Are you cruising to Skagway, Alaska? Many cruise lines have ships that include Skagway as a part of their itinerary. Are you wondering what to do while your ship is docked in Skagway? This blog post will cover some things for you to consider doing during your day in Skagway, provide links for further research, and provide some general tips to remember while you are enjoying your day in Skagway, Alaska.
Pre-Cruise: Things to Do Before Your Cruise To Plan For Your Day in Skagway
1. Pack For Alaska - In many of my previous posts about Alaska I emphasized that the weather can be warm in Alaska and also cold. Check the weather forecast every few days before you leave for your cruise to see what the temperature is expected to be for the day. Use different weather websites because some websites are probably more accurate than others. If the temperature is going to be cold you will probably want clothes that will keep you warm. However, you will also want to have some clothes you would wear in warm weather in case the temperature changes in the opposite direction. Having the wrong type of clothes could result in discomfort or you may have to buy a t-shirt or a jacket from one of the local shops.
2. Weather - I just mentioned above that you should check the weather for temperatures. You also need to know the chance of rain for the day. If there is a chance of rain you might want to have a backup plan or purchase refundable excursions. Make sure you know the limitations on your excursions and what happens if there is rain. Check the weather constantly, use different websites to look up information, and be prepared for rain or shine! My port days during my Carnival Miracle cruise had a large chance of rain and it ended up not raining at all at any of my ports of call! Hopefully you will be lucky and have a nice port day in Skagway!
3. Order A Skagway Brochure From The Visitor's Bureau - Before I cruised I ordered a brochure from the Skagway Visitor's Bureau. The brochure I received helped me better plan my day in Skagway. For information on ordering the brochure please visit this website: Click Here The link will open in a new window. The Visitor's Bureau website also has some other helpful information.
4. See What Shore Excursions Your Cruise Line Offers - If you are thinking about taking an excursion look at your cruise line's website to see what Skagway excursions they offer.
1. Pack For Alaska - In many of my previous posts about Alaska I emphasized that the weather can be warm in Alaska and also cold. Check the weather forecast every few days before you leave for your cruise to see what the temperature is expected to be for the day. Use different weather websites because some websites are probably more accurate than others. If the temperature is going to be cold you will probably want clothes that will keep you warm. However, you will also want to have some clothes you would wear in warm weather in case the temperature changes in the opposite direction. Having the wrong type of clothes could result in discomfort or you may have to buy a t-shirt or a jacket from one of the local shops.
2. Weather - I just mentioned above that you should check the weather for temperatures. You also need to know the chance of rain for the day. If there is a chance of rain you might want to have a backup plan or purchase refundable excursions. Make sure you know the limitations on your excursions and what happens if there is rain. Check the weather constantly, use different websites to look up information, and be prepared for rain or shine! My port days during my Carnival Miracle cruise had a large chance of rain and it ended up not raining at all at any of my ports of call! Hopefully you will be lucky and have a nice port day in Skagway!
3. Order A Skagway Brochure From The Visitor's Bureau - Before I cruised I ordered a brochure from the Skagway Visitor's Bureau. The brochure I received helped me better plan my day in Skagway. For information on ordering the brochure please visit this website: Click Here The link will open in a new window. The Visitor's Bureau website also has some other helpful information.
4. See What Shore Excursions Your Cruise Line Offers - If you are thinking about taking an excursion look at your cruise line's website to see what Skagway excursions they offer.
Attractions: Things To Consider Doing During Your Day in Skagway, Alaska
Ride Aboard The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad
A popular shore excursion in Skagway is taking a train ride aboard the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad. Many cruise lines offer shore excursions that include a ride one of this railroad's trains. For more information about this attraction/excursion please visit the railroad company's website: Click Here
I was not able to go on this excursion during my Carnival Miracle Alaska cruise in June 2013. I heard that many passengers enjoyed this excursion and the scenery that they saw from the train. Since my cruise I have used the railroad company's website to research their routes. The pictures that I have below are from some of my family members who have been on this train ride excursion during their Coral Princess Alaska cruise.
Here are some pictures:
A popular shore excursion in Skagway is taking a train ride aboard the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad. Many cruise lines offer shore excursions that include a ride one of this railroad's trains. For more information about this attraction/excursion please visit the railroad company's website: Click Here
I was not able to go on this excursion during my Carnival Miracle Alaska cruise in June 2013. I heard that many passengers enjoyed this excursion and the scenery that they saw from the train. Since my cruise I have used the railroad company's website to research their routes. The pictures that I have below are from some of my family members who have been on this train ride excursion during their Coral Princess Alaska cruise.
Here are some pictures:
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Shop in the Local Shops
Skagway, Alaska, contains many shops that are only a short walk from your cruise ship. I am not going to mention any particular shops in the port because there are many. You will find a variety of t-shirt shops and shops that contain things that say "Skagway" or "Alaska".
Cautionary Tip Regarding Shopping: Some items are identical across multiple shops! Some stores will charge differently for the same item. Be careful to make sure you are not paying more!
Skagway, Alaska, contains many shops that are only a short walk from your cruise ship. I am not going to mention any particular shops in the port because there are many. You will find a variety of t-shirt shops and shops that contain things that say "Skagway" or "Alaska".
Cautionary Tip Regarding Shopping: Some items are identical across multiple shops! Some stores will charge differently for the same item. Be careful to make sure you are not paying more!
Look At Rock Art AKA "Graffiti"
Besides walking around Skagway this is one of my favorite things to see in the town. If you dock on the Railroad Dock in Skagway you will docked right next to this. If you dock at the other dock you probably won't get to see this. There are many drawings on the rocks that represent many of the ships and cruise lines that have docked in Skagway, Alaska. All of the art on the rocks is different and it is neat to see how far back some of the years go . If your camera has a zoom you can try to get some good pictures of the art on the rocks.
Please note that when a train is in on the Railroad Dock your view of this will be limited. For good pictures you might want to time getting on or off the ship when a train is not in. Here are some more pictures:
Besides walking around Skagway this is one of my favorite things to see in the town. If you dock on the Railroad Dock in Skagway you will docked right next to this. If you dock at the other dock you probably won't get to see this. There are many drawings on the rocks that represent many of the ships and cruise lines that have docked in Skagway, Alaska. All of the art on the rocks is different and it is neat to see how far back some of the years go . If your camera has a zoom you can try to get some good pictures of the art on the rocks.
Please note that when a train is in on the Railroad Dock your view of this will be limited. For good pictures you might want to time getting on or off the ship when a train is not in. Here are some more pictures:
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Skagway, Alaska Tips: Keep These Things in Mind During Your Day in Skagway
1. Don't walk on the railroad tracks.
2. Don't walk in the middle of the street. There are some cars and buses that need to use the road.
3. As I mentioned earlier some shops will carry identical items. The prices may not be identical. Make sure you are not paying a higher price than another store. Maybe look in many shops before buying any items.
4. Have a tote bag to carry items in. You might buy multiple items and need to put them in something to carry them around.
5. Keep track of your ship's schedule and stay on ship's time. Make sure you are onboard the ship before the designated "Be Back Onboard By" time.
Enjoy Skagway, Alaska!
Click To Go To RyG's Guide to Alaska [Still on This Website]
The attractions on this page are not advertisements and are included because my family members or I have experienced these attractions. This information is subject to change any time. Please check out and do research yourself before making any decisions regarding excursions or attractions.
1. Don't walk on the railroad tracks.
2. Don't walk in the middle of the street. There are some cars and buses that need to use the road.
3. As I mentioned earlier some shops will carry identical items. The prices may not be identical. Make sure you are not paying a higher price than another store. Maybe look in many shops before buying any items.
4. Have a tote bag to carry items in. You might buy multiple items and need to put them in something to carry them around.
5. Keep track of your ship's schedule and stay on ship's time. Make sure you are onboard the ship before the designated "Be Back Onboard By" time.
Enjoy Skagway, Alaska!
Click To Go To RyG's Guide to Alaska [Still on This Website]
The attractions on this page are not advertisements and are included because my family members or I have experienced these attractions. This information is subject to change any time. Please check out and do research yourself before making any decisions regarding excursions or attractions.