Hi there!
Yes, it is possible to do an Alaska cruise without excursions!
I have been to the Alaska cruise ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, and Icy Strait Point.
Now, I did do a lot of excursions during my Alaska cruise.
If you are able to budget for excursions, you should definitely go on at least one epic so-very-Alaska excursion!
You can find so-very-Alaska things to do through Skagway excursions… Juneau excursions… and Ketchikan excursions!
But excursions in Alaska are expensive, so if you can’t do one in every port, or you just don’t want to, then there are things to do in each of the Alaska cruise ports on your own.
Hiking is one of the best ways to experiences Alaska on your own.
So be sure to also see the best hikes near Alaska cruise ports!
Now, here are some ideas of things to do on your own!
Partner websites are listed below.
1. Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area in Tongass National Forest (Juneau cruise port)
One of the most popular things to do in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier.
Many people do some sort of Mendenhall Glacier excursion, but you can also go on your own.
I went to the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area of Tongass National Forest by taking the Juneau bus.
But not everyone will think it’s reasonable to go by bus.
You can also take a round-trip shuttle to get there, and while you can also book this through the cruise ship, this is something you can book on your own.
If you have a long day in Juneau cruise port, I recommend trying to go later in the day.
I would like to think that by going late, I did miss massive crowds, since presumably everyone goes first thing after they get off the cruise ship.
There were still plenty of people there, but it didn’t feel as overwhelming as I imagine it would be earlier in the day.
Public transportation of course takes longer, but since I did have the time, it was fine!
The Mendenhall Glacier is also over a mile away from the nearest bus stop, so it was a lot of walking.
But I did the Photo Point Trail, Nugget Falls Trail, and then I went to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.
I think the visitor center had the best view of the glacier because you’re seeing it from higher up.
The Nugget Falls Trail you want to do if you want to get up close to waterfalls! It would be good to have 1 hour to do it, but you can do it in less.
The Mendenhall Glacier continues to retreat (aka it looks to be getting further and further away), so year after year, you keep getting a more distant view.
When I was at Nugget Falls, I heard someone say that they had been there before and the glacier was much closer. They were saying “bye bye glacier”!
So it’s a special thing to see while you can!
👆 Mendenhall Glacier from the visitor center.
👆 Nugget Falls Trail in Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area in Tongass National Forest.
👆 Nugget Falls in Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area in Tongass National Forest.
Juneau cruise port on your own:
- Mendenhall Glacier on your own
- Transportation to Mendenhall Glacier
- Tracy’s King Crab Shack
- Best Juneau hikes (from a cruise ship!)
Juneau cruise port on your own or do a tour?!
2. Yakutania Point (Skagway cruise port)
You can go hiking in Skagway on your own for free.
The most popular hike to do in Skagway is the Yakutania Point Trail.
You can also hike more to Smugglers Cove, although the views at Yakutania Point are better.
If you walk to walk less, then you can make it a walk from the cruise port to the Skagway footbridge for the views!
Other hikes people do when in Skagway cruise port on their own is the Dewey Lake Trail. You’ll want a couple of hours for this.
As I understand it, you can make it a hike simply to the lake, or you can hike more by also hiking around the lake.
An “all-day” hike a Princess naturalist told me about was the AB Mountain hike if you want to look into that. (It would be good to have 5.5 hours, he said.)
Skagway cruise port on your own:
Skagway cruise port on your own or do a tour?!
3. Totem Bight State Historical Park (Ketchikan cruise port)
Ketchikan is one of the best cruise ports to see totem poles during your Alaska cruise.
So if native Alaskan culture interests you, then see totem poles in Ketchikan!
The most popular “totem parks” in Ketchikan are Totem Bight State Historical Park and Saxman Park.
Totem Bight State Historical Park is a bit further away, but you can take the Ketchikan bus to get there.
You can also take the Ketchikan bus to go to Saxman Park, and since it’s closer and smaller, it’s less time consuming.
You can also walk 3 miles to Saxman Park following the same road the cars follow, and then take the bus back. (I met people who did this.)
Ketchikan cruise port on your own:
Ketchikan cruise port on your own or do a tour?!
- Seaplane tours in Alaska (Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness with remote landing!)
- Snorkeling tours in Alaska
- Best Ketchikan excursions
4. Sitka National Historical Park (Sitka cruise port)
Another good cruise port to see totem poles during your Alaska cruise is Sitka.
You can go to Sitka National Historical Park on your own.
There is the Totem Trail, which is lined with a number of totem poles.
You can get to Sitka National Historical Park by walking from downtown Sitka along the Sitka Sea Walk, in part.
Sitka cruise port on your own:
Sikta cruise port on your own or do a tour?!
5. Hoonah Sea Walk (Icy Strait Point cruise port)
Basically anywhere in Icy Strait Point cruise port is along the water, so even just walking off the cruise ship and through Icy Strait Point will give you a nice scenic walk.
There is also a scenic coastal walk from Icy Strait Point cruise port to Hoonah along the Hoonah Sea Walk.
I think it was a 20-30 minute walk.
For $5, there’s also a shuttle from Icy Strait Point to Hoonah.
I bought the shuttle ticket before I started walking to Hoonah so that I could take the shuttle back. I was told I wouldn’t be able to buy the ticket on the shuttle in Hoonah.
Walking through the town of Hoonah, I honestly felt like it could have been any regular small rural American town or street that you might drive through if you’re driving through rural America not on the highway… except it’s on the water I guess.
So the highlight was the Hoonah Sea Walk, not particularly the town of Hoonah itself.
Then, upon return to the Icy Strait Point cruise port, I walked the nature trail that’s located right nearby the cruise port.
It’s pretty short, but it’s a nice leisurely walk through the forest.
Right as I was nearing one end of the trail, I was told urgently to get off the trail.
I was a bit confused because I was approaching the end so I was walking in the direction of getting off the trail.
I wasn’t sure why he felt the need to tell me to get off.
Well, it turns out that there was a bear spotted on some part of the nature trail, and they wanted everyone off the trail immediately.
I didn’t actually see the bear myself.
👆 There are bears near the Icy Strait Point cruise port.
At the end of the trail that I ended up at, there was a free gondola in Icy Strait Point that I could take to get back down to where I started the trail.
There are 2 gondolas you can take in Icy Strait Point which will take you up for higher viewpoints.
The first one is from ground level and will take you a little bit up. This one is free.
Then, once you get off the first gondola, you will see another gondola. This one costs money, and will take you up even higher.
If you’re going to Icy Strait Point on a Princess cruise, check the onboard cruise activities (aka journeyview on the Princess app or the Princess Patter paper version of entertainment) to see if there is a speaker session by the Hoonah ambassador.
The Hoonah ambassador on my cruise ship was from the native Alaskan Tlingit tribe, and it was interesting to hear from her.
There was also special meaning because I heard the Tlingit tribe referenced a few times throughout my time in Alaska, so I had more of a basic familiarity with it!
In particular, you may hear about the Tlingit tribe on Glacier Bay National Park day.
Icy Strait Point cruise port on your own:
And those are some ideas of doing an Alaska cruise without excursions!
More for your Princess cruise:
- Alaska cruise dinner menu
- Viewing areas on glacier sea days: Majestic Princess cruise ship
- Princess cruise boarding time
HAPPY DOING THINGS IN ALASKA FROM A CRUISE SHIP ON YOUR OWN!
There are partner websites included in this post. I may earn a commission.