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The Alaska Cruise Ship Alternative!
If the answer is yes, we could be the solution. We offer live aboard cruises on the protected waters of Prince William Sound with boats that sleep up to 6 guests per boat. Using both of our boats, we can accommodate up to 12 guests live aboard style or we can carry up to 15 on one boat by day with nights spent in remote lodges or local hotels. Advantages over large cruise ships include crews with substantial local knowledge, navigating bays and passes that cruise ships can't, flexible itineraries - even after we've left the dock and port excursions. Fishing, whale watching, nature hikes and salmon bakes are available when cruise ships are in port for an extra fee. We offer the cruise ship and port excursions in one package, one price. The information below provides information on our boats, suggested tours and price options to help you pick what will work best for your party. If you don't find the fit your looking for, give us a call, other options may be available or we may know who has the right fit for your party. Which Boat?
40' M/V FOOL'S GOLD has an open cabin layout with limited privacy. The forward V-berth sleeps 2 and has a privacy curtain, aft of the V-berth is a dinette that makes into a bed and has a bunk option above. The dinette sleeps 2 adults or 1 adult and 2 children. 2 bunks in the aft part of the upper deck are available for crew or for parties larger than 4. The upper deck has seating for 14 when configured for day trips and seating for 8 on multiday trips. Fool's Gold has a large private head with sink (no shower), diesel stove/oven, galley, refrigerator, small freezer, and a barbecue. Fool's Gold advantages include speed which allows us to provide more sights in less time and the large walk around decks are great for viewing and fishing. Party Size Party size can be the determining factor for which boat option to choose.Parties of 2-3 options Fool's Gold - very comfortable for parties of 2-3 with a price tag considerably less than Good Times. Good Times - if your budget allows it, an exclusive tour on the Good Times will be an adventure you'll cherish for years. Advantages are privacy and showers. Good Times shared tour - If you desire the comfort and privacy of the Good Times, but not the price tag that goes with an exclusive tour for 2-3, we can put you on our shared party list and attempt to match you up with another party. This option is not always successful - date flexibility and advance notice improve your chances greatly. Parties of 4-6 options Fool's Gold - works well for shorter trips. 4 adults or families of 5-6 with children work out well on this boat. 5-6 adults overnight is somewhat cramped at night but very cost effective and worth consideration. Good Times - designed for parties of 4-6. Parties of 7-15 options Fool's Gold and Good Times - our 2 boats works great for parties up to 12. Having 2 boats, with one being able to carry all 12 passengers by day allows us to keep your party together if you want or we can split up by day with each boat pursuing different activities and then anchor together at night. Rafting up at night allows guests to visit or catch a shower on Good Times. Fool's Gold only - Fool's Gold is certified to carry up to 15 passengers up to 12 hours per day. Multiday sightseeing tours can be accomplished using Fool's Gold by day and at night some or all guests offload at a remote lodge, raft up with another boat with sleeping accommodations or return to port for nights in a hotel. Rates for this option are quoted for each specific trip. Rates are similar to the 2 boat option. Parties 13 and larger can also be accommodated using more than 2 boats. Our largest party to date is 23 using 3 boats. Advance booking is a must when booking multiple boats - we recommend booking no later than October the year prior.
Recommended Tours On clear nights, this tour offers the best chance of seeing Alaska's awesome northern lights. For the adventurous types we offer a chance to snowshoe. For shrimp lovers, shrimping season opens April 15th - fresh Alaskan spot shrimp are hard to beat. Early Season 3 Day/2 Night Rates - Good Times
The Ultimate 4 - 6 Day Sightseeing and Wildlife Tour We believe this tour is one of the best Alaskan adventures available. Guests repeatedly tell us it was their best vacation ever. Prince William Sound has so much to offer - it is one of the most beautiful places on earth with towering mountains, rain forests, clear ocean water, tidewater glaciers and enchanting coves to overnight in. Marine wildlife is abundant - to date we have been able to view humpback whales, porpoise, sea lions, sea otters, seals, bald eagles and puffins 100% of the time on tours 4 days or longer. Prince William Sound is unique in many ways from protected waters to a rich eco system, enchanting anchorages, abundant fishing opportunities, undeveloped lands and uncrowded waters - incomparable in many ways. We recommend 4 days on Good Times to capture the best of Prince William Sound if you are not interested in fishing, 5 days if you want a taste of fishing, and our 5 day 6 night option if you want to bring home a box or 2 of fish. Experience tells us the best way to create this tour is for your party to provide us with a list of preferred activities and we will develop an itinerary to capture your parties interests and capture the highlights of the season or simply let the Captain create an itinerary based on the highlights of the season. An excellent example of creating a preferred itinerary was a family that sent us the following - Dad wanted to catch a 200 pound halibut, Mom said her preferred cause of death would be to be eaten by a killer whale and their daughter wanted to see glaciers calving. We almost pulled it off - our first stop was at Barry Glacier and it calved 8 times in less than an hour- not typical, Dad managed to reel in a halibut weighing over 160 pounds and Mom didn't get eaten but we did find a pod of killer whales that came right up to the boat and played within feet of the boat. Below is a list of activities that can be incorporated into a cruise. If you have other activities in mind, let us know, we might be able to accommodate-
Ultimate Tour Rates - Good Times
4 Day Sightseeing and Wildlife Tour
3 Day Custom Sightseeing and Wildlife Tour
2 Day Custom Sightseeing Tour
Sightseeing Rates - M/V Fool's Gold
Why Alaska Good Time Charters LLC? Experience - David Pinquoch, owner of Alaska Good Time Charters is host and Captain on most tours on the Good Times. His 25+ years on Prince William Sound are invaluable when developing itineraries to incorporate season highlights and party interests or finding a fresh fish for dinner. Easy Travel - we operate out of the Port of Whittier, the closest port to Anchorage. Keep your money in America! Our vessels are American made, American flagged, our crews American citizens and we pay taxes in America - All requirements for smaller charter boats. All of the large cruise ships we have seen are foreign flagged, don't have American crews and don't pay federal income tax. Deposit/Reservation Policy Single party bookings require a deposit of $3000, or full payment if less than $3000. Deposits are 95% refundable up to 30 days from receipt of deposit. Deposits become non-refundable 31 days from receipt of deposit. Balance is due 60 days before departure and is non-refundable. Split party bookings (two or more parties) require full payment to confirm reservations and payments are non-refundable. In the event of cancellation Alaska Good Time Charters LLC will attempt to book a replacement party and if successful, refund a portion of your payment.
Blackstone Bay is a truly unique experience, offering a cliff hanging glacier, two tidewater glaciers, land based glaciers, waterfalls and wildlife - a glimpse of the last ice age. Approximately 30 minutes is spent at the faces of Blackstone and Beloit Glaciers where with a little luck you?ll witness the glaciers calving. Blackstone Glacier is currently retreating and may cease to be a tidewater glacier in the future. Our 3 hour tour is a quick trip out to Blackstone Glacier to view the glaciers and wildlife and then back to Whittier. Our 5 hour tour offers the same sights taking a bit more time to view the glaciers and wildlife plus we serve our soon to be famous barbecued salmon lunch. The 7 hour tour takes it a step farther - taking you to Lake Bay, home of the largest salmon hatchery in North America. Once anchored at Lake Bay you?ll be shuttled to shore for a short moderate hike in South Esther Island State Marine Park to seldom visited Esther Falls Overlook. From Esther Falls your guide will escort you to the Wally Noerenburg Salmon Hatchery crossing a stream (yes there is a bridge) that is often filled with salmon trying to navigate the rapids. This stream is a popular hangout for bald eagles and black bear who feed on the salmon. At the hatchery your guide will explain the operation of the hatchery and discuss some of the latest science that has improved hatchery performance. 2012 Glacier Tour Rates - 15 Passengers Maximum
Charter the boat exclusively for a custom Prince William Sound adventure, research or transportation. Weddings, funerals, an all day whale watch or glacier trip - You name it, we can probably do it.
Custom tours are available May 1- October 31 from 2-12 hours. Guest Comments Dave, I just wanted to drop you a line to tell you how much we enjoyed the 4 days we spent on the GOOD TIMES. We had a wonderful time. We could not have imagined that we would have seen the amazing amount of scenery and wildlife the you were able to show us. It was truly a thrilling adventure. The fishing was great, something eastern smallmouth bass fisherman just don't get to do. The halibut gives a real battle. I have never cared for the taste of salmon but what we caught and you and Devon prepared were absolutely fantastic. The food was excellent through out the entire trip. I particularly want to mention the time we spent at the glacier, it was a great experience. Thank you for having a flexible schedule, allowing for us to be able to see and photograph the wildlife we wanted. I will highly recommend your services to anyone. Thanks Again, Denny "Where else can you awaken to the smell of bacon, eggs, and coffee, stroll to the bow of the boat and watch whales, otters, eagles and porpoise and fish for halibut - ALL BEFORE LUNCH!!?" St. Petersburg, Florida "We planned this trip for 5 years and it was everything we hoped and then some. Thanks for a wonderful lifetime memory. You guys are great." Tampa, Florida "Our first boat trip ever and it was great! The sightseeing was unbelievable." Houston, Texas "Wow! We had great expectations for this trip and you exceeded them. It was perfect. Great food, great Captain with lots of knowledge and great sights. Thanks." Isle of Palms, SC "Saw everything, whales full breach, fantastic trip and people. I can't imagine life any better." Blair, Nebraska "Glaciers, killer whales, eagles, puffins, humpback whales, porpoise, bears, sea lions, sea otters, great anchorages, shrimp, salmon & great trip!" Morro Bay, California "Incredible experience - fish, whales, scenery, glaciers, great company and superb food. David - you are a true professional charter captain as well as a naturalist and a gentleman. Kudos to Alaska Good Time Charters" Hopewell, New Jersey "Thanks for this slice of heaven, great job of spoiling us. We will be back!" Winslow, Illinois. Alaska Good Time Charters LLC operates with permits from the US Forest Service and Alaska State Parks Alaska Glacier and Wildlife Tours |
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