Alaska Cruise - Day 3 and 4, Ketchikan (cont'd) Tracy Arm, and Juneau

Yesterday afternoon in Ketchikan, I went for a jog/hike on the Rainbird trail and then back through town (by a Safeway which is 3/4th of a mile from the ship), with a stop in the Bawden Street Brewery.  Being from Colorado and a home brewer, I have to say their beer was fair at best but the spot is nice. At 345, the captain released the lines, hit reverse, spun us very quickly and we were on our way to Tracy Arm and Juneau. As we left, we discovered the Amsterdam's informal bridge observation area which I'll provide a video on how to get there later.

This morning we woke to mostly cloudy skies as we entered Tracy Arm but the lighting was perfect for some very ethereal photos of the fjord.  I'll let the pictures so the talking. We made it pretty far in but not quite to the glacier view spot because a Princess ship was further in and needed room to turn around.  

We've just docked in Juneau and will be heading out for a hike up Mt Roberts and a free more brewery visits.

More Amsterdam/Alaska Tips

• The women's restroom on deck 5 aft, starboard side is quite impressive.  I've not been in it, however, the reactions by women walking in are entertaining and range from "holy s…" to "that's the nicest bathroom I've seen in a while"
• Regardless of which glacier or fjord you see, they are all one-way routes meaning you get just as good of a view when leaving.  Avoid the crowds and wind and watch from the aft outer decks as you sail out.
• Some of the best views on the Amsterdam are from the Lido "bump out" edges which are booth tables that seat 8.

Easy, Simple, and Cheap (even Family Friendly) Alaska Activies

It's no secret that Alaska excursions are expensive!  If you don't book early, you often run the risk of not having any tours.  In the event that happens OR you just want to save some money, here are some tips for inexpensive or free ways to spend your days.

• Ketchikan: There is 1 easy trail to hike near town.  The  Rainbow trail accessed off of 3rd ave and is short, close in, and has nice views in spots and rougly parallels 3rd ave.  You could make a loop and walk back through town.  Ketchikan is pretty wet, so bring the rain gear you might need.
• Skagway: If you really want to get up to White Pass and the train is sold out, you can rent a car - however Avis is the only company in town, and accordingly, its not cheap.  I quick check for a 6 hour rental with 3 ships in town took the price to $160.  It's 22 miles from downtown Skagway to the Canadian border post which is about 8 miles past the border.  There are places here and there along the ride to pull over and see the view.  Its about 65 miles from Skagway to the next town, Carcross.  You need to bring your passports/birth certificates to cross the border.  
• Alternatively if you are traveling with kids, there is a great playground in Skagway called "Mollie Walsh Park" and is near a museum.  Both can be accessed by walking up Broadway and heading east on 6th Ave.  
• There are also a handful of trails from easy to strenuous on this map.
• Juneau has the famous Mt Roberts Tram which charges $35 for adults and $18 for kids!  But you can get the tram ride down for $10 if you hoof it up the mountain. This is one of the better "cruise" hikes from some overgrown stairs at the end of 6th street at Nelson St.  From there its about a 1.8mile, somewhat steep, hike up to the top gondola station. If you hike up to the station and buy something in the gift shop, i believe the ride is free.
• Victoria: These water taxis are a lot of fun https://victoriaharbourferry.com/water-taxi/.  Unfortunately they close around 9 or dusk (whichever is earlier), so if you can get off the ship quickly and get downtown (15 min walk), you might be able to make a quick ride in one.  Last time we were there Victoria had new double decker buses running between the pier and downtown, however don't count on a short wait if there are more than 1 ship in town.  Alternatively, we've enjoyed walking out of the port and taking a right on Dallas Road.  There's a long breakwater shortly outside of the port you can walk along, or just along the seawall is nice to Beacon Hill Park which is large and has lots of walking paths.
• Seattle: Here is a great program that the Port of Seattle provides for free  https://www.portseattle.org/page/port-valet-enjoy-seattle-luggage-free.  Basically they check your bag in and all the way to your home airport so you can wander Seattle - and of course buy more things :)

Finding Cruise Ships on Google Maps - Alaska

Sometimes it's useful to find ships on Google Maps satellite views to see how the upper decks look, or where ships usually dock in a certain port.  Here's a list with links to ships docked or in transit on Alaskan Itineraries in the current version of Google Maps satellite view.

Skagway - Norwegian Sun - 2015


Glacier Bay (Tarr Inlet) - Unidentified Vista Class ship, before some upgrades - 2014


Glacier Bay (John Hopkins Inlet) - Volendam or Zaandam - 2015


Sitka - Regent Seven Seas (unidentified) - 2019


Juneau - Silver Seas ship (unidentified), Celebrity Infinity class, Island Princess, Voyager of the Seas class - 2016


Ketchikan - Silver Seas ship (unidentified), Disney Wonder, Oceania R class (enroute) - 2018


Vancouver - Disney Wonder and Norwegian Pearl/Jewell - 2018


Seattle - Voyager Class ship - 2018