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Best travel guide website?


bookbabe
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Just booked our first Alaska cruise (NCL, May 2022) and I’m looking for suggestions for good guidebook websites that have a bit more detailed info about the various ports and what to see and do there.  I’ve found lots of things to see and tips sites by googling, but all seem to be pretty superficial and just give suggestions without a lot of details.  Does anyone have a favorite site they’ve used to help plan?

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The TripAdvisor forums for Alaska travel can be pretty helpful:   https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28923-i349-Alaska.html

And www.TheMilepost.com has some good info.

Each port city has their own visitor's information site. You didn't list which ports you are visiting, so I'll guess at a few:

https://www.traveljuneau.com/

https://www.visit-ketchikan.com/

https://skagway.com/

https://icystraitpoint.com/

 

 

Edited by AKStafford
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30 minutes ago, AKStafford said:

The TripAdvisor forums for Alaska travel can be pretty helpful:   https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28923-i349-Alaska.html

And www.TheMilepost.com has some good info.

Each port city has their own visitor's information site. You didn't list which ports you are visiting, so I'll guess at a few:

https://www.traveljuneau.com/

https://www.visit-ketchikan.com/

https://skagway.com/

https://icystraitpoint.com/

 

 

 

Agree.  The port websites usually have quite helpful and interesting information.  The State of Alaska also has a web site for tourism--as I recall.  There is a web site called Travel Alaska that I subscribe to and send periodic informative e-mails, sometimes featuring off the beaten path local companies that I would have never known existed.  

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Search youtube and you find every port and most tours have people who filmed all of the nice to know info. Some of my favs videos were the zip line in Icy Straight Point. Gave me the idea to make sure the people going had eye protection for the fog at 60 mph.  

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Good guessing on our ports...our 9 days are as follows:

 

Seattle, at sea, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Victoria, Seattle.

 

We’re all set for Victoria, my brother lives near there so we’ll likely just meet him and his family for dinner.  🙂

 

Glacier Bay I know is just cruising through.  The other ports, though, I’m stumped since so far my looking seems to show that the excursions are relatively similar in each spot.  Or maybe that’s just what shows up in NCL’s listings this far out?  Wildlife, maybe dog-sledding if I can convince DH, his interest was peaked with the SUP by a glacier idea.  Other than that, I’m not sure what we want to do.  Are there better ports than others for taking an excursion versus just wandering around?

 

We’re old hands with the various Caribbean ports, but this is our first (and possibly only) trip to Alaska, so we really want to hit as many of the must-do activities as possible.

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Sitka has a historic church, the fortress of the bear, the raptor center,  the Totem park and museum along with Lots to do including whale watching, its really a working city so other than the church and the museum most is a healthy walk or tour ride.

 

Icy Strait point has very good whale watching along with the zip line, a small town with authentic food and lots to see walking around.

 

Skagway I would recommend a train /bus combo tour that goes at least to carcross  and then some time in town depending on how long you are there and what you want to see.

 

Juneau - more  whale watching as well as walking on the Glacier, the tram, lots to do, or possibly the Adventure bound trip.

 

All my Ketchikan visits have been cancelled (this year, next year)

A-

 

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14 hours ago, AlanF65 said:

Sitka has a historic church, the fortress of the bear, the raptor center,  the Totem park and museum along with Lots to do including whale watching, its really a working city so other than the church and the museum most is a healthy walk or tour ride.

 

Icy Strait point has very good whale watching along with the zip line, a small town with authentic food and lots to see walking around.

 

Skagway I would recommend a train /bus combo tour that goes at least to carcross  and then some time in town depending on how long you are there and what you want to see.

 

Juneau - more  whale watching as well as walking on the Glacier, the tram, lots to do, or possibly the Adventure bound trip.

 

All my Ketchikan visits have been cancelled (this year, next year)

A-

 

Course, be sure to check out the Red Dog Saloon, in Juneau, an have their house specialty drink, the duck fart.🥴

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4 hours ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Course, be sure to check out the Red Dog Saloon, in Juneau, an have their house specialty drink, the duck fart.🥴

 

Absolutely!  And, at least in Juneau, take some time to have lunch at Alaska Fish & Chips for the best Halibut and Chips I have ever eaten.

 

The culinary delights of Alaska are often missed by first time visitors to our 49th State.  

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Ditto on using this site for cruise port activities.  Also, read trip reports to see if excursions are compatible with your traveling style/interests.  I for one can’t stand large touring groups on a bus!

 

For our first cruise to Alaska (in 2010), I found the Lonely Planet tour book helpful.  I especially liked the emphasis on locally owned businesses and eco travel.

 

https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/cruise-ports-alaska-1?via=Z2lkOi8vbG9uZWx5LXBsYW5ldC9Xb3JrYXJlYTo6Q2F0YWxvZzo6Q2F0ZWdvcnkvNTllZTQ5YmRmOTJlYTE0MTg2MDU4Njg0

Edited by disneyochem
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