Alaska on a Budget? Affordable things to do in port.

[lynncarol]

In Skagway, we took the park service's guided walking tour. If I recall correctly, it was free. Just beware that they limit the number of tickets issued for each tour.

Edited August 4, 2016 by lynncarol

[Coral]

In Skagway, we took the park service's guided walking tour. If I recall correctly, it was free. Just beware that they limit the number of tickets issued for each tour.

 

I did this a number of years ago and whatever guide I got, she was exceptional. She was a former school teacher (it showed), spends summers in Alaska and winters in FL (Everglades). This was really a fun tour - though, it really would depend on the guide.

 

I agree - you need to get your tickets early as they give them out in the morning for the day. It was free when I went also.

[Coral]

I have been bugging the Spousal Unit about moving to the PNW. Maybe he will get the hint after this cruise.

Dewpoint is currently at 70. Yeesh.

 

Feeling your pain (weather wise)! Escaping to Colorado this weekend but it doesn't appear any relief there.

 

Honestly - I never thought I would like Alaska. The cruises seemed expensive and I didn't have a desire, though I had a few friends who really liked it. This was around 2002 or so. We got a free trip and decided to try Alaska as I thought for sure I would never pay to go. Needless to say, I have returned multiple times and would choose this over the Caribbean any day.

[Jencook323]

We are interested in renting a car in Juneau next week, anyone know which place to rent from that's not far from dock?

[Robinhill]

I'm excited and panicking all at the same time. Have paid deposit for Alaska cruise and now worried about how much the final cost will be. Flights and cruise already is not cheap, along with pre cruise holiday.

 

Is it possible to "do" Alaska without spending thousands of dollars on tours. There are 5 of us so the cost of tours adds up quickly. We are visiting Victoria, Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau. Please help with suggestions and help calm me down. Traveling the last week of June on Island Princess and will probably be our one and only trip to Alaska - which is why I am panicking, don't want to miss out on the 'real' Alaska by cutting costs. Maybe we should have waited until it was just the 2 of us.

 

Ketchikan was my "shopping for souvenirs port" and is absolutely the best- there are four different Tongass Trading company stores and you will be given coupons from the cruise ship and you can pick up free souvenirs in each one and buy your other souvenirs here and when you get to the last Tongass if you give them all of your buys along with the receipts they will ship them all to you for one low price regardless of how many boxes it takes to ship them and how heavy they are for like $14.99. It is crazy easy and you get all of your souvenirs home and dont have to transport them yourselves. It does take a couple of weeks to get them so dont think they will be there waiting for you when you get home but it is totally worth it. that is free and took me all day to walk around this cute town and shop and they have the salmon ladder, etc. In Juneau i did whale watching and the white pass narrow gauge railroad in Skagway so they were not free but they were really great and i think the whale watching was like $135 each for adults and the railroad was about $100 or something. but these are towns that again you can just walk around the towns and listen to some of the history or pay for a walking tour if you want which are typically not very expensive. We did not do anything in Victoria because we had to catch a plane back to the east coast. i hope this helps a bit. You are going to have the most fabulous time! I am jealous!

[seadancer]

DOH!!! I knew that. That's what I get for posting an hour after I am normally in bed. :eek: Thank you for pointing that out Ashland. Would hate for someone to look for that tour and thinking it's in Skagway and have iot screw up their plans.

 

 

 

We loved the Crab Tour. It ended up being my wife's most favorite thing of our cruise when the Bald Eagles were fed. I would definitely think of doing it again the next time we cruise Alaska

 

 

 

Do you think that the Deadliest crab tour can be done in the same day after another tour? We arrive at 2pm and leave at 8:30. Maybe this should be a question I should ask them but we already booked a float plane tour to see the misty fjords national monument with Island Wings Air Service. They have great reviews on trip advisor. The plane tour is 2.5 hours long.

 

I was told you'll save more money if you book your tours on your own instead of going with the crowded cruise tours. We did this on our last cruise and were very pleased! Our trip to Alaska is next June and have already planned 2 whale watching tours in the other 2 cities we're docking at. Trip advisor helped us make some of the decisions too.

[VennDiagram]

I'm excited and panicking all at the same time. Have paid deposit for Alaska cruise and now worried about how much the final cost will be. Flights and cruise already is not cheap, along with pre cruise holiday.

 

Is it possible to "do" Alaska without spending thousands of dollars on tours. There are 5 of us so the cost of tours adds up quickly. We are visiting Victoria, Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau. Please help with suggestions and help calm me down. Traveling the last week of June on Island Princess and will probably be our one and only trip to Alaska - which is why I am panicking, don't want to miss out on the 'real' Alaska by cutting costs. Maybe we should have waited until it was just the 2 of us.

 

We walked to Fisherman's Wharf, about 20 mins from where the ship docked. Then we took the water taxi to downtown Victoria. Saw the Empress Hotel, the Legislative Buildings, and it was near a museum we didn't go to.

 

https://www.victoriaharbourferry.com/

 

We had a long day in Victoria, not certain if you will have enough time, but worth checking it, anyway. It was low-key and pleasant, and low cost. Or you could just walk to Fisherman's Wharf and walk around for a while. Touristy but cute imho.

 

http://fishermanswharfvictoria.com/