First Cruise Alaska Port Questions

[suzanne]

I have a question regarding my Alaska Cruise next September 15 thru 22, 2019. Ports of Call are Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria. I'm trying to research excursions during the time in these ports, I need to know about how long does it take to get off and on the ship in these ports?

Juneau, we are there from 1 - 9 PM, looking at a 4 hour helicopter/glacier walk. Pick up time is either 2 PM or 3 PM. Will it be too dark then to see anything and take photos on the 3 PM tour?

Sitka, there from 8 AM - 4 PM, looking at a land an sea 4 hour tour. Not sure of Pick up times.

Ketchikan, there from 7 AM - 1 PM, 3 hour water/lodge lunch tour. Pick up is 8:45 AM, 9:30 AM or 10:00 AM for this one.

Victoria, there from 6 PM - 11:30 PM, we plan to just explore the water front area and have dinner before returning to the ship so this port isn't an issue time wise.

My concern is booking the tours then not having enough time to get off the ship to do the tours or back on it before it sails.

Thanks everyone for our help. I do want my first cruise to go smooth as possible.

Suzanne

 

[controller1]

I have a question regarding my Alaska Cruise next September 15 thru 22, 2019. Ports of Call are Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria. I'm trying to research excursions during the time in these ports, I need to know about how long does it take to get off and on the ship in these ports?

Juneau, we are there from 1 - 9 PM, looking at a 4 hour helicopter/glacier walk. Pick up time is either 2 PM or 3 PM. Will it be too dark then to see anything and take photos on the 3 PM tour?

Sitka, there from 8 AM - 4 PM, looking at a land an sea 4 hour tour. Not sure of Pick up times.

Ketchikan, there from 7 AM - 1 PM, 3 hour water/lodge lunch tour. Pick up is 8:45 AM, 9:30 AM or 10:00 AM for this one.

Victoria, there from 6 PM - 11:30 PM, we plan to just explore the water front area and have dinner before returning to the ship so this port isn't an issue time wise.

My concern is booking the tours then not having enough time to get off the ship to do the tours or back on it before it sails.

Thanks everyone for our help. I do want my first cruise to go smooth as possible.

Suzanne

Your cruise itinerary should indicate on each stop whether you will in docked in port or whether you will have to tender into port. That will be the big difference.

If you dock in port, getting off/on the ship should be no more than a 6-7 minute exercise. If you must tender then you will only be able to leave at certain times and it could take you anywhere from 15-30 minutes going into port and longer coming back to the ship since you could be in a line with more people than the tender is able to hold.

Even though the excursions sold by your cruise line may be more expensive than what you can get on your own, you don't have to worry about the pick up times or whether you will make it back in time.

 

[Passepartout]

Suzanne, it just takes a couple of minutes to walk off. The buses will be right beside the gangway. DO NOT WORRY about being left on the dock! The tor operators do this every day or two! and even if you book them privately, the cruise lines book from them too. It will be daylight for ALL your tours. If your tour gets delayed, they will call and the ship won't leave without a busload of passengers. One or two who get carried away at a quayside saloon or jewelry shop might find themselves looking at an empty spot on the dock where their ship used to be, but not a tour load.

P.S. iirc, Sitka is the only port that you might have to tender (e.g. use the lifeboat to the port). All the rest are docks.

 

[suzanne]

Thank you both so much this is info I needed.

 

[Glynda]

Have you signed up on Cruise Critic for your ship and date's Roll Call? Cruise Critic is the TUG of cruising and the roll calls will have other passengers who can answer your questions and who will be organizing and/or joining private and small group tours. We rarely take the ship's tours.