Homer - new port for us

[Krazy Kruizers]

Homer will be a new port for us when we visit Alaska next summer.

We will only be there from 10 AM to 6 PM - short time indeed.

We are not into kayaking.

Is there anything near where the cruise ship docks?

Thanks

[greatam]

Homer will be a new port for us when we visit Alaska next summer.

We will only be there from 10 AM to 6 PM - short time indeed.

We are not into kayaking.

Is there anything near where the cruise ship docks?

Thanks

 

The Homer Spit is filled with shops and left over 1960's hippies (one big reason Homer is one of my two favorite places in the world). There is nice museum (Pratt) in town. The Island and Oceans center is worth a look. Alaska Coastal Center has some short day hiking trips.

 

You can rent a car (make advance arrangements-www.adventurealaskacars.com) and drive out East End Hwy. Fritz Creek Grocery (8 miles East of Homer) is the closest you will come to a 1960's California commune type place in 2010-fantastic baked goods, great soups and a true feel of a commune, hippie skirts and all. Libby Riddles lives in Fritz Creek. The views are great out East End Rd.

 

Drive North to the overlook for some spectacular views of Katchemak Bay. Walk along the beach close to where the ship docks and watch the sea otters. Have a drink at the Salty Dawg and bring something from home (hat, t shirt, logo stuff) to hang on the wall. Take a water taxi to Seldovia or Gull Island. Halibut fishing 1/2 day trip.

 

Won't be very hard to fill up 8 hours. You will wish you could stay forever.

[sweet pickles]

Thanks greatam not my post but we too will be sailing this coming summer and this sounds like a fun day trip....

[Bescotti]

I'm thinking about taking the Danny J excursion from Homer to Gull Island and Halibut Cove, leaves at 12 noon and returns at 5 pm. The website says the ferry leaves from Ramp #1 at Homer Spit but I have no idea where this is in relation to where the Amsterdam docks.

 

Does anyone know if this will be easy walking distance as I don't want to get back to Homer and find I can't get back to the Amsterdam because there is no transport around?

[greatam]

I'm thinking about taking the Danny J excursion from Homer to Gull Island and Halibut Cove, leaves at 12 noon and returns at 5 pm. The website says the ferry leaves from Ramp #1 at Homer Spit but I have no idea where this is in relation to where the Amsterdam docks.

 

Does anyone know if this will be easy walking distance as I don't want to get back to Homer and find I can't get back to the Amsterdam because there is no transport around?

 

About a mile from the Homer Boat Harbor to the Ferry Dock, which is where I believe the cruise ships will be docking. Relatively easy walk (flat ground), but there are no sidewalks after you get to the end of the shops on the boardwalk. Just walk on the side of the asphalt road.

[Bescotti]

About a mile from the Homer Boat Harbor to the Ferry Dock, which is where I believe the cruise ships will be docking. Relatively easy walk (flat ground), but there are no sidewalks after you get to the end of the shops on the boardwalk. Just walk on the side of the asphalt road.

 

Many thanks, Greatam. That's certainly doable!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the information.

We aren't into hiking as I have very bad knees.

[alpal1993]

We plan on doing the Museums and Homer spit in afternoon.Afew drinks at the Salty Dawg sounds great.Maybe DH will see some crab fishers from Deadliest catch.That would make his day.

[greatam]

We plan on doing the Museums and Homer spit in afternoon.Afew drinks at the Salty Dawg sounds great.Maybe DH will see some crab fishers from Deadliest catch.That would make his day.

 

No crab fisherman in Homer that I know of. Just lots of halibut and salmon.

[alpal1993]

No crab fisherman in Homer that I know of. Just lots of halibut and salmon.

 

As usual I can't remember the name of crew or ship but one of the crab boat crew call Homer Home LOL.Known to hang out at Salty Dawg as this will be theie off season

[greatam]

As usual I can't remember the name of crew or ship but one of the crab boat crew call Homer Home LOL.Known to hang out at Salty Dawg as this will be theie off season

 

If you are referring to the Time Bandit, yes, it is sometimes in Homer. In fact, this last summer locals were complaining that the boat is now a tourist attraction and NOT a REAL fishing boat. All but one of the crew lives elsewhere most of the year. That was the reason for my post about no crab fishermen. Crab boat, yes, sometimes. Crab fisherman (other than temp crew)-no

 

The brothers that own the boat have long Homer histories but left town in their early 20's, only to return when the show came on TV. NOT favorites with long standing locals.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Still trying to find out if the tenders drop you off near town????

[alpal1993]

Still trying to find out if the tenders drop you off near town????

 

You might want to ask HAL directly as not many cruises have stoped here,and this is the first time HAL is doing this 14 day cruise.

[greatam]

Still trying to find out if the tenders drop you off near town????

 

About a mile from the Alaska ferry dock to the Spit "shopping area". About 6+ miles to "town" (the Spit is 4+ miles long). Unless they tender/dock the ships someplace else (don't know where it would be) the locals were under the impression it would be at the Alaska Ferry dock when I was there in mid September.

 

If you look at a Google Map, the ferry dock is on the right hand side (East) of the Spit, almost to Land's End. South of Fish Dock Rd.

 

"Town" (and the Pratt Museum, Islands and Ocean Center, the fantastic book store) are all up around Pioneer Dr.

 

IF the cruise line does not provide transport into "town" and actually from the ferry dock to the Spit (about a mile walk on the road with no sidewalks), you will either need to rent a car (adventure alaska car rental) or depend on the seven or eight cabs in Homer to get around.

[NMLady]

Still trying to find out if the tenders drop you off near town????

 

The reply I got from my email to Homer was that the cruise ship has bus to town.

 

I wasn't sure if she was talking about paid tour or a free shuttle. She didn't answer my question about how close the tender dock was to town.

 

I guess asking HAL's excursion desk (not the usual HAL phone number) or emailing them might be the next option.

[greatam]

The reply I got from my email to Homer was that the cruise ship has bus to town.

 

I wasn't sure if she was talking about paid tour or a free shuttle. She didn't answer my question about how close the tender dock was to town.

 

I guess asking HAL's excursion desk (not the usual HAL phone number) or emailing them might be the next option.

 

And by "town" did the cruise line mean "downtown" or the touristy/shopping area on the Spit? Good thing to know as per my previous post, it is about 6 miles from one to the other.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We no longer ask the shore excursion people about things. Too often they have never been to the ports when it is a new itinerary.

[NMLady]

And by "town" did the cruise line mean "downtown" or the touristy/shopping area on the Spit? Good thing to know as per my previous post, it is about 6 miles from one to the other.

 

It wasn't the cruise line that replied to me. It was a lady from the Homer website. But your question is still a good one. Since she mentioned bus, I'd think she was referring to 'downtown' since it's further away.

[greatam]

It wasn't the cruise line that replied to me. It was a lady from the Homer website. But your question is still a good one. Since she mentioned bus, I'd think she was referring to 'downtown' since it's further away.

 

Anyone that can't walk a mile would also need transport to the shopping/tourist area of the Spit as well as downtown. I know I saw a Holland America bus parked at Land's End this September, so maybe the buses are just for the Spit. This past summer, there were two cruise ship visits and from what I heard from Homer locals, it would have been a total nightmare with the buses trying to drive the Spit road if the ships hadn't visited so early in the year. Who really knows at this point???

 

There was some talk about trying to take the tenders into the Homer Boat Harbor at the County Commissioners meeting in September when I was there (we co-own a condo in Homer). That got vetoed by the council because it is a relatively steep uphill walk from the boat harbor to the boardwalk on the Spit, although the council really has little input on what the cruise line will do privately.

 

I truly believe everyone should have advance plans to get from the ship (I believe they will use the Alasak Ferry dock) to either the Spit or "downtown"-rental car, private taxi, etc. Traffic on the Spit is generally very congested, so it does not move very fast. And large buses will just cause that much more congestion. There is very little parking in the shopping area of the Spit, although there is a nice parking lot at the Ferry dock.

 

Homer is a fantastic little town, but the logistics of dropping an additional 1500+ people into the area for a day are almost overwhelming for the little town.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Thanks for that info, Greatam. I'm on the May 31st sailing of the Amsterdam. Just checked out our itinerary and its showing Homer as a tender port, if that helps at all....

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the information.