Purchasing diapers at ports?

[justafirefly]

We are booked for an Alaskan cruise this spring. We will port at Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria, BC. Do any of these ports have a shop within walking distance that carries toddler diapers in case we need to re-stock or do I need to pack the full weeks worth of diapers in our luggage? Thank you!

[CruiserBruce]

You will find supplies like these in all ports easily. 

[justafirefly]

6 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

You will find supplies like these in all ports easily. 

 

Thank you! Do you happen to know what store names I should keep an eye out for? WalMart/big box stores or smaller gift shop type stores?

[donaldsc]

15 minutes ago, justafirefly said:

 

Thank you! Do you happen to know what store names I should keep an eye out for? WalMart/big box stores or smaller gift shop type stores?

 

Try doing a Google search for big box stores in the ports that you will be visiting.

 

DON

[justafirefly]

Just now, donaldsc said:

 

Try doing a Google search for big box stores in the ports that you will be visiting.

 

DON

 

Thank you!

[Coral]

In Skagway - there is an IGA store a block or two off of the main drag:

 

Fairway Market Skagway AK

4th & State St, Skagway, AK 99840

 

This is probably going to be the most expensive compared to Juneau and Ketchikan as Skagway is so small. Though it is the only store I have gone to.

 

Also, if you are leaving from Seattle, you can probably buy some before boarding the ship.

Edited January 18, 2020 by Coral

[CruiserBruce]

A quick look at Google Maps for the ports will tell you a lot.

[justafirefly]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

In Skagway - there is an IGA store a block or two off of the main drag:

 

Fairway Market Skagway AK

4th & State St, Skagway, AK 99840

 

This is probably going to be the most expensive compared to Juneau and Ketchikan as Skagway is so small. Though it is the only store I have gone to.

 

Also, if you are leaving from Seattle, you can probably buy some before boarding the ship.

 

Thank you very much! This type of first hand information about the ports is just what I was hoping to receive. Very helpful! Thank you again.

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, justafirefly said:

 

Thank you very much! This type of first hand information about the ports is just what I was hoping to receive. Very helpful! Thank you again.

I agree the advice "to google" isn't very helpful.

 

I have been to these ports probably more than a dozen times. Obviously the other ports are going to have plenty of grocery stores, I just don't remember seeing them but wasn't looking for any either.

[martincath]

From your list of ports, this sounds like a Seattle RT cruise. If I'm correct in that assumption, do yourself a HUGE favour and buy plenty diapers in Seattle before boarding - you will save a fortune, as everything in AK is pricey if it needs imported from the lower 48!!! There's a Target downtown, very close to Pike Place market, that should fit the bill and avoid having to schlep a big pile of diapers on a flight from home... and all the usual suspects of chain supermarkets, pharmacies etc. scattered around Seattle too. It's not like the ship charges extra for bringing more bags onboard!

 

Without knowing which pre-cruise hotel you're in, or if you're coming straight off a flight and heading to the port, I'd actually suggest that Googling is about the single-most-useful bit of advice to offer you when it comes to exactly which store will be most convenient for you...

 

Further, I'd suggest buying at least an extra diaper or two a day more than you'd normally need at home - changing time zones & meal times, let alone eating different stuff, causes digestive issues even for grownups... just buying a few extra in Seattle will be more time-efficient as well as cheaper than buying them onboard or in AK ports. You might end up with spares you can sell for a huge markup - or give away for karma - to others on your trip who weren't organized enough to research this up front 😉

 

 

[wolfie11]

There are free shuttles to both Safeway and Walmart in Ketchikan.  The stores in Juneau are too far away.  The Fairway in Skagway is very small with not much selection.

[Northern Aurora]

There is a small old-fashioned drug store in downtown Juneau located near the SeaAlaska Heritage Institute.  I have been inside to purchase cold medicine, but wasn't looking for diapers.  Might be a possibility.

[Coral]

Seattle sounds like the best bet. You can always ask a taxi driver to stop by a grocery or drug store from the airport.

[Jimbo]

If flying in the day before have them shipped directly to the hotel you are staying at. They will be there waiting for youi when you check in.

[justafirefly]

I appreciate the helpful advice! Thank you for taking time to respond!
 

To give a little more context, I am less concerned about packing diapers in our luggage and more trying to plan for the event that we run out and need to re-stock mid trip. Obviously, I would prefer not to fly with a massive box of diapers (haha), but we don't mind taking a reasonable amount on board in our luggage. Yes, roundtrip out of Seattle. The suggestion of picking them up in the Target near Pike Place before boarding ship is great! Speaking from previous experience, our last cruise was a 10 day with a toddler and as someone pointed out, with the change from regular diet and also eating more food than usual from endless buffets, my toddler ended up using more diapers than I would have expected we would need. We were in the Caribbean and I was not aware of any stores where we might purchase diapers nearby in port, so this time I am trying to be proactive for that "just in case" scenario. 🙂  The WalMart in Ketchikan sounds like a great option as we will be there on day 6 of 8. Thanks all!