Key takeaways
- Alaska's best attractions lie outside port towns, requiring booked shore excursions to reach glaciers, whales and mountains.
- Heli-dogsledding in Juneau and the White Pass Railway in Skagway rank among Alaska's most expensive but worthwhile excursions.
- Budget nearly as much for shore excursions as your cabin, though budget options like Mendenhall Glacier shuttle run $65–79 per person.
- The three most-visited ports—Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan—offer the widest range of excursions available across all major cruise lines.
Alaska attracts cruise passengers who expect to see mountains, glaciers, bears and breaching whales. Unlike destinations such as Barcelona or Sydney, where you can walk off the ship and reach major sights on foot, Alaska’s grandest attractions lie outside the towns where ships dock. Getting there requires booking structured shore excursions that venture into the backcountry.
According to The Points Guy’s Gene Sloan, who oversees cruise coverage for the site and has spent nearly three decades writing about Alaska cruising, most Alaska cruise passengers should sign up for shore excursions at the majority of their ports. Sloan co-authored multiple editions of Frommer’s “Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call” and has spent many days exploring each major Alaska cruise port in person.
Why Alaska Demands Structured Excursions
Unlike some cruise destinations, Alaska’s signature experiences depend on getting into the wilderness. The state’s best features — glaciers, fjords, mountain ranges, wildlife — are concentrated outside town centers. This geography makes independent exploration risky and often impractical.
Sloan’s core advice to Alaska-bound cruisers is to get out of the towns and book activities that take you into the outdoor settings Alaska is known for. Options range from hiking and rafting to train rides and fishing outings.
The Cost Equation
Alaska shore excursions command premium prices. Budget nearly as much per person for excursions as you might spend on your cabin, according to Sloan. Even budget-minded travelers have options: the shuttle bus to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau costs $65 to $79 per person round-trip, which Sloan describes as expensive for a relatively simple outing. Splitting a taxi costs $40 to $50 each way and makes sense for groups of two or three people.
The most elaborate excursions cost considerably more, reflecting the logistics and expertise required.
Booking Your Excursions
The simplest booking method is through your cruise line. Check a box on the online pre-cruise form or onboard, and the line arranges everything. Your cabin receives a ticket, and a tour guide meets you when you disembark.
Booking directly with local tour operators is also possible. In many cases, however, the local operators running independent bookings are the same ones that operate the cruise line’s official excursions at identical prices. Cruise lines in some cases own the tour operators outright or hold partial stakes in them. Princess Cruises and Holland America, for example, have partial ownership of Skagway’s White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. Calling a tour operator directly sometimes yields a discount, though results vary.
In-Town Activities Worth Your Time
While Sloan emphasizes getting into the backcountry, the port towns themselves offer worthwhile attractions that don’t require extensive planning.
In Juneau, food-focused tours have gained popularity, featuring king crab bisque and Alaska salmon. The Alaska State Museum merits a visit. In Skagway, the town itself resembles a gold rush-themed movie set. Walking the main street, Broadway, with its wooden-plank sidewalks, provides a sense of the town’s history. Skagway Brewing Company offers Spruce Tip Blonde Ale, made with Sitka spruce tips harvested locally each spring. In Ketchikan, Creek Street along Ketchikan Creek offers salmon spotting and has become a popular photo location.
Juneau: Glacier and Marine Wildlife
Juneau offers two of Alaska’s most distinctive experiences: aerial views of glaciers and close encounters with marine mammals.
Helicopter Flightseeing and Glacier Dogsledding
Combining helicopter flightseeing over the Juneau Icefield with a landing on a glacier for dogsledding represents one of Alaska’s most ambitious shore excursions. The tour lasts three hours and places two of Alaska’s most iconic experiences back-to-back.
Sloan describes the experience from personal testing. He once took his family of five on this excursion, spending more than $2,000, though he notes this was when pricing was half what it costs today. Prices increase annually.
The helicopter ride offers stunning views of the Juneau Icefield, weather permitting. Upon landing at the dogsledding camp, participants meet Alaskan huskies and their mushers, learn how mushing works, and ride a dog-pulled sled around the camp.
A weight surcharge applies to participants weighing over 250 pounds (fully clothed). Children must be at least two years old.
Whale Watching in Juneau Waters
The waters around Juneau are known for humpback whales, a reputation the tour operator backs with a whale-sighting guarantee. The four-hour excursion, including transfer time, launches from Juneau harbor in a dedicated whale-watching boat.
Participants may see humpback whales, harbor seals, and sea lions. Killer whales and porpoises are also possible sightings. The boat provides both indoor and outdoor viewing areas.
Large groups can arrange private boat charters for whale watching through many cruise lines or local operators.
Skagway: Mountains, Trains, and Rock
Skagway offers three distinct shore excursions ranging from leisurely to physically demanding.
The White Pass and Yukon Route Railway
This narrow-gauge railroad is Skagway’s signature attraction. The nearly three-hour journey follows a 20-mile route that climbs nearly 3,000 feet to the summit of White Pass, the headwaters of the Yukon River.
The route is designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Vintage railcars carry passengers through dramatic terrain featuring steep grades, wooden trestles, and curves that hug cliff faces.
Sloan, despite favoring more active excursions, ranks this among his all-time favorite Alaska shore experiences and considers it well worth the premium cost.
Beginner-Friendly Rock Climbing
A 3.25-hour climbing tour offers access to granite cliffs suitable for both beginners and experienced climbers. Experienced guides meet participants at the ship and drive them up the Klondike Highway to the climbing area.
Once there, guides provide all necessary equipment: climbing shoes, helmets, and harnesses. Participants scale a 70-foot-high wall under instruction and encouragement. The tour includes trail mix and hot chocolate. After reaching the top, climbers rappel back down.
No climbing experience is required. According to Sloan, his young daughters enjoyed the experience despite having no prior climbing background. Age restrictions require participants to be at least six years old. Weight limits are 50 to 300 pounds.
Train Ride Plus Wilderness Hike Combination
For those willing to spend nearly 10 hours on an excursion, combining a train ride with backcountry hiking offers extensive wilderness exposure. The tour begins with a transfer from the ship to the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway starting point.
Unlike passengers taking the standard scenic railway tour, this group exits the train at Glacier Station, approximately 14 miles inland. From there, a guided wilderness hike follows a trail along the Skagway River for 6 to 8 miles round-trip.
The hike culminates in views of Laughton Glacier.
Making Your Choice
The six excursions highlighted here appear in the lineups of every major cruise line operating in Alaska, though specific names and pricing vary. They concentrate in the three most-visited cruise ports: Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. Lesser-visited ports such as Sitka and Icy Strait Point offer additional tour options, though they did not make this ranking.
Source: The Points Guy Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book shore excursions in Alaska or can I explore independently?
Unlike destinations such as Barcelona or Sydney, most of Alaska's signature attractions—glaciers, fjords, and wildlife—lie outside town centers where you cannot reach them on foot. According to The Points Guy, most Alaska cruise passengers should book structured excursions to access the backcountry for each port visited.
What is the best way to book Alaska shore excursions?
The simplest method is booking through your cruise line on a pre-cruise online form or onboard. Many local tour operators are the same ones running the official cruise line excursions at identical prices. Calling operators directly sometimes yields discounts, though results vary.
How much should I budget for Alaska shore excursions?
Budget nearly as much per person for excursions as you might spend on your cabin. The most elaborate excursions cost over $2,000 for a family, while budget options such as the Mendenhall Glacier shuttle run $65–79 per person round-trip.
