Alaska Travel Adventures — Attraction in Juneau

There was a mix up with the transport in the beginning of the excursion. The bus driver left the pickup point without us (and the rest of the holland america guests that booked this shore excursion)…the driver finally came back after 15 mins and picked us up. After the 15 mins bus ride to Fritz cove we met the first guide (didn’t get her name) and she was not happy at all that we were late, not a glimpse of any smile and we thought that this was not going to be a great experience. That all changed after we were assigned our guide for the kayaking excursion Allegra! She was really friendly, positive, helpful and full of smiles! She made all the difference! She understood that it was not our fault that we arrived late since we had no control of the transport and she let us kayak longer too. She showed us how to put on the boots, spray skirts and the pfd. We appreciated these gears as they kept us dry! She also did the pfd gear check to ensure it was put on properly. She also showed us how to properly get on and off the kayak. The weather was sunny and hot but the water is still very cold so do use the skirts. Allegra was very patient with us as we had issue with our kayak veering to the left even though we steered right and it took us longer to catch up with the rest of the group. We really appreciate her helping take great pictures of us with the Mendenhall glacier. We kayak between sandbars with eagles flying and feasting on the beach which was a special bonus. We saw a couple of curious harbor seals, flock of arctic terns, jellyfish, whale spout (off a distance but still a spout!) and tail. There were snacks as advertised and water for after the kayak. The cruise shore excursion mentioned a souvenir pin but we didn’t get any ;(. Definitely a must for outdoor enthusiasts! Excellent tour and we would do it again next time we’re in Juneau. The view, weather and nature played a part in making this a great excursion but our guide Allegra made it an amazing one! Thanks again for an amazing experience Allegra and the, would do it again! Thank you Allegra and Alaska outdoor...

I purchased the historic gold mining & panning adventure in Juneau. The tour departed approximately 10 minutes late in a cramped, small van, with 12 passengers. I was seated in the very back without air conditioning on a very warm day. Because only 5 guests had signed up for the gold panning portion, the operator combined our group with a separate gold panning/salmon bake tour. During the drive the guide provided an extended narration of Juneau, including stops downtown to discuss the history of local hotels and bars. The tour was NOT led by a costumed prospector guide. The gold panning activity itself proceeded as described. Each guest received a pan seeded with gravel and gold, and the guide demonstrated the panning technique at elevated troughs. I recovered four small gold flakes, which was very cool. However, we did not get to look around the remnants of the original buildings of the Alaska-Juneau Mining Company as advertised. On the return trip the driver stopped to drop off the 7 passengers attending the salmon bake and then spent additional time briefing them on that portion of the experience. This left the 5 guests who were not participating in the salmon bake waiting in the van without air conditioning. The driver also deviated from the planned route to show several neighborhoods in town. The scheduled tour time was 11:30–1:00, but we did not return to the pickup point until 1:50, which left me no time for lunch and I had to run to my next tour reservation. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend Alaska Travel Adventures; the scheduling, vehicle comfort, and coordination did not meet my expectations. They do not care about...

We did the Alaska Travel Adventures' Mendenhall Lake Canoe Adventures. Even though the adventure was not part of our Carnival cruise option to purchase through the ship, we had no problems finding our pickup location (at the end of the ships dock) and we didn't have to wait. The large canoe had 10 people with John as our guide. Kudos to John's knowledge and background of the local animals, glacier, waterfalls, icebergs, customs, and fun facts. John was not only professional and made us all laugh, he was extremely helpful and provided detailed humorous instructions. They provided rubber boots so your feet don't get wet and a easy to fit life jacket. Our driver from the cruise dock to the lake, Sophia was hilarious and shared the history of the land, native peoples and general facts about Juneau and daily life. She even shared a secret area with us. We saw many eagles, icebergs, the Mendenhall glacier up close and beached at Nugget Falls to have a snack provided by our guide, John. As for activity level, I have to admit we had the best weather so I'll give it a level 2.5 (1 easy, 5 hard), but we were the first tour of the day. They have a locked box for your shoes and anything you don't want to take in the canoe or keep dry. I took my phone and camera for photos and they didn't get wet, but be prepared that can happen. This excursion with Alaska Travel Adventures and the Tray Ann Fjord boat trip were the best excursions of our cruise. Don't give it a second thought, book now! Thanks again Sophia and John for a memorable...