Predicting tenders

[merryecho]

We are on a 7 day Alaska trip on the Pearl next week- Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway. I have a broken ankle so trying to figure out which excursions I can do- still using a walker but hope to graduate to a cane soon. I don't think I'll be able to manage the tenders, or a long walk from the boat. Are there excursions that pick you up at the boat? Are there ports where tendering is the norm? Do we need to book in advance for popular trips like the White Pass railway? Thanks for any advice.

[GeezerCouple]

We are on a 7 day Alaska trip on the Pearl next week- Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway. I have a broken ankle so trying to figure out which excursions I can do- still using a walker but hope to graduate to a cane soon. I don't think I'll be able to manage the tenders, or a long walk from the boat. Are there excursions that pick you up at the boat? Are there ports where tendering is the norm? Do we need to book in advance for popular trips like the White Pass railway? Thanks for any advice.

 

Have you considered getting a knee scooter (or whatever they are called)?

Then there is no weight on your bad ankle/foot.

 

GC

[Son of a son of a ...]

2017 on Pearl in Alaska ... no tender ports. There is walking involved from the ship to areas of interest. If you have the upper body strength, I would crutch instead of a knee scooter.

[smplybcause]

Having fallen and having to crutch the last 36 hours on oasis, if it was bliss I'd rent a scooter and probably even a smaller ship. And you can drive those right on the tenders I've been on. I went on escape 2.5 months after my ankle (no broken bones but high and low ankle sprain) and even with a ankle brace every day my foot swelled up again. I also didn't do a few things in favor of putting my foot up.

 

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[RD29P5]

Nearly all of the excursions pick up very close to the ship. As previously mentioned no tender port in those you are visiting. You may get lucky in Skagway and get the railroad dock, in that case the train is right next to the ship. There is some walking if you want to explore a bit. The only dock we docked at on the Pearl last year that was away from everything was Juneau, but there is a shuttle into town.

[merryecho]

Thanks RD, just what I needed. I have a knee scooter but they are not as comfortable as they look, and tippy. Now that I can put a little weight on the foot the walker works best.

[BirdTravels]

So, folks should be careful in providing "good advise" based on limited experience in these ports.

 

NCL lists Juneau and Ketchikan as possible tender ports. https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

 

We have been at these ports where NCL shares a dock with ships tendering part of the day and at dock part of the day (usually one ship starts disembarkation tendering, and when a ship leaves port, will take its place on the dock for embarkation in the afternoon).

 

In any case, the assertion that you NEVER tender at Alaskan ports is inaccurate.

[RD29P5]

A few minutes of research here http://claalaska.com/?page_id=1551 will tell you where each and every ship going into ports in Alaska will be docking. Dock codes are listed as well as what other ships are in port, and how long.