Alaska -- Juneau or Ketchikan first?

[jamesnnb]

We've sailed to Alaska before and always our first port was Juneau (meaning the first full day was 'at sea' and can be rough, going north at a good clip.  We see there is an itinerary on The Star where the first port is Ketchikan and you get there the first day in the early morning.  That sounds a lot better to me, going into the Inside Passage earlier with less 'at sea' in possibly rough waters.  Does anyone have an opinion on this? 

[neverbeenhere]

It’s the ocean, you never know. 

[jamesnnb]

neverbeenhere -- haha.  I know.  Been on 38 cruises!  Not my question, actually.  I know what it 'can be' going straight up to Juneau with a full day at sea, going north in the ocean.  The one I was looking at was going directly into the Inside Passage, therefore skipping that possibility.  Looking for someone who has done both and what their comments might be. 

[SLOlady2014]

Whether you go between Vancouver Island and BC or around Vancouver Island, you will have at least a partial day of open water from the northern tip of Vancouver Island until you pass Haida Gwaii and enter the Alaskan Inside Passage. This is true whether you go to Ketchikan first or Juneau. The sea day on cruises that sail between BC and Vancouver Island has really nice scenery in the morning and early afternoon of day 2. Once you enter Queen Charlotte Sound,  you are further away from land. Where are you sailing from jamesnnb?

[cruisingrob21]

Have done both, we didnt enjoy the ketchikan early morning because most things are closed until at least 8 meaning that you really only have 6 useful hours in town unless you are doing an excursion.  But not a big deal.

[lstone19]

1 hour ago, jamesnnb said:

We've sailed to Alaska before and always our first port was Juneau (meaning the first full day was 'at sea' and can be rough, going north at a good clip.  We see there is an itinerary on The Star where the first port is Ketchikan and you get there the first day in the early morning.  That sounds a lot better to me, going into the Inside Passage earlier with less 'at sea' in possibly rough waters.  Does anyone have an opinion on this? 

 

One-ways from Vancouver to Whittier will always have Ketchikan first, then Juneau, then Skagway (and v.v. for southbound). Round-trips out of Seattle (or Vancouver on other lines) can do that ports in any order since they pass them twice.

 

But regardless of whether Ketchikan or Juneau is the first port call, it will be on the second day. I can assure you you are not arriving in Ketchikan the first morning. The first full day is a sea day as even at best speed it's over 24 hours from Vancouver to Ketchikan (plus coming out of Vancouver and going through Seymour Narrows near the north end of Vancouver Island, they are limited by the tide as to when they can go through Seymour Narrows so it could be as late as 6am the first morning before you even get that far north). Vancouver to Ketchikan is 516 nautical miles which at 20 knots is 26 hours of cruising, even if you didn't have timing the Seymour Narrows passage as a factor.

[jamesnnb]

Thank you Istone19.  The ones I'm looking at are both out of Seattle.  When Juneau is the first port, the Day 2 says "Cruising the Pacific Ocean" and on the one where Ketchikan is the first port of call, Day 2 says "Cruising the Inside Passage".  I would rather spend Day 2 inside rather than in the Pacific.  Both times we were in Alaska, Juneau was our first port and that first full day was a bit rocky.  I just thought if they say "cruising the inside passage" it might mean a possibility of less rocking.  I knew it wasn't getting into any port the first day -- but if you enter the Inside Passage earlier when calling on Ketchikan first, I thought it might mean something (seeing as they specifically say "cruising the pacific" vs "cruising the Inside Passage".

[jamesnnb]

Thanks cruisingrob21 -- good point.  I thank you for your input.

[jamesnnb]

SLOLady2014:  Out of Seattle is the ones we are currently looking at.  The first time we sailed north out of Seattle the first evening and most of Day 2 was quite rocky and I was told that it was pretty normal, as they have to go at a good clip and of course it is northbound. Once entering the Inside Passage it is like bath water 🙂  Second time out of Seattle was still pretty rocky.  I was just thinking if that could be avoided (Day 2) is would be nicer for me.  By the way -- is SLO for San Luis Obispo?

[SLOlady2014]

I agree with lstone19. You will always have a full sea day before reaching either Juneau or Ketchikan. I may be mistakenly calling embarkation day as day 1, sea day as day 2, and first port as day 3. 

 

Yes, jamesnnb, SLO is San Luis Obispo. We lived in Templeton before moving to the Puget Sound area. We love it up here in the NW! I don't know what your time frame is, but we have done the 7 night Princess cruise RT out of Vancouver twice, and although it is only offered a few times each season, it is especially nice for those of us that like to sail in calmer waters. 

Edited May 17, 2019 by SLOlady2014
added information

[jamesnnb]

Thank you SLOlady.  I also call Embark Day as Day 1, etc.  It's really just when you turn into the Inside Passage if you are calling on Ketchikan first vs when you turn into the Inside Passage if you are calling on Juneau first.  The Princess booklet seems to specifically say Day 2 is Cruising the Pacific Ocean if Juneau is first -- and Day 2 is Cruising the Inside Passage if Ketchikan is first.  So, I was thinking you turn in earlier if heading to Ketchikan or else why would they have a different Day 2 description.

[lstone19]

The days of cruising the real Inside Passage are long behind us. Regardless of whether Juneau or Ketchikan is first, you'll be on open ocean that first day as well as on the last day.. But my expectation is between Ketchikan and a port south, you'll go east of the Queen Charlotte Islands through Hecate Strait while between Juneau and a port south, go west of them on open ocean. So one direction or the other, you'll be on less protected waters. But that routing difference will be mostly in the overnight hours.

[jamesnnb]

Thanks, all.  All good info.