KetchikanCruise Port Guide
Most ships tie up right on Front Street, a short walk from Creek Street's boardwalk. Here's what fits your hours ashore, rain or shine, with real prices.
Welcome to Ketchikan
Pro Picks
Rainforest drive · 2.5 hrsRainforest and Wildlife Drive
A small-group drive out of town into the Tongass rainforest for waterfalls, giant cedars and salmon streams, watching for bears, eagles and seals along the way. Your guide meets you at the bronze statue by the Berth 2 visitor center, and it runs rain or shine, so wear a waterproof layer.
From $128.52/ person
Book Now →
Floatplane · 2 hrsMisty Fjords Floatplane Flight
Fly over sheer granite walls, waterfalls and lakes in Misty Fjords National Monument, about 40 miles east, in a six-seat floatplane with your pilot talking you through it on headsets. The van meets at the rain gauge on Berth 2, and passengers 250 lb or over pay a surcharge to the operator.
From $389/ person
Book Now →
Show + crab feast · 2.5 hrsLumberjack Show and Crab Feast
Watch champion loggers chop, saw, climb and log-roll at the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, then sit down to all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab next door. It's one block from the docks with covered, heated seats, so it works on a wet day or a short call.
From $157.94/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Ketchikan in 3 hours
Crab feast
Dungeness Crab Feast
All-you-can-eat Dungeness crab with salad, potatoes and carrot cake, looking out over the fishing boats in Thomas Basin. It's at the Harbor Haus, one block from the docks; arrive five minutes early.
From$115.54
Time required75 minutes
Whale watching
Whale and Wildlife Boat Tour
A boat search of Tongass Narrows and Nichols Passage for humpbacks and orcas, with eagles, seals and sea lions on the way. Check in at Booth 16 in the Berth 2 Visitors Center at least 30 minutes before departure.
From$198.99
Time required2.5 hours
City + totem tour
City Tour, Totems and Smoked Salmon
A coach tour with a smoked-salmon tasting, photo stops at Creek Street and the totem park at Saxman Native Village, with time to shop for Native art. Check in at Booth 14 in the Berth 2 Visitors Center.
From$99
Time required2.5 hours
Ketchikan in 5 hours
Rainforest walk + totems
Rainforest Sanctuary and Totem Walk
A naturalist-led walk in a private rainforest reserve at Herring Cove, with a boardwalk over a salmon estuary, a totem park and an old sawmill. Gentle pace; Ward Cove passengers must shuttle to Berth 2 first.
From$110
Time required165 minutes
Cold-water snorkel
Mountain Point Snorkeling
Snorkel tide pools and rock walls about five miles from the ship in a 7mm hooded wetsuit, gloves and boots. It's rated most strenuous and needs a signed waiver; meet at the rain gauge on Berth 2.
From$189.99
Time required3 hours
Boat + kayak
Fast Boat and Sea Kayak
Three hours on the water with no van ride: a boat from the downtown docks to quiet coves, then tandem sea kayaks. Six guests at most; it meets by Sockeye Sam's at Berth 3, not the Berth 2 center.
From$206
Time required3 hours
Zipline
Forest Zipline and Climbing Tower
Six ziplines, two suspension bridges and an optional 50-foot climbing tower in the cedars at Knudson Cove, north of town. No hand braking needed; transport from downtown is included.
From$150
Time required3.5 hours
Sea kayaking
Kayak to Eagle Island
A van to Clover Pass, then tandem kayaks to Eagle Island watching for eagle nests, seals and sea stars. No experience needed; the van leaves from the cruise pier.
From$117.88
Time required3.5 hours
Ketchikan in 7 hours
Bear viewing + boat
Neets Bay Black Bear Viewing
A drive north, a boat through island channels, then forest trails to platforms over salmon streams where black bears feed. Ward Cove passengers are picked up at Ward Cove; don't shuttle into town first.
From$399
Time required5 hours
Sea kayaking
Clover Pass Kayak Tour
Two and a half hours paddling around islands in Clover Passage, with transport from the downtown docks or Ward Cove and a snack back at the marina. Sign a waiver; kayak size limits apply.
From$164
Time required4 hours
Jet boat + seafood boil
Jet Boat, Rainforest and Seafood Boil
An enclosed jet boat through bays and inlets, a boardwalk walk to a giant red cedar, then a seafood boil with Dungeness crab and shrimp at the lodge. Ward Cove passengers are picked up at Ward Cove.
From$193.73
Time required225 minutes
Within a stroll of the boat
Six stops on foot from Berth 2 and its visitor center. Berths 1 and 3 are a few minutes from the same streets and Berth 4 about ten; ships at Ward Cove take the free shuttle in first. There's no beach in walking range.
Museum · 0.1 mi · ~4 min
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center on Main Street, a block from the berths. Admission is $5, kids can do the Junior Ranger program, and you can get a national parks passport stamp.
Eat · 0.2 mi · ~5 min
The Alaska Fish House
A seafood restaurant on the water by Berth 1, looking over the Thomas Basin harbor.
Landmark · 0.2 mi · ~6 min
Creek Street
The boardwalk on pilings over Ketchikan Creek, lined with old wooden buildings, including Dolly's House, a museum in a former brothel. Walking it costs nothing.
Viewpoint · 0.2 mi · ~7 min
Salmon ladder
Climb the Married Man's Trail from Creek Street to a platform over the salmon ladder on Ketchikan Creek. It's free.
Museum · 0.5 mi · ~12 min
Totem Heritage Center
A totem museum with a small entry fee and a playground beside it. It's the farthest stop, and the free summer shuttle stops here if you'd rather ride back.
View · 0.3 mi · ~7 min
Cape Fox Lodge and funicular
A funicular climbs from Creek Street to Cape Fox Lodge above town. It charges a small fee, waived if you eat at the lodge's restaurant.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Ketchikan.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
- Princess Cruises — Ketchikan cruise port guide
- Visit Ketchikan — Welcome cruise travelers
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- Visit Ketchikan — Frequently asked questions (PDF)
- Ketchikan Gateway Borough Transit — bus timetable effective May 2026
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- OpenStreetMap
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Ketchikan? Is it a tender port?
Ketchikan is a docking port, not a tender port: ships tie up at four downtown berths, numbered 1 to 4 from south to north along Front Street and Water Street, or at Ward Cove, about 5.5 miles north of town. From the downtown berths you walk straight into town; Creek Street is 0.2 miles from Berth 2 and 0.6 miles from Berth 4. Berths are assigned per call, so check Visit Ketchikan's cruise calendar or your ship's app.
Where does Norwegian or Princess dock in Ketchikan?
Norwegian Cruise Line ships usually dock at Ward Cove, about 5.5 miles north of town, and so do Oceania and Regent Seven Seas; Princess says its sailings usually use the downtown berths. No published list ties Carnival, Royal Caribbean or other lines to a particular berth: Ketchikan assigns them per call and they can change at the last minute, so check your ship's daily program or Visit Ketchikan's cruise calendar.
How do you get from Ward Cove to downtown Ketchikan?
A free shuttle bus runs from Ward Cove to downtown Ketchikan, about 5.5 miles, dropping you beside Berth 4; the ride takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and there can be a line on busy mornings. Check whether your tour picks up at Ward Cove before you ride in: some meet you at the dock and leave without you if you're downtown, while others meet at Berth 2. Taxis back can be scarce and expensive, so don't miss the last shuttle.
Can you walk around Ketchikan from the cruise port?
Yes. From Ketchikan's downtown berths you step straight onto the town's waterfront streets, and Creek Street, the shops and the visitor center are a short, flat walk: about 0.2 miles (6 minutes) from Berth 2 and 0.6 miles (13 minutes) from Berth 4. In summer a free shuttle loops the berths and town every 20 minutes. Ships at Ward Cove need the shuttle first. The stroll map shows six stops.
How far is Creek Street from the Ketchikan cruise port?
Creek Street is about 0.2 miles from Berth 2, a 6-minute walk, and about 0.3 miles from Berth 1, 0.4 from Berth 3 and 0.6 from Berth 4. It's a boardwalk on pilings over Ketchikan Creek, free to walk, with Dolly's House museum and the start of the Married Man's Trail up to a salmon-ladder viewpoint.
What can you do in Ketchikan without an excursion?
Yes. In Ketchikan the downtown berths open straight onto town, so you can fill a day on foot without a tour: walk Creek Street's boardwalk and climb the Married Man's Trail to the salmon ladder, both free. The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center ($5) and the Lumberjack Show are within a quarter mile of the berths, and shops line every pier. See the stroll map.
Beaches & water
Is there a beach near the Ketchikan cruise port?
No. There's no swimming beach within a walk of Ketchikan's downtown berths or Ward Cove. The nearest is Rotary Beach (also called Bugge's Beach), south of town on the borough's Silver Line bus, which costs $2 a ride for adults in cash.
Time ashore
What is the best excursion in Ketchikan?
The most popular Ketchikan excursions on GetYourGuide are a rainforest and wildlife drive (4.4 stars from 64 reviews), the Misty Fjords floatplane flight (4.6 stars from 64) and the Lumberjack Show with a Dungeness crab feast (4.8 stars from 41). The flight goes to Misty Fjords National Monument, about 40 miles east, in about two hours; the show is a block from the docks. All three are among the top picks above.
How do you see Misty Fjords from Ketchikan?
Most cruisers see Misty Fjords National Monument, about 40 miles east of Ketchikan, on a floatplane flight of about two hours with a pilot narrating over headsets. Tours usually pick you up by van at Berth 2. Some charge a surcharge for heavier passengers, so read the booking terms.
Where can I see totem poles near the Ketchikan cruise port?
You can see totem poles on foot in downtown Ketchikan: the Chief Johnson and Chief Kyan poles stand near Creek Street, and the Totem Heritage Center is about half a mile from Berth 2, with a small entry fee. Saxman Totem Park, about 2.4 miles south, and Totem Bight State Park, north of town, are both on the borough's Silver Line bus or a tour.
Where can I eat near the Ketchikan cruise port?
Seafood is a block or two from Ketchikan's berths: the Alaska Fish House sits by Berth 1 on the Thomas Basin harbor, the Harbor Haus beside the Lumberjack Show serves all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab, and Annabelle's on Front Street is close to Berth 2. The stroll map shows the walk.
Getting around
Is there a free shuttle or bus in Ketchikan?
Yes. In summer Ketchikan's borough runs a free downtown shuttle every 20 minutes, every day, looping the four cruise berths, Creek Street and the Totem Heritage Center. The regular city bus costs $2 a ride for adults (cash or coins), and its Silver Line reaches Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Totem Park. Taxis exist but can be scarce and pricey when several ships are in.
Before you go
Does it always rain in Ketchikan, and what should I wear?
Expect rain in Ketchikan: it gets rain on about 232 days a year, and a gauge next to the main cruise pier shows the running total. Wear a waterproof jacket and shoes that can get wet, and dress in layers; tours run rain or shine.
Do I need a passport for a cruise that stops in Ketchikan?
For a closed-loop cruise (one that starts and ends at the same U.S. port) that stops in Ketchikan, U.S. Customs and Border Protection says U.S. citizens can re-enter with a birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID. A Canadian stop on the same trip may still need a passport, and your cruise line may require one, so check with it.
Is there free Wi-Fi or an ATM near the Ketchikan cruise docks?
Yes to both. Ketchikan uses U.S. dollars, and there are ATMs at the Berth 2 and Berth 3 visitor centers, Salmon Landing Market and Sockeye Sam's. For Wi-Fi, Visit Ketchikan lists Salmon Landing Market (free for 30 minutes once a day) and the public library as free, and several bars and restaurants downtown offer it with a purchase.