Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. If you're used to cruising in the Caribbean, shore excursion prices on your Alaska cruise might surprise you.
Want to take a helicopter ride to the top of a glacier to enjoy a dogsled ride? It'll cost upward of $700 per person. Excited about an authentic Alaska fishing experience? That's a more than $400 tour. A nearly three-hour scenic train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad starts at more than $150 per traveler.
Not only are tours so pricey because Alaska is a remote destination (where it costs more to fly in goods and materials), but also because Alaska is part of the U.S., where wages and tour insurance costs can be higher than in the islands. Plus, many Alaska excursions involve seaplanes, helicopters, specialized boats and other equipment that only add to the price of your onshore experience.
For many, an Alaska cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and many tours are worth the splurge. But you don't have to spend money hand over fist in every port. Whether you're trying to balance your budget with a few cheaper days or you simply don't have the resources to spend big every day of your vacation, you'll want to seek out cheap or free things to do in Alaska's cruise ports.
Luckily, you have plenty of options. I know because I've spent many a day exploring independently in Alaska's ports. Plus, I consulted with Alaska's tourism representatives to bring you a comprehensive list of free (and cheap) things to do in Alaska on a cruise.
Skagway Dewey Lakes trail system hike Quickie brothel tour ($20) Juneau Cultural walking tour Goldbelt Tram ($60) Ketchikan Creek Street Historic District Saxman Native Village ($5) Icy Strait Point Hoonah Packing Co. Cannery Museum Tribal dance show ($20) Sitka Sitka National Historical Park Alaska Raptor Center ($17) Haines Self-guided walking tours American Bald Eagle Foundation ($25) Things to do in Skagway, Alaska, for free and cheap The historic gold rush town of Skagway, Alaska. REINHARD PANTKE/TRAVEL ALASKA Skagway is known for its gold rush history, but you don't need a pricey tour to immerse yourself in the town's storied past. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park has four free museums open to visitors, including the Visitor Center Museum (with interactive exhibits), the Moore House Museum (former home of the first family to live in Skagway, with two restored Victorian-era rooms), the Jeff Smiths Parlour Museum (a former bar with a shady past) and the Mascot Saloon Museum (a restored gold rush saloon).
If you're fully embracing the old-timey vibe, you'll want to belly up to the bar at the Red Onion Saloon . Once, it was Skagway's signature bordello, but now it's the place to sling back an Alaska-brewed beer or snack on apps and pizzas named after former good-time girls. For a reasonable $20 a person, you can sign up for a Quickie Tour of the venue's supposedly haunted brothel museum. Ghost sightings don't cost extra…