Cruise Hospitality Center – Cruise Ship Operations & Hospitality Management Training

Alaska is more than just Juneau and Nome. The state has more than a dozen cruise ports that you could potentially visit during an Alaskan cruise (beyond stops outside of Alaska, like Vancouver and Seattle), and each port has its own distinct character.

Learn which cruise lines visit each port, and what to expect at these ports and in the surrounding area.

Ketchikan

Ketchikan is considered the “1st city” of Alaska because it is the first port of call for northbound cruise itineraries. It’s also the salmon capital of the world.

The Port of Ketchikan has four Panamax-sized cruise ship berths, right in downtown. Then, there’s also a fifth berth that sits seven miles or so outside of downtown, called Ward Cove, that some cruise lines (primarily Norwegian Cruise Line) use instead. 

Ward Cove is a relatively new option, opening in 2021. Due to its more removed location, it offers greater and easier access to outdoor activities.

Don’t worry, though; if your cruise ship is docking in downtown Ketchikan, you can still go on a hike, kayak or enjoy a similar activity, with excursions meeting at the Ketchikan visitor center, which is just nearby the main port.

You can get to downtown Ketchikan from Ward Cove by taking a bus that will transport you from Ward Cove and into town. 

Downtown is pretty walkable and a shuttle that takes you through downtown and to the cruise terminals operates in the summer months, May through September. 

The major cruise lines that visit Ketchikan include Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America, Viking, Princess Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Disney Cruises. 

As mentioned and as you can see, Ketchikan, being so far south in Alaska, is a popular stop for cruises! 

Sitka

The Sitka cruise port is Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, which is located about six miles north of downtown Sitka. There is, luckily, a free shuttle service that will take you into downtown, with departures every 10 to 15 minutes.

Do note that you will need to reserve a time for the shuttle, even though it is free. 

The cruise terminal offers local dining and shopping on site, as well as a unique attraction, the Alaska Odyssey Dome. This is an 8k sphere theater that will introduce you to Alaskan nature and cultural heritage. You can also book and take shore excursions straight from the cruise port.

If you decide to make your way into Sitka, you’ll find a wealth of attractions, from a raptor center to an aquarium, Sitka National Historical Park and other cultural hubs. The city also often holds festivals and similar events that you can partake in. 

The Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal can accommodate two ships at a time, and major cruise lines that stop in regularly include Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean. 

However, some ships will actually not go to the cruise terminal and, instead, will stay offshore, right near downtown Sitka, and will tender cruise guests to shore. Cruise lines that have done this in the past include Viking, Holland America and National Geographic. 

Icy Strait Point (Hoonah)

Icy Strait Point is a unique stop among the various Alaska ports of call, as it’s a destination in and of itself. 

Owned by the Huna Tlingit people, the point has two docking areas (one is right next to all the attractions, while the other is a 15-minute walk away, with gondola service available to those that don’t want to walk).

Icy Strait Point is only open when there’s a cruise ship in port. When a cruise ship is visiting, there’s an abundance of things to do, see and experience. 

Owned by Native communities and directly supporting the Native village of Hoonah, Icy Strait Point operates more than 20 excursions, and features an Alaskan salmon cannery museum, shops, restaurants, nature trails and a beach. There’s also an adventure park with ziplining. 

Cruise lines that visit include Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney, Carnival, Oceania, Cunard, Viking, Windstar and Hurtigruten.

Juneau

Juneau might be what most people think about when they think of a cruise ship stop in Alaska. 

The capital of Alaska, Juneau, is also the third-largest city in the state. As such, many, many cruises visit Juneau and there are three cruise docks right near downtown: the Ferry Terminal, South Franklin Dock and Marine Park.

There’s also the AJ Dock, which is a mile away from downtown, but you can walk into downtown from there, or buy a shuttle pass. 

Each of these docks can accommodate one ship at a time, so if there are five ships visiting Juneau at once, which can happen regularly during the summer, then the fifth ship will require passengers to tender. 

However, a new cruise ship dock is being considered. The proposed Áak’w Landing would be located in downtown as well, and include a parking area and park, as well as restaurants and shopping.

If this project goes through, then it could eliminate the need to tender, as well as spread out the cruise guests more evenly along the shore. 

Currently, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line get priority docking at the actual docks, so you have less chances of having to tender if you’re cruising on one of these lines.

Other lines that visit Juneau frequently include Royal Caribbean, Holland American Line, UnCruise Adventures, Seabourn Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Lindblad Expeditions and Carnival Cruise Line.

Popular activities here include exploring the Juneau Totem Poles Trail, as well as taking the Mount Roberts Tram or booking an excursion to visit the Mendenhall Glacier.

Skagway

Skagway, a popular cruise stop and known for its rich Klondike Gold Rush history, offers four spots for ships to dock: Railroad Dock Forward, Railroad Dock Aft, Broadway Dock and Ore Terminal Dock. 

All of these docks are within walking distance of downtown, though the dock furthest from downtown, the Railroad Dock, does offer a shuttle bus service and a water ferry service that you’ll be required to take if your ship docks here. This is because areas nearby can be prone to rockfall, so it’s safest to not make the trip on foot.

The other two docks are serviced by a downtown shuttle, but it’s not free. If you want to use it, you’ll need to pay a small fee. 

Since Skagway itself is pretty tiny, most visitors do end up taking excursions outside of the city, with meeting points usually being just outside of the cruise security area. 

Major cruise lines that frequently visit Skagway include Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruise Line.

Glacier Bay National Park & Hubbard Glacier

This is not really a traditional stop, per se. Instead of docking, your cruise ship may just stop in the water near Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier, so that you can take in the amazing sights. 

Literally, cruisers will park out on the ship deck to just look out at the glaciers and wait to see the calving glaciers, where ice breaks off and falls into the sea (it’s more exciting than it sounds — promise).

There’s also a great opportunity for wildlife watching from the ship, and you can see brown bears, otters, bald eagles and marine life like whales.

Read Also: What’s the Best Cruise Line for Alaska?

Many cruise ships will spend up to 10 hours in the bay. During the stop, National Park Service park rangers will actually come aboard the ship to provide information and lead activities. 

If your cruise ship itinerary includes this unique stop, you’ll just want to make sure that you bring warm and waterproof layers of clothing for standing out on the deck and taking in the sights, as well as a pair of binoculars so you can view the shore from afar.

Cruise lines that visit Glacier Bay National Park and the Hubbard Glacier include Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, UnCruise Adventures, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. 

Valdez

Valdez is a pretty small destination, with just 15 restaurants and five coffee “huts,” but it also boasts eight major glaciers as well as the world’s tallest coastal mountains. The town is extremely walkable.

Cruise ships dock at either John Thomas Kelsey Municipal Dock or Valdez Container Terminal. Shuttle service is provided from the Valdez Container Terminal. The dock area is a popular spot for community events, as well as fishermen.

Worth Reading: What is the Best Time of Year to Cruise Alaska?

Since it’s not as big as many other Alaskan cruise port cities, Valdez doesn’t get quite the same number of cruise passengers. Cruise lines that visit Valdez include Holland America Line, Silversea Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Princess Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Scenic Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line.

Whittier

Whittier Cruise Ship Terminal is often used for cruise lines that allow cruise passengers to visit Anchorage and Denali National Park. However, don’t let that make you think that this cruise terminal is anywhere near Alaska’s largest city. Instead, it’s about a 90-minute drive away from Anchorage.

You can take either a bus or a train to get to Anchorage from Whittier. In fact, some cruise lines will even allow you to book your train journey as part of your cruise. The train is often the preferred option or many cruisers, as it provides a nice scenic experience. 

Whittier is also often a starting point or ending point for cruises, rather than a stop along a larger itinerary. If that’s the case for you, you’ll likely fly into or out of Anchorage. The airport is likewise about an hour’s drive from the port. 

You can rent a car and drive it to/from the port (note that doing so will require you to take a one-way tunnel that’s the only road in and out of Whittier and access to the tunnel is provided on a schedule).

You can also take a rideshare service or taxi, as well as a shuttle. Do note that the aforementioned bus service that will take you between Whittier and Anchorage does not serve the airport. 

The terminal itself is relatively basic, with no porters, no seating and no WiFi. 

Cruise lines that visit Whittier Cruise Ship Terminal include Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, UnCruise Adventures and Seabourn Cruises.

Seward

Seward is very similar to Whittier. Your gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward is also relatively near Anchorage and so it might likewise be included on your cruise itinerary just as “Anchorage.” It’s also often a cruise ending or starting point, rather than a stop on a broader, round trip itinerary.

Seward is an even further trek away from Anchorage, though, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. If you’re coming from the Anchorage airport, you’ll drive for about the same length of time.

As is the case with cruises departing from Whittier, for those departing from Seward, your cruise line may provide you with shuttle or train service from the airport to the cruise port.

If you need to get around on your own, though, you can take a bus between Seward and Anchorage, as well as a taxi or rideshare service.

There’s only one dock for cruise ships in Seward and the terminal is relatively basic, with no porters and no WiFi. 

Cruise lines that may stop in Seward include Norwegian Cruise Line, Viking Ocean Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Hurtigruten and Oceania Cruises.

Homer

Homer has one cruise ship deep water dock that’s located about three miles away from the downtown. Shuttle service is available to get you to downtown, though, as is taxi service (though the shuttle is free).

Not all that many cruise lines or cruise ships visit Homer, but cruise lines that do include Oceania Cruises, Holland America Line, Viking Ocean Cruises, Regent Seven Seas and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Read Also: How Much Does an Alaska Cruise Cost?

Since the one dock cannot accommodate larger ships, some ships, like those operated by Holland America Line, will require cruisers to tender to land. 

Once on land, you can explore Homer’s arts and culture, and natural attractions such as the Homer Spit, a thin strip of land that goes out into the water for nearly five miles, with beaches and plenty of wildlife viewing. 

Kodiak

Compared to some of these port destinations, Kodiak is much less visited, but you’ll still find a few major cruise lines visiting, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Cunard, Silversea and Holland America Line.

Cruise ships dock at Fishermens Terminal, a short walk from downtown (sometimes, ships do have to tender). Shuttles are available to take you into town, as well as on excursions.

Some of the most popular are wildlife-watching excursions, as the island is known for its brown bear population, and whale-watching tours. 

The port doesn’t offer much in way of amenities, but there is free WiFi and you can rent a car, ATV or boat at the port. 

Dutch Harbor (Aleutian Islands)

In Unalaska, in the Aleutian Islands, the Port of Dutch Harbor has three docks but cruise ships mostly dock at City Dock, which is at the port’s Unalaska Marine Center.

There’s very little in the way of amenities and, actually, the dock is technically not even on Unalaska Island. It’s on Amaknak Island and you’ll have to take a causeway to get to the town of Unalaska. 

While you can walk there, it’s about 2.5 miles between the port and downtown, so you may want to take a taxi or cruise ship shuttle. 

Cruise lines that travel to Dutch Harbor include Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas, Viking, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Holland America Line. 

Nome

Nome’s port is small, so most cruise ships do require passengers to tender to shore. However, a large port expansion project is underway, which will enable the port to accommodate cruise ships that hold as many as 4,000 passengers.

It’ll also allow for up to 10 ships to dock at once (currently, three ships can dock, but, again, they have to be on the smaller side). 

The new port will be the first deep-water Arctic port in the United States. It’s estimated the expansion project will be complete by 2030 and will cost more than $600 million.

The current port, though limited in size, still has some nice amenities, including on-site food. The port is about a half a mile from the city’s center and taxi and shuttle service are both available. 

Cruise lines that visit Nome include Silversea, Seabourn, Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Holland America Line and Hurtigruten. In addition to being a stop along greater cruise ship schedules, Nome is also an embarkation point for some. 

Haines

The Port of Haines in the Inside Passage is noted for its natural beauty. Cruise ships dock at the Port Chilkoot Cruise Ship Dock, which is located right next to Fort William H. Seward, and about a half-mile from downtown. 

The port offers a small information kiosk and shuttle service, and tour providers will meet you directly at the port. 

Cruise lines that stop in Haines include Royal Caribbean, American Cruise Lines, Holland America, Lindblad, Hurtigruten, Princess Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Seabourn, Viking Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. 

Since Haines is close to Skagway, some cruisers stopping in Skagway who want to visit the less-crowded Haines will take a 45-minute ferry ride from Skagway to Haines.

Alaska Cruise Ports: What Are Your Options?

Uncategorized