One of the best parts of sailing Viking’s Alaska & the Inside Passage itinerary is the wide variety of shore excursions available at each port. Viking offers a curated mix of experiences—ranging from cultural and historical tours to wildlife encounters and outdoor adventures—designed to appeal to many interests and activity levels. Whether you’re looking for something relaxed and educational or active and adrenaline-filled, there’s likely an excursion that fits your style.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how Viking’s shore excursions work, plus what’s included in your fare and what’s optional. I’ll also share my personal experience with excursions my husband and I took during our Alaskan cruise—what stood out and how elements like weather, group size, and the quality of the guide can impact your day ashore.
Each port on the itinerary offers at least one included excursion, which is part of your cruise fare. These tend to be culturally focused, such as city tours or heritage experiences. In addition, you’ll find anywhere from 3 to 10 optional excursions available for an extra fee. These often include more in-depth, adventurous, or small-group activities—like flightseeing (in a small sightseeing plane), glacier hiking, wildlife safaris, or kayaking trips.
At most ports, you’ll find a wide range of choices that go beyond standard sightseeing. Depending on the location, Alaskan options might include:
- wildlife cruises to spot whales, sea otters, and eagles;
- helicopter tours and flightseeing over glaciers and mountain peaks;
- guided hikes through the Alaskan rainforest or tundra;
- zip-lining, off-road Jeep adventures, or white-water rafting;
- visits with local artisans and Indigenous communities; and
- hands-on activities like fishing with locals or cooking demonstrations.
You can also choose to explore independently—just be mindful of the all-aboard time, as the ship won’t wait!
During our sailing, we chose a combination of included and optional excursions. In the sections that follow, I’ll share honest impressions of each one: what we loved, and what we’d consider doing differently next time.
For more details and tips about traveling on Viking Ocean ships, please read Viking Ocean Cruises: The Ultimate Guide. For more information on this cruise, please check out Viking’s Alaska and the Inside Passage website.
Choosing Viking Ocean Excursions
Weighing Your Excursion Options
When selecting excursions, after we decided what we wanted to see, we weighed
- the duration of each choice (they typically span anywhere from 2 to 8 hours),
- the activity level (they range from easy to demanding),
- how far a bus ride would be to/from an excursion destination, and
- the costs of optional excursions.
Excursion Activity Levels
- Easy (e): Expect mostly even ground, although there may be a few steps or inclines. There shouldn’t be more than 1.5 hours of walking or standing time.
- Moderate (m): Expect longer walking paths with some steps, uneven ground, or inclines, and between 1.5 and 3 hours of total walking or standing time.
- Demanding (d): Expect more challenging activities, including walking, hiking, or water sports, with the possibility of many steps or steep inclines. Some demanding excursions may top 3 hours of walking or standing.
Signing Up for Excursions
As your cruise date approaches and when your excursion booking window opens, you’ll be able to sign up for excursions online at MyVikingJourney.com, your Viking cruise portal. These windows depend on your stateroom category level.
- Owner’s Suite—107 days from the sail date
- Explorer Suites—97 days from the sail date
- Penthouse Junior Suites—87 days from the sail date
- Penthouse Veranda Staterooms—77 days from the sail date
- Deluxe Veranda Staterooms—67 days from the sail date
- Veranda Staterooms—60 days from the sail date
Insider Cruise Excursion Tips
- It pays to research the various excursion options before you need to make your decisions, so you’re ready to book when your excursion booking window opens.
- Some excursions fill up quickly, so mark the date when your excursion booking window opens.
- After selecting an optional excursion and it appears in your cart, pay for it immediately before selecting the next excursion. You won’t be guaranteed the excursion until payment is made. (Some travelers don’t realize this and fill their cart with optional excursions, but then, when they go to pay for them, some are no longer available.)
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If you’re cruising Alaska with Viking, your itinerary will either start in Vancouver, Canada, and end in Seward, Alaska, or run in the reverse direction. Our cruise began in Seward, so the excursions we experienced and share below follow that route north to south.
Seward, Alaska
Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise
Optional Excursion | Duration: 5 hours | Activity Level: Easy
This cruise was a scenic journey through one of Alaska’s most breathtaking coastal regions. As the boat navigates around Seward, you’ll be treated to panoramic views of the Chugach and Kenai mountain ranges. These are dramatic landscapes that make this corner of Alaska so special.
To me, this cruise’s highlight is the chance to spot a variety of marine wildlife in their natural habitat. If you’re lucky, you might see porpoises riding the boat’s wake, humpback whales breaching, sea lions lounging on rocky ledges, or seabirds overhead.
The vessel is comfortable and well-equipped, with two interior decks featuring upholstered seats and tables, and two outdoor decks offering open-air seating and great photo opportunities. Onboard amenities include complimentary coffee, tea, and shared binoculars (one per party). A simple lunch is provided, typically consisting of a sandwich, chips, and a brownie. There’s also a bar available for additional beverages.
The cruise is a round trip from Seward, a popular port known for its year-round ice-free harbor. It’s an inviting gateway to both Kenai Fjords National Park and a variety of marine tours.
Excursion Rating
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This cruise was a great introduction to the breathtaking Alaskan scenery and wildlife. The boat had ample room on two decks, offering seemingly views. The inside spaces were ideal for warming up on chilly, windy days (like we had).
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Valdez, Alaska
Columbia Glacier Cruise
Optional Excursion | Duration: 5 hours | Activity Level: easy
This glacier cruise set sail through stunning Prince William Sound, bound for the dramatic Columbia Glacier. The glacier is one of the largest tidewater glaciers in Alaska. This cruise offers breathtaking scenery and a fascinating look at how glaciers shape the land and affect the environment.
As you cruise through fjords carved by centuries of ice movement, the captain provides narration filled with geological, ecological, and biological insights. You’ll learn how the changes to Columbia Glacier and why it’s considered one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world.
Along the way, watch ice floes drift as the boat moves near the glacier’s face. The crew answers questions and shares details about the region’s wildlife, glaciers, and history.
Excursion Rating
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
The boat is spacious and comfortable, carrying around 150 passengers. It features a large enclosed seating area with tables and chairs—great for staying warm while viewing the scenery—as well as exterior decks with limited seating for those wanting fresh air and open views, and for those wishing to photograph the scenery. Complimentary coffee, tea, and water are available on board, and binoculars can be rented. Lunch is included; our lunch featured a choice of clam chowder or chili, served with a bagel and cookies.
This Columbia Glacier tour from Valdez is ideal for those looking to combine stunning landscapes with an enriching educational experience in one of Alaska’s most spectacular glacial regions. It offered a wonderful blend of learning about glaciers and their impact on the terrain and wildlife. I highly recommend this experience due to its educational value and the stunning views. You may also hear some glacial calving (when glacial chunks of ice crash into the water)
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Icy Strait Point
Chichagof Island Jeep Expedition
Optional Excursion | Duration: 2.5 hours | Activity Level: medium
Looking for an adrenaline-pumping way to explore Alaska’s rugged wilderness? The 4×4 Jeep Wrangler excursion from Icy Strait Point offers an exciting off-road adventure along the remote logging roads and forested trails of Chichagof Island—one of the largest and wildest islands in the Inside Passage.
Led by a guide driving the lead vehicle, this small convoy of Jeeps (driven by guests) navigates twisting (and bumpy!) trails once used by the island’s logging industry. Throughout the tour, the guide narrates via two-way radio, sharing insights into the area’s history, wildlife, and natural landscape. It’s an engaging and interactive way to learn about the region as you drive.
This excursion is also a great opportunity for wildlife viewing. Chichagof Island is home to a large population of coastal brown bears and black-tailed deer, and sightings are common, especially along quieter stretches of the route. The group makes a couple of stops where you can stretch your legs, enjoy panoramic views, and snap photos of Alaska’s unspoiled wilderness.
Each Jeep is equipped with a USB port, so you can charge your phone or camera during the drive, perfect for keeping your devices ready for wildlife shots or video.
Excursion Rating
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This off-road tour is ideal if you want to combine adventure, nature, and a bit of independent exploration while visiting Icy Strait Point. It’s especially appealing if you want to get off the beaten path and experience the raw beauty of remote Chichagof Island.
This was a fun way to see the Chichagof wilderness and learn more about its plants and animals. Also, I picked up information about logging and how that impacted the landscape. Although we didn’t see any bears, the tour guide did have bear spray handy, should we have encountered any. Having said that, I know my husband enjoyed this excursion (especially driving the Jeep) more than I did. If I had to do it over again, I’d suggest he do this excursion, and I would have gone on a guided hike.
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Skagway, Alaska
White Pass Summit by Vintage Rail Car & Luxury Train Car
Optional Excursion | Duration: 3 hours | Activity Level: easy
One of the most iconic shore excursions in Skagway is the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, a historic narrow-gauge railroad that takes you on a breathtaking journey into the mountains. Departing from downtown Skagway, this scenic train ride follows the original trail carved by gold prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800s, winding its way up to the White Pass Summit before looping back down to town.
Along the route, you’ll pass dramatic landscapes—including waterfalls, gorges, wooden trestle bridges, and snow-capped peaks—while learning about the railroad’s fascinating history through onboard narration. The ride offers incredible photo opportunities and a memorable glimpse into Alaska’s rugged frontier past.
You can choose between riding in a classic vintage rail car or upgrading to the luxury car (a delightful treat!), which is attached to the end of the train. Both options follow the same route and offer equally stunning views and similar guided narration. The luxury car, however, includes a few added comforts, such as plush seating in upholstered swivel chairs and complimentary snacks and beverages, but the scenery and historical storytelling are highlights, regardless of which experience you choose.
Excursion Rating
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This excursion is perfect for history buffs, photography lovers, and anyone who wants to take in the majestic beauty of Alaska without strenuous activity. In my opinion, it’s a must-do when visiting Skagway on an Alaskan cruise.
My husband and I opted for the luxury train car (which was the last car of the train) because we preferred its promised comfort over the vintage train car seating. We’re glad we upgraded. Boarding the train, we were surprised at how comfortable the train ride could be. Large upholstered swivel chairs lined the two long sides of the train car, and the guide served complimentary beverages (including beer and wine) and snacks while narrating the ride. There was a covered, extended platform at the back of the car, which enabled passengers in this car to go outside for fresh air and ideal photography options (as being in the last car meant uninterrupted views behind the train). This was such an enjoyable way to experience local gold rush history, along with amazing views.
Insider Tip: Viking recommended against leaving the ship earlier for excursions, as there may be a wait time in an unsheltered area before boarding the train. But we opted to leave early anyway, so we could walk around town before the train ride. We chose an early excursion, which meant we could walk around downtown before the crowds arrived. Some stores opened earlier than we expected, which was a surprise.
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Juneau, Alaska
Mendenhall Glacier
Included Excursion | Duration: 1.5 hours | Activity level: medium
The included shore excursion to Mendenhall Glacier is a highlight for many cruise passengers visiting Juneau, Alaska’s capital, which is only accessible by plane or boat. The tour begins with a 20-minute bus ride from the cruise port to the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, part of the Tongass National Forest and one of the most accessible glaciers in North America.
Once you arrive, you’ll have time to explore at your own pace. Indoors, you can visit the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, which features educational exhibits, ranger talks, a 15-minute film about the glacier, and a gift shop. Outdoors, you’ll find several well-maintained trails (mostly packed earth and gravel), offering stunning views of the glacier, Nugget Falls, and the surrounding alpine landscape.
Some of the most popular walking paths include:
- Nugget Falls Trail – mostly flat 2-mile round-trip walk that brings you right to the base of a powerful waterfall near the glacier
- Photo Point Trail – short, paved path with unobstructed glacier views
- Steep Creek Trail – quiet loop with seasonal bear-viewing platforms
Insider Tip: To enjoy the trails with fewer crowds, book the earliest available excursion time. Upon arrival, head straight to the trails first while it’s still quiet, then stop at the visitor center afterward. This allows for a more peaceful hiking experience and a better chance to soak in the beauty of Mendenhall Glacier before mid-morning tour buses arrive.
This easy and scenic outing is a great option for travelers of all activity levels who want to get close to Alaska’s glacial landscapes without a strenuous hike.
Excursion Rating
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Visiting the Mendenhall Glacier was a great experience, and I’m thankful that we chose the early morning excursion. There were views of the glacier from near the visitor center and along the 2-mile/3.2 km round-trip Nugget Falls trail. The Nugget Falls trail was enjoyable because it ends with incredible views of the glacier, waterfall, and the lake. (There were people on the trails, but it was not crowded.) From there, walk to the Photo Point (.33 miles/.5 km from the visitor center) for more spectacular views. This excursion provided a relaxing way to get some exercise and marvel at Alaska’s natural beauty.
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Sitka, Alaska
Scenic Sitka & Theatrical Performance
Included Excursion | Duration: 1.5 hours | Activity level: medium
Our Sitka shore excursion began with a brief bus ride through town, crossing the O’Connell Bridge onto Japonski Island. We paused to take pictures, capturing panoramic views of Sitka’s waterfront. We also viewed the fish processing plants that reflect the town’s vital fishing industry. Throughout the ride, our bus driver shared insights about Sitka’s history and local landmarks.
Sitka is a city rich in cultural heritage, shaped by its indigenous Tlingit people, Russian colonial influence, and American governance. To bring this history to life, my husband and I attended a dance performance accompanied by a narration that highlighted the traditions and stories of these three distinct cultures that define Sitka’s identity.
Following the performance, you are free to explore Sitka’s quaint downtown area at your own pace. You can browse local shops, enjoy authentic Alaskan cuisine at the area’s restaurants, or soak in the historic atmosphere. The town’s compact layout makes it an easy and enjoyable walk back to the tender dock for a seamless return to the ship.
Excursion Rating
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Sitka is a small town situated between Sitka Sound and the Tongass National Forest, so sights are limited. I enjoyed the dance performance and appreciated the historical narration about the town and state between dance sets.
After the performance, my husband and I walked through town, stopping to visit some shops. We also visited St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Later, we walked to Baranof Castle Hill, which offered nice views and informative signs that provided more context for the site.
Knowing what I know now, I would have opted for a different excursion — something more active and exciting, like another wildlife viewing — or even fishing — activity (as these more southern waters offer different experiences than those in the northern ports).
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Ketchikan, Alaska
Potlatch Totem Park & Ketchikan History
Included Excursion | Duration: 2.5 hours | Activity level: easy
The included Ketchikan tour was a visit to Potlatch Totem Park, just minutes from the harbor. This attraction offers a glimpse into the rich heritage of Alaska’s Native Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples through its collection of restored totem poles. Each totem tells a story of ancestral legends, clan histories, and spiritual beliefs, providing you with a deeper understanding of the region’s Indigenous art and traditions.
Excursion Rating
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Set against a backdrop of rainforest and waterfront views, the Potlatch Totem Park is an outdoor museum and a peaceful place where history comes alive.
Although the historical and cultural aspects of this excursion were interesting, the overall experience was somewhat lacking. Several other tour buses arrived around the same time as ours did. This meant quite a few groups were moving from each area within the totem park, so our tour didn’t begin where I thought it should. For example, we walked around and learned about the stories associated with the various totem poles. Still, I felt we should have begun with the basics about constructing totem poles and the culture of the people who lived there. For our group, that was presented more towards the end of the tour. Having said all this, I believe this is about par for an included tour – large groups and basic information gained.
In hindsight, I wish we had opted for an optional tour or strolled through Ketchikan on our own. There was no option to do that on this excursion as we had to return to the ship, due to limited time in port.
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What to Know Before You Go: Alaskan Cruise Excursions
You’ll be offered lots of excursion choices when sailing with Viking. That’s one of the benefits I value on this cruise line. Several factors can shape your experience on an Alaskan cruise tour—some you can plan for, and others are simply part of the adventure. From unpredictable weather to tour guide personalities, costs, and your own expectations, it’s helpful to know what might influence how memorable (or underwhelming) an excursion turns out to be.
A sunny day with a dynamic guide can make even a simple nature walk feel extraordinary, while the same tour in the rain with a less engaging leader might feel underwhelming. We were fortunate to enjoy mostly sunny weather during our cruise, with just a few gray, drizzly days. Honestly, as long as it’s not a full downpour, you can still have a great experience, especially if you’re dressed appropriately (with layers and a waterproof jacket).
Are Excursions Worth the Price?
There’s no sugarcoating it—optional Viking excursions in Alaska can be expensive. But many travelers, ourselves included, have found that splurging on truly unique experiences can be well worth it. These aren’t just “tours”—they’re memory-makers.
For example, during our Denali Explorer pre-cruise extension, we took a flightseeing tour over the Denali mountain range that landed on a glacier. It was absolutely thrilling and so scenic. (And this is coming from someone who’s a nervous flyer!) A similar once-in-a-lifetime experience is also available from several of the cruise ports, so it might be nice to factor in some of these extraordinary options to make your Alaskan journey even more meaningful and exciting.
You Get What You Pay For
The key is to choose excursions that align with your interests and Alaska dreams—whether that’s kayaking near a glacier, spotting brown bears, walking through rainforests, or taking a historic rail ride through the mountains. These are the experiences you’ll be talking about for years to come.
On every cruise we’ve taken, we’ve found that spending a little extra for something that truly excites us always pays off. If an excursion makes you say, “Wow, I’ve always wanted to do that,” it’s probably worth booking.
Dress for Alaska’s Ever-Changing Weather
The weather in Alaska can shift quickly, even within a single outing. To stay comfortable, pack and dress in layers, and always bring a windproof, waterproof outer shell. Being prepared for the elements will help you fully enjoy the stunning landscapes and wildlife without being distracted by the cold, wind, or dampness.
Other Tips for Viking Shore Excursions
- Schedule included excursions early in the day (if you have a choice). It’s better to be in an early excursion group to beat other visitors (crowds) to a destination.
- Bring your stateroom key card and photo ID (driver’s license or passport) for all excursions. You’ll need to scan your stateroom key as you exit and return to the ship. Plus, you’ll need to show your photo ID and your stateroom key card to the security checkpoint at the cruise terminal upon returning.
- Viking provides bottled water as you leave for each excursion. (I brought a reusable water bottle and kept it filled from the carafe of water in our stateroom.)
- Due to state laws, you can’t bring food or beverages ashore, except for bottled water.
- Carry a daypack with essentials like your camera or phone, binoculars, water, extra clothing layers, and anything else you’ll want access to during your tour.
Map of Viking’s Alaska and the Inside Passage Cruise
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Final Thoughts
Almost every port we visited offered a variety of excursions, including flightseeing tours, hiking adventures, kayaking trips, and wildlife cruises. Since our journey started in Seward, we opted early on for both a wildlife cruise and a glacier cruise—experiences that were not only enjoyable but also deeply educational. These excursions set the perfect tone for the rest of our Alaska trip by providing rich insights into the state’s fascinating history, rugged geology, and diverse wildlife, from towering glaciers to native flora and fauna.
If you’ve booked an Alaskan cruise, I highly recommend including at least one wildlife cruise in your itinerary. Choose a general wildlife tour or one focused on specific creatures, such as sea otters or humpback whales; these excursions offer unforgettable encounters with Alaska’s stunning natural world.
Comments
Feel free to share your experiences aboard an Alaska cruise. Your thoughts could help other cruisers. Thanks! 🙂
