There are some cruise destinations — Barcelona or Sydney, for instance — where you really don't need to sign up for shore excursions. You can just walk off the ship and head to the major attractions on your own.
For the most part, the ports of Alaska aren't like that.
To get the most out of an Alaska cruise, you'll want to sign up for a tour in most, if not all, of the ports you visit. And not just any old tour. You'll want the best Alaska shore excursions that get you out into the Alaska backcountry.
In Alaska, many of the biggest "attractions" — breathtaking mountain landscapes, glaciers, fjords, breaching whales and feeding bears, for instance — are related to the great outdoors. As a result, many of the best Alaska shore excursions for cruisers are found outside of the towns where ships stop. If you just stay in the towns and explore on your own, you'll miss a big part of what Alaska is all about.
Related: The best Alaska cruises for every type of traveler
Picking the best Alaska shore excursions
People who know me know that I love talking about what to do in Alaska ports. This isn't just because I've spent nearly three decades writing about cruising to Alaska and other destinations for major newspapers and magazines. For many years, I also was the co-author of Frommer's "Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call" guide. In researching nearly half a dozen editions of that book, I spent many days exploring each of the major cruise ports in the state. I've tried a large number of the shore excursions in places such as Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. And I've also poked around these towns a lot on my own.
As noted above, my biggest message to anyone planning an Alaska cruise is: get out of the towns. Sign up for something — a hike, a rafting trip, a train ride, a fishing outing — that gets you into Alaska's spectacular outdoor settings.
But I also have a few specific, top-line pro tips when you're thinking about the best Alaska shore excursions:
- Get up in the air. It will be expensive. We're talking $250 or more per person. But there's nothing quite like seeing the grandeur of Alaska from a helicopter or floatplane. The Juneau Icefield, in particular, is a sight to behold. It covers around 1,500 square miles, an enormous area. You can see it on a flightseeing tour from Juneau, with some tours including landings on the ice.
- Don't miss the whales. Even if you're not a big wildlife person, you'll be mesmerized by the humpback whales of Alaska. They are huge (at up to 52 feet in length, longer than a Greyhound bus), and there are boat tours that will get you up close to them. The best places to do this are out of Juneau and Icy Strait Point, if your ship stops there.
- Splurge for a trip to Misty Fjords National Monument. This glacier-carved wilderness area, not far from Ketchikan, is another can't-miss sight. It's everything you think of when you think of Alaska: icy blue lakes, waterfalls, snowcapped peaks and glacial valleys. The only way to get there is on a boat or floatplane tour, and they typically start at over $200 a person.
Unfortunately, as you can see from the above, many of the most spectacular excursions in Alaskan ports are expensive. But Alaska is not a place to skimp. Alaska is a destination where you may want to budget almost as much per person for your shore excursions as you do for your cabin.
That said, you don't have to splurge for a big outing at every call. In Juneau, for instance, you can get an outdoor experience with a relatively inexpensive trip to nearby Mendenhall Glacier. It's just 13 miles from the cruise ship docks and reachable by shuttle bus or taxi. The shuttle buses that go there (there are two companies offering such service, Juneau Tours and M&M Tours) will set you back $65 to $79 per person round-trip, which I find an unconscionable gouge. If you have a few people, you're better off with a taxi, which runs around $40 to $50 each way. For two or three people traveling together, it's not all that pricey a trip.
Either way you do it, you'll find some nice hiking trails around Mendenhall Glacier and a visitor center. There's a creek there, too, where I've sometimes seen salmon running. One time, I even saw a bear. Speaking of which: A bear is something you think you want to see in Alaska until you actually see one. Then, you're just hoping you don't get eaten.
Related: The best Alaska cruises for couples
I should also be clear that the towns themselves aren't devoid of attractions. While I highly encourage Alaska-bound cruisers to get out into the wilderness, there are plenty of worthwhile things to do in each of the main port towns.
In Juneau, food tours have become popular (think: king crab bisque and Alaska salmon). The Alaska State Museum is beautiful and worth a visit. Skagway is like a gold rush-themed movie set. You should at least walk its main street (Broadway), with its wooden-board sidewalks. If you're a craft beer fan like me, you also might want to sample a Spruce Tip Blonde Ale at Skagway Brewing Company. It's made with Sitka spruce tips picked locally in the spring.
In Ketchikan, you should save a few minutes to stroll up Creek Street along Ketchikan Creek, where you might spot salmon running. It's the ultimate Alaska selfie spot.
Related: The best cruises to Alaska from Seattle for every type of traveler
How to book the best Alaska shore excursions
The simplest way to book an Alaska shore excursion is through your cruise line. You check a box on an online form before sailing or while on board, and — poof! — it's all arranged. Your cruise line will send a ticket to your room, and a tour guide will be waiting for you when you walk off the ship.
Another way to go is to book directly with a tour operator in one of the ports. That said, many of the tour operators you'll find in Alaskan ports are the same tour operators that operate the ship-sponsored excursions. Often, the tours that the local tour operators will sell you are the same tours that the cruise lines are selling you at the same price. Shopping around isn't necessarily going to get you anywhere.
Indeed, in some cases, the cruise lines own the tour operators in Alaska ports, or, at least, a piece of them. For instance, the parent company of Princess Cruises and Holland America is a part-owner of Skagway's big attraction, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.
Note that you can sometimes get discounts by calling a tour operator directly. I've had some luck with that over the years, but it's hit or miss.
Related: 8 tips for booking the best cruise shore excursion for your money
The 6 best Alaska shore excursions
Below, I've listed six of my all-time favorite Alaska shore excursions. These all are tours that you'll find in the lineups at every major cruise line that operates in Alaska. Different lines sometimes have different names for these tours — and sometimes different pricing.
For the listings below, I've used the tour names and pricing listed in the current tour sheets at Princess, which, along with sister line Holland America, is the biggest cruise operator in Alaska.
Note that all of these tours are located in the three most-visited cruise ports in Alaska: Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. There are some great tours in lesser visited ports such as Sitka and Icy Strait Point, too, but they didn't make my Top Six list.
Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
Dogsledding and glacier adventure by helicopter
Cost: $829.95 per person
Port where available: Juneau
For those with a hefty bankroll, this might be the ultimate Alaska shore excursion. Combining helicopter flightseeing over the seemingly endless Juneau Icefield with a landing on a glacier for dogsledding, it hits two of Alaska's most iconic experiences.
It's also extremely expensive, as I know from firsthand experience. I once took my entire family of five on this excursion, dropping more than $2,000 in the process (this was back when the pricing was half what it is today — the cost goes up every year). That's a huge chunk of change for an outing that lasts just three hours.
But I'll tell you this: I don't regret doing it. Not one bit. For starters, the views of the Juneau Icefield as you fly to and from the dogsledding camp are incredible (assuming the weather cooperates). But the real joy was seeing my three young girls interacting with the teams of Alaskan huskies that live at the camp.
Once you arrive, you'll meet the dogs and their mushers, see where they live, get a quick tutorial in mushing and then head out for a spin around the camp on a dog-pulled sled.
Note that there is a weight surcharge for participants weighing more than 250 pounds (fully clothed) for this tour, and participants must be at least 2 years old.
Related: These are the best times to visit Alaska
Whale watching and wildlife quest
Cost: $224.95 per person
Port where available: Juneau
If it's Alaska's famous humpback whales that you want to see, you'll want to book a whale-watching tour. The waters around Juneau are particularly known for humpback whales, so much so that the operator of this excursion offers a whale-sighting guarantee.
Setting off from the Juneau harbor in a whale-watching boat, you'll cruise to nearby areas to see not just humpback whales but harbor seals and sea lions, too. You might even spot a killer whale or porpoise.
The boat used for this excursion has both indoor and outdoor viewing areas. The trips last about four hours, including transfer time from your cruise ship to the whale-watching boat.
Related: Best Alaska cruise tips to help you make the most of your time aboard and ashore
Note that if you have a big enough group, it sometimes pays to arrange a private boat out of Juneau to take you to see humpback whales. Many lines offer a private boat charter for whale watching as a tour option, or you can arrange one through a local company.
Klondike rock climbing and rappelling
Cost: $139.95 per person
Port where available: Skagway
If you're like me, you may be a little terrified at the idea of climbing the sheer face of a rock cliff. But don't let that scare you away from this 3 1/4-hour tour. It's a hoot.
Experienced climbing guides will meet you at your ship and drive you up the Klondike Highway to an area of granite cliffs that's the perfect playground for beginner and more seasoned climbers alike. Upon arrival, the guides provide you with all the gear you need (climbing shoes, helmets and harnesses) for a safe scramble up a 70-foot-high wall. They'll also offer plenty of instruction (and encouragement), plus a snack of trail mix and hot chocolate.
If it all sounds a bit daunting, know that you don't need any experience in climbing to do it; I sure didn't have any when I tried it, nor did my young daughters, who absolutely loved it. There are multiple routes up the cliffs, some perfect for beginners. After making it to the top, you'll rappel back down — an entirely different kind of thrill.
Note that children must be at least six years old to participate in this tour, and there is a weight maximum (300 pounds) and minimum (50 pounds) for participants.
Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles
White Pass Scenic Railway ride
Cost: $174.95 per person
Port where available: Skagway
Call it the iconic attraction of Skagway. A ride into the mountains on this narrow-gauge railroad is the tour everybody takes when visiting the gold rush town-turned-tourist hub ... and for good reason. It offers an easy way to get deep into the great Alaskan outdoors.
Truth be told, I'm a fan of more active excursions. But for someone who isn't going to hike, bike, horseback ride or raft their way through the wilderness around Skagway (there are tours for all those things, too), this nearly three-hour ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway is one of the best ways to get a glimpse of the area's classic Alaskan scenery.
Related: 13 things you should do before every cruise
From the comfort of a vintage railcar, you'll get stunning views of mountains, gorges, glacial rivers and waterfalls as you climb nearly 3,000 feet to the summit of White Pass, the headwaters to the mighty Yukon River. Designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the 20-mile route is a marvel in its own right, with improbably steep grades at times and segments that pass over soaring wooden trestles and around tight cliff-hugging curves.
Laughton Glacier Hike and White Pass Rail Adventure
Cost: $479.95 per person
Port where available: Skagway
This is another tour with a sky-high cost, but, in my opinion, it's well worth the money. Indeed, it's one of my all-time favorite Alaska shore excursions.
The nearly 10-hour, Skagway-based outing begins with a transfer from your ship to the starting point for the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, mentioned above, where you'll join some of your fellow passengers on a train ride deep into the mountains. But unlike your fellow passengers on the traditional White Pass Scenic Railway ride, you won't stay on board for the full 20-mile trip into the wilderness. Instead, you'll hop off about 14 miles inland, at a drop-off point called Glacier Station.
From there, you'll set off on a 6- to 8-mile round-trip guided wilderness hike on a trail along the Skagway River. The highlight of the hike is a magnificent view of Laughton Glacier.
Returning to Glacier Station, you'll end the day with a ride back to Skagway on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, which makes a special stop to pick you up.
Note that the minimum age to do this tour is 9 years old, and participants should be in good shape for the long hike. In addition, you'll need to carry a passport with you or other compliant document to enter Canada, as you will be stepping onto Canadian soil while traversing part of the trail.
Misty Fjords National Monument by seaplane
Cost: $459.95 per person
Port where available: Ketchikan
There's nothing that says Alaska quite like a trip into the wilderness in a floatplane. And, if you're going to do a floatplane ride, there's nowhere better in Ketchikan. You'll find a small armada of floatplanes just down from the cruise ship docks waiting to take you to nearby Misty Fjords National Monument.
Misty Fjords is one of those quintessential Alaska destinations that's so beautiful you just want to cry. That is, if it's not too "misty" to see it. It got its name for a reason. The area is often shrouded in clouds and drizzly rain. Ketchikan is known as one of the rainiest places in North America, with over 13 feet of rain each year. So, yeah, bring a rain jacket.
But, also get ready for lovely views of glacier-carved fjords, cliffs and rock walls jutting thousands of feet out of the ocean. The whole thing is covered with temperate rainforests and features huge waterfalls (thanks to all that rain). It's definitely a sight to see.
Note that there often are two versions of this tour available: one that is about two hours long and only includes flightseeing, and a slightly longer version that includes a water landing within Misty Fjord National Monument.
This is also a tour that has skyrocketed in price in recent years. When I last wrote about it just a couple of years ago, it cost about $200 per person less than it does now.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.