Skagway Cruise Holidays

Skagway, Alaska, United States

The borough of Skagway is one the most popular cruise ports on the Alaskan Panhandle, thanks in part to the attractions on offer and also to its stunning location at the end of the Taiya Inlet.

The sail into the port see’s you slowly cruise down the Lynn Canal, the most northern fjord in the iconic Inside Passage into the heart of downtown Skagway.

That makes it a great destination to get up early, head upstairs to the top deck and take in the incredible views of mountains, glaciers and waterfalls before you get your first glimpses of the city itself.

The city was built up around the Klondike gold rush in the late 1800’s and whilst there have been lots of changes since then, the city does act as a time capsule to that period where visits can walk past numerous saloon’s on the high street and take a ride onboard the White Pass and Yukon railroad, which takes the route of early stampeders as they followed the Yukon river in the hope of finding gold.

Our Visit

We were lucky enough to visit the port in September 2018 on a round trip from Seattle onboard the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship, and what an adventure it was!

Alaska is simply an incredible place to cruise and thankfully Skagway doesn’t disappoint for a day ashore.

For our visit, we would take a short stroll from the cruise dock to the train for a trip up into the mountains, which is an experience we would really recommend anybody doing who visits the port.

Upon arriving back in Skagway, we would simply stroll around town and visit its main highlight streets, where grabbed some gifts and then visited the old trains station and museum.

From there we would simply stroll back around to the ship and whilst it doesn’t seem like much, when you are in a port such as Skagway where you are surrounded by incredible natural beauty and wildlife, you are constantly stopping to take it all in and to take photos.

Cruises To Skagway

Skagway Cruise Guide

In this guide we take you on all that you need to know about visiting the port of Skagway based on our own experience of visiting there on a cruise and also on the research we did before going there.

This guide is for those who are currently researching cruises of the Inside Passage and who are trying to decide on whether an itinerary with a stop in Skagway is right for them or not.

It is also for those who already booked an Alaskan cruise holiday that features a stop in Skagway and who want to make the most of their time on shore.

Type of Cruises Available

When it comes to cruise holiday with a stop in Skagway, there are 2 main differences in the options available.

The first option is a repositioning cruise that starts at one port and ends in another. There are a few options when it comes to this with the most common been cruises sailing between Anchorage and Seattle/Vancouver (or vice versa) and cruises ending or starting the Alaskan season by arriving or departing for Asia.

The second option is to choose a round trip journey from a nearby turnaround port such as Anchorage, Seattle or Vancouver. This option is great for those who want to add a hotel stay to their getaway with all 3 port cities offering plenty to do and international airports.

Skagway Cruise Port Location

The port of Skagway is located right in the heart of the downtown centre of the city but with so many ships choosing to dock there, there are currently 4 docks in use and spread around the bay.

Some of that is used for ferries (although smaller cruise ships will sometimes share that dock) and private vessels, so from a cruiser point of view it is the Railroad dock, the Broadway dock and the Ore dock that are mostly used.

The Broadway and Ore docks are located close to the main high street in the city and make you feel like your ship has become part of the town itself.

The Railroad dock is the largest and can be split into 2 when the port is busy. If you are the first docked, you can walk off your ship and straight onto the White Pass and Yukon railroad or it is just a short, flat walk into the main downtown area.

It is a slightly further walk if you are the 2nd ship but shuttles do operate for those with limited mobility.

Skagway Attractions

There is lots to do in the city but all of city’s attractions are based around its past as a gold rush town or the incredible Alaskan natural beauty.

The highlight of any visit is a ride on the White Pass and Yukon railway that wind it ways along cliff edges, through narrow tunnels and over wooden bridges all whilst following the route of early stampeders.

Whilst it is possible to ride on historic carriages pulled by a steam engine, most will travel on modern trains but the ride is no less impressive and really take you back in time to those early prospector days.

After your train journey, or if you are just enjoying the town itself whilst in port, there is a number of options for visitors to enjoy.

There is small museum about the train line and gold rush in the fromer train station building and also at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park visitor centre.

On the main high street, the Red Onion Saloon Brothel Museum gives an insight into ‘entertainment’ offered to stampeders and is a great place to grab a bite to eat and a drink.

The high street itself is an attraction and features a number of historic (and historic looking) buildings that are now everything from tourist gift shops to breweries.

If the natural beauty of the city is what has attracted you to visit there, there are a number of hiking trails that you can explore either the surrounding rainforest or head along the river.

The Gold Rush Cemetery is found near to the start of some trails and makes for an interesting walk around.

There are a few walks around town for those wanting to take an easier route including the Pullen Creek Stream Walk, or you can simply walk around the main street and near to the cruise docks where there are a number of statues, fountains and even some historic trains to view.

For us, one of the things we love about Skagway is the opportunity to grab a drink or something to eat once back onboard our cruise ship, find somewhere outside to sit and simply take in the stunning views that surround you.

Skagway Shorex

The main shore excursion offers by cruise ships is to take a ride on the railroad already discussed but if you prefer not to travel on the train, there is the opportunity to head into the Yukon on a minibus or coach tour.

If you are of limited mobility or if you would simply love a more insightful tour of the small city, there is a streetcar tour of Skagway offered.

For those wanting to head further afield, there is lots to do on the outskirts of the city including the chance to go panning for gold, visit the Klondike Summit Suspension Bridge, go dog sledding and for the more adventurous, there are white water rafting experiences on offer.

If you love animals, it is possible to go on boat rides to see whales and seals or you can head into the surrounding forests to see bears and eagles.

Best Time To Visit Skagway

The main cruise season in Alaska is between late April and early October but both early and late season holidays can see you experience poor weather, so we would recommend visiting during the summer months.

The peak period is July and August, so if you would prefer to avoid crowds in the small city, we would recommend heading there in late May to early July or in the first couple of weeks of September.

Transport

As one of the smaller ports of call out there, there is no need for visitors to use any sort of public transport whilst in Skagway and only limited options for those who live there.

If you have difficulties with mobility, the bus tours on offer are your best option.

Skagway Cruises From UK

Aside from a once in a blue moon World Cruise offered from the UK that calls into the port, you will need to fly to a North American cruse port such as Vancouver (Canada), Seattle (United States) or Anchorage (Alaska) to start your holiday.

Skagway Cruises From Southampton

If such a cruise does became available, it will more than likely be offered from either the port of Southampton or Dover.