Question on docking locations at Alaska ports

[newbie202020]

Hi, I'm new to cruising and Cunard so please bear with me if I'm not using the right terminology.

 

Was thinking of the 10 day cruise out of Vancouver to Alaska. Traveling with seniors with limited mobility (wheelchair). Are the docking locations for the QE far from shops/downtown? I don't know if my elderly parents would want to wait or travel by shuttle at each port. I heard that the bigger cruise lines may have preferable docking locations. Thanks for your input.

[Coates55]

Alaska is very much a scenic cruise destination with lots to be enjoyed from the ship. Most ports e.g. Ketchikan and Skagway are typical ports where the ship is docked  centrally in the town itself. If you want more info, then please share your ports of call with this forum. Also, look out for ports in the itinerary which may be classed as tender ports since this can make access to the shore more difficult for the infirm but not necessarily impossible.

[newbie202020]

Thanks for replying.

 

The ports are Ketchikan, Endicott Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Wrangell and Victoria

[Coates55]

I would think you would be fine with these ports. Victoria on Vancouver Island will be a shuttle bus downtown and I have not visited Wrangell so can't comment further.

[Desert Cruisers]

3 hours ago, newbie202020 said:

Thanks for replying.

 

The ports are Ketchikan, Endicott Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Wrangell and Victoria

I don’t want to be a @Debbie - downer “ but you should know a few things:

 

While most ships dock, Juneau can be a tender port if there are a lot of ships in. Did B2B on QE this summer and we tendered both times in Juneau. 
 

The streets in some of these ports are not always wide and smooth. 
 

When it’s raining hard, a short distance becomes a lot longer. 

[david,Mississauga]

If you are willing to wait a while before booking, precise berth information is available from this site:

 

https://claalaska.com/?page_id=1250

 

We have had three Cunard cruises to Alaska and found this site to be helpful and accurate. Two cruises ago we had to tender into Juneau.

 

The Railroad Dock in Skagway is currently offering different procedures than usual due to the risk of further rockslides. Passengers from ships at the aft end of the pier are required to board shuttle buses to get to the town end of the pier. Those from ships at the forward end are shuttled into town by tenders. This is not meant to be a permanent arrangement. 

 

We have noticed in Juneau and Ketchikan that one or more berths are a fair distance from the heart of the city. As Coates55 said there is a (complimentary) shuttle service on double-deck buses in Victoria. It is a long walk to the centre of Victoria. It took me 30 minutes and I walk fairly fast.

 

 

[Coates55]

This is all useful extra information which should help newbie