Best Place in Port for Crab

[Yes THAT Sandusky]

Hi! I'm going on an RCCL Southbound cruise beginning May 27. I would love to find a great place in one of the ports to have a crab meal. I don't care if it's a nice table service restaurant or if there is a local place with just a walk up window, as long as it's fresh and delicious. Actually, I thought I had read about a place that serves only crab at a walk up window, but now can't find that info anywhere. Here is a list of my ports:

 

Seward

Juneau

Skagway

Icy Strait Point/Hoonah

Ketchikan

 

Thanks so much!

[cruiseonthebrain]

I want to know too!!!!

[DougH]

I'm not a crab person but I'm sure you will get lots of recommendations for Tracys Crab Shack in Juneau. Started out as a dockside food truck and last year expanded into a store front. Pretty sure she has a website if you do a search

[island lady]

Icy Strait...(Hoonah).

 

Walk or take the shuttle into town (about a mile or so nice walk along the water

front). Go to "The Office Bar" along the waterfront in town. Owner steams those

delicious, huge fresh Dungenous Crabs right out front. Wonderful to sit at the bar

with a plate of fresh steamed crab (one is all you need ;)) and a draft beer. :D

Edited April 22, 2016 by island lady

[LenLovesCruising!]

Tracy's Crab shack is the Best

[xlxo]

Tracy is the most popular... but it's been discussed that cruise season is "out of season" for Alaskan crabs. Thus you are getting FROZEN crab you may be able to get at a local grocer.

 

For LIVE Alaskan crab.... head to Vancouver's premium Chinese restaurants. Need to 6 to 10 of you to complete the monsters. Fried? Spiced? Ginger? Garlic? Baked? The Chinese restaurants can do all of the above with a single crab. You can even pose with your meal before it's cooked.

http://www.followmefoodie.com/2014/04/dynasty-seafood-restaurant-alaskan-king-crab-dinner-vancouver/

 

Live is much better than frozen...

Edited April 22, 2016 by xlxo

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi, will agree with those who said to eat at Tracy's crab shack. It may not look like much, but its well worth it. When they take your order, they ask your name, then when your order is ready, they come around an ask, "Lisa from Michigan."

 

The same about the Office Bar in Icy Straight, they got good food. Its nothing fancy.

[Putterdude]

I would bet that Tracy's sells more crab meals then anyone in Alaska....if not then she is in the top 3....note the new location. Then there is the Skagway Fish Company which is always good and has had total rebuild due to a fire.

 

http://www.kingcrabshack.com/

[CowPrincess]

The OP specifically wants "fresh". That eliminates Tracy's, doesn't it?

[zqvol]

Hi! I'm going on an RCCL Southbound cruise beginning May 27. I would love to find a great place in one of the ports to have a crab meal. I don't care if it's a nice table service restaurant or if there is a local place with just a walk up window, as long as it's fresh and delicious. Actually, I thought I had read about a place that serves only crab at a walk up window, but now can't find that info anywhere. Here is a list of my ports:

 

Seward

Juneau

Skagway

Icy Strait Point/Hoonah

Ketchikan

 

Thanks so much!

 

You will NOT find any fresh crab, it is all frozen, as they are not in season during the cruise season. You can find crab right on the pier in Juneau.

[CowPrincess]

You will NOT find any fresh crab, it is all frozen, as they are not in season during the cruise season. You can find crab right on the pier in Juneau.

 

Isn't Dungeness in season?

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Isn't Dungeness in season?

 

Yes, Dungeness crab is harvested in the summer, King crab in the winter. That's my understanding, anyway:)

[Glaciers]

Yes, Dungeness crab is harvested in the summer, King crab in the winter. That's my understanding, anyway:)

 

This is correct. The king crab you get here is most likely the same stuff you can buy in your local grocery store, it's all frozen this time of year. The local places do know how to cook it though so it's usually very good.

[Putterdude]

Isn't Dungeness in season?

Yes, and IMO Dungeness is a vastly superior product. That said crab is one of those things that does not freeze well.

[TheSecondSister]

Yes, Dungeness crab is harvested in the summer, King crab in the winter. That's my understanding, anyway:)

 

Dungeness crab season in SE Alaska is around June 15 - August 15, and the fall season is around Oct. 1 to end of November. Not sure of the exact dates for 2016. Regardless if fresh or frozen, I love the food at Tracy's Crab Shack. Full of flavor.

 

From our trip in July 2014: https://twocruisingsisters.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/juneau-eats/

Edited April 23, 2016 by TheSecondSister

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Dungeness crab season in SE Alaska is around June 15 - August 15, and the fall season is around Oct. 1 to end of November. Not sure of the exact dates for 2016. Regardless if fresh or frozen, I love the food at Tracy's Crab Shack. Full of flavor.

 

From our trip in July 2014: https://twocruisingsisters.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/juneau-eats/

 

The people who work there are really nice and quite cute, too:) Look at that hunky guy, I mean big chunky crab, in your photo:D

[jaspersmommy]

Dungeness crab season in SE Alaska is around June 15 - August 15, and the fall season is around Oct. 1 to end of November. Not sure of the exact dates for 2016. Regardless if fresh or frozen, I love the food at Tracy's Crab Shack. Full of flavor.

 

From our trip in July 2014: https://twocruisingsisters.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/juneau-eats/

 

We'll be in Icy Strait Point the third week of May. Early - yes, but the price was right. :D We were looking forward to having crab again at The Office, we've enjoyed it so much in the past. Now I see that's before Dungeness crab is in season! Does anyone know if they serve any crab that early in the year... even if it's frozen?

[CowPrincess]

I'm not sure what the requirements are to qualify for "personal use" but on this link, it looks like Dungeness for "personal use" is available year-round

 

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=PersonalUsebyAreaSoutheastdungenesscrab.regs

 

Buy a pot, rent a boat, do whatever licensing is required? (Mostly just kidding but it would be a meal you'd never forget :) )

[Glaciers]

Buy a pot, rent a boat, do whatever licensing is required? (Mostly just kidding but it would be a meal you'd never forget :) )

 

My wife went to high school in Juneau and told me about her and her friends going out and doing exactly this. They’d go out with a cooker onboard, pull up a Dungeness, pop it in the boiling water and be eating within minutes. Sounded like a neat experience.

[CowPrincess]

Glaciers, that sounds wonderful -- thanks for sharing that memory! :) We enjoy doing non-traditional things on vacation and still smile about our Dungeness cooked over a campfire dinner :) (before I developed an allergy to crab :( )

Edited April 23, 2016 by CowPrincess

[xlxo]

Yes, and IMO Dungeness is a vastly superior product. That said crab is one of those things that does not freeze well.

I prefer the Alaskan King crab.... the premium price supports it. Perhaps it's because my King crab was never frozen.

[Putterdude]

I prefer the Alaskan King crab.... the premium price supports it. Perhaps it's because my King crab was never frozen.

 

Did you have in Alaska or down here?

[xlxo]

Did you have in Alaska or down here?

I had King crab at Tracy's crab shack and Annabelle's in Ketchikan.

 

Live crab was served in Sea Harbour, Congee House, Sun Sui Wah, and Kirin.

 

I think another factor is King Crab is easier to dig into. Dungeness has me fighting through the shells.... making it messier.

[Putterdude]

I had King crab at Tracy's crab shack and Annabelle's in Ketchikan.

 

Live crab was served in Sea Harbour, Congee House, Sun Sui Wah, and Kirin.

 

I think another factor is King Crab is easier to dig into. Dungeness has me fighting through the shells.... making it messier.

 

Then the Alaska King Crab you had was frozen, Alaska King Crab is a cold weather fishery harvested in the months of October thru January.

 

While food is a subjective topic, the premium price you mention has nothing to do with the quality of the crab. In the case of AKC it is a very short season and a crab that is very expensive to harvest.

 

On the the other hand Dungeness crab is a much less expensive fishery to harvest and is available from Alaska to California and even in the cooler Atlantic areas.

 

[island lady]

I like how the Office Bar in Hoonah (Icy Strait) breaks open the

Dungenous crab for you for ease of eating. Yummss!!

 

Fresh, steamed same day, and in season for our cruise in August.

Edited April 25, 2016 by island lady