How is Skagway with 4 ships in port?

[oldplayer532]

This is a first week with 4 ships in port according to port schedule. Any comments or live experiences? just wondering how it works with timing of train and excursions (ships or independent)? We are about to board Encore next month  and would like to know what to expect. 

[wolfie11]

Depends on the number of passengers on each ship.  I've been in Skagway, a town 20 blocks long and 6 blocks wide, on a day when there were 14,000 people in town.  Better to go hiking or stay on the ship than try to fight the crowds.

[oldplayer532]

3 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Depends on the number of passengers on each ship.  I've been in Skagway, a town 20 blocks long and 6 blocks wide, on a day when there were 14,000 people in town.  Better to go hiking or stay on the ship than try to fight the crowds.

We've booked an independent white pass combo bus/train excursion for 8:30 am. Will see soon enough!

 

 

[Retirement2016]

5 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Depends on the number of passengers on each ship.  I've been in Skagway, a town 20 blocks long and 6 blocks wide, on a day when there were 14,000 people in town.  Better to go hiking or stay on the ship than try to fight the crowds.

 

Do you recommend any hiking trails?

[new2cruise]

3 hours ago, oldplayer532 said:

We've booked an independent white pass combo bus/train excursion for 8:30 am. Will see soon enough!

 

 

Oldplayer, Who are  you booked with?  We're going with Chilkoot to Bennett.  Is that the combo you're going on?

[wolfie11]

1 hour ago, Retirement2016 said:

 

Do you recommend any hiking trails?

There are a number of trails.  It depends on your fitness level and experience.  Check the National Park website for some good info on trails in Skagway.

Hiking Around Skagway - Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

[wolfie11]

3 hours ago, oldplayer532 said:

We've booked an independent white pass combo bus/train excursion for 8:30 am. Will see soon enough!

 

 

The Bennett trip is awesome.  One of the best things to do in SE Alaska!

[oldplayer532]

1 hour ago, new2cruise said:

Oldplayer, Who are  you booked with?  We're going with Chilkoot to Bennett.  Is that the combo you're going on?

we booked with Chilkoot as well, but w/o  lake Bennet. Our tour is bus to Fraser and train back, around 4 hours. With Bennett it is around 6-7 hours.

[quack2]

5 hours ago, Retirement2016 said:

 

Do you recommend any hiking trails?

Yakutania Point.  Short, but it stretches your legs and ends with a nice view.

[Retirement2016]

1 hour ago, quack2 said:

Yakutania Point.  Short, but it stretches your legs and ends with a nice view.

 

Thank you quack2. 

That is the one my daughter picked for us.  My son and daughter are also planning on hiking the Lower Dewey lake Trail.

[BazAl]

Is anyone willing to link me the Bennett trip that you guys are speaking highly off.  I found a couple of options and I don't want to book/possibly book the wrong one.

[new2cruise]

12 minutes ago, BazAl said:

Is anyone willing to link me the Bennett trip that you guys are speaking highly off.  I found a couple of options and I don't want to book/possibly book the wrong one.

This is the one I’m going on.  They offer several other tours too.

https://chilkootcharters.com/bennett-scenic-journey/

[Aquahound]

17 hours ago, Retirement2016 said:

 

Thank you quack2. 

That is the one my daughter picked for us.  My son and daughter are also planning on hiking the Lower Dewey lake Trail.

 

Lower Dewey Lake is my favorite short (2-3 hours) hike in Skagway.  

[wolfie11]

23 hours ago, new2cruise said:

This is the one I’m going on.  They offer several other tours too.

https://chilkootcharters.com/bennett-scenic-journey/

Chilkoot does a much better trip than the ship excursion.

 

[Octavias]

1 hour ago, wolfie11 said:

Chilkoot does a much better trip than the ship excursion.

 

Isn’t the ship excursion just the round trip of the rail?  Or does it vary by cruise line? 

[wolfie11]

5 hours ago, Octavias said:

Isn’t the ship excursion just the round trip of the rail?  Or does it vary by cruise line? 

There are a bunch of combo variations with both the ship excursions and the private ones like Chilkoot.  They all basically involve a train ride and a bus ride.  Add-ons include Caribou Crossing, the suspension bridge, liarsville, salmon bake, gold dredge, etc. 

 

My favorite is the train to Carcross via Lake Bennett and return on a van or bus with Chilkoot.  The cruise lines have the bigger motor coaches and the driver guides are pretty mediocre, if not downright awful.  Maybe it's because I'm a college professor and a historian, but I get really peeved at the fact that they just make stuff up as they go along.  

[wreckem2013]

21 hours ago, Octavias said:

Isn’t the ship excursion just the round trip of the rail?  Or does it vary by cruise line? 

It varies by tour.

 

I’m doing the White Pass and Yukon suspension bridge with Chilkoot. It’s the first season they are offering it. It’s rail one way and bus back. Most of the all day white pass rail tours are bus on way and train one way.

[LB_NJ]

On 5/20/2023 at 8:39 AM, oldplayer532 said:

This is a first week with 4 ships in port according to port schedule. Any comments or live experiences? just wondering how it works with timing of train and excursions (ships or independent)? We are about to board Encore next month  and would like to know what to expect. 

Are you docked or tendered?

 

If docked do you have to take the shuttle?

 

If you are tendered or have to take the shuttle I would use the ship’s excursion.

[oldplayer532]

40 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

Are you docked or tendered?

 

If docked do you have to take the shuttle?

 

If you are tendered or have to take the shuttle I would use the ship’s excursion.

RRA dock as of now.

According to previous sailing on Bliss, looks like we will be taking a shuttle.

Our 8:30am combo( bus first)  excursion is with Chilkoot .

[wheelchair mama]

can anyone tell me if the shuttle bus in Skagway is wheelchair accessible.We will be docked RRA.

[wolfie11]

2 hours ago, wheelchair mama said:

can anyone tell me if the shuttle bus in Skagway is wheelchair accessible.We will be docked RRA.

They are using the town’s SMART busses.  Some, but not all have wheelchair access.

[MickeyP]

We are in Skagway today on the Noordam, three other ships here and the town is busy. No issues. They are busing people around the rock slide with ease. Most everything is walking distance.

[ronrythm]

I’m on Radiance today. The town is definitely crowded, but manageable. They do appear to be tendering the passengers on Princess. Definitely a lot of rock moved.

enjoy,

Ron

[oldplayer532]

11 hours ago, ronrythm said:

I’m on Radiance today. The town is definitely crowded, but manageable. They do appear to be tendering the passengers on Princess. Definitely a lot of rock moved.

enjoy,

Ron

the smaller ships get docks without tender. Thank you for your picture.

[donaldsc]

On 5/20/2023 at 7:50 AM, wolfie11 said:

Depends on the number of passengers on each ship.  I've been in Skagway, a town 20 blocks long and 6 blocks wide, on a day when there were 14,000 people in town.  Better to go hiking or stay on the ship than try to fight the crowds.

 

It would be interesting to try to figure out the number of square feet per person available per person when a significant percentage of the 14,000 or more visitors are on State Street at a time.  And actually you misspeak the available space in Skagway since while the town may be 20 x 6 or 120 square blocks the actual touristy area with ships and sites is much smaller.  I would bet that most of the visitors do not get more than 1 block off State St if they get off State Street at all.  I would also be that most of the visitors do not get further than 9th or 10th avenue because that is where the shops are.  So instead of having 120 square blocks you have only 20 square blocks.  

 

Just my opinion but I think that Skagway is the worse port stop of any of the AK port stops.

 

Think Times Square on New Years Eve.  LOL!!

 

DON