Did you know Alaska has at least 100,000 glaciers?? It’s also home to famous fjords, stunning coastlines, charming seaside towns, beautiful mountain ranges, spectacular wildlife and SO much more! The entire state feels like one giant postcard that is almost too good to be true. An Alaska Cruise offers you an opportunity to see some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world! So it’s no surprise guests are eager to book excursions to get more of an intimate look at Alaska. With so many options to choose from, let’s talk about the best Alaska cruise excursions worth booking!
This guide will cover Alaska cruise options at each port and help you decide which excursion is worth skipping and which one is worth the splurge. Now let’s get started!
Quick Tips Before Booking the Best Alaska Cruise Excursions
- How much should I budget for excursions? For a 7 day cruise, it’s recommended you budget an extra $1,000 – $1,500 per person to make the most out of your Alaska Cruise. BUT, we didn’t spend that when we went on both of our Alaska Cruises. We spent closer to $600 per person. And to be honest, we didn’t feel like we missed out on too much. I have outlined the best Alaska Cruise excursions worth booking below.
- Should I book an excursion at each port? This depends on your budget and the type of traveler you are. It’s definitely tempting to want to book everything at each port, but there is so much you can enjoy without having to spend top dollar to see everything.
- If Alaska Cruise excursions aren’t in my budget, what can I do for free? Don’t sweat it, the good news is Alaska is just covered in beautiful landscapes! There is plenty to see and do without breaking the bank, and I have included free things to do at each port below.
Where To Book Alaska Cruise Excursions
If you are asking yourself where should I book the best Alaska Cruise excursions, you’ve come to the right place! The truth is there is more than one option to choose from depending on factors like budget, protection and variety. Let’s discuss some options on where to book excursions below.
CRUISE LINE: Often times, cruise lines will provide credit you can use towards excursions as long as you book through them. Another advantage is that the cruise lines will make special accommodations to ensure you have transportation to and from the ship and arrive back in time. You also get some extra protection in case the cruise is delayed or the excursion needs to be cancelled due to bad weather. Most of these cruise lines will use local operators to run these tours.
Some cruise lines even offer exclusive tours directly through their tour line that you won’t find anywhere else. For example, I know Princess Cruise line offers Discovery and Animal Planet exclusive shore excursions. Make sure to check with your cruise line to see if they offer any exclusive tours you can take advantage of.
Disadvantage: Excursions through your cruise line can often be more expensive, so if you are on a tight budget you may not want to go this route.
LOCAL OPERATORS: Cruise lines will use local operators to provide excursions to their guests, but if you are looking to save some money you can also book with the local operator directly. I have included information on local operators at each port below.
THIRD PARTY SITES: This is a great option if you are looking for a smaller, more exclusive tour that is free from the cruise crowds. You can often customize your tour for your group. Some great third party sites include GetYourGuide, Airbnb Experiences and Viator.
Our Favorite Ketchikan Cruise Excursions
We fell in love with Ketchikan, because it’s one of those places that feels like it was just picked out of a movie! It oozes so much charm. This seaside town is found in the heart of Alaska and can only be accessed by sea or air. It’s the first port on the cruise itinerary, because it’s located on the southern tip of the inside passage and a great way to kick off your voyage through Alaska. Ketchikan also happens to be home to our favorite state park and excursion! Don’t believe me? See the best Alaska cruise excursions down below!
- Explore Historic Creek Street: If you google the images found under Ketchikan, you will see colorful little wooden homes on a boardwalk that overlooks the creek. This street is filled with shops, museums (Dolly’s House Museum does cost $10) and galleries that are fun to explore. You may even spot some wildlife in the water!
- Hike Rainbird Trail: This trail will take you through the Tongass National Forest and is just 2.6 miles round trip. It can be found just 20 minutes from the cruise dock. You will find some great views of Ketchikan here.
- Take a Self-Guided Walking Tour: Make your way to the Ketchikan Historic Society to pick up a map that outlines a wonderful self-guided walking tour of downtown Ketchikan. The map includes 64 points of interest, so you will have plenty to see!
If you only have the budget for one Alaska cruise excursion, let it be this one. This is the BEST Alaska cruise excursion and absolutely worth every penny.
The Misty Fjords National Monument is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and can only be accessed by plane or boat but your time is limited in Ketchikan and I recommend going the plane route. This will leave you some time to explore the town of Ketchikan before boarding. Besides, the views are truly incredible by air!
INSIDER TIP: Make sure the tour you book includes landing in the national monument. Some tours will only fly over it, but trust me you will absolutely want to land and see the Misty Fjords National Monument up close. And keep your fingers crossed for some rain or at least overcast weather. We got rain in 2018 when we visited and seeing the mist surround the mountains was much more beautiful than the sun shining down on this landscape although still beautiful.
COST: $350/person
DURATION: 2 Hours
TOUR COMPANIES: We have done this tour twice, and we used this company because they offer a good price and include a 30 minute stop to view the Misty Fjords on land. We booked directly through them.
Tongass National Forest covers 16.7 million acres making it the largest U.S. National Forest!! What makes this forest especially unique is that it’s home to temperate rain forest and endangered species. Because of the sheer size of this park, it is recommended you go with a tour/guide especially if you’re not an experienced hiker. You can find many tour options available. Let’s cover some of the best ones below:
Should you book a Juneau Cruise Excursion?
I am going to let you in on a little secret, you don’t need to book any excursions here to enjoy Juneau. We actually found that much of what we wanted to see didn’t require booking expensive tours. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t good excursions here. Sharing all the best Alaska cruise excursions and popular spots found in Juneau below.
Let’s face it, travel expenses can add up quickly and it’s hard not to indulge when traveling to a bucket list destination but there are so many great things you can see in Juneau for free! Just see for yourself:
- Hiking, hiking and more hiking!! What better way to see Alaska than to jump on a trail and see it up close. And if you’re not a very good hiker like me, you can rest easy knowing there are trails for all different kinds of skill levels. See all the trails found in Juneau here.
- A downtown self-guided walking tour of Juneau: Similar to Ketchikan, the city of Juneau sets visitors up for success by providing free maps at cruise ships terminals, visitor information centers and more to encourage guests to explore downtown Juneau. We really loved exploring Juneau.
- Alaska State Capital Building Guided Tour: The advantage of visiting Alaska’s capital city, is that you are given free access to their capital building where you are able to learn more about the history found in Juneau and Alaska.
Want to feel like you’ve walked into Elsa’s backyard? Mendenhall Glacier is a MASSIVE river of ice that spans over 13 miles and is up to 1,800 feet deep. This glacier is surrounded by incredible waterfalls and lush forest. And the visitor center here is considered world class given the spectacular views and fascinating exhibits. And good news, you don’t need to book an expensive Alaska cruise excursion to enjoy this park. Here is everything you need to know on how to get here from the cruise ship:
- Mendenhall Glacier is located just 13 miles from downtown Juneau and just a few minutes from the airport. It is owned and operated by the United States Forest Service and it costs $5/person to enter the park
- The most budget-friendly option: Public buses can take you to Mendenhall Glacier, and it costs $2/person each way, but you will get dropped off about a mile from the entrance
- Shuttle Bus: It costs $45 round trip and that includes the entrance fee into the park. There are some tourist information booths next to the Mount Roberts Tramway where you can purchase a ticket to board one of their shuttles. We took the shuttle bus route and found it to be the easiest way to get to and from the glacier., especially because they drop you off right at the entrance of the park
- Helicopter tours: There are tours available that provide incredible views of the glacier. You can even book a tour that allows you to step foot on the ice. These tours are the most expensive option. Average price is about $360/person. You can book these tours directly with your cruise line or you can find a tour here, here and here.
- By boat: You can also find tours that will get you closer to the glacier by boat although we noticed these tours still had to maintain a significantly safe distance from the glacier. You can find a tour here, here, here and here.
Riding Mount Roberts Tramway is one of the best ways to take in the views of the city and enjoy some hiking trails at the top. The ride does cost $50 roundtrip for adults and $35 for children that are between 3-12 years old. Within just 5 minutes you are taken 1,800 feet up, so it’s easy to see why the views are truly spectacular. Once at the top you will find a cute gift shop, Timberline Bar & Grill, am art gallery and Chilkat Theatre. INSIDER TIP: Avoid visiting the tram when you first arrive, because the line gets quite long.
Perhaps one of the most popular things to do in Juneau is book a whale-watching tour. I have to confess we booked this tour and 2018 and were left disappointed, because it simply wasn’t a good day for seeing wildlife. Obviously, tours can’t control the wildlife that is seen so keep that in mind when booking this tour. It’s always best practice to cross-check tour prices with your cruise and third parties, but you can find some tour options here, here and here.
The Most Scenic Skagway Excursions
Skagway is a charming little town in Alaska that is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. And although much smaller than the other ports, Skagway has SO much to offer. Fun fact: Skagway is actually considered the “sunshine capital” of southeast Alaska because it receives far less rain than its neighbors. This is good news for those who are visiting and looking to escape some of the rain often found in Alaska. Some of the best Alaska cruise excursions can be found in Skagway, and I can’t wait to share more!
The best part about traveling to Alaska is that there is so much to see, and you can enjoy much of what Skagway has to offer without spending a lot of money. Here are some free things to do in Skagway:
- More hiking! I know I am starting to sound like a broken record, but Alaska might as well be considered one of the hiking capitals of the world. Some popular trails to check out include Yakutania Point and Smuggler’s Cove. Another popular hike worth checking out is Lower Reid Falls and Gold Rush Cemetery. You can find a full list of easier day hikes here.
- Check out the salmon run at Pullman Creek: Yes, this is actually free! It’s a beautiful little trail that takes you around the Pullen Creek and Pond. You cannot do any fishing here, but if you’re lucky you can catch some sightings of pink salmon. Skagway hosts a duck derby every year, and you may spot some rubber ducks that make their way down to the pond as a result.
- Walk around downtown Skagway: I tried to warn you Alaska does an excellent job of providing resources to help their visitors explore these towns on their own, and Skagway is no exception. You can find a map and information here.
- Explore Lower Dewey Lake: This lake is fed by glaciers and is quite beautiful. You may find some brave locals taking a quick dip or polar plunge into this water on “warmer’ days. Rumor has it some tourists have joined them, but it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.
Alaska is known for its state sport of dog-sledding, so it’s no surprise there is actually an opportunity for visitors to try it out for themselves! You will get the opportunity to visit a dogsledding summer training camp, take a ride on a sled pulled by specially trained dogs and you might even get a chance to meet some cute puppies.
I have to confess we booked this tour in 2018 and although we enjoyed meeting the cute dogs and seeing all the training that goes into preparing them for this sport, there is just something about getting pulled on a cart in mud during the summer that doesn’t quite feel the same as it does in snow. We wouldn’t book this tour again, simply because we would rather experience dog sledding on snow and I just think the money is better spent on the train in Skagway. But if you are still interested in checking this out, you can find some great tour options here, here and here.
The valley of Skagway was actually formed due to the movement of glaciers that surround it. So it should come to no surprise you can book a glacier tour here as well. Experience more of the beautiful glaciers Alaska has to offer up close. So if you have it in your budget and want to see another glacier up close, this may be one of the best Alaska cruise excursions to book (although I have to admit my vote is still for the train). But you can find some great tour options here.
Considered the most scenic railroad in the world, the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad definitely lives up to the hype! And this is absolutely one of the best Alaska cruise excursions you can book. I promise you it is absolutely worth the money! I don’t think I have ever fully recovered from the spectacular views we found here. Here is everything you need to know about this train ride:
COST: The White Pass Summit Excursion costs $142/adult and $71/child
DURATION: You’ll spend 2.75 – 3 hours on the train covering 40 miles and taking in the most BEAUTIFUL views
INSIDER TIP: Hop in the last train car, so you have no obstructed views from the back of the train
HOW TO BOOK: We booked directly through our cruise, but you can find more information on the train here.
I hope this guide has helped you find some of the best Alaska cruise excursions that are worth booking and save you some money along the way. Enjoy your time in Alaska and safe travels!
