Alaska on a Budget

[NikePeanut]

Me and my husband our sailing on the NCL Star Sept. 15. First of all I need some advice on doing the ports on our own and doing it pretty cheap. We booked one excursion and it is a tram ride up some mountain in Juneau. Other than that I am lost. Secondly if there are any tips out there or suggestions I would appreciate them! Thanks so much for everyones help!:o

[CRUZIN TOM]

You will be able to walk everywhere in all of the ports. Most are small cities, but Juneau is the largest. You shouldn't have to take any other excursions.:)

[Yukon]

In Juneau, the Mt. Roberts tramway and Mendenhall Glacier shuttle will set you back a total of $74 a couple for the day. In Ketchikan, taking the city bus out to Totem Bight totem pole park is $4 total for 2. Skagway has loads of good walking/hiking - free trail map at the NPS headquarters.

 

Murray

[cruisebum50]

The duck tour in Ketchikan is a 90 minute land/sea tour for $36 each whether you book through NCL or the duck tour place itself. You could also walk to the rain gauge.

 

In Juneau there is always the famous Red Dog Saloon. We did a whale watching tour last year and the Red Dog and some shopping was all we got to do when we got back before the ship left.

 

In Skagway The Skagway Salmon Bake at Liarsville (last year the salmon was awesome and we don't even like salmon) is $25 per person. There is also the Red Onion Saloon and the railroad depot to see.

 

If you just do a google search of each port you will find lots of information about things to see and do, alot of them on your own.

 

We are on the same cruise as you. Hope you will join our meet and mingle on Sunday.

[fti]

Me and my husband our sailing on the NCL Star Sept. 15. First of all I need some advice on doing the ports on our own and doing it pretty cheap. We booked one excursion and it is a tram ride up some mountain in Juneau. Other than that I am lost. Secondly if there are any tips out there or suggestions I would appreciate them! Thanks so much for everyones help!:o

 

Actually if that excursion you booked is the Mt. Roberts Tram, I would not bok that in advance. If the weather is bad, it is not worth going up.

 

I agree with Yukon's suggestions. Note that the National Park Service also has free films, walks and talks at their office in Skagway.

 

You could rent a car in Skagway and drive to Emerald Lake (see http://www.*****) but the only rental company that might be open at that time is Sourdough rentals.

[Yukon]

I agree that the Mt. Roberts tramway shouldn't be booked in advance - there's no down-side to waiting to see what the weather is like and just walking over to the ticket office.

 

Murray

[Toyz711]

you can check things out better on the websites for the different ports:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/

http://www.traveljuneau.com/

don't have to prebook to go out to mendenhall. just grab a shuttle...the tickets office and the shuttles are around the parking area, near the tram.

$6 pp each way. same with the tram, if you decide to go up, just go buy the ticket. another choice is to rent a car. you can do a search these boards arout that.

http://www.skagway.com/

you said you have this port planned.

http://www.visit-ketchikan.com/

just walk around, creek street is near the docks...visitor's center (at the docks) have tours you can get at the last moment. the "duck" tour looks fun or go out to the totem poles.

i know it's expensive, but in juneau NCL has the small boat excrusion to to sawyer glaciers. it meets up with the ship at the glacier. it can get rave reviews.

either way you will enjoy your trip.

[Toninutt]

No need to book in advance for "budget excursions". I just came back from AK in July (on a budget as well) and had I known everything was so close to the ship, I would have walked to the destinations. In Juneau, take a shuttle - not a taxi to Mendenhall Glacier. The tram is right next to the ships, so just wait until the fog clears. I wouldn't even say the Duck was worth it, but it was something to do.

[NikePeanut]

Thanks everyone for all the great information. I didn't know how close everything is at each port. I am so excited about this trip, its my first cruise and don't know what to expect. I guess that is what I am so excited about. I hope everything goes good on the cruise and they have some good food! Any tips let me know!

[fti]

Thanks everyone for all the great information. I didn't know how close everything is at each port. I am so excited about this trip, its my first cruise and don't know what to expect. I guess that is what I am so excited about. I hope everything goes good on the cruise and they have some good food! Any tips let me know!

 

Read the first 3-4 pages of posts on this board and you will get a really good idea of things.

 

For example, the ships dock pretty close to the town centers. For Juneau, you need to take the $6pp each way shuttle bus to the Mendenhall Glacier. Though it is a 20 minute ride or so, you board the bus right near where the ships dock. In Ketchikan the public bus to Totem Bight is close to the pier. Again, read a few pages of posts and this stuff gets repeated a lot!

 

Have a great cruise.

 

John