Skagway Cruises: Ports, Ships and Things to Do

At a glance

250 current cruises call at the 2 ports Cruiseable lists under Skagway, on 47 ships from 16 cruise lines. The busiest of those ports is Skagway, on 250 itineraries. The lowest lead fare across those cruises is $574. The lines sailing the most of them are Princess Cruises (51), Regent Seven Seas Cruises (38) and Holland America Line (24).

Destination guide

Skagway port guide: What to do & see

The Klondike Gold Rush lives on in Skagway, where time hasn't entirely caught up with the future. The town's name comes from the Tlingit word for the area, “Skagua” or “Shԍagwei,” meaning “windy place with white caps on the water.” Skagway is the northernmost port along Alaska’s Inside Passage, about 100 miles from Juneau.

CRUISEABLE PORT GUIDES

Skagway is perhaps most famous as the setting for part of Jack London’s book “The Call of the Wild.” Although its population reached 10,000 at one time, today just 920 residents call Skagway home.

Among the town's most popular attractions is the White Pass and Yukon Route, a railroad once integral to mining but now operating purely for the enjoyment of visitors and not to be missed. Tourists can also explore on foot, bike or in dogsleds.

Whatever mode of transportation is used to see the sights, Skagway remains a small town with Alaska's particular brand of rustic charm.

The White Pass and Yukon Route railroad has worthwhile excursions lasting four to eight hours; cruise visitors will want to opt for one of the shorter trips.

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Top things to do & see in Skagway

See how local tribes and immigrants lived at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush at the Skagway Museum, a good place to begin exploring the area. The Gold Rush Cemetery and Pioneer Cemetery, both part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, bring to mind the hardships faced by Skagway residents at the turn of the 20th Century. Stroll near local streams and maybe you'll catch a glimpse of the precious metal that brought 100,000 prospectors to Alaska between 1896 and 1899.

Skagway, population 920, is located on the Alaska panhandle and has small-town charm. Courtesy of Princess Cruises

There are some shorter day hikes in the Skagway area that are quite scenic. Download trail maps and print them out before your cruise, or stop by the Skagway Visitor Center for advice on a trail that is right for you.

The White Pass and Yukon Rout e railroad has excursions lasting four to eight hours that wind through some of the most dramatic scenery Alaska has to offer. There is limited seating on some trains so book early to avoid disappointment.

Fun facts

Skagway is known as the “sunshine capital” of Alaska. The town gets only 27 inches of rain a year!
Skagway was originally spelled Skagua but when the application to have a post office established was submitted, a bureaucrat in Washington D.C. thought it was misspelled and changed it to Skagway.

When you arrive

Docking information

All ships dock at one of the three main docks, located side by side, just a few minutes walk from town.

Getting around

Skagway is small enough to walk around, and taxis are not required or readily available. Bicycles can be rented, and pedicabs pedaled by locals are also available for short trips.

Free wi-fi

Port of Call, 375 2nd Avenue, Skagway
Skagway Bazaar Coffee Shop, 6th and Broadway, Skagway

Need to know

Store hours: Stores in Skagway are open about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Sunday. Some stores may stay open later when cruise ships are in town. Many shops are located on Broadway between 2nd and 7th avenues.

Tipping: A 10% to 15% tip on the restaurant/taxi bill is customary. Sometimes a tip is automatically added to your bill; check your credit card slip before adding additional tip.

Weather & dress: Dress in layers as temperatures can vary throughout the day.

Safety: Skagway is considered a safe and peaceful town. As always, be aware of your surroundings and lock up your valuables.

Your take

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Photos of Skagway

The Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, Alaska.
The ships Pacific Princess and Diamond Princess in Skagway, Alaska.
Celebrity Infinity departs Skagway, Alaska.
See a majestic bald eagle during a Lindblad Expedition visit of Baranof Island, Alaska.
A large brown bear wades into a stream in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.
Kayak the beautiful waters of Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska, on a Lindblad expedition.
A humpback whale surfaces to greet visitors on a Lindblad Expeditions excursion.
A brown bear pays little heed to visitors during a Lindblad Expeditions visit to Kelp Bay, Alaska.
A family of killer whales surfaces in the Johnstone Strait in Vancouver during a Lindblad Expeditions tour.
A waterfall streams down Dawes Glacier at William's Cove in Alaska.
While on a hike of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, see a brown bear as it hunts for salmon.
The tail of a humpback whale emerges from the water in Alaska during a Lindblad Expeditions voyage.
Three brown bears fish for pink salmon in a stream in Alaska during a Lindblad Expeditions tour.
A large killer whale surfaces in Chatham Strait, Alaska, during a Lindblad Expeditions tour.
Sail to Le Conte Bay in Stikine Flats, Alaska, aboard National Geographic Sea Bird during a Lindblad Expeditions trip.
An adult humpback whale breaches after disaffiliating from a group along the west side of Chatham Strait in Southeast Alaska during a Lindblad expedition.
Travelers taking a Lindblad Expeditions tour observe a sea lion colony in Inian Pass near Cross Sound, southeastern Alaska.