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You have probably seen me rave about my little $35 tent so, if you wanted to do this, it shouldn't cost you too much. However, if you're going to buy it in Alaska, be aware that prices are higher there.
I'm sure some ferry passengers end their trip in Juneau. So I would think that this would free up some deck space for tents. But I can't guarantee you that.
That's a very good point, of course. Though it'd not necessarily be the end of the world if there was no space for the tent in any case; I'm sure they're used to people rolling out a mat and sleeping on the floor in their sleeping bag!
The other option that I was weighing up was flying down to one of the ports of call further south and getting the ferry from there. It'd not help with the accomodation situation, of course, but it'd give me more time on land...
I have bitten the bullet and booked the flights for my Alaskan leg of the trip as the prices were starting to creep upwards.
I'll be flying down from Anchorage to Gustavus (via Juneau) on the afternoon of 30th July and then back to Juneau on the evening of 1st August. The next flight is Bellingham - Las Vegas on 9th August so I get a few days in the Juneau/Skagway area before heading down to Bellingham on the ferry.
See... sorted. I think!
Thanks for your input, guys and girls ;)
Last year we flew from Portland Oregon to Anchorage and spent three days there. It was August, and it did rain but we also had some good sunshine. If you're used to our summer weather in the UK you'll find no surprises in the southern Alaskan summer (other then the ever-present snow and ice in many parts!).
We hired a car and took a day trip to Seward. The scenery along Turnagain Arm is fantastic and highly recommended. Worryingly, there are a lot of bullet-hole-ridden road signs! We also took a 2-hour boat trip out of Seward into Resurrection Bay. There was not a cloud in the sky and it was great. On the trip back to Anchorage we paid a visit to Exit Glacier. It was raining by the time we got back to Anchorage, so clear sunny conditions can easily give way to rain.
You'll find many float planes in Anchorage and elsewhere. We didn't use them, but they must be a great way to see areas that are otherwise inaccessible.
We flew into Anchorage in darkness (arriving at about 3am!) but we flew out in daylight, and it was another clear day (I think we got lucky!). As a result I got some great photographs of mountains and glaciers on the way to Seattle. Something you won't get from a boat!
This was a great 'taster' and it got us interested in Alaska. The lack of roads probably means there's more unspoiled scenery in Alaska than anywhere else in the USA. Next time we'll try further southeast - Juneau, Sitka or Ketchikan - and possibly north to Fairbanks.
Thanks, jif001, your post really put me in the mood for this trip! I have just been on to the ferry people and put in a reservation request for the Juneau - Bellingham ferry (with outside cabin) and have made a reservation at the Glacier Bay Lodge along with an eight hour tour of Glacier Bay National Park. Can't wait, it should be sooo cool! hehe
First I get this message:
Then I write back enquiring about the tent situation and I get the following:Quote:
Per your reservation request for Juneau to Bellingham August 5th. There are no cabins available on the 5th. Cabins are available on the 12th, 19th, & 26th.
Please email back if you want to book this trip on any of the above available dates to my attention
Do they actually have a clue? :sQuote:
There is no sailing on the 5th, Juneau to Bellingham. There is a sailing from Juneau to Pr. Rupert BC on August 5th. It departs Juneau at 7PM and arrives Pr. Rupert, BC on August 7th at 4am. There are cabins and vehicle space available on that sailing as well as adequate passenger space. A cabin for that trip would be $144 and each passenger fare is $221.
You can get the BC Ferry on to Vancouver Island from Pr. Rupert. We do not book BC Ferries but you can find them on line.
There are lockers available on all our boats if you need one.
Hope this answers your questions.
When I helped my daughter book her ferry tickets, we called because the website and email were too confusing. Is that possible for you to call and talk to customer service? They were very helpful on the phone, if I remember right.
I will if I have to but I prefer to do things by email for two reasons:
1/ It's a long way away and it's very expensive to call
and
2/ I've got a record of our conversation when I get there and find there really isn't a boat on the 5th...
It's very annoying. I'll have to look at it again tomorrow.
But it might be money well-spent for the call and might save you time, aggravation and money in the long run.
I would suggest that if you can't get this sorted via email that you make the call, get things sorted out with a live person, and then email them with the information you get, i.e. travel dates, boarding times, schedule, what you're purchasing (fare, room, locker, whatever), fees and whatever else you think is important. And ask for an email confirming that your information is correct.
That way you still have that written record. Hope this makes sense.
Good suggestions, of course.
Do you know if the walk-on passenger side of things fill up often? If not, and they can't offer me accomodation, I might just rock up on the day and buy a ticket. That way it gives me the flexibility to spend longer in the area if I want to and then fly onwards instead.