Alaska Cruise with a walker/cane

[jennib5426]

My father wants to go on an Alaskan cruise and he uses a cane or walker all the time.

Are there any ports on the Alaska cruises that are tender only?

He probably wouldn't be able to do tenders, he has issues with stairs.

[Essiesmom]

There are no strictly tender ports in Alaska.  Occasionally they will have too many ships scheduled in Ketchikan or Juneau, and one has to tender.  But that's not the norm.  EM

[dcsam]

Hard to tell.  Some cruiselines need to tender.  Long-time  cruiselines of Alaska (I.e., Holland America) seem to get docking priority.  Best to check.  We think an Alaska cruise is perfect for those with mobility challenges.  

[Essiesmom]

Here are the draft schedules for 2019.  The three main ports for Alaska are Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.  They have built more piers in Juneau, so I do not see any tendering there.  There still are in Ketchikan, when there are more than 4 ships in port.  On that schedule, if you see AN4, it is 'anchorage' and the ship is tendering.  If you want to avoid a ship with tendering, choose a cruise and then check the schedule.  EM

 

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

 

Go to the Alaska board under Ports of Call and ask about the smaller ports.  

Edited January 7, 2019 by Essiesmom

[Splinter]

 

On 1/6/2019 at 4:52 AM, Essiesmom said:

There are no strictly tender ports in Alaska.  Occasionally they will have too many ships scheduled in Ketchikan or Juneau, and one has to tender.  But that's not the norm.  EM

Not true. Sitka is a tender port in Alaska, so yes, there are tender ports. Probably want to pick a cruise that stops in the most popular ports such as Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan to avoid tendering.

[luvteaching]

Good morning, 

Sitka now has a dock that I believe 2 ships can dock at. For several years, on our Holland America cruises, we've been docked and shuttled into town. They also have a golf cart that takes you up to the shuttle area if walking is in a issue. 

Karen

[lenquixote66]

I use a cane and cannot do tenders.I make sure not to book any cruises that do not dock in ports.My Alaska cruise on HAL -no tenders.

[jr8934]

We are cruising Alaska in August on Princess and Ketchikan is listed as a tender port. Joyce

[Miki_moto]

As mentioned, Sitka now has a dock but the ship I’m sailing on - Cunard Queen Elizabeth - is tendering there.  You can check the dock schedules to be sure.  

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 1/24/2019 at 9:32 AM, luvteaching said:

Good morning, 

Sitka now has a dock that I believe 2 ships can dock at. For several years, on our Holland America cruises, we've been docked and shuttled into town. They also have a golf cart that takes you up to the shuttle area if walking is in a issue. 

Karen

 

 

Icy point Strait also now has a dock! They never allowed more than 1 ship at a time anyway.  There is a shuttle to the main tourist area which was a cannery. 

[SC LTC]

On 5/25/2019 at 3:12 PM, jr8934 said:

We are cruising Alaska in August on Princess and Ketchikan is listed as a tender port. Joyce

Hi Joyce I’m booked on that cruise 😊

 so it’s a tender port😕

[katisdale]

Ketchikan has a dock that I think can hold three ships. If more ships are there than dock space the later arrival(s) has to tender. We have been there twice and tendered once.