5 Alaska Cruise Excursion Mistakes We Learned the Hard Way
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
Alaska excursions can be incredible, but they can also be expensive, weather dependent, and very different from what you pictured from when you booked it.
The mistake was not reading closely enough and confirming exactly what was included. Before booking a food excursion, find out what food is actually being served.
Before booking a scenic excursion, ask, 'Would this still be enjoyable in the rain, fog, wind, or poor visibility?'
The best excursion is the one that delivers the experience you personally came to Alaska hoping to have.
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Alaska cruise excursions can become some of the most memorable parts of your vacation—but they can also be expensive, weather-dependent and very different from what you expected. In this video, we share five Alaska cruise excursion mistakes we learned the hard way, including one excursion we paid for but never used. We explain why we cancelled an expensive cruise-line crab excursion after visiting Tracy’s King Crab Shack in Juneau, only to learn that the excursion reportedly served Dungeness crab rather than the Alaska king crab experience we expected. We also take you aboard our private salmon-fishing charter in Ketchikan, Alaska, where Rob caught several king salmon that had to be released before finally landing a silver salmon we could keep. The fish was cleaned, filleted, flash-frozen and shipped home—and our charter even received an unexpected visit from the United States Coast Guard. At Icy Strait Point, poor visibility and extremely long lines convinced us to skip the red gondola excursion we had already paid for. That experience taught us why understanding weather risks and cancellation policies is so important before booking Alaska excursions. In this video, we cover: -What to confirm before booking a food excursion -Cruise-line excursions versus private tours -Alaska fishing licenses and king salmon stamps -Our private Ketchikan salmon-fishing experience -What happened when the Coast Guard boarded our boat -The Icy Strait Point red and green gondolas -How bad weather can affect scenic excursions -Why poor weather does not always guarantee a refund -How to choose an experience instead of simply choosing an activity There is no single best Alaska excursion for everyone. The best choice is the one that delivers the experience you personally came to Alaska hoping to have. Have you ever booked an excursion that was completely different from what you expected? And which would you choose: king crab or Dungeness crab? Share your experience in the comments—it may help another traveler plan a better Alaska cruise. Subscribe to K&R Travel Journeys for honest cruise reviews, practical travel advice and real experiences from the places we visit. Chapter list 00:00 We Paid for an Excursion We Never Used 01:23 Welcome to K&R Travel Journeys 01:48 Mistake #5: Not Checking What’s Included 03:45 Mistake #4: Only Looking at Cruise-Line Excursions 04:00 Our Private Ketchikan Fishing Charter 08:13 The Coast Guard Boarded Our Boat 09:51 Mistake #3: Ignoring Weather and Visibility 12:13 Red Gondola vs. Green Gondola 14:47 What We Did Instead at Icy Strait Point 16:06 Mistake #2: Not Understanding Cancellation Policies 18:01 How Cruise Excursion Refunds May Work 20:05 Mistake #1: Choosing the Activity Before the Experience 22:17 Five Final Alaska Excursion Tips 23:16 What Alaska Excursion Was Worth It for You? Hashtags #AlaskaCruise #AlaskaExcursions #CruiseTips #KetchikanAlaska #IcyStraitPoint