An Alaska cruise is about much more than what you see from the ship.
The ports you visit can be some of the most memorable parts of the journey. One day you might be learning about Alaska Native culture, another watching whales or exploring Gold Rush history, and the next venturing into a community that relatively few Alaska visitors ever experience.
While Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway are familiar names to many travelers, Alaska cruise itineraries can include a surprising variety of ports. Longer voyages and smaller ships can take you well beyond the traditional Inside Passage to places such as Kodiak, Nome and Unalaska.
Understanding the ports on an itinerary is important when choosing an Alaska cruise. Each offers something different, and the cruise line, ship and length of the voyage can determine which parts of Alaska you have an opportunity to experience.
Inside Passage Alaska Cruise Ports
The Inside Passage is the route most people associate with an Alaska cruise. Ships travel through protected waterways surrounded by forested islands, mountains and fjords, stopping at communities throughout Southeast Alaska.
Ketchikan
Known as the “Salmon Capital of the World,” Ketchikan combines Alaska Native culture, fishing history and one of Alaska’s most recognizable historic districts.
Creek Street, with its colorful buildings constructed over Ketchikan Creek, is within walking distance of the downtown cruise berths. The area is also known for its impressive collection of totem poles and easy access to the surrounding wilderness.
Popular experiences include visiting Saxman Native Village, fishing, flightseeing over Misty Fjords National Monument, wildlife viewing, hiking, culinary tours and exploring downtown independently.
Known for: Totem poles, salmon, Creek Street, Misty Fjords and fishing.
Juneau
Alaska’s capital is unusual because there are no roads connecting Juneau to the rest of Alaska. Visitors arrive by air or water, making a cruise a wonderful way to experience the city.
Juneau offers an especially wide variety of activities. Mendenhall Glacier is one of its best-known attractions, while the surrounding waters provide excellent opportunities for whale watching.
Visitors can also take the Mount Roberts Tram, go dog sledding, kayak, hike, fish, explore museums and cultural attractions, or enjoy Juneau’s restaurants, breweries and shops.
Known for: Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching, mountains, outdoor adventures and Alaska’s capital city.
Skagway
Walking through Skagway is a little like stepping into Alaska’s Gold Rush past.
The town played an important role during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897–1898, when thousands of hopeful prospectors traveled through the area on their way to the Yukon.
Today, historic buildings line the downtown streets, and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park helps preserve the town’s fascinating history.
One of Skagway’s signature experiences is a journey aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. Other options include hiking, dog sledding, gold panning, scenic tours and exploring the historic downtown.
Known for: Klondike Gold Rush history, White Pass & Yukon Route Railway and a walkable historic downtown.
Icy Strait Point / Hoonah
Understanding the difference between Icy Strait Point and Hoonah is helpful when looking at an Alaska cruise itinerary.
Icy Strait Point is the cruise destination built around a restored historic salmon cannery. Nearby Hoonah is the actual community and the largest Tlingit village in Alaska.
There are plenty of activities at Icy Strait Point, including the famous ZipRider, but some of the most interesting experiences take visitors beyond the immediate cruise port and into Hoonah and the surrounding area.
Whale watching, bear viewing, fishing, kayaking, nature tours and Tlingit cultural experiences are among the possibilities.
Known for: Tlingit culture, whale watching, bear viewing, fishing and the ZipRider.
Sitka
Sitka feels different from many other Southeast Alaska ports because of its combination of Tlingit and Russian history.
Located on Baranof Island and surrounded by forest, mountains and water, Sitka is also an excellent destination for wildlife and nature.
Sitka National Historical Park provides an opportunity to learn about the area’s history and see impressive totem poles. Popular attractions also include Fortress of the Bear and the Alaska Raptor Center.
Visitors can also enjoy whale watching, cultural experiences, hiking, kayaking and exploring downtown Sitka.
Known for: Tlingit and Russian history, wildlife, Sitka National Historical Park and beautiful coastal scenery.
Smaller Southeast Alaska Cruise Ports
Not every Alaska cruise follows the same route.
Longer voyages and smaller ships sometimes visit communities that receive far fewer cruise passengers. These ports can provide an entirely different perspective on Southeast Alaska.
Wrangell
Wrangell is one of Alaska’s oldest communities and offers an interesting combination of Tlingit culture, history and outdoor adventure.
One of the area’s signature experiences is traveling by jet boat along the Stikine River. Visitors can also explore cultural sites, hike in the Tongass National Forest, view wildlife or spend time discovering the community.
Known for: Stikine River adventures, Tlingit culture and wilderness.
Petersburg
Petersburg is a working fishing community with strong Norwegian roots.
Unlike Alaska’s larger cruise destinations, Petersburg generally receives smaller ships, helping it retain the atmosphere of a working Southeast Alaska town.
Visitors can explore museums and galleries, walk around town, kayak, watch for whales and learn more about Alaska’s commercial fishing industry.
Known for: Fishing, Norwegian heritage and small-town Alaska.
Kake
Kake is a small Tlingit community on Kupreanof Island that offers visitors a chance to experience Southeast Alaska away from the crowds.
The community is known for its Tlingit heritage and impressive totem pole. Wildlife viewing, fishing, kayaking and cultural experiences are among the activities visitors may encounter.
Known for: Tlingit heritage, wildlife and a remote Southeast Alaska experience.
Klawock
Located on Prince of Wales Island, Klawock has become an increasingly interesting stop on some Alaska cruise itineraries.
The community has deep Tlingit roots and is particularly known for its collection of totem poles and carving traditions.
Depending on the itinerary and available excursions, visitors may explore cultural sites, learn about local history, enjoy wildlife viewing, fish, or venture farther across Prince of Wales Island.
Known for: Tlingit culture, totem poles and Prince of Wales Island.
Haines
Haines offers much of the spectacular scenery associated with Southeast Alaska but generally with a quieter atmosphere than nearby Skagway.
The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is one of the area’s best-known attractions, and the surrounding landscape provides opportunities for hiking, kayaking, rafting, wildlife viewing and other outdoor adventures.
Some cruise itineraries call directly at Haines, while travelers visiting Skagway may also encounter excursions that travel to the Haines area.
Known for: Bald eagles, wildlife, outdoor adventures and beautiful scenery.
Southcentral Alaska Cruise Ports
Cruises traveling across the Gulf of Alaska may begin, end or call at ports in Southcentral Alaska.
Seward and Whittier are particularly important because they serve as gateways between an Alaska cruise and land travel into Anchorage, Denali and other parts of the state.
Valdez
Surrounded by the mountains of Prince William Sound, Valdez is known for dramatic scenery, waterfalls, glaciers and its connection to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.
Visitors may have opportunities for glacier viewing, kayaking, fishing, hiking and wildlife experiences.
The spectacular landscape continues beyond town, with sights such as Thompson Pass and Worthington Glacier along the road connecting Valdez with Alaska’s interior.
Known for: Prince William Sound, glaciers, waterfalls and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.
Seward
Seward is both an Alaska cruise port and the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park.
Wildlife and glacier cruises into Kenai Fjords are among the area’s signature experiences. Visitors may encounter whales, sea lions, puffins and other marine wildlife while traveling through spectacular glacial landscapes.
The Alaska SeaLife Center is located in Seward, and visitors can also enjoy fishing, hiking, dog sledding adventures, restaurants and the harbor area.
Seward is the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad, providing a beautiful rail connection between the coast and Anchorage.
Known for: Kenai Fjords National Park, marine wildlife, glaciers and the Alaska Railroad.
Whittier
Whittier sits along Prince William Sound and serves as an important embarkation and disembarkation port for several Alaska cruise itineraries.
Reaching Whittier by road requires traveling through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, a 2.5-mile tunnel shared by trains and vehicles. The town is also famous for Begich Towers, where most of its residents live under one roof.
For travelers spending time in the area, Prince William Sound offers glacier cruises, kayaking, fishing and wildlife viewing.
Whittier is also connected to Anchorage by both road and the Alaska Railroad.
Known for: Prince William Sound, glaciers, the Whittier Tunnel and cruise connections to Alaska’s interior.
Beyond the Traditional Alaska Cruise Route
Some longer Alaska voyages travel far beyond Southeast and Southcentral Alaska.
These itineraries provide an opportunity to visit remote ports that most Alaska cruise passengers will never see.
Kodiak
Kodiak Island is famous for its enormous Kodiak brown bears, but there is much more to the island.
Kodiak has a rich combination of Alaska Native and Russian heritage as well as a strong connection to commercial fishing.
Visitors may explore museums and historic sites, go wildlife viewing or birding, take scenic drives, fish, or experience the surrounding coastline from the water.
Kodiak’s working harbor is also an interesting reminder that Alaska’s coastal communities aren’t simply cruise destinations. Fishing remains an important part of everyday life.
Known for: Kodiak brown bears, fishing, Alaska Native and Russian heritage and rugged scenery.
Nome
Reaching Nome on an Alaska cruise is a very different experience from visiting the ports of the Inside Passage.
Located on the Seward Peninsula overlooking the Bering Sea, Nome is known for its Gold Rush history, Iñupiat culture and remote landscape.
It is also famous as the finish line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and for its role in the historic 1925 Serum Run.
Depending on the visit, travelers may explore Gold Rush sites, learn about local culture, search for muskox and other wildlife, visit museums or venture beyond town into the surrounding tundra.
Known for: Iñupiat culture, Gold Rush history, the Iditarod, muskox and the Bering Sea.
Unalaska / Dutch Harbor
Far out in the Aleutian Islands, Unalaska and Dutch Harbor provide yet another perspective on Alaska.
The area is surrounded by volcanic mountains and the waters of the Bering Sea and North Pacific. It has a fascinating combination of Unangax̂ culture, Russian influence, World War II history and modern commercial fishing.
Visitors may explore the Museum of the Aleutians, visit the historic Russian Orthodox church, learn about World War II history, watch for bald eagles and other wildlife, or simply take in the extraordinary Aleutian landscape.
Dutch Harbor is also one of the most important commercial fishing ports in the United States.
Known for: Aleutian scenery, Unangax̂ culture, World War II history and commercial fishing.
Which Alaska Cruise Ports Should You Look For?
There really isn’t one Alaska port that is “best.”
The better question is which combination of ports fits what you want to experience.
Someone interested in Gold Rush history may place Skagway high on the list. A traveler hoping to see whales might be particularly interested in Juneau or Icy Strait Point/Hoonah. Those interested in Alaska Native cultures may look closely at itineraries that include communities such as Hoonah, Klawock, Kake or Nome.
And travelers who have already experienced a traditional Inside Passage cruise may find that a longer itinerary visiting Kodiak, Nome, Unalaska or some of Southeast Alaska’s smaller communities provides an entirely new perspective on the state.
This is one reason I encourage travelers to look beyond the ship when comparing Alaska cruises. The ports, time spent in each destination and what you can realistically experience while you’re there can make a tremendous difference.
Planning Your Alaska Cruise
Choosing an Alaska cruise isn’t simply about selecting a cruise line or finding a stateroom.
The itinerary matters.
After traveling extensively throughout Alaska by both land and sea, I have found that two cruises that look similar at first glance can provide very different experiences once you start examining the ports, time in port, scenic cruising, excursions and opportunities to continue exploring Alaska before or after the cruise.
If you’re considering an Alaska cruise, I can help you sort through those differences and determine which itinerary makes sense for the way you want to experience Alaska.