How much of Ketchikan can you see in one port call? Princess says most ships spend six to eight hours in port, and Holland America says most Ketchikan itineraries spend between four and eight hours there. Visit Ketchikan says most tours and attractions can be enjoyed in four hours or less, so the trick is picking a few stops and leaving the rest.
This guide is the plan for that one day. For how Ketchikan compares with the other stops on the route, see our Alaska cruise ports of call guide.
Where You Step Off
The City of Ketchikan says the port has four Panamax-sized cruise berths, numbered in order along the downtown waterfront from south to north. Visit Ketchikan lists Piers 1 through 4 plus Doyon Landing, which it says typically accommodates smaller overnight ships, and says Ward Cove has a single pier approximately 5.5 miles from downtown.
Holland America says its ships dock directly along the downtown waterfront, and Princess says its guests usually step off the ship onto Front Street. Visit Ketchikan keeps a cruise ship calendar for your ship's dock and warns that last-minute changes to the schedule sometimes occur, so check it before you go.
Start at the Visitors Center
Visit Ketchikan's own day plan starts at the Ketchikan Visitors Center, where it says you can pick up a complimentary travel guide and walking tour map. Its cruise travelers page adds that tours can be booked on the day at the Visitors Center on Berth 2 or at any of its kiosks on the docks.
A Morning on Foot
Creek Street is the closest stop. Royal Caribbean calls it a 10-minute walk from the port, and Holland America describes a street built on stilts over a wide river that was Ketchikan's red-light district and, during Prohibition, the place to find a clandestine saloon. Holland America points to Dolly's House Museum, both Holland America and Royal Caribbean describe the historic Creek Street boardwalk, and Holland America says Ketchikan Creek turns black with thousands of salmon in late summer. Visit Ketchikan's plan walks the Salmon Walk Trail through downtown and along Creek Street.
For a roof over your head, Visit Ketchikan lists the Totem Heritage Center, the Tongass Historical Museum and the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center among its museums. Royal Caribbean says the Discovery Center offers indoor exhibits and award-winning films, and that it's one of several indoor activities for a rainy day. Royal Caribbean also puts the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show just steps from the cruise port.
Out to the Totems
Two totem parks sit outside downtown. Princess says Saxman Native Village is about two miles south of downtown, with carving demonstrations and Tlingit dance performances. Holland America describes a carving center and a dance show at Saxman, and says you can gaze up at 25 towering totems in the park.
Princess places Totem Bight State Historical Park a few miles north. Royal Caribbean says you can tour reconstructed clan houses and see fourteen historic totem pole replicas there, and Holland America calls it one of the region's most photographed cultural sites. Princess offers excursions to both, and Visit Ketchikan suggests renting a car for areas less accessible by foot or public transit.
The Big Option: Misty Fjords
Princess says Misty Fjords National Monument sprawls across 2.3 million acres east of the city, isn't visible from the dock, and takes a floatplane or boat excursion. Holland America puts it about 40 miles east of town and recommends a high-speed catamaran trip, noting that John Muir called it the "Yosemite of the North."
Visit Ketchikan says you can book a tour through your ship or directly with the tour company in advance.
Plan Around the Rain
Princess says Ketchikan gets more than 140 inches of rain a year, usually light and misty, and that the cruise season runs May through September, with May and June generally the driest months. It adds that most excursions, including floatplane tours, run in light rain. Royal Caribbean says damp weather is possible and that there are plenty of indoor activities. Our Alaska cruise packing list covers the rain gear.
Three Ways to Spend the Day
- Short call, all on foot: Visitors Center, Creek Street, the salmon walk, and one museum.
- One excursion plus downtown: a Saxman or Totem Bight tour in the morning, then Creek Street.
- The Misty Fjords day: a floatplane or boat trip, with time left for a walk down Creek Street.
Match the choice to your ship's call times and the weather, and check your cruise line's port page for the final word on where you dock. For first-time planning advice, our Alaska cruise tips for first-timers is the place to start.
