Please help me not to waste my time!

[bcparker]

I will be leaving my family (DH and three girls ages 13, 11, and 8) behind and traveling to Alaska with my sisters at the end of May. I absolutely need to bring presents home with me, but I have always dreamed of going to Alaska and really don't want to spend all of my time shopping! We will be stopping in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway (where we will not have a lot of time, but will also be in Carcross), and Victoria. Can anyone offer advice on good souvenirs and where to buy them? My 11 year old has just asked for a snowglobe, so that should be easy, but she will be turning 12 while I am gone and I promised to bring her back something extra. I know my 8 year old will love a set of nesting dolls. My DH will really be happy with anything, but I really have no good ideas for my 13 year old.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Budget Queen]

I will be leaving my family (DH and three girls ages 13, 11, and 8) behind and traveling to Alaska with my sisters at the end of May. I absolutely need to bring presents home with me, but I have always dreamed of going to Alaska and really don't want to spend all of my time shopping! We will be stopping in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway (where we will not have a lot of time, but will also be in Carcross), and Victoria. Can anyone offer advice on good souvenirs and where to buy them? My 11 year old has just asked for a snowglobe, so that should be easy, but she will be turning 12 while I am gone and I promised to bring her back something extra. I know my 8 year old will love a set of nesting dolls. My DH will really be happy with anything, but I really have no good ideas for my 13 year old.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

All the Alaska ports have several shops right near the dock areas. Many similar souvenirs, just shop where you have time before reboarding your ship at the end of your port day. I do recommend seeing Steve Hites, who comes on board many ships in Skagway for a program.

[Suzanne123]

Just a tip regarding that snow globe. Remember to pack it securely in your checked luggage. Don't even think about keeping it in your carry-on. I speak from experience. :(

[xlxo]

You could always order your Ulu knives, calendars, back scratchers, salmon, other Alaskan souveniors online on Amazon to be shipped to your home. This free's up your luggage space too.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/187-9076373-4908154?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=alaskan+snow+globe

Edited January 22, 2015 by xlxo

[Crew News]

I will be leaving my family (DH and three girls ages 13, 11, and 8) behind and traveling to Alaska with my sisters at the end of May. I absolutely need to bring presents home with me, but I have always dreamed of going to Alaska and really don't want to spend all of my time shopping! We will be stopping in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway (where we will not have a lot of time, but will also be in Carcross), and Victoria. Can anyone offer advice on good souvenirs and where to buy them? My 11 year old has just asked for a snowglobe, so that should be easy, but she will be turning 12 while I am gone and I promised to bring her back something extra. I know my 8 year old will love a set of nesting dolls. My DH will really be happy with anything, but I really have no good ideas for my 13 year old.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

The Tongass Trading Company in Ketchikan is souvenir heaven and it is very close to the pier. The bottom floor is for tourists and the second floor is for local outfitting. A one-stop shop for cruisers. You also receive a huge, orange, cloth shopping bag.

 

If anything has an image of bears, eagles, moose, salmon, totems, reindeer, and whales, it can be found in Tongass. Their website also sells year round. Their wolf fleeces will make any kid happy.

 

I have an eagle, totem, and bear made of wood in my living room.

 

The ulu knives with "Alaska" sold on the tourist floor are much cheaper without "Alaska" upstairs.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Crew News

[slider728]

I know my 8 year old will love a set of nesting dolls.

 

The nesting dolls are fairly common in Juneau. There is a shop called "House of Russia" near the cruise dock that has the best selection, but they tend to be higher priced than the other tourist shops in the area.

 

What is the 13 year old into?

[bcparker]

Thanks for all the advice! The 13 year old is a hard core gymnast. She is also into fashion, but will not be at all interested in t-shirts, etc. She does like purses. I thought maybe I would try to look for a cute purse for her. Any other ideas?

 

How easy is it to get on and off the ship? If I buy stuff at the Tongrass Trading Company, will I be able to drop it off easily back in my room and then go on about my day? Also, we are scheduled to arrive in Ketchikan at 6:30 a.m. What time do you think the shops will open?

 

Finally, I'm hoping the right person will see this, what happened to the snow globe in your carry on? I am hoping to go carry on only and not check any luggage!

[slider728]

IMHO, fashion and SE Alaska do not belong in the same sentence.

 

Might the 13 year old be interested in something like fur beaded slippers? There is a shop at the corner of Franklin and Front Streets on Juneau. I think it is called the Mt. Juneau Trading Post and they mainly deal in authentic Native stuff. They are spendy though.

 

Might she be interested in Native masks? There are some shops that have Indonesian knock offs of Tlingit and Haida Native masks that are actually really well done and would set you back less than $100.

[gotatravel]

Likely the reason is that it contained over 4 oz. of fluid that is over airline guidelines.

[Northern Aurora]

Although I live in Alaska and so don't do much souvenir shopping when on an Alaskan cruise, Ketchikan seems to offer the best souvenir shopping of the usual Alaskan ports. In Ketchikan I've found that the shops along Creek Street tend to offer more Alaskan made products than the shops along the dock.

[gottagoacruzn]

Just a tip regarding that snow globe. Remember to pack it securely in your checked luggage. Don't even think about keeping it in your carry-on. I speak from experience. :(

 

Yeah, I'm with Suzanne, pack it in your luggage.:rolleyes: Last cruise, was in Canada/New England, bought some maple syrup, thought it would be better if I hand carried it on the plane, well they took it away at the airport!!!:( Told them, hope you enjoy it, when I really meant, I hope you choke on it!!!:mad::mad::mad: Had to order the syrup after I got home.

[xlxo]

She is also into fashion, but will not be at all interested in t-shirts, etc. She does like purses. I thought maybe I would try to look for a cute purse for her. Any other ideas?

 

How easy is it to get on and off the ship? If I buy stuff at the Tongrass Trading Company, will I be able to drop it off easily back in my room and then go on about my day?

 

At each of the ports, there is usually an "outlet" souvenior shop where you find things a little cheaper than right at at the docks.

 

Fashion? Does she like to collect things? The cruises that I was had these "Diamond International" collector charms you can collect by attending ship lectures and their port stores. I'm not into expensive jewelry (or watches) so it's easy for me to resist their "hard sales" (I'll let other critics comment on their products). But the charms are like a treasure hunt challenge for me and it's a way for me to explore the ports.

 

• Train for Skagway
  
• Totem for Ketchikan
  
• Bear for Juneau?
  
• Salmon for ____?
  
• Ship for attending ship lecture
  

Edited January 23, 2015 by xlxo

[Crew News]

Thanks for all the advice! The 13 year old is a hard core gymnast. She is also into fashion, but will not be at all interested in t-shirts, etc. She does like purses. I thought maybe I would try to look for a cute purse for her. Any other ideas?

 

How easy is it to get on and off the ship? If I buy stuff at the Tongrass Trading Company, will I be able to drop it off easily back in my room and then go on about my day? Also, we are scheduled to arrive in Ketchikan at 6:30 a.m. What time do you think the shops will open?

 

Tongass Trading Co is on the pier/dock. Tongass has everything. A pink reversible fleece jacket with "Alaska" would make her stand out in her school.

 

When ships land, Tongass and other shops will be open. You can certainly walk in five minutes back to your ship to drop off items in your stateroom.

[bonvoyagie]

Tongass in Ketchikan is fantastic - have done my major shopping there on all three of my AK cruises.

 

The WP&Y RR has a small store in the Caboose at the end of the RR pier, the also have a larger store at the depot downtown.

 

There is also a Christmas store in Skagway - we have got some unique AK ornaments for our tree there. DW also bought a small Eskimo doll there in 12.

 

Also look for the Made or Crafted in Alaska label meaning that the item was made by local folks and not brought in from China.

 

I also second having the merchants ship the goods to you instead of trying to take them back with you.

[Coral]

Thanks for all the advice! The 13 year old is a hard core gymnast. She is also into fashion, but will not be at all interested in t-shirts, etc. She does like purses. I thought maybe I would try to look for a cute purse for her. Any other ideas?

 

 

There are Jade stores in Ketchikan, Juneau and Victoria (same company):

 

http://www.jadestores.ca/alaska

 

While they have some very expensive jewelry/figures, they also have some reasonable pieces that would be cool for teenagers.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Coral

[donaldsc]

 

Might she be interested in Native masks? There are some shops that have Indonesian knock offs of Tlingit and Haida Native masks that are actually really well done and would set you back less than $100.

 

Basically the Indonesian copies of genuine Alaskan indigenous peoples handicrafts amounts to ripping off the indigenous people and stealing their heritage. I personally would not feel comfortable with that.

 

If you can not afford genuine handicrafts, at least buy "made in Alaska" stuff.

 

Just my opinion.

 

DON

[mimmy52]

I'm not the person who originally warned you about packing a snow globe in your checked luggage, but a few years ago I purchased a Stonehenge snow globe and had it in my carry on. It went through London security just fine, but when I transferred in, I think Detroit, went through customs and then had to go through American security, they wouldn't let me keep the snow globe in my carry on. I had a very small carry on plus a tote bag. The security guy said he would let me check one of those. Since I had other more valuable (to me) items in the carry on, I wrapped some clothing around the snow globe and put it in the tote bag to check. I had foolishly taken the snow globe out of its box to make more room in my carry on. Miraculously, it came through unscathed.

[AmberCascades]

We found Ketchikan to be the least expensive and Creek street had a lot of made in Alaska stuff.

 

Do your girls like "girly stuff" like soap? There's a cute little store in Juneau, right near the ship, called the Glacier Silt Smoothie store. They make soap using glacier silt. We bought a ton of stuff there the first time we went to Alaska and gave it as gifts. The second time we went I just bought stuff for myself because I love it so much. They have soap for men too.

 

Our favourite things from any place are Christmas ornaments. There were nice hand-painted ones on Creek Street.

[slider728]

Tongass Trading Co is on the pier/dock. Tongass has everything. A pink reversible fleece jacket with "Alaska" would make her stand out in her school.

 

This is a good idea (there is a reason my wife does the shopping for my girls and not me)

 

Alaska Shirt Company in Juneau and Skagway carries lots of coats and hoodies, but like any store, you get what you pay for. Their expensive stuff is nice, their cheap stuff isn't make well. My girls are a little under 13, but the Shirt Company also has those long nightgown type shirts my girls love to sleep in and have matching sleep masks. There are a few other stores in Juneau that carries those as well but I honestly can't remember the names of the stores off the top of my head.

[bcparker]

Thanks so much for all the replies! You've given me some really good ideas. One person mentioned that they bought a doll. My youngest is very into the American Girl dolls. How likely am I to find a doll about that size in native dress? If so, any ideas how much that would cost? I think she would love that. Of course, she's not the hard one to shop for. :rolleyes:

[Suzanne123]

Yeah, I'm with Suzanne, pack it in your luggage.:rolleyes: Last cruise, was in Canada/New England, bought some maple syrup, thought it would be better if I hand carried it on the plane, well they took it away at the airport!!!:( Told them, hope you enjoy it, when I really meant, I hope you choke on it!!!:mad::mad::mad: Had to order the syrup after I got home.

 

Maybe they got tired of storing warehouses full of moose snow globes, but apparently the rule has changed somewhat according to the TSA website:

 

*Snow globes that appear to contain less than 3.4 ounces (approximately tennis ball size) will be permitted if the entire snow globe, including the base, is able to fit in the same one clear, plastic, quart-sized, re-sealable bag, as the passenger’s other liquids, such as shampoo, toothpaste and cosmetics.

 

Now if you could just find a way to pour that syrup into a snow globe... :)

[bcparker]

Good to know!

[mimmy52]

I agree, that is good to know. And, Suzanne, I laughed at your comment about pouring syrup into a snow globe.

[Suzanne123]

Desperate times call for desperate measures. LOL