I’m going on a cruise to alaska. What are some more exiting/adventurous excursions?

3 Comments on “I’m going on a cruise to alaska. What are some more exiting/adventurous excursions?”

1. #1 rick d
   on Dec 29th, 2008 at 8:11 pm

   There are many great excursions in each port of call. Whale watching, Several different train excursions etc..
   However the fishing ones are abit much.First you pay $10.00 for a license and if you are going by boat you pay another $200.00+ per person and if you catch anything you pay to have it cleaned and shipped home. Or if you go on one where they cook it for you then the prices are about the same. Keep in mind if you happen to catch a really salmon they have a right to keep it for themselfs. If you goal is to bring salmon home then in Ketchikan go to the Salmon Mall and there is alittle store in the middle that sells fresh clean salmon and will ship it anywhere you want.
   As for the cruise if you like nature, meeting people from all over the world, trying new foods etc then you will enjoy Alaska.

2. #2 Dollar B
   on Dec 31st, 2008 at 7:58 pm

   this site has good cruise info -

3. #3 Glacierwolf
   on Jan 1st, 2009 at 7:24 am

   If you want a trip to remember - go on a fishing charter. You can go for halibut, go for salmon, or, have a charter when you do halibut in the morning and troll for salmon in the afternoon. Always best to pay the extra and do the full day charter - this lets the skipper take you to places guaranteed to get you into nice fish and not worry about getting back to take on another group of people. Some times these all day ones can go to 7 or 8pm until everyone has their limit. Bring extra food, snacks, and things to drink.

   First things first - - get a tide book for the area you are going to fish. On the side of the dates are ‘dots’ - big dots means better fishing for halibut because there is less of a difference between high tide and low tide. Halibut swim (looks more like flying from underwater) about 2-4 feet above the ocean floor. On a Big Dot day halibut can see much furthur since the water is less murky and can smell your bait. So, if you arrive and find out it is a big dot weekend - you need to concentrate on halibut. There is nothing more fun than getting your picture next to a 90 to 120lb halibut! My nephew came up years ago and landed a 170lb one - took us 45 minutes to get it up from 180 feet.

   If it is a little dot day - consider salmon - either by trolling or from a small charter boat on a river. DO NOT go fishing on the river bank - it will probably be ‘Combat Fishing” with lots and lots of other cheap skate fishermen that have bad manners and it won’t be much fun. Save this experience for when you are older and able to stand your ground!

   You can still go halibut fishing on a little dot day - you just need to add extra weight to your sinker - 10oz is normal, you might need up to 3lbs on a little dot day and that is allot more work.

   There are two rules to halibut fishing:
   #1 - never, ever let your bait sit on the bottom! You drop it, feel it hit bottom, then reel it up a few feet. Every minute or two you want to ‘feel’ it hit bottom.

   #2 - never, ever, yank the pole when you feel a nibble. Instead you let the line out - allot if necessary. Halibut are caught with circle hooks, halibut need to chew on them a 30-90 seconds for them to set. Once a halibut gets it stuck on the side, it won’t come out. After the first nibble you let the line out…….. then reel it in slow like, and when you feel a nibble nibble nibble let it go out again. On the third time you reel in when you feel the nibble - slowly but firmly raise the pole as fast as you can to set the hook. Then hold on! Don’t have your drag set too tight, and, don’t worry if it runs a bit. Don’t let the pole point into the water - and you will have a beauty.

   If you decide to do the halibut charter - go to the drug store and get some dramine are a sea sickness patch. You need to take this about 40-60 minutes before you get onboard. Don’t worry about if you should or if you can go without it - when in doubt, just do it. Halibut fishing is sitting still and letting the waves bob you around like a cork, even on a big boat ………. why risk having a bad day? Just do it. I used to own a 36 foot sailboat I raced up and down the coast, but, even guys like me take dramine when we haven’t been on a boat in awhile! lol.

   Bring a warm coast, a light coat, lunch, and boots. Sunglassses, hat and sunblock is a must. The charter provides everything else. Be sure to slip the first mate a $20 and he will see your fish is taken good care of. Most charters can freeze the halibut for you, and, your cruise ship should have frozen storage available to you. Both the airports in Anchorage and Seattle have frozen storage. If you catch an octopus - especially a nice big one - keep it!. They are great eating - same texture and taste as shrimp when done right.

   If you catch anything good - buy a copy of “Cooking Alaskan” - it has some of the best recipies for anything you hunt or can fish/catch in Alaska.

   Or email me and I or my wife iwill tell you how to cook what every you catch! Have a great trip!

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