best place for souveniers(sp)

[janines]

We will visit Kethican, Skagway, Juneau and Seward. What place/places would you suggest to purchase trinkets? And what would you purchase.

thanks,

janines

[tetleytea]

If you don't already know what kind of souvenirs you want, I would immediately get ahold of a Destination Alaska coupon book and look through it, and I would focus the most shopping in Ketchikan. My favorite souvenir shop in Ketchikan is Tongass. But I also liked Juneau/Skagway T-shirt company and Juneau/Skagway Mining Company.

 

Another crazy place to souvenir shop, believe it or not: Walmart. If you are able (and not everyone is), there are some good values there. I know some other CC'ers here who know me would back me up on this. There are Walmart's in Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, Wasila, Whitehorse (CA), and Seattle.

 

Size/mileage may vary person-to-person, especially if you have a specific souvenir in mind. All that. e.g. if you're into salmon or Russia Matryoshka Dolls, those are completely different stores; or if you're sailing in September, who knows where the clearance sales are going to be.

 

 

(edit)P.S. One last opinion I would chime in. The so-called "Cruise Shopping Director" on your ship...better off ignored. That's a bunch of marketing hype intended to make the cruise ship money--not save you money. Some cruises do sell some nice Passport books with decent free stuff through them, though, if you're into spending your port time scavenger hunting all the shops for it. Did that once myself...not my thing.... The free trinkets they give out are barely even worth giving away.

[ellbon]

i got a doll on Creek Street, a quartz ring in Skagway-big thing is Alaska. small stuff was tshirts and cmas gifts. i was o nthe land and tour and did majot shopping and shipped home.

[zelker]

I agree - I think Ketchikan had the most shops with the most variety and reasonable prices. Juneau would be second. And although Skagway has a fair amount of shops, the prices were noticeably more expensive for the same things we saw in the other two ports.

[Look2Sea]

 

Another crazy place to souvenir shop, believe it or not: Walmart. If you are able (and not everyone is), there are some good values there. I know some other CC'ers here who know me would back me up on this. There are Walmart's in Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, Wasila, Whitehorse (CA), and Seattle.

 

Is it difficult to get to Ketchikan Walmart from the cruise ships?

[tetleytea]

Actually, I think Ketchikan Walmart is the easiest to get to of the three port stops. Budget Queen knows of a bus that will get you there. Search the forums.