🚢Alaska Cruise+DIY Excursions ⚓
🗻Seattle, Washington
We sailed out of Seattle, Washington and enjoyed a couple days in the city before our cruise. Below are a few recommendations for hotels, food, and sightseeing.
Note: Most cruise lines now depart from Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 (Princess, Holland America, and Celebrity among others); Norwegian sails from the Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66.
🧳Hotels
🐟Food
📸Sightseeing
☔Juneau, Alaska
Juneau is the capitol city of the state of Alaska and is best known for Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Gold Rush of 1880.
For our port call in Juneau, we scheduled a shore excursion through the cruise line for a helicopter flight and glacier walk. Unfortunately, it ended up getting canceled due to weather but we did a DIY trip to view the Mendenhall Glacier and nearby Nugget Falls!
Mendenhall Glacier
Here's how to get to Mendenhall Glacier on your own:
🔹There are three terminals at the Juneau Cruise Port. Head NW along S. Franklin Street and then Marine Way to the Downtown Transit Center
🔹Expect the trip to take at least 4-5 hours total round trip from downtown: 2 hours for the bus rides, 1 hour walking to/from the bus stop, 1-2 hours at the glacier.
🔹The Route #8 Valley/Downtown Express bus provides the quickest and most convenient service to the Dredge Lake Road bus stop. You can also take Route #3 or #4 but they are slower with many stops. The ride is 30-45 minutes. Fares are $2.00 each direct for adults, $1.00 for youth age 18 and under. Cash only; drivers cannot make change.
🔹The Dredge Lake Road bus stop is about 1.5 miles away from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The path is flat; follow it to the west along Mendenhall Loop Road to the Visitor Center.
🔹Once at the Visitor Center, purchase a visitor pass in the small gift shop for $5 (as of 2024). Restrooms are available.
🔹Take short stroll down Photo Point Trail (1/3 mile) from the Visitor Center to view the Mendenhall Glacier and nearby Nugget Falls. Other trails are available around the glacier as well depending on weather conditions. These include Nugget Falls (2 miles round trip), Trail of Time (1 mile loop), and East Glacier (3.5 mile loop).
🔹To return downtown, walk 1.5 miles back to the bus stop across the street at the Dredge Lake Road bus stop. The last bus to downtown leaves Dredge Lake Rod at 5:30pm on Sunday, or at 10:30pm Monday - Saturday.
Another option is the "The Blue Bus" Glacier Express, which offers departures from the cruise ship terminal at regular intervals with narrated commentary and opportunity to spend ~ 2 hours at the Mendenhall Glacier before returning. Cost is $79 for adults and $49 for children and includes admission to the Mendenhall Visitor Center (as of 2024).
If you'd prefer to stay near the cruise port, an option is to take the Goldbelt Tram, which rises 1,800 feet from the cruise ship dock for panoramic views. At the top, you can hike or enjoy the gift shops and restaurants. Cost is $55 for adults and $40 for children. Passes can be purchased online in advance or same day on the spot.
🌫️Skagway, Alaska & The Yukon
Skagway is home to gold-rush-era buildings, which are now preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
Drive the Klondike Highway
For those who want a DIY independent option, consider renting a car and driving the Klondike Highway to The Yukon, which is what we did!
There are two main options for car rental in Skagway, and we chose Affordable Car Rental. Super friendly service by owners...
Klondike Highway Road Log
You can pick up a detailed Explore Skagway booklet in town with a map and detailed list of sights along the South Klondike Highway. An option to get lunch at the car rental location or shop in town, or you can get lunch in Carcross. (Note: There was a rockslide a week after we made the drive, trapping folks on the other side of the border for ~6 hours. All this to say it's a good idea to have water and snacks before getting on the road).
Counting Skagway as mile zero, here are a few highlights:
🔹Mile 4.9 - Denver Glacier Pullout: Denver Glacier Valley on your right hand side. There are additional pullouts with scenic views along this section.
🔹Mile 7.7 - Pitchfork Falls: The most photographed falls on the highway tumbles down the mountain from Goat Lake, under the railroad tracks, and down to the Skagway River gorge.
🔹Mile 11.5 - Large turnout with spectacular view of the old Moore Bridge, Mt. Cleveland Glacier, and the Sawtooth Range.
🔹Mile 14.3 - Summit: Just after the border, the highway tops out at 3,290 feet above sea level.
🔹Mile 14.6 - Welcome to Alaska Sign: Snap a pic!
🔹Mile 22.4 - Fraser, B.C. & Canada Customs: Make sure to bring your passport!
🔹Mile 27 - Yukon Suspension Bridge: Paid entry to the Yukon Suspension Bridge allows you to walk 65 feet above the Tutshi River rapids below and down the canyon. Gift shop.
🔹Mile 49.5 - Welcome to Yukon Sign: Snap another pic!
🔹Mile 65.2 - Carcross/Tagish First Nation: The Carcross Visitor Centre is located on the left as you drive into town. Take time to explore the village and dip your toes into sandy Bennett Beach. Several shops and eateries available.
🔹Mile 66.5 - Carcross Desert: Affectionately known as the "World's Smallest Desert."
🔹Mile 72.6 - Emerald Lake Pullout: From the turnout on the hill above Emerald Lake you can photograph one of the Yukon's most stunning vistas.
Other Activities in Skagway
Many cruise ship passengers take The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, which runs vintage locomotives past the famously steep Chilkoot trail and offers sweeping mountain views during its climb toward Canada. Cost for tickets purchased online at least 24 hours in advance are $142 per adult and $71 per child for the 2.5- to 3-hour trip, which takes passengers 20 miles from Skagway to an elevation of 3,000 feet before turning around at the Canadian border and heading back (as of 2024). There are also VIP car options available through your cruise shore excursions, which can bring the price up to several hundred dollars.
Other options include a visit to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, hiking the Chilkoot Trail, or a drink at the Red Onion Saloon!
🐳Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising
Itineraries for major cruise lines sailing Alaska's Inside Passage generally offer Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier (part of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness area) OR Glacier Bay National Park.
Glacier Bay National Park comes highly recommended and offers a full day of scenic cruising along with commentary from National Park Service Rangers who board the cruise ships.
Tracy Arm is sometimes too full of ice for the ships to get through and is frequently missed, or proceeded into very minimally with little or no chance of seeing the glacier.
I've done both options and actually preferred our experience in Tracy Arm for the spectacular "Windex" blue ice and calving (breaking of ice chunks from the edge of a glacier). Another option to consider is an excursion from Juneau to Tracy Arm on your own.
🤿Ketchikan, Alaska
Snorkel Alaska
An active DIY option that was a highlight of our most recent cruise was Snorkel Alaska! We booked the Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure directly with Snorkel Alaska, and it was an easy walk along the waterfront promenade at the cruise port to the Liquid Sunshine Gauge at Berth #2.
From there, we were shuttled by van to the snorkel shack about 15 minutes away. They provided everything including 7mm wetsuits with hood, boots, and gloves to keep you warm while in the water.
After getting dressed, we drove a few more minutes to Mountain Point, where we entered the water from the rocky beach and snorkeled for about an hour. We saw lots of starfish and small jellyfish, and the guides brought up sea urchin and sea cucumbers for us to see as well. Visibility was decent in spite of the weather, and we saw plenty of fish as well! The entire excursion from pick-up to drop off back at the cruise dock was ~ 3 hours. We were able to maximize time in the water and they made sure we were back to our ship with plenty of time to spare.
Kudos to our awesome guides Fred (owner), Kurt, Joshua, and Sam - highly recommend Snorkel Alaska!
Other Activities in Ketchikan
Other options for activities in Ketchikan include the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show (I've never been but was able to get a glimpse during my first cruise from our cruise ship balcony. It's cheesy, fun, and easily accessible since it's located right next to Berth #2 of the Ketchikan cruise port), as well as a float plane over the Misty Fjords, a fishing charter, or a simple stroll along Creek Street and the downtown area. Creek Street is a former Red Light District "where both men and salmon swam upstream to spawn." It is now a quaint place to tour Dolly's House museum, view totem poles, and shop for souvenirs!
Alaska Cruise Travel Tips!
🔹Get a balcony cabin if you can! Alaska was our very first cruise experience and we absolutely loved the scenery. Some of the best views and photos I got were from my balcony! (Note: I don't think the side of the boat you're on makes much difference. For glacier viewing, the Captain will spin the ship around so everyone gets a view.)
🔹You might also bring along a pair of binoculars (many cruise ships provide them as well). Sunglasses are also useful as the glare on ice/snow can be extra bright!
🔹Bring an umbrella, hooded raincoat, and waterproof shoes. Also, dress in layers! I regularly wore gloves and beanie cap along with wool socks (extras are good to have on hand as well, just in case).
🔹Alaska cruise season typically runs from April to early October. I don't think there is a "wrong" time to visit. That said, prices will be lower during the shoulder season. Weather wise, June offers the longest days though July is somewhat warmer. July and August tends to have more rainy days.
🔹Be mindful that Alaska is a popular destination. Ports will be busy, with ~5 cruise ships at a time docked in each port.
🔹There are 30 ships sailing in Alaska during the season; everything from mass resort style to smaller luxury or adventure lines. Holland America has been cruising there for over 75 years (and generally gets the best berths in port), or Princess for over 50 years.
🔹Pay careful attention to time in port. Some ships are in one or more ports for only a limited time. You want as much time as possible in each port to do the best or multiple activities.
🔹Be aware that wi-fi can be spotty on cruise ships, and in ports in Alaska as well. I wasn't able to send/receive phone calls or messages while in port in Ketchikan.
🔹Consider whether you want to sail out of Seattle or Vancouver for the standard 7-night itinerary. While I've heard embarkation from Vancouver is slower, you can avoid the cursory stop in Victoria that's required when sailing out of Seattle to comply with the Jones Act (which requires foreign-flagged ships sailing out of and into a U.S. port to call at a foreign port).
🔹If time allows, you might opt for a one-way journey and/or adding a land-based trip to see more of Alaska and the chance to see wildlife up-close.
🔹I've included DIY options above, but it might make sense to "splurge" on one or two shore excursions that are unique to Alaska. For example, we booked a helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier (canceled due to weather); other options include whale-watching tours, fishing charters, sled-dog rides, etc.
☕Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you find this information to be helpful! If so, you're invited to offer a tip and buy me a cup of coffee!
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