Sitka-why no Princess or Royal Caribbean?

[travelbuds]

Wondering why Princess and Royal Caribbean don't go to Sitka. Have seen so many nice posts regarding Sitka, and would like to visit there sometime. I see that HAL does go there, however. Have enjoyed our cruises to AK-Island Princess and Radiance OTS.

[frugaltravel]

Probably no cruise-owned jewelry stores = not enough $$ made in Sitka to make it worth their while.

 

Recently I have read what the cruise lines and the local officials in Haines are doing to restrict independent tour operators from operating tours, recruiting passengers, etc. The cruise industry really is all about the almighty $$.

 

If you want to go to Sitka, why not just sail with the lines/ships that do sail there?!? (or better yet, go independent).

[Deb in Cali]

There is a 10 day RT from SF on the Sea Princess to Sitka, but it looks like it is a one time event. When we took the Regal to Alaska out of SF in 05 we went to Sitka. It was my favorite port.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Do try HAL - Sitka is tied for my favorite Alaskan port (with Homer;)) - and I've visited it three times, with my fourth coming up this August. HAL has some great itineraries that include Sitka, which is truly a not-to-be-missed port. Beautiful island studded harbor, lots of eagles, whales and sea otters, Russian history, peaceful totem park to stroll thru, the Raptor Center - just a ton to do. Give HAL a shot, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

[PennyAgain]

Sitka refuses to cave in to the huge cruise lines and build a large dock facility. No one who loves Sitka wants such a big life style change.

 

Bravo to Sitka!

 

I remember what Juneau and Ketchikan were like before the cruise lines moved in. Now it is St. Thomas of the North.

[LEtue]

Sitka is definitely beautiful and worth a trip on HAL :D

[travelbug11]

I have been to Sitka on RCCL and Celebrity a few times, usually at the beginning or end of the cruise season on the longer cruises. But now that they seem to have cut the longer cruises out I will really miss going there unless I go on another line.

[zqvol]

Wondering why Princess and Royal Caribbean don't go to Sitka. Have seen so many nice posts regarding Sitka, and would like to visit there sometime. I see that HAL does go there, however. Have enjoyed our cruises to AK-Island Princess and Radiance OTS.

 

Sitka is a tender port. Maybe they just don't want to fool with it, or maybe their ships are too big.

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

Sea Princess roundtrip from San Francisco stops in Sitka.:D:D:D

[travelbug11]

Icy Strait Point is a tender port too and they don't have any Diamond stores.

[Budget Queen]

Icy Strait Point is a tender port too and they don't have any Diamond stores.

 

"Icy Strait Point" isn't even on the map. This is part of Hoonah, and totally cruiseship contracted from a tribal organization. ALL the commerce there is part cruiseship revenue. NO independent vendors are allowed "in" the "compound". So that area isn't all that "pure" either. The whole deal there is to get out, if you want anything "real". :)

 

Before any flames, they have it set up extremely nice, and have done a fantastic job on what is available for tours, and walking around the area. Good restaurant, interesting museum.

[agabbymama]

Sitka refuses to cave in to the huge cruise lines and build a large dock facility. No one who loves Sitka wants such a big life style change.

 

Bravo to Sitka!

 

I remember what Juneau and Ketchikan were like before the cruise lines moved in. Now it is St. Thomas of the North.

 

 

You evidently haven't read the news. I saw an article on the Internet about 2 months ago that Sitka was going to build a new cruise ship terminal, so no more tendering. I fear it will be the beginning of the end.

 

When we were there on HAL, we were told the mega ships couldn't sail into the harbor as it was too shallow for them. So only the smaller ships usually included it in their itinerary. I have no proof of that, but it sounded good at the time.

 

Yes the difference in Juneau and Ketchikan from 1999 to 2007 was immeasurable. They go where the money is.

[PennyAgain]

Sitka voted down the cruise port more recently than 2 months ago.

[frugaltravel]

Sitka voted down the cruise port more recently than 2 months ago.

 

Actually the city is not building it; it is a private venture and from the reports I have read, it is nearing completion in the Halibut Point area. Whether cruise ships will use it/use it a lot will probably be dependent on fees. One quick search found this short blurb:

 

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/5328-new-sitka-berth-nearing-completion.html

[Sea-level]

Read the related article. Had to laugh.

 

"The new dock will be complete, along with the new private port facility, by May 1, and will incorporate the use of a 470-ft long concrete platform that rises and falls with the [large tidal fluctuation] in Alaska".

 

Large tidal fluctuation? This is Sitka. Sitka has some of the smallest tides in Alaska because it is on the Ocean coast.

[Linda Wilson]

The bottom line as a to why Sitka is not a major cruise destination is that it is NOT on the inside passage. If you did some research into how cruise lines select their ports (the bottom line financially) you would understand that having or not having a dock is not really the issue. I have lived in Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka. I definitely prefer Sitka and do not want to see the downtown turned over to tourist chain-stores that you find in the Caribbean, Ketchikan and Juneau. However, due to costs of fuel and the time it takes to get to Sitka, the community does not fit well into cruise itinerary scheduling. Even with a new private dock, the cruises are not lining up to use it. The large chain stores seen in Ketchikan and Juneau (give me nightmares) look for a certain level of cruise passenger visits before deciding to open a shop. Typically the number they are looking for is about 400,000. Sitka has never had, and will never have that many cruise visitors in a year. However, Sitka has lost out by driving the cruise industry to Hoonah's new Icy Strait Point. Ideally, Sitka would decide on a number of cruise passengers it wants and work to attract and maintain a stable number. It is estimated that between 15% to 25% of independent travelers that visit Sitka, originally took a cruise here. So not only does Sitka lose business and revenues from the drastic reduction in cruise levels (down about 60% since 2008) it will be losing a significant number of future independent travelers.

[frugaltravel]

So not only does Sitka lose business and revenues from the drastic reduction in cruise levels (down about 60% since 2008) it will be losing a significant number of future independent travelers.

 

In other words, Sitka will remain less touristy than most other town in Southeast and be an ideal place for independent travelers to visit!

[PennyAgain]

In other words, Sitka will remain less touristy than most other town in Southeast and be an ideal place for independent travelers to visit!

 

Sitka is also on my list of possible retirement places.

[bottom-dragger]

In other words, Sitka will remain less touristy than most other town in Southeast and be an ideal place for independent travelers to visit!

 

no, just less touristy than skagway, juneau, or ketchikan.

[SkinnyDennis]

I just searched the Princess website and couldn't find any cruises out of SF that included Sitka.

 

Lil' help?

[Whoo]

I just searched the Princess website and couldn't find any cruises out of SF that included Sitka.

 

Lil' help?

 

Just saw a release of the 2013 sailings. Good news for you, SkinnyDennis! Looks like there will be ONE sailing on the Grand Princess that will stop at Sitka in 2013, and this is a roundtrip cruise out of San Francisco! :)

[poolwife]

Where did you see this release? I looked on Princess' website and they don't show anything for 2013 yet let alone going to Sitka on the Grand Princess.

 

We went to Sitka on HAL in 2001 and my husband would love to go back but he isn't fond of HAL.

 

Sure wish some other cruise line would step up and go there.

[bonvoyagie]

From the Sitka port calander only two HAL ships will make regular calls there along with several smaller cruise lines. http://www.claalaska.com/pdf/2011/SIT_2011.pdf

[Whoo]

Where did you see this release? I looked on Princess' website and they don't show anything for 2013 yet let alone going to Sitka on the Grand Princess.

 

We went to Sitka on HAL in 2001 and my husband would love to go back but he isn't fond of HAL.

 

Sure wish some other cruise line would step up and go there.

 

Go here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1585211

 

Click on the OP's Alaska link. It looks like there will be one sailing (May 30, 2013) that has Sitka & Haines as stops, instead of Juneau & Skagway.

 

I checked the Princess website also, and it's not showing up there yet.