Alaska Ports of Call

Ports of call brochures

Our Alaskan cruise included three port stops  —  Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. While we disembarked in all three cities, we didn't spend the entire port time in each. A brochure was left outside out stateroom before our arrival in each port, detailing the main downtown area and shopping. 

The first post of call was Skagway. The Noordam dropped anchor in the Taiya Inlet. Passengers then boarded a tender for transport to Skagway. Tenders are small watercraft used when a larger vessel can't dock directly at a pier to transfer people or supplies between a larger ship and the shore or between two ships. 

The above two cruise lines (Norwegian and Princess) were also visiting the port of Skagway the same day as our cruise ship, Holland America Noordam. 

Tender from Holland America Noordam going to Skagway

This was my first experience riding in a ship tender; the travel was quite smooth and surprisingly fast. Several tenders made trips back and forth from the cruise ship to the port. 

Skagway sprang to life during the gold rush of 1898, serving as the primary entry point for prospectors heading to Canada's gold fields. The port is known as the Garden City of Alaska as the city is rich in natural beauty. Much of the area has been preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

The downtown area features colorfully restored buildings from the gold rush era, preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Most visitors experience the gold rush atmosphere on Broadway Street, the town's main street. Much of the area has been preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

Red Onion Saloon, Skagway

The Red Onion Saloon, a former brothel and saloon, is the most famous historical building in Skagway. It now operates as a restaurant and brothel museum and has retained its historical appearance and artifacts from the Klondike Gold Rush era. 

As of the 2020 census, the population of Skagway was 1,240. This figures more than doubles during the summer tourist season due to the large number of tourists estimated in the thousands during summer cruise season. The tourist trade is a big part of business in Skagway. There were a total of three large cruise ships the day of our visit.

Street scene in downtown Skagway

Skagway was worth our short visit for its historical connection to gold rush history. During the 1898 Gold Rush, an estimated 40,000 stampeders passed through the settlement in search of gold. They lived amidst a backdrop of brothels and gunfights. Today, actors pose in period costumes along with storytelling park rangers. Most of the town's important buildings are managed by the National Park Service (NPS).

The port city of Juneau is the capital of Alaska and is named the French-Canadian gold prospector Joseph Juneau from Quebec who discovered gold in the region in 1880 along with his partner Richard Harris. This discovery that led to the city's founding. It was formerly called Rockwell and then Harrisburg before being officially renamed Juneau in 1881 by miners. It's been the political capital of Alaska since 1900.

Juneau is unique among U.S. state capitals in that there are no roads connecting the city to the rest of the state or to the contiguous U.S. (Another state capital not connected to the continental U.S. is Honolulu, Hawaii.) The absence of a road network is due to the rugged terrain that surrounds the city. Juneau is in effect an island city in terms of transportation as all goods coming in and out are transported by plane or boat despite the city's location on the Alaskan mainland.

Red Dog Saloon, Juneau, AK

The Red Dog Saloon is a historic and popular spot located on South Franklin Street, known for its mining-era memorabilia, live music, and legendary Duck Fart shot. It's a lively, crowded and popular tourist attraction, featuring a sawdust-covered floor, a small stage, and an array of animal heads and historical artifacts.

Street scenes in downtown Juneau

Downtown Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau across the channel from Douglas Island. As of the 2020 census, the city and borough had a population of over 32,000. It's the third-most populous city in Alaska after Anchorage and Fairbanks; however, it's the sixth-least populous U.S. state capital. From May through September, Juneau has a daily influx of over 20,000 cruise ship visitors.

Juneau is recognized for its glacial landscapes, including the Mendenhall Glacier, as well as its rich gold mining history which led to the city's founding. It's also where we saw some wildlife in the form of an eagle, llama and bear.

Ketchikan, which is recognized as the salmon capital of the world, is located in the heart of the Tongass National Forest, the largest in the U.S. It's is also known for being very rainy with an average annual rainfall of over over 200 inches. Its population at the 2020 census was nearly 8,200 making it the sixth-most populous city in Alaska.

Our first view of Ketchikan, AK, and ourselves taken from the deck of the Noordam.

Ketchikan Creek and seal

Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek, which flows through the town, emptying into the Tongass Narrows a short distance southeast of its downtown. It's also known as Alaska's first city due to its strategic position at the southern tip of the Inside Passage, connecting the Gulf of Alaska to Puget Sound.

Tour buses and visitors converged at the Ketchikan docks 

Each year, Ketchikan hosts about 1 million cruise ship visitors, which turns the town into a crush of tourists. Tour buses lined the dock area when our cruise ship, and several others, arrived in port. 

A totem pole in Ketchikan, AK

Another recognizable feature in Ketchikan are its colorful totem poles. Regretfully, it rained quite heavily during our visit, and we returned to the cruise ship.

Holland America Noordam docked in Ketchikan

Time was spent cruising when the ship was not in a port. The next (and final) post about our Alaska anniversary adventure will highlight some areas explored on the ship. As this was my first-ever cruise, hopefully not last cruise, I was interested in seeing as much as possible onboard the Noordam.

As always, thanks to everyone for coming along on this adventure. Patrick and myself appreciate your visit and comments.