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Juneau Cruises
Juneau, Alaska Cruise Port Guide
On a Juneau cruise, you’ll discover a compact capital bustling with activity, where floatplanes buzz over the water, hikers set out to explore the forest trails, and summer visitors browse the enticing shops of the downtown area. Nature is never far away in Juneau—you’ll see majestic bald eagles perching on fences and in trees. The waters of Auke Bay are rich feeding grounds for marine mammals, from acrobatic humpback whales to sleek orcas.
On your Alaska cruise, take a trip to the nearby Mendenhall Glacier and you could spot bears in the woods around the icy lake. Just minutes from downtown, you’ll find yourself in a wilderness of pristine shorelines, where bottle-green spruce trees jostle against stony beaches, and blue-white glaciers flow over distant hanging valleys.
Juneau Shore Excursions
Top Sights & Attractions for Cruises to Juneau
Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls
Mendenhall Glacier is a short drive from downtown Juneau, inside Tongass National Forest. Take a shore excursion to the glacier and you're picked up right outside the terminal. Start at the visitor center, then follow the trail along Mendenhall Lake, where chunks of ice calved from the glacier drift past the shore. Keep going on the Nugget Falls trail to a stony beach near the base of the waterfall. Bears sometimes forage in the woods nearby, so keep your camera ready.
Whale Watching in Auke Bay
Auke Bay is where Juneau's humpback whales come to feed, from May to September. They gather in the deep channels between forested islands, and local naturalists know some of them well enough to have given them names. If whales are on your list, take a whale watching shore excursion on a small boat to see them up close and hear how the community protects them. Watch for orcas too, since they hunt the same waters.
Mount Roberts and the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway
The Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway climbs 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts, and it starts right across from the South Cruise Ship Berth. At the top, the view takes in the Gastineau Channel, Douglas Island, Silver Bow Basin and the Chilkat Mountains. Trails wind through forest and wildflower meadows, there's a bald eagle display, and a cultural center shares the Tlingit way of life. Ride it up after a morning shore excursion and finish your day with the easiest big view in Juneau.
Top Things to Do in Juneau, Alaska
Dog Sledding on Norris Glacier
Take a helicopter shore excursion over the Juneau Icefield and you'll touch down at a summer dog sled camp on Norris Glacier. After a quick lesson in the basic commands, the reins are yours. Many of the dogs are retired racers and Iditarod veterans, and they're eager to run. Picture gliding across the snow behind your own team in July, with ice and jagged peaks in every direction.
Sea Kayaking in Channel Island State Marine Park
Channel Island State Marine Park shows you Juneau from the water: rocky islands backed by dense forest, lichen-draped trees and snow-capped peaks. Take a guided sea kayaking shore excursion and you'll paddle at eye level with the shoreline, watching for bald eagles, herons, sea lions, dolphins and, with some luck, a humpback whale. Out past the channel, the only sounds are your paddle and the birds.
Juneau Food Tour: King Crab Bisque, Salmon and Local Beer
A Juneau food tour is the shore excursion for travelers who would rather taste the city than hike it. A local guide walks you through downtown, mixing city lore with stops at cafés and award-winning restaurants. Tastings include king crab bisque, salmon, Alaskan game and tea brewed from indigenous plants. The walk ends at a historic pub with a flight of three local beers, a fine way to wrap up a day in Alaska's capital.
How to Book a Juneau Shore Excursion
Already booked your Alaska cruise? Visit Manage Reservation to explore shore excursions and add them to your journey.
Not booked yet? Find your perfect Alaska getaway, then head to Manage Reservation to add a Juneau excursion to your cruise.
Cruises to Juneau, Alaska
View All Cruises to Juneau, Alaska
Top Food & Drink in Juneau
With abundant fresh seafood and a thriving culture of craft beer making, Juneau offers plenty of authentic Alaskan tastes for the gourmet traveler. King crab is king here, served in a flavor-packed bisque, as crab cakes, crab rolls, or as buckets of legs drenched in garlic butter and lemon.
Other specialties to try are salmon, which comes smoked, grilled, fried, or roasted. Fish and chips are a local favorite, consisting of flaky cod fried in a light batter and served with chunky fries. Reindeer sausages have a wonderfully smoky taste; try them with kelp salsa. Sweet treats include berry cobbler, made with local blueberries, cloudberries, and lingonberries, and served with homemade vanilla ice cream.
Culture & History of Juneau, Alaska
The Auke Tribe, a subgroup of the Tlingit Alaskan Natives, has lived along the coast here for thousands of years, fishing, hunting, and foraging. In 1880, during the peak of the Gold Rush, gold seekers Joe Juneau and Richard Harris stumbled upon the area that was first named Harrisburg and later renamed Juneau. The Tlingit Chief Kowee, in exchange for a reward, led the newcomers in the direction of gold in Silver Bow Basin.
Gold mining gave rise to a busy settlement and remained an important industry here for nearly 60 years until the last mine closed during WWII. Juneau became Alaska’s state capital in 1906, as the fur trade in the former capital, Sitka, declined. Today, the city’s economy depends largely on fishing and tourism.
Transportation in Juneau
Juneau is a compact city and most places can be reached in about 15 minutes on foot. Most of the shops and restaurants are stretched out along South Franklin Street. Taxis pick up from the cruise terminals, and rideshare services operate here, too. The local bus company, Capital Transit, is a good option for getting around the downtown area if your mobility is limited. The Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway is right opposite the South Cruise Ship Berth.
Shopping in Juneau
Shoppers will find plenty of choice in Juneau, from logo wear and printed T-shirts to vacuum-packed smoked salmon, cookbooks, pottery, and hiking gear. There are dozens of galleries and jewelry shops, some selling Alaskan-made jewelry and designs, as well as herbal remedies, scented candles, and soaps. Head up the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway to Raven Eagle Gifts & Gallery for some of the best Native Alaskan artwork, from masks to carvings and framed prints. Always look for the “Made in Alaska” mark to make sure you’re buying a genuine piece.
Local Currency & Tipping Customs
The currency in Juneau is the U.S. dollar (USD), with ATMs widely available. Credit cards are accepted in most places. Carry some cash for tips; while tipping isn’t mandatory, it is as much a part of the culture here as it is elsewhere in the U.S. Standard amounts are 15-20% in restaurants, 10-15% in bars and taxis, and from 10-20% of the tour cost for local guides.
Cruisetours
To explore further into Alaska, you can extend your cruise with a Cruisetour. This allows you to travel inland via motorcoach and railway exploring while Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, Talkeetna, Girdwood (Alyeska) and Denali National Park, taking in the views of the highest mountain peak in North America. Cruisetours include the finest hotel accommodations, a local dedicated Alaskan Tour Director, luxury transportation, and some activities.
