are there taxis at the pier like in the Caribbean?

1st ever Alaska cruise, stops at Juneau, Skagway,Victoria BC and would like to know from the Alaska veterans if there are taxis that will do tours at the pier like in the Caribbean. I've searched the forum over & over and can't seem to find and answer. There are 4 of us all in our 60's looking for private city and area tours. The girls aren't much for whale watching, and after 2 knee surgeries my hiking days are long over!! Thanks so much in advance, Cruise Critic has been such a great help on all our Caribbean cruises in the past.

Like virtually every port in the world, when a ship is in, there will be taxis looking for fares. It is what they do.

 

As to if there are tours, that is subject to your ability to negotiate, and your faith in getting someone you wants to provide a tour, and is capable of providing an entertaining adventure. But I wouldn't make this method my first priority in Alaska. You might luck out, but on the hand, you might be totally unlucky. But I don't know that I would compare Alaska to third world countries in this case.

There are usually tour companies selling at the pier. Some ports(Like Skagway) might only have 6 taxis total in town.

In Skagway I would take a ships especially if you are doing the train.

Edited November 26, 2016 by Kamloops50

IMO - you really want to get out of the cities/towns in Alaska to see Alaska.

 

I would re-think your thought process of renting a cab to tour the area and look at some of the tours that sees more than the port towns.

 

Alaska is also one of those places where you may want to have an idea of what you want to do before you get there.

Edited November 26, 2016 by Coral

IMO - you really want to get out of the cities/towns in Alaska to see Alaska. I would re-think your thought process of renting a cab to tour the area and look at some of the tours that sees more than the port towns. Alaska is also one of those places where you may want to have an idea of what you want to do before you get there.

I'm perhaps on the opposite side of things from louieond: My spouse and I see the ports of call (the specific cities themselves: Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan) as - hmmm... what's the right word? - a means-to-an-end. Focused, as we are on the natural beauty (glaciers, mountains, waterfalls, flora and fauna), the port cities seem to me to be akin to the bazaars that are set up at every tourist stop in Egypt, where locals hawk goods at visitors who are really there to visit the temple, tomb or museum at the far end of the bazaar. That's a bit harsh, I suppose, comparing cities where thousands of people live and try to make a living to a pop-up souk, but it is the closest analogy I could come up with. Maybe we're missing something about these three cities - I don't know.

I'm perhaps on the opposite side of things from louieond: My spouse and I see the ports of call (the specific cities themselves: Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan) as - hmmm... what's the right word? - a means-to-an-end. Focused, as we are on the natural beauty (glaciers, mountains, waterfalls, flora and fauna), the port cities seem to me to be akin to the bazaars that are set up at every tourist stop in Egypt, where locals hawk goods at visitors who are really there to visit the temple, tomb or museum at the far end of the bazaar. That's a bit harsh, I suppose, comparing cities where thousands of people live and try to make a living to a pop-up souk, but it is the closest analogy I could come up with. Maybe we're missing something about these three cities - I don't know.

 

I agree fully! I try to get "out of dodge" in Alaska and see amazing natural beauty sites. At the end of the day, if I have time, I will walk through town but that is my last priority in Alaska. Alaska is too beautiful to just walk around the port towns.

 

To louieond's defense - he has never been to Alaska so he thinks it may be similar to Caribbean ports. All I can say is "get out of the port towns and plans some great excursions". If not - you will just see Diamond's International and other jewelry stores. Also, it is difficult to take a taxi to "walk on a glacier" or to see "misty fiords from the air". Alaskan excursions are expensive - plan now to save money for them! My first cruise to Alaska all I did was whale watching and the the train to White Pass. It was disappointing.

Edited November 26, 2016 by Coral

Our first cruise (on the Nile) was what we would call a cruise tour today, so there were programmed activities at every port. Our second cruise was very deliberately a "warm up" cruise for our third cruise: The second cruise was a short, inexpensive cruise to the Bahamas to get a feel for "normal" cruising, in anticipation of a much more expensive, longer cruise to the Southern Caribbean, already scheduled for three months later. I'm so glad we did it that way.

 

We had scheduled nothing on the Bahamas cruise. We figured we'd just get off the ship in Nassau and magically there would be interesting things to do. Lesson learned. We found our way to the Queen's Staircase and Fort Charlotte, but with no context other than that which we could glean from sitting down and reading a travelogue. For the Southern Caribbean cruise a few months later, we had excursions planned at every port except St. Thomas, and I did a mess of research to figure out exactly what we would do for our day in St. Thomas (specifically, go hiking on St. John), and how would we do it.*

 

I'm not saying that there's no way to do a cruise yourself, but from my perspective, and strictly talking about Caribbean cruises for just a minute (before returning to Alaska)... Unless you're just looking for a beach to sit on (and there's not really anything wrong with that**), or you've been to those islands so often that it's like visiting your old hometown, planned excursions are key to making the most of the big chunk of change you've already spent, perhaps to fly to the port, and on the cruise itself.

 

And it seems to me that that goes double or triple for Alaska. For Alaska, there's no analog to sitting on a beach on a different island every day, except - what? - shopping in a different, overpriced tourist trap every day? Alaska, from my perspective, demands a good amount of advance planning about your use of the port time. It isn't necessary to be as excursions-heavy as we are (with our excursions costing us more than 15% of the cruise fare), but I think it is worth seriously considering spending a good portion of your vacation budget on what-you're-going-to-be-doing-everyday.

 

But that's just me.

 

_____

* Taxi to Red Hook, ferry to Cruz Bay, walk through town to the first trailhead, behind the Tex-Mex joint where we had incredible margaritas after the hike - I remember the planning as much as the excursion itself, even twelve years later.

 

** In the Caribbean, I could imagine folks just wanting to plop down on a beach on a different island everyday. It still would grate on me, though. I was going to do that, I'd pick one of the islands (Antigua, for sure), and just spend a full week there. That's neither here nor there though.

Thanks for all the responses, this is exactly what I was looking for, input from people that have been there done that!! So getting out of town and enjoy town after seems to be the thing to do. Thanks again!!!

If you enjoy doing research and know what you want to see at the various ports, you might consider renting a car.

 

 

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Most ports in Alaska have a smaller population than the cruise ship you're on. Transportation is in the hands of the tour companies. You either walk or use the tour operator. As far as renting a car, there are limited highways. You might be able to rent a golf cart in some ports like Ketchikan.

Most ports in Alaska have a smaller population than the cruise ship you're on. Transportation is in the hands of the tour companies. You either walk or use the tour operator. As far as renting a car, there are limited highways. You might be able to rent a golf cart in some ports like Ketchikan.

 

I would not rent a car either. You are right about the shore excursions providing the transportation.

I'm perhaps on the opposite side of things from louieond: My spouse and I see the ports of call (the specific cities themselves: Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan) as - hmmm... what's the right word? - a means-to-an-end. Focused, as we are on the natural beauty (glaciers, mountains, waterfalls, flora and fauna), the port cities seem to me to be akin to the bazaars that are set up at every tourist stop in Egypt, where locals hawk goods at visitors who are really there to visit the temple, tomb or museum at the far end of the bazaar. That's a bit harsh, I suppose, comparing cities where thousands of people live and try to make a living to a pop-up souk, but it is the closest analogy I could come up with. Maybe we're missing something about these three cities - I don't know.

 

I have to ask. Are you a university professor? You sure sound like one. My comment to you is that AK is a very beautiful place although based on your several posts, I doubt that you will notice it.

 

DON

I have to ask. Are you a university professor? You sure sound like one. My comment to you is that AK is a very beautiful place although based on your several posts, I doubt that you will notice it.

 

DON

Or perhaps I'll notice aspects of the beauty of Alaska that you miss.

 

One or the other.

There are usually tour companies selling at the pier. Some ports(Like Skagway) might only have 6 taxis total in town.

In Skagway I would take a ships especially if you are doing the train.

 

Something else you should think about , that most days , there is on average 5 or 6 thousand cruise passengers, in any given port,so taxis will be in great demand and although there are taxis in the port , they will all be taken

We have rented cars at all three ports and love driving around!!

 

 

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Roads being limited to the valleys associated to most of the communities reached by ship on mainstream lines. I recommend the city bus lines.

 

Most drivers are friendly and the locals will help you. Kinda like Bermuda. Everything goes around and ends up in the same place eventually.

1st ever Alaska cruise, stops at Juneau, Skagway,Victoria BC and would like to know from the Alaska veterans if there are taxis that will do tours at the pier like in the Caribbean. I've searched the forum over & over and can't seem to find and answer. There are 4 of us all in our 60's looking for private city and area tours. The girls aren't much for whale watching, and after 2 knee surgeries my hiking days are long over!! Thanks so much in advance, Cruise Critic has been such a great help on all our Caribbean cruises in the past.

 

There haven't been any taxis in Skagway in several years, but there are bus rides from the ships to anyplace in the close environs of our fair city.

Once you get into town, you will see that we have the standard "Strip", which can be found in all places where tourists travel and then if you actually get up the nerve to even look to the right or left from the trinket alley, you will see that there is truly life right out behind the bizarre and we welcome visitors to come see how we really live there!

My house is fully a block and a half "off Fraudway" and on a really busy day, with ten thousand people down there milling around, trying to decide which of the forty one jewelry stores to avoid, we could hang out a sign flaunting "free beer" (or free lunch!) and not suffer more than ten takers on a busy day.

I share a garden lot with my extended family, next door.

We already have a sign which reads "welcome to my garden"

The flowers are already blooming prior to the first arrival of cruise ships.

Depending upon the time of your visit, you might catch the blooming of the forsythia, lilacs, cheery blossoms, apple or pear blossoms, etc. and if you get around to the right angle with your camera, you can catch a background on any of these sights with a glacier, for a backdrop, right in my garden, just off the strip, and within a few blocks of your ship!

Just look for the little red and white antique car in that vicinity and you might even get a free ride, back to your ship, if you have worn out your walker in finding us!?!

DD

There are usually tour companies selling at the pier. Some ports(Like Skagway) might only have 6 taxis total in town.

In Skagway I would take a ships especially if you are doing the train.

 

I'll disagree with the train comment... I will be back in Skagway in June and will once again take advantage of Dyea Dave's great tours and the train as well :) And will get a better car on the train than the one overloaded with the ships excursion :)

There haven't been any taxis in Skagway in several years, but there are bus rides from the ships to anyplace in the close environs of our fair city.

Once you get into town, you will see that we have the standard "Strip", which can be found in all places where tourists travel and then if you actually get up the nerve to even look to the right or left from the trinket alley, you will see that there is truly life right out behind the bizarre and we welcome visitors to come see how we really live there!

My house is fully a block and a half "off Fraudway" and on a really busy day, with ten thousand people down there milling around, trying to decide which of the forty one jewelry stores to avoid, we could hang out a sign flaunting "free beer" (or free lunch!) and not suffer more than ten takers on a busy day.

I share a garden lot with my extended family, next door.

We already have a sign which reads "welcome to my garden"

The flowers are already blooming prior to the first arrival of cruise ships.

Depending upon the time of your visit, you might catch the blooming of the forsythia, lilacs, cheery blossoms, apple or pear blossoms, etc. and if you get around to the right angle with your camera, you can catch a background on any of these sights with a glacier, for a backdrop, right in my garden, just off the strip, and within a few blocks of your ship!

Just look for the little red and white antique car in that vicinity and you might even get a free ride, back to your ship, if you have worn out your walker in finding us!?!

DD

 

I'll vouch for the beautiful garden...last trip up we were lucky enough to actually have Dave for our tour guide and he made a swing by so we could view that lovely garden off the beaten path (a reallllly long walk like 2 blocks) :D

I'll disagree with the train comment... I will be back in Skagway in June and will once again take advantage of Dyea Dave's great tours and the train as well :) And will get a better car on the train than the one overloaded with the ships excursion :)

 

We don't need to see the rest of whatt Dyea Dave;s has. We have often drive to Skagway when visiting family in Whitehorse. I spent many years working in the Canadian Rockies . The scenery in the Canadian Rockies is more impressive especially when flying in a helicopter.

If you want the train then just take the train. Our trains coaches usually only held about thirty people. An didn't need to cross either border.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Kamloops50