Is Sitka a great port?

[Mountaineer0313]

We did a northbound from Vancouver in 2018, a southbound from Seward this year, and looking to book again in 2024. I see that the only cruises that offer Sitka as a port are northbounds. I'd prefer southbound, so we can spend time on land before the cruise, but I suppose we could do it after the cruise also. I've never been to Sitka, and I have no idea why I really want to see it, but I do. So is booking a cruise that has Sitka as one of the ports a great idea, if I've already been to the other ports?

[donaldsc]

Sitka is one of the better ports in AK because it does not get inundated with people in the same way that most of the other ports are.  Juneau, Ketchikan, and especially Skagway become a real zoo when 4 or 5 Genormous of the Sea ships hit town at the same time.  Skagway is also a town that would dry up and blow away if the cruise ships stopped coming.  Sitka has great scenery, interesting places to visit and existed before the cruise ships started coming and would continue to exist if the stopped.  We spent 2 or 3 days there on our last visit and would love to go back.

 

DON

[beluga_baby]

I've been to Sitka once and loved it! It's a little less of a touristy town which I liked. We actually just spent the day walking around on our own and found a lot to do. The Sitka Historic Park is a short walk from where the buses drop most cruise passengers off and it has a great visitor center with a little museum and a short film about the history of the area. Then the park itself has a lovely wooded area which is nice to walk around and it has totem poles. There is also some nice museums like the Russian Bishop house. We also found some great restaurants and shops. It feels a little more like "real" Alaska. And it's in the shadow of Mt. Edgecombe, which is actually a volcano, and while I don't think you can go up there it makes for some great pictures. 

[Ashland]

We just did a port stop in Sitka this past September. Booked with a private vendor at the port to do the Raptor Center & Fortress of the Bear...this was a great tour !!!

[martincath]

Sitka is a great port - the only AK cruise port where Sea Otters are spotted commonly enough to run excursions focused on them, less touristy than most others, chock full of Russian history. Book it!

[Italy52]

4 hours ago, Ashland said:

We just did a port stop in Sitka this past September. Booked with a private vendor at the port to do the Raptor Center & Fortress of the Bear...this was a great tour !!!

Ashland, who did you book with?  Did you have a problem navigating the bus from the port to the vendor?  Cost of tour?  We will be going to Sitka in July and want to go back to the Raptor Center and the Fortress of the Bear -- didn't know if we should just hop a cab or if there was an organized tour we could get somewhere.  TIA.

[Northern Aurora]

Sitka is charming.  It was the site of the transfer of Russian  America (Alaska) to the US.  The Russian America Company had their headquarters there at the time of the transfer.  An interesting variety of options to visit.  The Sitka Historical Park has been mentioned (often referred to as totem pole park), and the Sheldon Jackson Museum is actually an auxiliary of the Alaska State Museum.

 

I will be interested in "Ashland's" reply to "Italy52".  While in the past Sitka was a tender port since the dock was constructed north of the downtown free shuttle buses (paid for by the folks who own the dock) run continuously between the dock and the Harrigan Centennial Center.  Outside the HCC are vendors set up to provide last minute tours.  I've seen signs for a combo tour to the Raptor Center and the Fortress of the Bear.

 

And the dock was enlarged in 2021.  The "genormous" ships can now dock.  I believe Sitka had the Ovation the Seas dock last summer.  An acquaintance is from Sitka and was there at Christmas 2021 to spend the holiday with family.  At that time there were meetings organized to make plans as to how to handle days with large ships in port.

 

 

[johnintx]

Our experience in Sitka was not that great. However, we did not book an excursion. It's probably better with an excursion. I know people that loved it.

 

The cruise port is about 5 miles from downtown. There are shuttle buses that will take you into town. The day we were there, it was cold and rainy (early September). We walked around downtown, went inside the Russian Orthodox church (very cool), then went back to the pickup point where several hundred other people were also in line to ride the bus back to the port. They were not loading buses quickly, and it was a miserable experience waiting in line. My wife was not impressed.

FWIW, we were on Ovation of the Seas. Big ship. Now that I've read the replies upthread, I see that Sitka still isn't ready to handle large amounts of passengers.

Our next Alaska cruise does not stop there. It's going through Dawes Glacier instead.

Edited November 18, 2022 by johnintx

[edinburgher]

Our day was almost identical to that of beluga_baby on post #3 and  we had a really enjoyable day.

 

Our favourite was the walk through the State Historical Park.  Also enjoyed the sail- in which we thought really quite scenic with the the bonus of the volcano as a backdrop

[latebuyer]

Is the raptor center worth seeing? I’m booked on an excursion that goes on a sitka sound cruise, fortress of the bear and raptor center but the problem is i have barely time in town. Not sure whether to scale it back and just go on the cruise so i have more time in town. I am going on the bering fishetmans tours so would see eagles then.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, latebuyer said:

Is the raptor center worth seeing? I’m booked on an excursion that goes on a sitka sound cruise, fortress of the bear and raptor center but the problem is i have barely time in town. Not sure whether to scale it back and just go on the cruise so i have more time in town. I am going on the bering fishetmans tours so would see eagles then.

Sitka is only a few blocks in length.  My last town walk lasted less than two hours with lots of stops for shopping and photos.  FWIW the Visitor's Center has amazing popcorn in many flavors.

[GTJ]

For visiting Sitka southbound from Seward, consider Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, and Viking Ocean Cruises. Also, consider American Queen Voyages, which operates one-way from Sitka to Vancouver. Finally, it might be noted that Alaska Marine Highway had operated during summer 2022 one-way from Skagway to Bellingham, via Sitka, every four weeks (future summer schedules are not yet available).

[latebuyer]

34 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Sitka is only a few blocks in length.  My last town walk lasted less than two hours with lots of stops for shopping and photos.  FWIW the Visitor's Center has amazing popcorn in many flavors.

Thank you. Is the church downtown as i’d really like to see the church.

[Crew News]

1 minute ago, latebuyer said:

Thank you. Is the church downtown as i’d really like to see the church.

About one block from the Visitors Center.  It is not very big.

[latebuyer]

Thanks. I think i’d only have about an hour to spend if i want to leave an hour to get to the cruise ship. Is there any particularly nice store there? Its hard when you have to make decisions about excursions so far in advance due to black friday sales.

Edited November 18, 2022 by latebuyer

[Crew News]

Just now, latebuyer said:

Thanks. I think i’d only have about an hour to spend if i want to leave an hour to get to the cruise ship. Is there any particularly nice store there?

Lots of very small shops in town and most shops sell Russian items.  There is even a store with a 50's-era lunch counter. 

[Northern Aurora]

2 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Thanks. I think i’d only have about an hour to spend if i want to leave an hour to get to the cruise ship. Is there any particularly nice store there? Its hard when you have to make decisions about excursions so far in advance due to black friday sales.

 

Sitka is a more "arty" community than the standard cruise ports.  For example, they host a lovely Sitka Music Festival annually.  However, with ships such as Ovation of the Seas now being able to dock I wonder if some of the more unique galleries will be crowded out with T-shirt shops and those offering merchandize manufactured overseas.

[latebuyer]

Thanks. Yes too bad to see these large ships go there. Are there any russian restaurants?

[Northern Aurora]

28 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

Thanks. Yes too bad to see these large ships go there. Are there any russian restaurants?

 

 

I have a been in Sitka both on business (the Museums Alaska and Alaska Historical Society meet in B2B meetings since so many people attend both, and have met in Sitka several times) and as a cruise port.  While there was a Russian restaurant years ago it is no longer in operation.  It was in the Bay View Pub location, and unfortunately, it is my understanding (from our acquaintance who is from Sitka and was there for the 2021 Christmas holiday) that the Bay View Pub is also no longer in existence.  If another restaurant serving Russian food is in operation I hope someone will chime in.

 

Kodiak, for those who have been there, has a very strong Russian tie.  They have the lovely Russian Holy Resurrection Orthodox  Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox Seminary and a very active Orthodox community.  There are restaurants there which serve Russian foods.

[latebuyer]

Thanks, that’s too bad. I would like to go to a russian restaurant, ukrainian one in vancouver, bot no russian that i know of.

[Mountaineer0313]

On 11/18/2022 at 1:59 PM, GTJ said:

For visiting Sitka southbound from Seward, consider Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, and Viking Ocean Cruises. Also, consider American Queen Voyages, which operates one-way from Sitka to Vancouver. Finally, it might be noted that Alaska Marine Highway had operated during summer 2022 one-way from Skagway to Bellingham, via Sitka, every four weeks (future summer schedules are not yet available).

 

While I would love to do any of those cruiselines, even I, the big spender I am, cannot justify spending that much on a cruise lol, if the ports are largely the same as the big name cruiselines.

[GTJ]

14 minutes ago, Mountaineer0313 said:

While I would love to do any of those cruiselines, even I, the big spender I am, cannot justify spending that much on a cruise lol, if the ports are largely the same as the big name cruiselines.

Yes, with the exception of the Alaska Marine Highway, they are all at a fare level generally higher than the mass market lines. My thought is that Silversea might offer more discounted fares because it is, in 2023, doubling its Alaska presence, and may have staterooms to fill. As to having distinct ports of call that might justify a greater expenditure, I note (1) Viking Ocean Cruises offers 6 ports of call on its 10-night one-way sailing, more than the typical 3 or 4 ports visited by most 7-night sailings by other lines, though the ports themselves are not particularly distinct, and (2) American Queen Voyages, after departing Sitka, offers 4 ports of call on its 11-night one-way sailing, including 2 ports rarely visited by cruise lines, Kake and Wrangell (though both are regularly served by the Alaska Marine Highway), and the small size of the vessel generally offers a more intimate experience. Would either of these two lines be worth the extra cost? Alaska Marine Highway would have cost comparable to the mass market lines though very much a different type of sailing, one emphasizing basic and less touristic transportation, with scant regard for entertainment or other indulgences (think "cafeteria" instead of "main dining room," and tents pitched on outside decks), but with the benefit of flexibility in itinerary design. The other lines, both Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises, offer a standardized itinerary largely available from the mass market lines.