Ketchikan Ward Cove Shuttle?

[TardisDance]

I looked up the 2021 cruise ship schedule and it looks like Norwegian Encore has WW listed as the berth.  I believe this means the new Ward Cove pier?  I saw an older article that mentions that NCL will offer a free shuttle to downtown.  Has anyone seen anything recent in the news that confirms this?

 

I have a private excursion planned for this September that meets downtown and want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row.

[libtrek]

We are also cruising in September. We’ve booked private tour with a local who is picking us up at new port. He also said the locals are wondering about the shuttles too.

[TardisDance]

The tour vendor said that yes, there will be a shuttle if we dock at Ward Cove.  She’s double checking to confirm that it’s where the Encore will be and will get back to me on Monday.  

 

While they are not the tour operator itself but a tour vendor, I do trust what they say since they are a Alaska company with local employees.  I haven’t used them before so I can’t say the name but they are based in Skagway. 

 

 

[libtrek]

Thanks. Appreciate any more info you get. I will share with my roll call.

[Eaglecw]

That is correct. The Norwegian Encore will be docking out at ward Cove. They just built a large 2 berth cruise ship dock at Ward Cove. https://www.cruisemapper.com/news/6641-ketchikan-ward-cove-receive-2-berth-cruise-ship-dock That's a pretty good ways out of Ketchikan, 7 miles out of town.

[TardisDance]

I heard about the dock but wasn’t sure when it would be finished. I’m just glad there is a shuttle.  I don’t mind paying for a taxi but a shuttle is much more convenient.  I’m booked for a helicopter tour but glad I booked one for 9:45 in case there are issues. 

[tutuwahineLV]

looking at the maps, it's about 7 miles from Ward Cove to the Ferry terminal in Town.  So, I'm sure NCL has plans for a shuttle service to/from town.  It should be about an 8-10 min ride.  The Ward Cove website says:: Our long-term vision is to create a world-class tourism destination in Southern Southeast Alaska that promotes the heritage and adventurous spirit of our region through an immersive experience in our lifestyle, history, and locale.

[ROCruiser]

I wonder if they are going to have shuttles/buses going to Totem Bight from there since it's so much closer than going from downtown?

[Ombud]

I am sharing the map I got from Ketchikan Tourist Bureau.  Its $5 all day .... I'm sure they'll stop at WC if it isn't already on the list. City services needs our support 

 

[Ombud]

Ward Cove is on the bus route to both Bight & Saxman just not on the free route

[quack2]

ZERO interest in a cruise that docks at Ward Cove.

 

[home-mom]

I did an online chat today to ask if NCL would be providing shuttle service and was told “all I see under transportation is bus/taxi and this website” https://claalaska.com/

[SomewhereGirl]

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by SomewhereGirl
deleted, formatting

[SomewhereGirl]

I'd be surprised if there was no shuttle.  I mean, there have been shuttles in the past from the AJ Dock in Juneau, and that I've seen people walk.

 

I was just looking at the NCL excursions for my Sept cruise and their description of the lumberjack show says "Located a short walk from your cruise ship pier..."  Um, no.  

[don't-use-real-name]

6 hours ago, SomewhereGirl said:

I'd be surprised if there was no shuttle.  I mean, there have been shuttles in the past from the AJ Dock in Juneau, and that I've seen people walk.

 

I was just looking at the NCL excursions for my Sept cruise and their description of the lumberjack show says "Located a short walk from your cruise ship pier..."  Um, no.  

That lumberjack show - the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center - even Dolly's house on the Creek

Street Boardwalk and all the tourist shops right across from the 4 piers are indeed a short walk

"BUT"

this trek to/from Ward Cove map LINK:

 

Google Maps

 

it is over 6 miles and that is how the crow flies

 

What in the heck is NCL thinking - building a temple at Ward Cove to draw in the crowds ?

[SomewhereGirl]

Ward Cove developers race to get facility at new cruise ship dock ready north of Ketchikan (alaskasnewssource.com)

 

Dated July 8, 2021.  I guess we'll find out from those sailing there soon.

 

"Ward Cove is set to have busses to take tourists into the city and off on tours through a private road that cuts across the island, bypassing the congestion of downtown."

[nitesiren]

On 8/3/2021 at 4:55 AM, SomewhereGirl said:

Ward Cove developers race to get facility at new cruise ship dock ready north of Ketchikan (alaskasnewssource.com)

 

Dated July 8, 2021.  I guess we'll find out from those sailing there soon.

 

"Ward Cove is set to have busses to take tourists into the city and off on tours through a private road that cuts across the island, bypassing the congestion of downtown."

NCL had buses going to Ward Cove that ran every 15 min. Last bus to town is 3:45pm and last bus back to the cruise terminal is 4:45pm. Bus ride costed nothing back and forth.

Edited September 4, 2021 by nitesiren

[J0Y0US]

6 hours ago, nitesiren said:

NCL had buses going to Ward Cove that ran every 15 min. Last bus to town is 3:45pm and last bus back to the cruise terminal is 4:45pm. Bus ride costed nothing back and forth.

 

Oh perfect at first was thinking it was going to cost but if they have free busses I am all good. 

[donaldsc]

On 7/18/2021 at 2:21 PM, tutuwahineLV said:

looking at the maps, it's about 7 miles from Ward Cove to the Ferry terminal in Town.  So, I'm sure NCL has plans for a shuttle service to/from town.  It should be about an 8-10 min ride.  The Ward Cove website says:: Our long-term vision is to create a world-class tourism destination in Southern Southeast Alaska that promotes the heritage and adventurous spirit of our region through an immersive experience in our lifestyle, history, and locale.

 

That sentence from the Ward Cove site is one of the biggest pieces of BS ever printed on CC.  They built it so that the owners of the site can make money from a derelict industrial site that used to be a Superfund site.  I t was also built so that Ketchikan can shove a couple thousand more cruise ship passengers into an already over crowded town.  The population of Ketchikan is about 8000 people.  On a good day when things get better, they will now have probably twice that many cruise ship passengers in town and this isn't counting the people from the new cruise docks.

 

DON

[don't-use-real-name]

Could it be that IF two mega-class NCL ships were to dock at piers 1 thru 4 that there would be

room for only one small ship.

In other words the Ketchikan Port authority is telling NCL go park your B-I-G ships at Ward Cove

and leave us room to use all 4 piers for the other cruise lines !

If it is not NCL with two big ships then there are other cruise lines with these huge ships creating

the same space problem.

 

The channel in front of Ketchikan is pretty hyper active with float planes using it for take-off

and landing and other cruise excursion traffic - not a good place for tendering extra ships !

[LoveByrds]

There wasn't a fee for the bus from Ward Cove to Ketchikan on 9/2. Although it doesn't sound like that's a permanently waived fee.

 

It took around 20 minutes for the actual bus ride. Probably 30-45 from actually leaving the ship and get into Ketchikan though. 

[donaldsc]

18 hours ago, LoveByrds said:

There wasn't a fee for the bus from Ward Cove to Ketchikan on 9/2. Although it doesn't sound like that's a permanently waived fee.

 

It took around 20 minutes for the actual bus ride. Probably 30-45 from actually leaving the ship and get into Ketchikan though. 

 

How long would it take to get into town from one of the in town docks.    How long would it take for me to go back to the ship for a bit and then return to town.  I rest my case and won't bother w this topic any more.

 

DON

[nslatin]

Hey Don,

 

We get your point.  Maybe they're calling your name over at Carnival?

[rcrabb1513]

I received an email yesterday from Royal Caribbean that due to port congestion at the Ketchikan port  our ship, Ovation of the Seas will dock at Ward Cove.  We are to dock there Aug 14, 2022.

[J0Y0US]

4 hours ago, rcrabb1513 said:

I received an email yesterday from Royal Caribbean that due to port congestion at the Ketchikan port  our ship, Ovation of the Seas will dock at Ward Cove.  We are to dock there Aug 14, 2022.

 

Looks like its on the schedule as of April 1st for others to check.

 

No Ketchikan for us in June on our cruise.

 

https://secureservercdn.net/198.71.233.189/2xl.54d.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/KTN-Ketchikan-2022.pdf