ALASKA GUIDE ALASKA Ports
Explore Gold Rush towns, glide over fjords in a floatplane or get up close to mighty glaciers – Alaska’s ports of call offer an experience like no other
Skagway
least as far as cruise ships are concerned. For bald eagles, though, it’s a different matter. Every autumn, thousands of the raptors stop by to feast on the salmon that are spawning in the Chilkat River. Cruisers who do come can enjoy everything from kayaking and cycling to boat rides along the river. Princess Cruises puts it all together in a Bike, Hike and Brew excursion (four hours; from $170).
Sitka
Ketchikan This is a town of salmon, lumberjacks, totem poles and rain (liquid sunshine, as the locals call it). Most cruise ships dock in Ketchikan but NCL is among a few that dock in Ward Cove, about seven miles away. The town is small, so days ashore are best spent on one of the many excursions. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show is touristy but hugely popular; other tours take passengers sightseeing on floatplanes, fishing, kayaking and hiking in Tongass National Forest. Oceania Cruises pairs flightseeing with a local lunch of crab cakes, salmon and halibut (three hours; from £397).
Juneau This is the only state capital in the US that can’t be reached by road. Top attractions include whale-watching cruises and trips to see the vast Mendenhall Glacier; there are helicopter rides to see it from above or guided hikes and bike rides to get close up to the face. For those who cannot decide, lots of tours pair both whale and glacier-spotting, while Holland America Line adds beer tasting to a cycle tour to the glacier (four hours; from $155). Juneau is also a top spot for ziplining, dog sledding and traditional salmon bake feasts. For a taste of the Gold Rush days, the Red Dog Saloon has sawdust floors and honky- tonk pianists – super-touristy, but great fun nonetheless.
Haines
Located at the northern end of the Inside Passage, Haines is one of Alaska’s less-visited ports – at
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travelweekly.co.uk 23 JANUARY 2025 53 Skagway
Founded by gold prospectors, Skagway still feels like a frontier town. Cruisers can follow lunch at the Red Onion Saloon with a visit to the former brothel upstairs (now a museum), ride the White Pass railroad to the Yukon, go flightseeing over the mountains, dog sledding, ziplining and rock climbing. Regent Seven Seas Cruises pairs a hike along part of the Chilkoot Trail with a raft ride along the Taiya River (four hours; included with cruise fares).
Haines
Once the capital of Russian Alaska and known as the city of New Archangel, Sitka has an onion-domed Orthodox cathedral, a Russian Bishop’s House and tours to the battlefield where Russian forces clashed with the native Tlingit people. Seabourn’s All About Sitka tour dives into the town’s heritage (2.5 hours; from $100). Other excursions take passengers on cruises in search of sea otters, whales and seals, hiking through the rainforest or to a Raptor Centre that cares for injured birds of prey.
Wrangell Another port with a distinctly frontier feel, Wrangell was the jumping-off point for three gold rushes in the second half of the 19th century. These days, it’s famous for craft beer, ancient rock carvings and jetboat rides along the Stikine River. Silversea passengers can learn about the Dungeness crab industry on a Crab and Waterfront boat ride to see what’s been caught in the ‘Dungy’ pots (two hours; included in cruise fares).
PICTURES: State of Alaska/Reinhard Pantke
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