Alaska Cruise by Alaska Marine Highway

Interesting NY Times article on cruising Ak on Alaska Marine Highway ferries -

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/travel/alaska-inside-passage-john-muir-ferries.html?hpw&rref=travel&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well

In my opinion, if you want to cruise AK, the ferries are the best way to do it. I have done Alaska by cruise ship and by ferry and the ferries give you a much better Alaska experience.

DON

I’ve done both and I disagree. Ferries often dock miles from town in the middle of the night. Without a car, you are stuck at the terminal. When the ferry docks at 1am and leaves at 4am, you don’t get to see anything of the town. It is also way more expensive to go by ferry. Cost of a ticket Bellingham to Whittier is around $700, which doesn’t include a stateroom or meals. A cabin with bunk beds and the toilet down the hall is around $600 and bringing your car will be around $1500, for a total of $3500 for two plus food. You can get a pretty nice cruise for that.

I think it would be interesting to plan a trip to SE Alaska using the Alaska Marine Highway for those folks who are interested in staying in a community for several days (in contrast to port calls). But they would also need to be fairly flexible in their travels as the AMH can cancel and alter sailings depending on weather and sea condtitions.

I’ve done both and I disagree. Ferries often dock miles from town in the middle of the night. Without a car, you are stuck at the terminal. When the ferry docks at 1am and leaves at 4am, you don’t get to see anything of the town. It is also way more expensive to go by ferry. Cost of a ticket Bellingham to Whittier is around $700, which doesn’t include a stateroom or meals. A cabin with bunk beds and the toilet down the hall is around $600 and bringing your car will be around $1500, for a total of $3500 for two plus food. You can get a pretty nice cruise for that.

You are looking at the Marine Highway from the viewpoint of a cruise ship passenger where you spend one day in a port and where you expect amenities. I too have done AK several ways - large cruise ship, small ship w 50 passengers, marine highways and an extended DIY land trip. You don't experience AK on a larger ship. You experience the cruise ship. My best ways to do AK in order of best to least best would be DIY land, Marine Highways, small ship and cruise ship. I would agree that I have also listed my options in order from least to most expensive but I travel for the experience and not for the cheapest trip.

DON

You are looking at the Marine Highway from the viewpoint of a cruise ship passenger where you spend one day in a port and where you expect amenities. I too have done AK several ways - large cruise ship, small ship w 50 passengers, marine highways and an extended DIY land trip. You don't experience AK on a larger ship. You experience the cruise ship. My best ways to do AK in order of best to least best would be DIY land, Marine Highways, small ship and cruise ship. I would agree that I have also listed my options in order from least to most expensive but I travel for the experience and not for the cheapest trip.

 

DON

Got this wrong. I should have said "from most to least expensive". DIY is most expensive. Cruise ship is least expensive. Sorry.

DON