fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

Next July, my wife and I are doing a "Land/Sea" vacation (Princess Cruises) in Alaska. We'll spend 5 days in the Denali National Park area followed by 7 days of cruising, stopping in Anchorage, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Vancouver.

At each port, there are a myriad of available side excursions ranging from guided town tours to whale watching boats to bush plane landings on glaciers. I'm sure I'm not the first Hogger to go on one of these trips so I'm asking for your advice: What might be some good photography opportunities? Photo equipment concerns? Are these canned excursions worth the cost or should we strike out on our own? Is the Botanical Garden in Vancouver a good choice (we're spending an extra day there)?

Our only limitation, is that my wife has a bad foot so hikes over a mile or two are difficult for her.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

We've been there, and enjoyed it greatly. We will return. We took none of the excursions, but explored on foot, and distances generally less than a mile. Your wife should do okay.

Photography equipment? Wide angle, WIDE angle, WIDE ANGLE. Get the picture. If you do photofinishing when you return, the shoot everything with wide angle lens. You'll understand when you arrive there.

Oh, by the way, we went with Princess, and thoroughly enjoy their services. You will too.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

In Juneau, we took a seaplane ride over glaciers (did not land on glaciers) and got some great photos.

In Sitka, we took a bay cruise and got good shots of eagles, whales, and sea otters, as well as great landscape shots.

In Ketchikan, we did a duck boat tour. While the guide was humorous, it wasn't a great photo op.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

In Juneau, we took a seaplane ride over glaciers (did not land on glaciers) and got some great photos.

In Sitka, we took a bay cruise and got good shots of eagles, whales, and sea otters, as well as great landscape shots.

In Ketchikan, we did a duck boat tour. While the guide was humorous, it wasn't a great photo op.

photosbytw Loc: Blue Ridge Mountains

Don't try to take a selfie with a bear..........

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

In Juneau, if you have the time, take a Tracy Arm tour. Well worth it. The scenery and setting will take your breath away. Hike the trail alongside Mendenhall Glacier, but be prepared to share it with lots of others. Ride the tram up Mt. Roberts. You’ll get some wonderful views. Drive to the end of the North Douglas Road and hike the short distance down to the beach. Go out to the Shrine of St. Therese past Tee Harbor on the Glacier Hwy. Lots to do in the Juneau area. You can also take a helicopter tour of the Juneau Ice Cap. If the weather is sunny, that is.

While you’re in the Anchorage area, drive to Palmer in the Matanuska Valley and take the drive up to Hatcher Pass and tour the old Independence Mine. Beautiful in that place. For something unusual, visit the Musk Ox Farm while you’re in Palmer, and stop for lunch at the Noisy Goose Cafe just outside Palmer on the Glenn Hwy. They have the best chicken fried steak around, and they do it all there, nothing premade. The inside is interesting.

Just a few suggestions.

jgmc

In Skagway, you might consider renting a car from Avis and driving into Canada to Emerald Lake....you can download Murray's guide from the internet and it tells you where you are at significant mileposts - it is beautiful scenery and offers many photo stops along the way.

mh2bttb Loc: NC

Hello. I just went this past May. Here's the skinny. from a photography point of view, in my opinion, you need a wide angle, a 50mm, and a longer zoom, like maybe a 70-300mm. The wide angle shots are kind of a no brainer in Alaska with the terrain, etc. But for example at the Hubbard Glacier, without a 300mm I would NOT have gotten spectacular shots of this natural gem. There were many wildlife opportunities that also required 200-300mm. So in summary, I think you'll get great shots only carrying 3 lenses.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

When we went to Alaska, we took as many tours as we could. All were worthwhile. In addition to a wide angle, bring a lens that has good reach for the otters, seals, eagles, bears, etc. My husband has very limited mobility so we split up for a couple of tours. It was a break for us both and we enjoyed comparing notes later.

lbjed Loc: New York

Did Alaska via Princess Land and Cruise in May/June 2016. Great Trip. Photos were taken from the White Pass and Yukon train ride from Skagway into the Yukon. Very Scenic. Just one suggestion. The Princess included excursions were also very good. Hopefully you will get to see Denali.

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dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

First off before you sign up for the excursions the ship offers do some online checking for each port you will visit. For each port there are numerous private excursions that are MUCH cheaper and usually more exciting than the ship excursions. This happens no matter if you are taking the Alaska cruise or a cruise anywhere on earth.

My wife and I took a cruise where we especially wanted to see a specific location. As the ship excursion supposedly went to that exact place we signed up for it. As we drove PAST the location we so wanted to see and experience the bus driver told us that since the location was so crowded he was going to forego that place and take us to another place instead. His other place was a leather shop where we were invited to purchase whatever we wanted. The drivers get a cut of whatever the passengers purchase. In many cases, especially in Alaska, the cruise lines own the places they take you to. You will find your cruise director having classes on how to purchase jewelry in many Alaska ports you will visit. Tanzanite is a beautiful blue stone and the Alaska jewelry stores push that all the time. But ask around when onshore and you will find out the cruise line actually owns that exact jewelry store where they suggest you shop.

Whether cruising in Scotland, Germany or Alaska my wife and I have found alternate private excursions that have proven to be much cheaper and more informative than the excursions offered by the cruise line.

As far as photo opportunities that depends on what you like to photograph. You will find similar opportunities at each port. I have generally taken only a 24-85 lens and/or my Nikon 105mm micro lens on the past cruises and both lenses did exactly what I wanted both on the ship and on excursions.

Have a great trip,

Dennis

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

If you go on whale watch, go on an overcast day. Whales don’t like sun.
We were fortunate enough to see a pod of whales “bubble netting,” and the captain followed them for an hour or more. Fantastic.

We took that same cruise with Princess but not the land part. Our friends continued on the land part and saw no wildlife. BTW meals are not included on the land portion.

Gampa

When in Juneau, get to the Mendenhall Glacier on an excursion ... preferably one that allows you to walk on it for a while. Here’s a pic of us doing so two years ago.

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FredCM Loc: Central Illinois

We were in Denali park the end of June, cool and rainy. I had a hoodie sweatshirt and a Marmot rain/windbreaker and I could have used a heavier jacket. Be ready for drippy cold weather. IIRC it rains over 250 days a year in Ketchikan. The floating ghost town there
is interesting. The train ride from Skagway to Carcross, YT is very nice. But we had great weather that day, everything depends on the weather. I'm sure the travel people told you, you will need a passport.

mansfield75150 Loc: Mesquite, TX

We took the exact same trip several years ago. I shot 600+ dig pics. The trip to Denali is outstanding and you MUST go to the gardens in Vancouver. The entire trip is breathtaking.

If I had your e-mail id, I could send a link to you of about 300 pics of our trip.

Charlie