Suite lovers will find that this is one older ship that has a Retreat Lounge and sundeck, as well as lighter and brighter dining rooms and public spaces. Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas docks in Juneau on July 23, 2021. Sitka, Angoon, Kake, and Haines are just a few Alaskan destinations with . Crew members were getting ready to tie up Royal Caribbeans Serenade of the Seas at Icy Strait Point in Hoonah on Thursday, July 22, 2021, the first large cruise ship to arrive in Southeast Alaska in over a year. This is a good introduction. The controversial "infinite verandas" on Celebrity Edge, where you lower a window for fresh air as opposed to stepping out, are actually a preferable style of room in cold regions. Boutique, small ship adventure cruises in Alaska's Inside Passage, Cruises depart from Whittier, a 1 hr drive from Anchorage. of Alaska. Some cruise passengers made their way to the gift shops downtown, like The Bears Lair, where employee Kaysa Korpela said shed already made some sales. The world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, can carry up to 7,000 passengers. The outdoor deck areas were also no frills, in my opinion, meant purely for savoring views and fresh air. Port Skagway (locode USSGY) is among the most popular Alaskan cruise ship stops. Also, yes. But Juneau isnt just a fun name to say, you know Carnival cruises to Juneau transport you to one of the most beautiful capital cities in America, with once-in-a-lifetime shore excursions that include walking on glaciers, whale watching, and hikes through the countrys last old-growth forests. Visit Margerie and Grand Pacific glaciers. Greg Pilcher prepared a dock-side booth to greet passengers and sell tours. The ship is sailing one-way trips between, , which gives you several more days in Alaska than round-trip itineraries from, or Vancouver. Sometimes it can be pretty hectic but today has been pretty easy to handle.. Brush up on local history with a visit to the Alaska State Museum, and cap off the day's adventures with a sampling of freshly caught salmon and locally sourced beer. Astounding ice-capped mountains welcome the cruising traveler to Juneau. I thought the breakfast menu was basic but cheap. Brush up on local history with a visit to the Alaska . First large cruise ship of the season docks in Alaska. It's half full. Red Dog waitress Emily Lange said the Red Dog is a different restaurant when the cruise ships come to town. Greg Pilcher was manning one of the booths for M&M Tours. Juneau welcomed 223% more cruise ship passengers during April compared to last year's season, followed by a 61% increase in May and a 46% increase in June, city data revealed Thursday . I didn't see many people sleeping here, but it's allowed, and for those that do, public showers and restrooms are available in the adjacent corridor. accessibility guidelines, You Tube. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire). Martinson promised cruisers who make it to Alaska this year "the warmest welcome of any warmest welcome that anyone has even gotten it is painted on my windows: We are so happy you're here. Juneau residents have mixed feelings about the ships arrival amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases. My order of oatmeal, toast, cinnamon bun, and coffee cost me around $8. We heard theres hardly anyone on board, he said. In 2024 and 2025, Celebrity Solstice moves from Seattle to Vancouver for its Alaska homeport, which offers a slightly better itinerary (although not nearly as good as you'll find on Celebrity Summit). The Royal Caribbean cruise ship is the first large cruise ship to come to Juneau since the pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 cruise ship season and delayed the 2021 season. Opens in a new window. To me, my journey on the Matanuska felt like a cruise with a difference, one that was less about a mega boat and its over-the-top offerings, and more about the journey and showcasing Alaska's diverse and mystical landscapes. The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Starting in Seattle, Washington; with stops in Vancouver, B.C. If you're on this itinerary, make sure you sign up for the small excursion boat trip that takes you closer to the glacier. Panoramic windows offered the chance for sporadic animal sightings and waving to passing cruise ships. Cruise ship still docked in San Francisco after hitting pier Even though it was summer, it was quite chilly outside, and the sun would set as late as 10 p.m. You can lower your window and take a photo quite easily, without having to put on a bunch of layers to step outside. It means, Welcome back, Juneau! It means our economy should be springing up from here. 2024 will mark the first time that Celebrity puts an Edge-class ship in Alaska. Travel Juneau 800 Glacier Avenue, Suite 201 Juneau, Alaska 99801. Which one is right for you? Cruises to Juneau, Alaska | Alaska Cruise | Holland America Line Cruises Instead of taking a long and expensive flight to Anchorage or Fairbanks, you can choose a cruise that sails round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver. As someone who has visited Juneau many times over the years while writing about the destination -- for about a decade, I co-wrote the Frommer's Alaska cruise guide -- I will tell you that the resulting emptiness of the town on Friday was like nothing I have ever seen. VIP Alaska's Whales & Glacier Rainforest Trails, Taku Lodge Feast & 5-Glacier Seaplane Discovery, Four Glacier Helicopter & Dogsled Adventure, Away We Go. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. It's possible to purchase a ticket to sleep in a chair on one of the various decks where there are also public showers and reclining sun-loungers, however, I wanted the comfort of a proper bed. Travel Juneau News Next. I keep tabs on whats happening in Juneaus classrooms for the families they serve and the people who work in them. Port. (Bridget Dowd / KTOO) The first large cruise ship to dock in Juneau since 2019 arrived Friday morning. Opens in a new window. The agreement is a shift from an at-times adversarial relationship that culminated in 2016 with the cruise association suing the city over its collection and use of cruise passenger taxes. Jeremy Schroeder was also aboard the Serenade of the Seas. But hes still hoping locals will come in and keep business going, on those rare summer nights when theres no cruise ship in port. 0:33. Without any major activities or digital connections, I settled into my ride and cracked open a book. Rough Waters on Alaska Cruise? - Ask a Cruise Question - Cruise Critic Martinson's store, Caribou Crossings, which specializes in jewelry, home items, sculptures and other art made by local Alaskan artists, was one of the busier shops in downtown Juneau on Friday. A: Attractions near Juneau Cruise Port: Alaska State Museum Juneau-Douglas City Museum Alaska State Capitol Building More Tours in Juneau Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Discover the optimal month due to daylight, temperature, and rain. The Bliss had around 2,000 passengers on board or 50% of the ships capacity. accessibility guidelines, Instagram. TAKE A HIKE Known as "the world's longest outdoor museum", Chilkoot Trail encompasses 33 miles of hiking trails. Laura McDonnell was among those gathered at the dock to meet them. The Royal Caribbean cruise ship is the first large cruise ship to come to Juneau since the pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 cruise ship season and delayed the 2021 season. I paid $282 for a private cabin on the 19-hour ride from Juneau to Ketchikan. The cruise calendar displays the ship's estimated time of arrival including related information such as how crowded is the port, as well as the ship's next port-of-call. The ship was returning from a 10-day cruise to Alaska, which had 3,328 guests and 1,159 crew members on board, none of whom were injured and all safely deboarded, according to Princess Cruises. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. As in Petersburg, we made a short stop in Wrangell as part of our sailing route. Im just excited for being busy all the time.. Serenade of the Seas, for instance, can carry up to 2,476 passengers with every berth filled. adventure. Get a Guide. Availability of commercial services likely to be reduced, public transportation negatively impacted. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. Find how many days you need based on what you want to see and do in Alaska. I was also told by crew that passengers who don't mind roughing it are actually allowed to pitch tents on the helipad, and often do, although I didn't see any takers on my trip. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Juneau Friday morning. 2-5 day small ship explorations. Car, train, or group tour. Arrive Anchorage June 01, 2016. On a recent sailing, we found the ship to be more tired than trendy, and it was missing some of the glamour that you find on Celebrity's newer or refurbished vessels. But tourism plays an outsized role in Juneau's economy. It had been 562 days since a cruise ship arrived according to Tyler Hickman, senior vice president of Icy Strait Point. Stop by the informative visitor center, then follow a hiking trail around the stony shores of Mendenhall Lake. Sailing a bigger and newer ship in Alaska comes with a tradeoff. Its pretty slow, Pilcher said. accessibility guidelines, Pinterest. Down the street, the Red Dog Saloon had just opened for the day and the employees werent wearing their usual street clothes. Cruise ships dock right in downtown (at Egan Drive) and you can explore on foot popular among tourists places like Red Dog Saloon, State Capitol, Governor's Mansion, Cultural Arts Park, Mount Roberts Goldbelt Tramway. But I had no trouble finding a seat. Why visiting Alaska's busiest cruise port, Juneau, is a bit surreal The upside is that you visit Hubbard Glacier instead of Dawes, which is generally easier to see from the ship, even if you don't take the extra (and expensive) small boat excursion that gets you closer to the glacier. The ship has been through a refurbishment program, however, that made it much more modern and in line with newer Celebrity vessels. Sailing a bigger and newer ship in Alaska comes with a tradeoff. Meetings; Centennial Hall Convention Center; Convention Services; Online RFI; Contact Us-Meetings; . accessibility guidelines. The cruise lines under the agreement commit to such things as keeping large outdoor screens turned off while in port, providing advance notice of ship schedules and supporting the use of up to $10 million in cruise ship passenger taxes for the proposed expansion of the Centennial Hall convention center. In fact, quite a few tables were filled with my fellow Serenade of the Seas passengers cracking open fresh-steamed Alaska king crab and washing it down with a locally brewed Alaskan Amber. The Radigans were on their way to see the Mendenhall Glacier and theyve already been on several whale watches and other wildlife excursions. April 19, 2023 2 min read The City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska and major cruise lines that call there have signed a Memorandum of Agreement to help manage visitor volume in the popular. Juneau's waters are a hot spot for humpback whales, and daily cruises afford the opportunity to witness these majestic creatures-a truly unforgettable experience. And meals at the cafeteria, the one venue available to me, were not included in the cost of my ticket as they often are on mega ships. Lingit Aani Kaa Kei Nas.ax Haa Yoo Xatangi, The first large cruise ship to dock in Juneau since 2019 arrived Friday morning. Free personal GPSdriven travel guide to Alaska. She said the passengers seemed excited to be there and most were just wandering around before going on tours later in the day. The downside is you still only visit three ports -- Juneau, Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan. Cruises to Juneau, Alaska . "It's devastating for the businesses, but for the visitors, it's incredible," Martinson said of the lack of crowds in Juneau right now. Representatives from Icy Strait Point, Royal Caribbean, the City of Hoonah and Alaska Native dancers greeted the Serenade of the Seas as it arrived in Hoonah on Thursday, July 22, 2021. The Radigans were on their way to see the Mendenhall Glacier and theyve already been on several whale watches and other wildlife excursions. The Royal Caribbean cruise ship is the first large cruise ship to come to Juneau since the pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 cruise ship season and delayed the 2021 season. On a recent trip to Alaska, I booked a cabin on an overnight ferry to see the Inside Passage. 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Port of Juneau, Alaska Live Ship / Marine Traffic - Cruising Earth The 60-year-old ship operates for passengers and cars on . If its 10 people were excited. I spotted porpoises, killer whales, bald eagles, sea lions and elk during the course of my voyage, and this portion was a real highlight. Former superintendent looks back at 39-year K-12 career, ahead to new job inspiring future teachers. She hadn't realized how much she missed seeing the visitors who come into her shop -- people who in some cases had waited their whole lives to see Alaska. The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, could appear over 17 U.S. states on July 13. This Southeast Alaska-based tour operator will leave you with anew definition of what it means to have aonce-in-a-lifetime Alaskan adventure. Mid-season passenger numbers show large cruise ships at - Juneau Empire The specialty restaurant. After two summers of little to no business, Juneaus tourist shops, tour operators and other local businesses are eager for visitors. As we sailed on, we came across the Alexander Archipelago,a cluster of over 1,100 islands speckling the jagged coast of the Alaskan panhandle. This is what the experts say. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire). Juneau Cruises | Activities and Itineraries Twitter. Find Juneau Cruise information and our list of activities, excursions and itineraries. To get there, I hopped on a public bus that meandered around several suburban neighborhoods before dropping me a little over a mile from the ferry terminal. Still, we think the extra time in Alaska and the ports that you get on this itinerary -- Icy Strait Point and on northbound trips, Sitka -- in addition to the usual stops of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway make this the best choice. Suite lovers will find that this is one older ship that has a Retreat Lounge and sundeck, as well as lighter and brighter dining rooms and public spaces. It was not meant to be a place for passengers to disembark to explore at their leisure, but rather for some to board, and others to leave for their final destination. Yes, we have what we call our summer outfit on, said Eric Forst, one of the bars owners. Schroeder said he and his family were planning to, take a helicopter tour out to the glacier if the weather held. Meetings . We're going to break them down for you so you can choose the best Celebrity ship for your needs. Find the right card for you. Where Do Cruise Ships Dock In Juneau Alaska Big ship or small ship? Where do cruise ships dock in Juneau (or tender) @ googlemaps Juneau Cruise Port Timezone AKST/AKDT Cruise ships in Juneau today Star Breeze Carnival Luminosa Carnival Spirit Norwegian Spirit Silver Muse Cruise ships in Juneau tomorrow Sapphire Princess Ovation Of The Seas Radiance Of The Seas Seven Seas Explorer Current Marine Traffic @ marinetraffic.com Juneau Marine Traffic Royal CaribbeansSerenade of the Seas arrived in Juneau around 7 a.m., carrying less than 650 guests and a little more than 800 crew members. So on a recent trip to Alaska where I wanted to see the scenic Inside Passage, I decided to book a private cabin on the diminutive MV Matanuska, a public ferry that zigzags through the same route as larger cruise ships. Aug 7, 2022, 10:04 AM PDT I sailed around Alaska on the the Celebrity Millennium. Alaska Native singers and dancers met passengers as they disembarked. Construction on the sites new gondola system continued through the pandemic and Thursdays passengers were able to be the first riders. The Serenade of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, berths in Hoonah on Thursday. Juneau (Alaska) cruise port schedule | CruiseMapper Princess cruise ship hits port while docking The Ruby Princess was wrapping up a 10-day round-trip cruise to Alaska and was attempting to dock when it smashed into a San Francisco pier Thursday . We wrote a couple tickets, which was great. Keeping tourist numbers down in Juneau this summer will be the fact that some cruise lines only are operating ships right now at partial capacity. A light mist and cloudy skies greeted the ship as it pulled in a few minutes ahead of schedule. I slept quite well thanks to the gentle motion of the waves, and found the room to be nice and quiet. Plenty of colorful displays and activities will still be available to Juneau. , Its more about the showmanship when the tourists come in. [Sign up for Alaska Public Medias daily newsletter to get our top stories delivered to your inbox.]. Live ship traffic in the Port of Juneau, Alaska is now centered in the port tracker below. A family of three were the first guests to step off the ship and were presented with gifts by staff. We planned this Alaska cruise like two years ago before the pandemic happened and it kept on getting canceled and canceled, said Russ Radigan. The downside is you still only visit three ports -- Juneau, Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan. A handful of people gathered on the pier to take pictures, and a few prepared to offer passengers shore excursions. Bereft of tour booths and jewelry shops, I thought the town retained an authentic local flavor that was markedly absent in major ports like Juneau and Ketchikan. If you're on this itinerary, make sure you sign up for the small excursion boat trip that takes you closer to the glacier. It's often the first port of call for cruise ships heading north from Canada, and it's the Totem pole capital of the world. Juneau residents have mixed feelings about the ships arrival amid an. For others, the recently arrived vessel was a source of concern as the delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading explosively. Listen: How Alaska cruise towns are handling COVID-19 arriving on ships Celebrity Solstice is the first of the line's Solstice-class and it has not received a major refurbishment. Tlingit totem poles, quirky clapboard houses, and a clutch of typically gritty Alaskan bars stood out to me on the quiet streets. MSC, Holland, Carnival and moredrop vaccination requirements for select sailings, World-famous wine, Dijon mustard from taps, What travelers need to know about tipping on a cruise, Around $2,200 for an 8-day, all-inclusive vacation, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The city administrator said there were so many people in town, computers slowed to a crawl and phones stopped working at City Hall. But Juneau isn't just a fun name to say, you know Carnival cruises to Juneau transport you to one of the most beautiful capital cities in America, with once-in-a-lifetime shore excursions that . Despite vaccine requirements for adult passengers, visitors came off the ship wearing masks and were being asked to wear masks indoors. Owners and operators in businesses around downtown greeted the return of the titanic vessels with hope for livelier days. Here, I spotted people congregating on comfortable seats and sofas to chat, playing cards, or falling asleep with their headphones glued to their ears.