North star take glacier helicopter and airboat excursion BE

Question

In February I booked and paid for this excursion for June. The ship did not offer it so we were doing it on our own. We got to the meeting place a few. Minutes early only to then get a phone call that they had a logistics problem and we're switching us from noon to after 3 pm. We were not comfortable having only 20 minutes to make the last tender back to the ship so yes they refunded our money but that was the one excursion we really wanted to do. We had no time to figure out something else to do. The weather was perfect that day. It wasn't a mechanical error or an illness error which we would have been disappointed but understood. Logistics implied to us overbooking and since we weren't on a ship they had a contract with we were easy to cancel. The person actually told me the all aboard was 7:30 so we would almost an hour to make it. Supposedly they know all the ship times but with 5 ships in Juneau we were tendered and the last ship tendered at 7. When I said something about missing the ship she was oh well. Not we will guarantee to get you there.

All their reviews are great but we wouldn't know

Answer

It sounds like you had a very frustrating experience with the North Star Glacier Helicopter and Airboat excursion in Juneau. While the company may have generally good reviews, your situation highlights a few important considerations when booking excursions, especially independently of a cruise ship.

First, scheduling logistics in Juneau can be tricky because multiple cruise ships are tendered simultaneously, and many excursions coordinate around ship times. Even if the excursion provider is experienced, miscommunications about all-aboard times or overbooking can create situations where guests feel rushed or unsupported.

In your case, the operator moved your excursion from noon to after 3 pm, which left insufficient time to return to the tender safely. Although they refunded your money, this meant you missed the experience entirely, which was the one you were most looking forward to.

When booking excursions independently of a cruise ship, confirm not only the excursion time but also the ship’s tender schedule and the expected time needed to return safely.
Ask the operator directly about contingency plans if the timing changes, especially for excursions near ship departure times.
Consider booking excursions through the cruise line if timing is critical, even if it is slightly more expensive, because they are typically better coordinated with tender schedules.

It’s understandable that you would be skeptical about their reviews now. Online reviews can often reflect positive experiences, but they may not capture scheduling or logistical issues that can affect independent travelers.

Look for reviews specifically mentioning independent travelers and tender logistics.
Check if the company has a clear cancellation or rescheduling policy for timing conflicts.
Consider alternative excursions in Juneau that allow more buffer time before the ship’s all-aboard deadline.

While the North Star excursion likely provides a spectacular glacier and airboat experience under normal circumstances, your experience shows that timing and logistics are crucial. For future planning, booking excursions that have more flexible schedules or better alignment with your ship’s tender time can help avoid missing the experience entirely.

In summary, the excursion itself may be excellent, but when booking independently, always double-check all timing and logistics with the operator and your ship’s schedule. This will help ensure you don’t miss out due to scheduling conflicts, overbooking, or miscommunication.

North star take glacier helicopter and airboat excursion BE

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