GENERAL FAQS
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We operate our glacier tours seasonally from May – September, and do not have any adventure tours available from October – April.
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Of course! We welcome solo adventure travelers!
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Alaska Cruise Ships tend to run on time, but there are always exceptions. If your cruise ship is late, we will do our best to accommodate. We understand this is completely out of your control as well as ours and if we are unable to accommodate, we will provide a full refund. If you cruise ship has to cancel Juneau as a port of call, we will also provide a full refund.
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Alaska Cruise Ships tend to run on time, but there are always exceptions. If your cruise ship is late, we will do our best to accommodate. We understand this is completely out of your control as well as ours and if we are unable to accommodate, we will provide a full refund. If you cruise ship has to cancel Juneau as a port of call, we will also provide a full refund.
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We guarantee that your tour will return on time. All tour times are scheduled around cruise ship arrival and departure times, and allow for adequate time before and after the adventure to easily make it back onboard and on time.
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No. Juneau is located in the worlds largest temperate rainforest (the Tongass National Forest, it is also the largest National Forest in the United States). Rain is very common in Juneau and we welcome it. We provide a rain jacket, rain pants and rain boots to each guest, but please dress to stay warm and possibly get wet. If Liquid Alaska Tours deems weather conditions are unsafe, Liquid Alaska Tours will cancel the tour (and provide a full refund).
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Liquid Alaska guests will receive a full refund if you cancel at least 72 hours before your tour time. Guests will also receive a full refund if Liquid Alaska has to cancel due to weather or unforeseen circumstances. Guests who are a no-show will be charged full price. We are a small company and ask that you cancel as soon as you know you will not be going on our adventure.
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Tour departures 30 minutes or greater after your ship arrival, you will be able to make it to our tour meeting location at the Mount Roberts Tramway on time. Most of the cruise ships docks in Juneau are within a 5-7 minute walk from the Mount Roberts Tramway with the exception of the AJ dock.
The AJ dock is about a mile away from Mount Roberts Tramway. There is a shuttle system*** that will drive you and drop off next to our meeting location at Mount Roberts Tramway.
There are a couple of exceptions: If you are on the Norwegian Encore or the Norwegian Bliss and on our Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure, we have created a tour time specifically for your ship. Our guides will be waiting outside the gangway. It is important that you are ready and actively getting off your ship when it docks.
***For most cruise lines and a fee may apply
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Please ensure that you and all members of your group meet all our tour requirements, as we cannot permit any exceptions. Our requirements are based on strict safety protocols which we cannot deviate from. Our tour requirements are:
- Minimum age: 12 years old
- Minimum weight: 90 lbs.
- Maximum weight: 240 lbs.
- Not recommended for guests with back or hip problems
- Pregnant guests will not be allowed on this tour
- Full use of limbs for up to 2 hours canoe paddling
- Ability to hike over steep uneven terrain for approximately 1-2 miles (Ice Adventure only)
MENDENHALL GLACIER ICE ADVENTURE
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At this time, we do no longer expect to be able to tour ice caves during this experience.
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Yes. It is a team effort! Everyone must be able to have full mobility of their limbs and be able to paddle along with the guide.
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We use two different sizes of canoes. Our canoes may hold 10 guests or 14 guests.
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Depending on conditions we will either be able to walk directly up to the glacier ice or be able to walk on top of it. We cannot guarantee any conditions and these are assessed daily for safety.
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The weather is very unpredictable in Alaska. We would like our guests to dress according to the weather, noting that the glacier will be about 10 degrees cooler than land. Guests are encouraged to dress in non-cotton layers, bring gloves, a warm hat and sunglasses if it is sunny. We’ll provide you with waterproof jackets, pants, and boots.
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Bald eagles, porcupines, mountain goats, herons, shorebirds, arctic terns and waterfowl are all common sights, however this is not a designated wildlife tour and specific wildlife cannot be guaranteed.
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The temperature depends on the weather, but expect the area near the glacier to be around 10 degrees cooler. Please dress accordingly, we suggest non-cotton layers!
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Yes. If you are arriving on the Norwegian Bliss at 7 a.m., we have a tour specific for this ship. You will be greeted by your guide in front of your cruise ship. It is very important that you are ready to exit the ship upon arrival in order to meet your guide on time.
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Yes. We encourage guests to bring their camera. Please keep in mind that we are canoeing across a lake, possibly in the rain so there is a chance it will get wet and we are not responsible for any damages.
Small bags are allowed on tour.
We provide small dry bags for guests to put their belongings in during the tour.
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Yes, we provide light snacks along with bottled water. At the conclusion of the tour, we provide a warm beverage.
Please feel free to bring your own food and drink, but there are no trash cans, so you are responsible for packing out your own trash.
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Minimum weight: 90 lbs.
Maximum weight: 240 lbs.
Minimum age: 12 years old
Yes. This is a very active tour. It is roughly an hour of paddling each way to get across the Mendenhall Lake to the glacier. Once arriving on shore we spend approximately 60-90 minutes hiking and exploring the glacier.
Guests must have full use of their limbs to get in and out the canoe and to assist in paddling the canoe across the lake (a total of two hours).
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Flush toilets are located at our meeting and drop off location at the Goldbelt Tramway.
Once our adventure starts, we bring our guests directly to the West Glacier Trailhead at the Mendenhall Lake. This is where we get everyone geared up, we go over safety and paddling instructions and where we start our journey.
There are very nice pit toilets operated by the United States Forest Service located at the West Glacier Trailhead. Our guests are welcome to use these before our gear up and once we get back.
During our adventure on the Mendenhall Glacier there are no facilities available. Mother nature does provide plenty of space, we just ask that you abide by our Leave No Trace partnership and pack out your trash.
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We have a maxiumum guide to guest ratio of 1 to 7.
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Adventurers come in all shapes and sizes! So we have a huge variety.
We provide top quality equipment for our guides and guests. The North Face and Marmot are our raincoats and rain pants. Our rain boots are “Alaskan Sneakers” aka Xtratuf rain boots.
Our raincoats with hoods sizes are: XS- XXL in both mens and womens.
Our rain pants are: XS- XXL in both mens and womens.
Our rain boots are sizes: 5-14 Unisex
We also have limited child sizes in both rain gear and rain boots.
MENDENHALL GLACIER LAKE CANOE TOUR
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This tour views the Mendenhall Glacier at an up close, yet safe distance from a canoe. It is does not walk on shore or the glacier.
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Yes. It is a team effort! Everyone must be able to have full mobility of their limbs and be able to paddle along with the guide.
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We use two sizes of canoes for this tour, which may hold up to 10 guests maximum.
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From the canoe, you will get to about a few hundred meters from the glacier. Besides walking on the glacier itself, this is the closest guests can get to the Mendenhall Glacier. On this tour, we will also paddle towards Nugget Falls.
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The weather is very unpredictable in Alaska. We would like our guests to dress according to the weather, noting that the glacier will be about 10 degrees cooler than land. Guests are encouraged to dress in non-cotton layers, bring warm hat and sunglasses if it is sunny. We’ll provide you with waterproof jackets, pants, and boots.
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Bald eagles, porcupines, mountain goats, herons, shorebirds, arctic terns and waterfowl are all common sights, however this is not a designated wildlife tour and specific wildlife cannot be guaranteed.
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Yes. We provide bottle water and healthy snacks. At the conclusion of the adventure, we also provide a hot beverage.
Please feel free to bring your own food and drink, but you are responsible for packing out your own trash.
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Minimum weight: 90 lbs.
Maximum weight: 240 lbs.
Minimum age: 12 years old
Yes. This tour is a team effort. Guests must be able to have full use of their limbs to get in and out of the canoe and be able to paddle for up to two hours. The more you paddle the more you get to see!
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Flush toilets are located at our meeting and drop off location at the Goldbelt Tramway.
Once our adventure starts, we bring our guests directly to the West Glacier Trailhead at the Mendenhall Lake. This is where we get everyone geared up, we go over safety and paddling instructions and where we start our journey.
There are very nice pit toilets operated by the United States Forest Service located at the West Glacier Trailhead. Our guests are welcome to use these before our gear up and once we get back.
-
We have a guide to guest ratio of 1 to 10.
-
Adventurers come in all shapes and sizes! So we have a huge variety.
We provide top quality equipment for our guides and guests. The North Face and Marmot are our raincoats and rain pants. Our rain boots are “Alaskan Sneakers” aka Xtratuf rain boots.
Our raincoats with hoods sizes are: XS- XXL in both mens and womens.
Our rain pants are: XS- XXL in both mens and womens.
Our rain boots are sizes: 3-14 Unisex
We also have limited child sizes in both rain gear and rain boots.