than the fleet average, a plus for Alaska cruises. The cruise lines do not have the same suite selection that other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are known for in their vast fleets. Among their most unique sailings are 14-day cruises leaving from Seattle or Los Angeles.

Lying northwest of Canada, Alaska is known for its diverse terrain, wide open spaces, stunning mountain views and abundant wildlife. Thus it’s the perfect cruise destination for memorable experiences. After four days onboard, it's clear to see how well Carnival Spirit is suited to Alaska. This entire class of ship -- which encompasses Carnival Spirit, Pride, Miracle and Legend -- is already loved by cruisers for its relative spaciousness compared to other Carnival Cruise Line ships. In Skagway, veteran local entertainer and businessowner Steve Hites came onboard to perform his "Skagway in Story and Song" show before our ship left port.

Consider this excursion if you'd like to see a glacier up close without spending the money on a helicopter tour. A total of 123 individual shore excursions are offered on our sailing, and choosing really is the hardest part. Below, I've listed six of my all-time favorite Alaska shore excursions. These all are tours that you'll find in the tour lineups at every major cruise line that operates in Alaska. That said, different lines sometimes have different names for these tours — and sometimes different pricing. In keeping with their mission to deliver fun vacations at sea and ashore, Carnival offers a sizeable range of excursions for a variety of activity levels, ages, and interests.

Fan of the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" (or just enjoy seeing fishermen in action)? Then Ketchikan's Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour is the shore excursion for you. Those who book it will ride along on Aleutian Ballad, a fishing boat featured in the second season of "Deadliest Catch." Misty Fjords National Monument is a Kethickan must-see, and on this flightseeing tour you view the magnificent scenery with a bird's-eye view from a seaplane. This pristine park encompasses nearly 2.3 million acres of sheer granite cliffs, imposing waterfalls, sparkling fjords and thick forests. The seaplane will also briefly land on water within the park to give you a taste of the serenity down below.

While most of their cruise itineraries focus on the Inside Passage, these sail further north across the Gulf of Alaska to Prince William Sound, with access to College Fjord and Anchorage. In addition to numerous ports of call, Carnival’s Alaska cruises provide lots of scenic cruising to spots such as Tracy Arm Fjord,  Endicott Arm Fjord, and the Hubbard Glacier. There are a few longer cruises that head up to the Hubbard Glacier, Valdez, and Seward. Embarkation ports include major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, as well as Seattle, which provides many convenient flight options.

carnival cruise alaska excursions

You might also see the cascading Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier, the floating Dead Branch Glacier or the river-like East Twin Glacier before landing on Norris Glacier, home to a mushing camp. From the helicopter, you could also spot bears, moose, mountain goats and other wildlife. This tour takes place aboard a very famous crab fishing boat, fitted with a special on-deck aquarium for watching as the crew brings in their daily catch. Besides giant crabs and other amazing marine life, you might catch a glimpse of whales, octopus, sea lions, porpoise, sharks and seals. Fly in a classic seaplane oVisit Sitever the Juneau Icefield for a view of 5 breathtaking glaciers. After the thrill of your flight, you’ll land at a riverside lodge and settle in for an elegant and relaxing dinner of local wild-caught salmon.

Check out the views if you dare to open your eyes as you literally zip down the mountain at speeds of roughly 60 miles per hour. Screaming is, of course, not required (but just might make the ride more fun). At certain points, you are 300 feet above the forest floor and might also catch views of Port Frederick, Icy Strait and your cruise ship. When it comes to what to do in Alaska, adventure is at the top of the list! There are plenty of fun Alaskan shore excursions to help you make the most of your vacation. Carnival is, like every other cruise line, having some issues in Alaska with shore excursions needing to be modified or changed or, in some cases, canceled entirely due to tour operator staffing availability.

Your itinerary will begin by departing from Seattle and spending two days at sea. Finally, on Day 3, guests will encounter Tracy Arm Fjord – a narrow passageway between two large glaciers. You will enjoy sparkling waterfalls and icy sculptures on your journey.

From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. Check out our photo gallery of Alaska cruising photos from Carnival Cruise Lines.

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