Page 264 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

262  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

Shore Excursions tours fill up. Most ships also
have drop boxes for filled­out
While not all the tourists who flock to Alaska each year registra tion forms, to eliminate
travel via cruise ships, the ones who do often consider shore waiting in line. However, most
excursions to be the main event. Tours emphasize Alaska’s travelers still prefer to sign up
geological wonders such as tidewater glaciers and vast in person, which ensures a face
to face meeting with shore
temperate rainforests, while nature sightseeing focuses on tour staffers.
wildlife. Historical tours, on the other hand, offer engaging Sometimes a shore operator
presentations of human history from the earliest Native may cancel the tour if too few
American settlements to the first Europeans. No cruise people register, or the weather
passenger has the time or opportunity to try each tour, is unfavorable. Always check
for postings that identify
but with careful planning, visitors can return home with a cancellations, and conversely,
deeper understanding of what makes Alaska magical. if any new tours have been
added to the inventory.
Excursion Prices
The fee per person per tour
varies widely from one cruise
line to another. A walking
tour around historic neigh­
borhoods may cost less than
$40, and kayaking less than
$100. Tours that involve dog
Small pleasure craft moored next to a giant cruise ship in Whittier sledding, glacier travel,
flightseeing by floatplane to
What’s Included chances of cancellation, how remote areas, or heli­skiing can
Ticket packets, cruise line large the group will be, and cost hundreds of dollars per
websites, and flyers placed at whether food or water will be person. Depending on the
the shore excursion desk on provided during the excursion. location, luxury cruise lines
board the ship give brief offer upscale tour programs
descriptions of each excursion Booking that can cost over $10,000.
along with the duration and Cancellation policies vary,
degree of physical stamina More and more cruise lines but in general, there is a
required. Usually, all that allow online bookings for the 24­hour window before the
passengers need are sun or dozens of shore excursions tour in which visitors can
rain protection, water if none offered during week­long change their minds. After the
is provided, and a willingness cruises. Online booking saves excursion, refunds are rare,
to share the experience with passengers the trouble of filling although shore tour staff can
fellow passengers. It always out forms soon after boarding, reduce or waive the entire
helps to ask a few questions which is the recommended fee if a passenger can justify
before signing up about the time to make choices before being completely dissatisfied.

Grizzly bear with cubs at Denali National Park

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