Our best tips for navigating the top towns on an Alaska cruise
A deep dive into the attractions and ports of call for your amazing Alaska adventure.
May is when Alaska's cruise season kicks off and if you're planning on taking a trip to this incredible state we're here to share our top tips to make the most of the best ports of call.
Not every ship stops at every one of these destinations, but your ship will almost certainly stop at some of them.
We’ll give each port-of-call an “overall” rating on a scale from one to five based on the following categories:
Town Charm
Natural Beauty
Activities
Shopping
Native Representation
Plus, we’ll have special “insider tips” for each town.
Here’s our first insider tip: Make sure both Juneau and Skagway are on your ship’s itinerary, as we think they are far and away the best destinations.
The following stops are presented in geographical order from south to north.
Ketchikan
Traveling up from the rest of America, Ketchikan is the first large Alaskan town you reach, which is why they call themselves “Alaska’s 1st City.”
It could also call itself “the Rain Capital of the U.S.,” as Ketchikan gets some 300 days of rain per year — more than fourteen feet (or four+ meters) of rain.
Thankfully for cruisers, almost all of those sixty-five days of sunshine happen during the summer.
Town Charm
Frankly, Ketchikan is fairly charmless. This town is a major cruise ship hub, but also very much a working port, with lots of evidence of forestry and commercial fishing.
Most of the “downtown” area is tourist shops, though there is a large boardwalk along the waterfront where cruise ships dock. Alas, the cruise ships loom over everything.
But Ketchikan does have one very charming feature: Creek Street, on the far side of downtown, which is a series of buildings built on wooden docks lining both sides of Ketchikan Creek. This area was once famously Ketchikan’s red-light district, but the original historic buildings have since been turned into shops and restaurants.
Natural Beauty
Ketchikan lacks the dramatic scenery of other Alaskan cities. This is somewhat ironic as it’s located on the water, in the heart of the Tongass National Forest.
But the above-mentioned Creek Street is lined with trees, and the Ketchikan Creek tumbles between the area’s brightly colored buildings. Even better, all five species of salmon spawn in the creek, each at a different time of summer, making it likely most visitors will see some kind of fish.
During our stop, pink salmon were in abundance, and crowds gathered to watch a seal happily snacking on them.
Activities
In terms of tours and excursions, Ketchikan (and later, Juneau) offers the greatest variety. This is an especially good spot to do sea-kayaking, sport-fishing, or whale or bear-watching.
Ketchikan also has an exuberant local “lumberjack” show, which is well-reviewed (and an easy walk from most cruise ships).
There’s also plenty you can do on your own. There are several hiking trailheads within a short walking distance from town, most notably the Rainbird Trail.
Also, don’t miss the Ketchikan Salmon Walk, which is a very pleasant 1.5 mile/2 km loop around town (passing through Creek Street at one point) that is just like it sounds: a chance to view salmon. It also passes by the Totem Heritage Center mentioned below — a fantastic place to learn about totem poles.
Shopping
Here too is where Ketchikan excels. Juneau has four times the population of Ketchikan, but this place felt like it had four times as many souvenirs for sale.
The shops include the usual collection of Alaskan souvenirs: t-shirts and baseball caps, not to mention precious stones like tanzanite and alexandrite — stones that you only ever hear about on cruise ships and in cruise ports. But Ketchikan also has Soaring Eagle, a store that sells stunning lamps and tables made of cut stones illuminated from within, and eagles carved out of quartz.
If I were going to buy a souvenir in Ketchikan, it would definitely be a quartz eagle. I say, Go big or go home!
Native Representation
Ketchikan’s population is almost 17% Tlingit, and this a good place to learn more about Native Alaskan culture. Around town, there are informational signs about the Tlingit who once made this area their summer fishing grounds.
Ketchikan is also home to Totem Heritage Center ($6 USD), on the Salmon Walk, which explains the history and cultural importance of totem poles. It also includes several original, pre-white-settler-era totem poles, of which very few remain. You can also take excursions out to Saxman Totem Park, Totem Bight State Park, and Potlatch Park to learn about Tlingit and other Native Alaskan cultures.
Insider Tips
It’s always cheaper to book shore excursions independently, directly with a local tour company — usually online, ahead of your cruise. You can also find or create an excursion more to your tastes. The problem is, if your ship cancels or reconfigures its various stops, you will not make your tour and may not get a refund. Likewise, cruise ships guarantee they will never leave behind a passenger on a ship-endorsed tour, and they don’t make the same claim for independent excursions. In dozens of cruises, we never had a ship leave someone behind, but you never know…
If you’re cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line, be aware that you aren’t going to be docking in town. Instead, you’ll dock at Ward Cove, which is a (free) fifteen-minute bus ride away. That’s because Carnival — which owns Princess, Holland America, and Seabourn — has a lock on all four berths in downtown Ketchikan. As a result, Norwegian built their own deep-water port on the outskirts of town. But it does mean you’ll pay slightly less port taxes (which are included in your fare).
Ketchikan overall rating: 4/5
Sitka
Sitka, population 8500, is the largest incorporated city in the entire United States — technically, some 2,874 square miles (or 7,440 square kilometers) of municipality.
This is a “fun fact,” but it will not impact your visit in any way, as the town center is quite small, and most of this “city” is wilderness.
Town Charm
The downtown area is not the reason to visit Sitka. There’s a historic Russian Orthodox church, a small boardwalk, some shops, and, well, that’s about it.
Natural Beauty
Sitka scores much higher in this category. First, there’s all that fantastic wilderness around town.
But sailing in and out of Sitka is also stunning, thanks to pine-studded islands dotting the city’s harbor, as well as the mountains rising behind town. And on a clear day, you can see Mt. Edgcumbe, a dormant volcano 14 miles (22 km) away.
Within (or on the edge of) the central area are a couple of great parks, including the Sitka National Historical Park, reached by a lovely walk along the waterfront where you’ll see fishing boats, and if the time is right, salmon returning to Indian River to spawn.
Activities
Sitka is small and has fewer tours and shore excursions than either Juneau or Ketchikan. But with Sitka’s incredibly scenic bay and relatively modest crowds, this is a terrific place to book a kayak, raft, or boat excursion — or, if you have the skills, simply rent a vessel on your own.
Brent and I are avid hikers, and we love stopping in Sitka on a cruise ship because you can easily walk from the dock to several trailheads.
Closest is the one-mile/1.6 km Totem Trail Loop, which includes, well, totem poles, but also some great views of the bay. Other nearby hikes include the Indian River Trail, the Gavin Hill Trail, and my favorite, the Mount Verstovia Trail which features expansive views of Sitka and the Alexander Archipelago.
But be forewarned: this is grizzly country, and the farther you get from town, the higher the chances you might encounter one. Always carry bear bells, play music, and/or otherwise make noise while hiking here.
Shopping
Save your shopping time for a better port.
Native Representation
The Tlingit people lived in Sitka for centuries before the Russians invaded, and today’s population is 13% Tlingit. The Sitka National Historical Park, right next to the Totem trail, includes information about the Tlingit in Sitka. Visitors can also go to Sheet’ka Kwaán Naa Kahidi Tribal Community House, as well as the Sitka Cultural Center where Native artists carve wood, weave textiles, and engrave metal.
Insider Tip
Sitka is also home to the Alaska Raptor Center. At the center, eagles, hawks, owls, and other injured birds are rehabilitated. Birds that are unable to return to the wild are used to educate the public about the importance of raptors. Your ship will sell you an overpriced excursion to the center, but it’s an easy, 1.2 mile/2 km walk to get there on your own.
Sitka overall rating: 3/5
Juneau
Juneau is the state capital — and, in our opinion, the single best cruise stop on any Alaska cruise.
Town Charm
Juneau’s downtown is much more appealing than Ketchikan’s. The city has many great old “frontier” buildings — from the famous Red Dog Saloon to Juneau Drug, to Rainy Retreat Books. And they’ve spruced the whole area up with hanging flower pots.
The area is also very compact, with narrow streets, which limits the number of cars and makes it much more pedestrian-friendly.
And Juneau has done a fantastic job with its waterfront. The wooden boardwalk is long and lovely, featuring totem poles, grassy areas, interesting informational signs, plus plenty of benches where you can sit and watch the floatplanes take off and land on Gastineau Channel.
And you really should take a minute to do just that. Watching a floatplane soar into a clear blue Alaska sky is about as quintessentially Alaskan as it gets.
Natural Beauty
Mother Nature holds Juneau in a bear hug of gorgeousness. Too much? Okay, but the city is cradled by mountains on two sides: Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts, both cloaked with green forests stitched together by silver-colored waterfalls. On the other side of Gastineau Channel is the pine-covered Douglas Island.
Activities
Juneau has every kind of tour you could want to do while in Alaska. Pan for gold? Check! Salmon bake? Check! You can also go whale watching, do a zipline, or fly over nearby Mendenhall Glacier in a frickin’ helicopter.
There are other ways to explore the Mendenhall Glacier too: via hiking, kayaking on Mendenhall Lake, or even dogsledding on the glacier itself. There’s a local bus to the glacier, although it’s a long ride and an additional walk — not recommended. To get to the glacier, book a tour in advance or just hire a local taxi or rideshare upon arrival, arranging return transportation as well (be forewarned: in the very high season, there may be no available cars).
We should also note that Mendenhall Glacier has massively retreated over the past several decades. The glacier used to come right up to the Visitor’s Center, but it has shrunk by nearly a mile/1.6 km since 1999. Today visitors need to walk some distance to even see the darned thing.
As with Sitka, Brent and I love Juneau because of easy access to incredible hiking. Within less than a mile/one km of downtown (or a short taxi or rideshare ride), you can be deep in the mountains, climbing either Mount Juneau or Mount Roberts, or hiking between them on the Perseverance Trail, which winds up Gold Creek valley.
Grizzlies and black bears never inhabit the same area, and this is black bear country — there are no grizzlies. These less aggressive bears will probably be more scared of you than you are of them, but they can still be dangerous — especially a mother with cubs — so again, carry bear bells or play music while hiking.
Shopping
It isn’t quite the shopapalooza as Ketchikan, but you’ll find plenty of places selling Alaska-themed clothing, homemade fudge, jewelry, and lots more.
Native Representation
Juneau’s Native Alaskan population clocks in at about 10% of the city’s 35,000 residents. You should check out Sealaska Heritage, a state-of-the-art museum that presents the history of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian, the original occupants of these lands.
Also, check out the Kootéeyaa Deiyí — Totem Pole Trail — which is twelve magnificent totem poles along the city’s boardwalk. The Goldbelt Native Corporation operates a tram to the top of Mount Juneau, which offers great views, so that’s a great way to make sure some of the money you spend here stays here.
Insider Tips:
At the end of your day, as you leave Juneau, sit near the front of the boat to enjoy the scenery of Admiralty Island and the rest of the Tongass National Forest as you sail away. This is what you came to Alaska for, right?
If you hike to the top of Mount Roberts — steep but very doable, only two miles (or 3.2 km long — you can ride the Goldbelt tram back to town for free!
If you’re considering a mega-ship for your Alaskan cruise, be forewarned there is a big downside: Juneau only lets one such ship visit the city at a time. That means if two mega-ships are scheduled to visit on the same day, those ships split the day, leaving passengers only half as much time to visit what we think is the best stop in Southeast Alaska.
Juneau overall rating: 5/5
Skagway
You might not have heard the name of Skagway, my second-favorite stop on an Alaskan cruise, but you almost certainly know what it’s most famous for: the Klondike Gold Rush.
The Klondike gold fields were hundreds of miles/km away, in Canada’s Yukon Territory. But Skagway was the closest seaport, and a hundred thousand people descended on this spot in 1896, all seeking their fortunes.
Alas, only a few hundred miners got rich. By the time the world’s newspapers were printing headlines that read, “Gold! Gold! Gold!”, most of the gold had already been claimed. The real winners? As in every gold rush, it was the enterprising locals who sold the miners their supplies.
Town Charm
Most of downtown Skagway is part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, which has meant the preservation of at least a hundred buildings from the Gold Rush era. Today, most of these buildings house tourist shops in the service of a different kind of “gold rush”: the one million cruise ship passengers who pass through the town every year.
But it’s still charming — the best kind of kitsch.
Natural Beauty
Skagway sits at the end of a narrow valley ending at Taiya Inlet. Taiya is the northernmost fjord of the Inside Passage, leaving Skagway surrounded by beautiful mountains on three sides. Those mountains rise pretty much straight up out of the inlet, creating very dramatic vistas. This is another place where you want to be on a deck or balcony to watch your ship sail out as the sun is setting.
Activities
Skagway doesn’t offer as many tours and excursions as Juneau, but there’s plenty to do. The most popular attraction is the White Pass & Yukon Railway, the railroad that was originally built to take gold seekers to the Yukon gold fields — alas, it wasn’t finished until long after the Gold Rush was over.
Today, it’s strictly a tourist railroad, taking tourists to the top of the pass where you briefly enter Canada — or, if you choose a longer trip, farther into Canada (for which you will need your passport).
As guests of the railway, we did the shorter, two-and-a-half-hour trip to the summit, and I loved standing on the outside platform, cool mountain air washing around me. The views are truly breathtaking, and keep your eyes peeled for the section where you can see the actual trail the gold seekers traveled — with discarded pick-axes and tin cans, all very rusted now, during their grueling, infamous trek.
That said, the train is very expensive at $150 USD/person for even a shorter trip. If you book it through your ship, that will add another $50 to the price, although you can then board right off the dock — saving a short walk, less than 1/2 mile or 2/3 km to the actual train station.
Thanks to those steep mountains rising out of that fjord, Skagway also offers more incredible hiking, and once again, the trailheads are very accessible — right on the edge of town. Our first time in port, we did the Upper Reid Falls Trail hike. The trail winds up and down through thick stands of lodgepole pines standing atop a carpet of some of the prettiest green moss I’ve seen. And the falls themselves? Small but lovely.
If you don’t want to go that far, there’s a short one-mile/1.6 km hike to Lower Dewey Lake, and an additional loop around the lake if you’re so inclined. The hike up to the lake is fairly steep, but the hike around the lake is level, with lots of picnic tables.
Our second time in town, we did the Upper Lake Trail, which is several intense miles/km almost straight up to a second lake — Upper Dewey Lake, naturally. This is an alpine lake, and if you make it there, the views are amazing — or so we were told. We were worried about getting back to the ship on time and turned back before finishing.
This area too is black bear country, so make noise while hiking. We found very fresh black bear scat on our hike to Upper Reid Falls!
Shopping
By the time you make it to Skagway, shopaholics will probably be pretty loaded up on souvenirs. But if you still have room in your bags, this is the place to stock up on Klondike Gold Rush goodies.
Native Representation
The name Skagway comes from the Tlingit word sha-ka-ԍéi, which translates approximately to “rough seas in the Taiya Inlet, that are caused by strong north winds.” And Skagway can get pretty windy. Today, only 3% of Skagway is Native Alaskan. That’s not entirely surprising as the Yukon Gold Rush was particularly brutal for the Tlingit living in the area. The white folks rushing to the gold fields not only brought disease with them but viewed Natives as an impediment to their success and treated them accordingly.
Insider Tips
Check out the brothel museum tour at the Red Onion Saloon ($10 USD). It’s only twenty minutes, but our guide, dressed like a Gold Rush-era lady of the evening, was highly entertaining. She was also very informative, explaining the crucial and sometimes surprising role these women played in Skagway’s — and Alaska’s — history.
Definitely visit the Klondike Gold Rush Visitor Center in the middle of town. There was so much we didn’t know about the Gold Rush, especially the incredible hardships the miners endured — and all the misery to which they subjected the Native people. We also enjoyed the short movie at the visitor center, which highlights how quickly the rush began — and ended.
Skagway overall rating: 5/5
Icy Strait Point/Hoonah
Brent and I have mixed feelings about Icy Strait Point, which is the only privately owned cruise stop in Alaska. It’s the site of an old salmon cannery, but it’s mostly an artificial construction, located near the Native Tlingit town of Hoonah — and owned and controlled by the tribe.
Brent and I quickly deemed it “Disney Alaska,” because it is so artificial. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t well done — and we’re thrilled it’s providing jobs for Native Alaskans.
Icy Strait Point first began receiving visitors in 2004, and by 2008, a quarter of Hoonah's employment came from cruise ships. It now welcomes more than a hundred cruise ships a year.
Town Charm
Ships land at Icy Strait Point itself, which includes gondolas, shops, restaurants, and a zipline that they claim — perhaps incorrectly — is the highest and longest in the world. The old cannery is now part museum, part shopping mall.
And it’s all slickly done.
You can also walk — or catch a regular shuttle ($5 USD) — to Hoonah itself, about 1.5 miles/2 km away. Hoonah is not especially charming, but the walk is stunning, and the town is worth seeing.
Natural Beauty
Icy Strait Point is located on Chichagof Island, which bills itself as having at least two grizzly bears per square mile — more than anywhere else in the world. Yes, signs warn you that you could conceivably see bears even in Icy Strait Point, but it’s unlikely given the crowds.
Mostly, this means this is all very pristine wilderness. But maybe because of all the bears, the only way to see the wilderness is on some kind of tour. There is a short nature loop at the top of Sky Peak, but the only way up there is via the Sky Glider Gondola (an outrageous $69 USD, or “free” if you use the even more outrageously priced zip-line, $269 USD for one trip).
Activities
Tour options include whale and, yes, bear watching, as well as Native dancing and salmon bakes. The local restaurants specialize in chowders and crab feeds.
On one hand, Icy Strait Point is completely owned by the Huna Totem Corporation, and most of the profits go to the Native Alaskan community of Hoonah.
On the other hand, whether you book through your cruise ship or independently, everything is just ridiculously, over-the-top expensive.
The “official” Icy Strait Point bear-watching tour was badly reviewed, so I booked independently (and it was also expensive). But they canceled on me the night before — much to my disappointment.
Shopping
There are plenty of t-shirts, stuffed whales and otters for kids, as well as Icy Strait Point branded merchandise to be found here.
Things are slightly more affordable in Hoonah itself.
Native Representation
Given that Icy Strait Point is entirely operated by Native Alaskans, you’d think it would be the absolute best place to experience Native culture. But remember what we said about Disney Alaska?
There is a Heritage Theater, supposedly the site of Native dancing, but we found no mention of any performances, either online or at Icy Strait Point itself. At least there are informational displays about Native culture throughout. But the most interesting — and authentic? — thing we saw was a totem pole carving that we stumbled upon in Hoonah.
Insider Tips
Before you buy your ticket to the top of Sky Peak, make sure the hike around the top will be open during your visit. Otherwise, you only get one of the promised viewpoints and a very short walk through the woods.
As with Sitka, this is a great (if expensive) place to kayak or do other sea-related activities. You may even see whales from your kayak.
Icy Point Strait overall rating: 3/5
Which Alaskan Glacier Should You See?
You’re going to Alaska — you want to see glaciers! Not doing that is a bit like going to Belgium and not having waffles.
But as with Belgian waffles, not all Alaskan glaciers are the same.
Fortunately, some of the most spectacular glaciers are visible right from your cruise ship — and almost every ship itinerary includes a visit to at least one.
Most ships stop at either Glacier Bay (which is full of glaciers) or Hubbard Glacier (which is one single glacier).
I’ll kill the suspense: Glacier Bay is the best. Hubbard Glacier has become the “back-up” cruise ship glacier, because Glacier Bay is a protected area, and Alaska has — thankfully — taken to limiting the number of cruise ships that can visit, to protect the wilderness.
A few ships visit Prince William Sound or Tracy Arm, which are also both spectacular, but these are rare stops.
A general note about Alaskan glaciers: weather, especially fog, can be a real enemy here. In Alaska, conditions are often bad, even in summer. Thick fog? No glacier-viewing. Sorry, folks, that’s just the way it goes.
Let’s look at Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier in turn — and we’ll also offer some insider tips to maximize your chances of seeing spectacular glaciers.
Hubbard Glacier
Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in the world — meaning the terminus of the glacier is the ocean.
Brent and I have visited here several times and have never been particularly impressed — in part, because our cruise ship never got much closer than the picture below.
Why was our last Norwegian cruise ship so skittish about getting closer to this glacier? It might be because, in 2022, another Norwegian ship hit a small iceberg. Out of caution, the ship immediately returned to Seattle for repairs.
Hubbard is famous for its enormous size, yes, but also for the fact that it is so active. Its nickname is the Galloping Glacier because it’s advanced so far over the years — and all that movement leads to a lot of calving, which, of course, is what glacier-watchers usually most want to see.
But if a glacier calves and you’re too far away to see it, did it really calve?
Our ship “graciously” offered smaller tender-boat tours that brought you closer to the glacier itself — for an eye-popping $399 USD per person.
Glacier Bay
Glacier Bay National Park is both a national park and a World Heritage Site. The park is three million acres, and it’s astonishingly beautiful, especially on a clear day — crystal blue glaciers sparkling in the sun, the vivid turquoise sea full of chunks of white ice, and snow-capped mountains rising all around you.
Glacier Bay includes seven major tidewater glaciers. With that many glaciers, you’re much more likely than at Hubbard to see something, even if weather conditions are bad. You’re also more likely to see calving.
As an added bonus, because this is a national park, national park rangers come aboard and give talks and presentations about the park and glaciers. In Hubbard, by contrast, our cruise director read what sounded like something from Wikipedia.
Strategies for Better Glacier Viewing
Pick a cruise that goes to Glacier Bay (or Prince William Sound), not Hubbard Glacier.
Pick a cruise later in the year, in August or early September — when you’re more likely to see calving.
Before or after your cruise, book a private glacier-viewing tour. Most cruises (except for Princess and Holland America) end or begin in Seward, Alaska, which gives great access to Kenai Fjords National Park.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords near Seward, is home to some forty glaciers, but cruise ships are not allowed inside.
You can, however, book a private tour.
We went as the comped guests of Major Marine Tours ($269 USD). We did a seven-and-a-half-hour tour and saw a ton of wildlife — humpback and orca whales, sea otters, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, puffins, eagles, and even a black bear on a beach.
But the glaciers were the highlight — of the trip and also our entire cruise.
In the smaller boat, we were able to get much closer to the glaciers. We were so close we could see the harbor seals lounging on the icebergs floating directly in front of the glacier — their way to stay out of reach of orca whales, which eat them for lunch.
We spent close to an hour in front of Holgate Glacier and saw major calving at least three different times, and there are few things more inspiring than seeing hundreds of tons of ice crash down from a glacier and plunge into the sea.
But the seals, used to such things, seemed unimpressed.
We highly recommend Major Marine Tours.
If you're contemplating whether an Alaska cruise is right for you check out our article Cruise Ships are a Fantastic Way to See Alaska.
If you have other questions about cruising Southeast Alaska, feel free to message me at Brent and Michael Are Going Places and I'll do my best to answer them.
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