Alaska Inside Passage Ports + Canada: Juneau, Skagway, Victoria BC
Our Alaska Cruise Itinerary + Excursion Highlights
After a perfect pre-night in Seattle (ICYMI: I wrote all about that here), our Inside Passage cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas took us to some of the most iconic and scenic ports in Alaska — plus a little stop in Canada for good measure.
Here’s where we went and what we did in each port:
🛳️ Cruise Itinerary:
Seattle, WA (Embarkation – read the Seattle planning post if you missed it!)
Juneau, AK
Skagway, AK
Dawes Glacier (scenic cruising day)
Victoria, British Columbia
📍 Juneau, Alaska
Juneau surprised me in the best way. The souvenirs were super affordable (which, never happens anywhere that I’ve gone!) and it was such a fun and walkable port.
Highlights:
We explored gift shops, including a Christmas ornament shop that was all Christmas, all year — and it was magical. 🎄
The Taku store right off the pier gives out free salmon jerky samples and has some fun local finds. They will even ship seafood home for you if you want to buy there.
We went on an incredible whale watching excursion (this one) — and YES, we saw whales! 🐋 The one that we went on was a lot less crowded than the ones that we saw other passengers on. Our boat had a max capacity of about 40.
We also ate at Tracy’s King Crab Shack, and let me tell you — the crab legs are HUGE and absolutely worth the hype. If the one right at the pier is packed (it usually is), there’s another Tracy’s location about a 10-minute walk down the street that more locals go to, and it’s just as amazing.
Tracy’s King Crab Juneau, Alaska
Here are some other things to do in Juneau, Alaska that you may want to consider when on your cruise to Alaska:
📍 Skagway, Alaska
In Skagway, we chose the Gold Panning & Salmon Bake excursion, which was perfect for our group since we had little kids with us — including a three-year-old.
They take you to Liarsville, a replica tent city from the Klondike Gold Rush days, where you hear fun stories about the era.
You get to pan for real gold (spoiler: it’s small, but fun!).
There’s a full salmon buffet and a cute setup — we were supposed to see a show, but the actors had a hiccup that day.
If I went back without young kids, I’d try something else — but for families, it was great.
Others in our group did the White Pass & Yukon Route scenic railway, and they absolutely loved it. 🚂
Here are some other shore excursions that you may enjoy in Skagway:
📍 Dawes Glacier (Scenic Cruising Day)
You don’t get off the ship here, but it’s a bucket list experience. The ship gets so close to the glacier, and the views are absolutely next level. I’ll share more about what to do on glacier and sea days in a future post — but just know this is a big highlight!
PRO TIP: if you are booked in a room with an Ocean View—better yet, a BALCONY or JUNIOR SUITE as we were you aren’t crowded with everyone else on the observation decks. You can enjoy RIGHT from your balcony as we did!
Scenic Cruising Day
📍 Victoria, British Columbia
A lot of people on the ship didn’t get off in Victoria — and it’s one of those ports that tends to get skipped if you’re tired. But I’m glad we went out and explored.
We booked a city tour that stopped at:
Chinatown – One of the oldest in North America, with Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in Canada! Super cool spot to walk through.
Butchart Gardens – So much more than just flowers. This place is beautifully landscaped, massive, and has been around for over 100 years.
We ended at Fisherman’s Wharf, which is about a 15-minute walk back to the port. If we came back, we’d probably skip the tour and just walk to the wharf for lunch or do a casual shopping day.
Here are some other things that you may enjoy in Victoria BC:
Each port has its own vibe, and what you choose to do can totally depend on your group and energy level. But no matter what — there’s something amazing waiting at every stop.
📞 Need help planning your own Inside Passage adventure? Call me at 800-887-0564 or visit jillsvacations.com.
🧡 Follow along for more cruise tips at Vacations By Jill – LTW Travel
