Kodiak and Sitka-what to do?

[Panama Mom-Mom]

We are trying to finalize our excursions and are stuck on Kodiak and Sitka.

Traveling to Alaska-June 1.

Since Sitka is a tender port, are there times when the ship will not stop because of the weather?

Hope to purchase Russian stack dolls and totem polls for the grandkids, and want to do that in Sitka.

Would like to see as much as possible, but just can't decide on what to do.

Help!

[CruiserBruce]

Have you done any research on the Alaska board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

[TiogaCruiser]

It sounds like you are on the 14 day trip we took last year. It is fantastic!

 

Kodiak is a rather short stop. It is not really a tourist town. We booked a hike through Ft Ambercrombie with HAL. I highly recommend it. If mobility is an issue, there was a bus tour that also went through a part of the park. A family in our rollcall booked a cab and did the park on their own. Don't miss sail away- you will pass through some of the most spectacular area. Kodiak is a gem. Take a good look at that airport - heeheehee. Pilots using it better not say "oops".

 

Sitka: do not miss sail in. It is so spectacular. Try to be out or in crows nest by the time you enter the sound ( maybe 2 hours before docking). We took a wildlife boat thru HAL with Allen marine. Saw lots of otter, whales, otter, birds, otter...... They're so cute! Landed on another part of the island and got to see marine life ( huge starfish and friends) and walk into the peat woods. Well worth it. Walked through some of the town then we rented bikes and headed east toward sugarloaf Mtn. It was beautiful. There is a park with totems in it if you are interested. We did not get to the church.

 

You might take a look for the totems for the grand kids in Ketchikan. There are several places. Also 3 places to see collections of totems. Saxman, totem bight and the native heritage center. There are several individual ones in town. You can take the public bus to totem bight for less than $2.50/pp round trip. Download a copy of the tour in PDF format from the web before you go.

 

In Sitka I found a great little shop about 2 blocks to the left of the church as you stand with the harbor at your back and facing the church. It is on the corner and on the church side.

 

Don't miss sail away from Homer. You will follow the Kenai for several hours.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not much to see in Kodiak -- we just did a tour showing the various places. In town there are only a couple of stores. There is a wildlife museum -- small -- but nice.

In Sitka we have also done the Wildlife and Sea Otter excursion a couple of times. We booked the morning one. Their boat actually comes out to the ship to pick you up if you are on the morning tour. We saw lots of wildlife -- one time we saw quite a few whales. The boat drops you off in town -- it does not bring you back to the ship. This gives you plenty of time to walk around and shop. There is a very nice little Russian shop not far from the church. If you want to do the Raptor center -- it is too far to walk -- take a taxi.

We have never missed a stop at Sitka.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Sitka is lovely - been there four times (and would live there if life permitted;)). Great town to walk around - lots of authentic Alaskan shops, gorgeous harbor studded w/small islands, the Totem Park is peaceful and a great place to walk to (if you do, be sure to stop at the small volunteer aquarium along the waterfront - lovely!), and the Raptor Center is also a great place to visit to see those magnificent birds of prey, up close and personal. Grab a reindeer sausage from the food cart in town for lunch - delicious!

 

We enjoy marine wildlife excursions in Sitka - have been with Capt. Davey (www.puffinsandwhales.com) on his small 6 passenger boat. It was a great 3 hours on the water - saw a ton of eagles, puffins, sea otters and our very first gray whale(!) - loved it!.

 

This past Aug. Capt. Davey was unfortunately booked the day we were in port, so he recommended Capt. Jim Seeland who also has a small, 6 passenger boat. So we went with him and had another wonderful trip.

 

The first year sailing to Sitka on HAL Oosterdam, we booked the 4X4 excursion thru the ship and had a blast! Really lots of fun, and the boat ride over to the island where we picked up the 4X4's was like an excursion in itself - we saw a boat load (pun intended) of sealife on the way over and back.

 

Kodiak is special as well - would like to spend more time there (have visited it twice on HAL's 14 day itinerary). The first time, we shared the cost of a cab w/others from our Roll Call, went out to Ft. Abercrombie, visited some of the local museums, etc. and had them drop us off in town to walk back to the ship along the waterfront. This past year, we booked a 3 hour excursion with Dake from Memorymakers with another couple from our Roll Call. It was great - highly informative (Dake is such a character!), and he showed us all around - up to the wind turbines on top of the mountain for stunning views of the town and the Amsterdam in port, out to Ft. Abercrombie for brief hikes, and "out the road" to look for bears feeding in the creeks (alas, we weren't lucky, no bruins, but fun to look for them just the same). Afterwards, we walked thru the small village craft market in town, had lunch at a pub by the harbor, then spent some time at the Kodiak Brewery on the walk back to the ship. My niece's boyfriend GREATLY enjoyed that stop!:)

 

TC is absolutely correct in urging you to be on deck for sail-in and sailaway from Sitka, Kodiak and Homer. It is wonderous to view the amazing scenery, the volcanoes in the background, the majestic mountains, and all the wildlife. You are really in for a treat on this itinerary. Enjoy every moment!

[RuthC]

I've been to Sitka several times, and will be in Kodiak for the second time this year. I've never failed to get in to Sitka; tendering is smooth there.

In Sitka you will easily be able to get the Russian nesting dolls, as that was a Russian stronghold, and the culture is emphasized.

But there is so much else to do there! I loved St. Michael's Church, and touring the Bishop's House. The Sheldon Jackson Museum is well worth the time, and is on the way to the totem park.

If you have time and interest, the Archangel Dancers put on a great show of Russian folk dances.

I took the Wildlife & Sea Otter excursion, and saw more than I could have dreamed of. I also took the underwater boat trip (can't recall the name of it). Looking out the underwater windows revealed a world I'm not used to. There were also critters available for hands-on experience. What fun!

 

Kodiak is not built up as a tourist town, and that's all to the good. There is a nice little (emphasis on "little") Russian museum, where you could probably also purchase those nesting dolls. We toured a Russian church, and had a stop at another hands-on aquarium. That was neat! :) The stop at the fort gave us plenty of time to tour the WWII museum that's there. Remember, Alaska was within tempting distance of Japan during the War; the Aleutians were invaded.

 

Have a great time on this cruise.

[guestyguestyguesty]

Sitka. A short walk from the pier is the Russian cemetery. Not well cared for, overgrown and kind of creepy cool. Lots of big trees and ferns.

[WriterOnDeck]

In sitka I loved the raptor center. You can take the HOHO bus, and then walk back if you want (it is uphill to get there and downhill coming back). Come back through the totem pole park -- lovely wooded walk and great to see the totem poles there in the "wild."

[Panama Mom-Mom]

We are getting some really good advise and you all are making it much easier for us.

We have been watching this 14 day cruise for several years and are getting so excited, even dream about it at night and haven't been there yet. Can't wait for May 31, that's when we fly West.

Thank you all again.

[Himself]

When I was in Kodiak last July, I just walked around town. I did stop in a museum. I wanted to check out the Russian Orthodox Church but there was a Divine Liturgy going on at the time.

 

Sitka is a town I love. I have caught the raptor center many times. I just love to walk through the town and enjoy the sites. The Orthodox Cathedral is always a stop for me. There is a drug store in town with a soda foundain and a "soda-jerk" that knows how to make a chocolate soda like they did when I was a boy. I am not getting to Sitka this year and I am quite sad about it.

[gsebast]

In Sitka, we walked the town and then took a tour that went around the town, to a museum that was very interesting, the Russian church, and ended with a performance of Russian dancers (this was near the tender dock)

 

In Kodiak, we took a tour that included a Russian Tea at a church. It as great- Russian music by a group of local people dressed in traditional garb, and the tea was almost a lunch. The tour made several stops, but we too (as a prior post said) could not go into the main Russian church as it was during a service. We did visit a small church at the Seminary and a priest gave information of the Russian church.

 

All in all we really enjoyed both places. Both tours were from HAL

 

George and Louise in Sun City Huntley

[Wakepatrol]

In Sitka I would go to the raptor center grab a cup of chowder in town then take a trip with Davey on the Esther G . You can google Davey,super guy and phenomenal scenery and only 6-10 people on your excursion versus the ships that has over 100 people.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are 2 anchor areas in Sitka -- Cresent Bay and down by O'Connell's Bridge.

If you end up down at O'Connell's Bridge -- we have a couple of times -- last year there was a free shuttle running back and forth from the pier to MacDonald's store/tiny shopping mall. It was operated by the Bayview Pub -- we ate there -- hugh sandwiches -- but too greasy for me. This used to be where the Russian Tea House was.

 

[fleckle]

In Sitka, we greatly enjoyed our wildlife boat tour with Captain Davey on the Esther G.

Can contact him at

 

info@puffinsandwhales.com

 

 

In Kodiak, we had a nice land tour with Dake Schmidt of Memory Makers

Contact at

dakenak@yahoo.com

 

Here are some sites for info on things to do at those ports

 

Sitka Alaska Convention & Visitors Bureau: About Sitka

 

Sitka: The Unofficial Walking Tour

 

Kodiak Island, Alaska - Official Visitors Guide

 

[Nancyquilts]

If there's anyone in your group over 62, have them bring their Golden Age pass for free entrance into the Bishop's House and the totem pole park at the end of the road. IMHO, the Sheldon Jackson museum is the best for native artifacts anywhere, and the raptor center is outstanding.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Hey Fleckle - great minds think alike;)! Both Dake and Capt. Davey.....I like your style, my friend!:D

[Bellair]

We are trying to finalize our excursions and are stuck on Kodiak and Sitka.

Traveling to Alaska-June 1.

Since Sitka is a tender port, are there times when the ship will not stop because of the weather?

Hope to purchase Russian stack dolls and totem polls for the grandkids, and want to do that in Sitka.

Would like to see as much as possible, but just can't decide on what to do.

Help!

 

This video link should provide you with a short insight of these ports:

 

Video highlights of the Volendam Northern Explorer cruise from Kobe,Japan to Vancouver,Canada via Busan, South Korea, Vladivostok & Petropavlosk,Russia, Kodiak Island & Sitka (via Inside Passage) Alaska May 2-17, 2011.

[uppitycats]

We are trying to finalize our excursions and are stuck on Kodiak and Sitka.

Traveling to Alaska-June 1.

Since Sitka is a tender port, are there times when the ship will not stop because of the weather?

Hope to purchase Russian stack dolls and totem polls for the grandkids, and want to do that in Sitka.

Would like to see as much as possible, but just can't decide on what to do.

Help!

 

Is this cruise the one on the Amsterdam? If so, we'll be there too, and there is a roll call established for this cruise, on this site!

 

Lots of good suggestions here! I hope you'll be able to take advantage of some of them. I use a wheelchair so don't know if I'll be able to get off the ship or not (tenders can't always accommodate people in wheelchairs), but will look forward to stories of everyone's adventures on shore!

[luvteaching]

We have been to Sitka several times and really enjoy getting off and exploring. My husband uses a mobility scooter and that was able to be put on the tender to get to shore. On the Amsterdam it's an interesting process! Just let the front desk know you are going off ahead of time so everything can be arranged. Once in Sitka the Raptor Center, Archangel Dancers, Bishops House, Sheldon Jackson Museum and everyone's recommendations are spot on. Sitka also has free wireless access throughout the town (except the side of one street).

 

In Kodiak, on the Amsterdam in 2010, we were not able to take the scooter off and someone in our Cruise Critic group who was wheelchair bound could not get off as it was stairs off the ship and not a ramp. Fortunately my husband can walk for some distance, although it is tough on him. We did the tour that had the Russian Tea and the church stops and found it a fun one to do - and very interesting.

 

Enjoy both stops. We enjoy Sitka every time we stop there and really want to go back to Kodiak.

[Panama Mom-Mom]

Yes, we will be on the Amsterdam sailing June 01.

Wondering at this point if Alaska will have an early Spring!

Hopefully, they will get rid of all that snow they are getting now.

We, in the East are still waiting for winter.

Thanks for all the great info on Kodiak and Sitka.

[jschm27]

We were in Sitka this last August on WESTERDAM and it is now one of our favorite Alaska ports. It hasn't been affected by tourists off of ships like Skagway or Ketichikan. Tendering was easy and they drop you in downtown just down from the Russian Orthodox Church. First I walked to the Sitka National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service. My first stop was at the Russian Bishops House (part of the national historic site). Very interesting. There is a small Orthodox chapel inside. Next I walked along the harbor. Very photogenic. At the park proper, they have displays about the local native americans and many totems. Outside there is Totem park where you can walk among totems in their "natural" environment. Watch out for bears if the salmon are running in the nearby creek.

 

Great little shop in downtown near the church that specializes in Russian imports.

 

Hope this helps.

 

John