Alaska Laundry Excursion

[Baked Alaska]

So, can anybody suggest a "laundry excursion" while we on our Alaska southbound cruise this summer? We are spending 4 days in Anchorage before we board the train to Seward. So, have any of you Alaska alums tried doing laundry in port (Juneau or ISP)? Other port days, I would not be available to do laundry.

[Pima1988]

Are you saying you don't want to do your laundry in Anchorage. but later on for your cruise?  

I lived in AK for several yrs.  and we did a lot of camping.  If you don't want to do it in Anchorage prior to sailing,  I would do it in Juneau.  

OBTW, I don't know when you are sailing, but you need to make reservations for Simon and Seaforts as soon as possible.  You will NOT be disappointed.  Sooner you make the reservations, the easier it will be to get a table overlooking the inlet.  It is pricey, but waayyyy worth it.  Try their prime rib, and their crab and artichoke dip.  https://simonandseaforts.com/menu.php The minute you taste a bite of the prime rib you will be in heaven.

It has been yrs since I lived in Anchorage, but the Hilton had an amazing bar and restaurant at the top of the hotel that looked at FT Rich's mtn.  They have  a star on the mtn.   The Hilton is on the opposite end of Simon and Seaforts. Captain Cooke Hotel is between the two.  It would be about a 10--15 min leisurely walk from the Hilton to the restaurant. 

There is a mall on 5th Ave.  It includes stores from JCPenneys to Nordstrom.  It is a quick walk from either of these hotels. Look for the whale graffiti on one of the buildings.  There is also an amazing church on that street.

If you are there for 4 days, I would do the following:

1. Go to Mirror Lake.  It is right outside of Eagle River @ 30 min car ride.  It has wonderful hiking trails, waterfalls, etc.  Plus the lake reflection looks like a mirror when it comes to the trees shadowing.

2.  White water rafting in Eagle River.  Again it is @ 30 min car ride.  It is an easy rafting trip, but 10 will get you 20 it will be cheaper than any  RCCL rafting trip.

3. Portage Glacier.  I am not trying to make a political statement, but if anybody wants to see climate change, Portage is the place to go.  It is about 30 mins out of Anchorage.  

4. I do not know if they still have this, but right outside the back gate of Elmendorf AFB (close to Hilton Hotel) they had a salmon farm.

I hope this gives you some insight to Anchorage that is close to the port

 

[wstephensi]

After our 4 days on land we had the ship do our laundry during our south bound cruise.

[FyrMdc]

Wstephensi - How much did it cost you for the ship to do your laundry? We are doing a cruise tour and are thinking about our options.

 

Thank you,

 

Dave

[wstephensi]

I do not recall the total cost.  I think they do a $39.99 a bag (the bag is one of those hotel laundry plastic bags, not very big) wash and fold deal once per room.  We had two rooms, that was $80.  When my wife and girls discovered the laundry service they used it two more times.  I ended up spending a lot more on laundry then I expected/planned/budgeted. 

The plan was to wash land based clothes once on the ship.  

[Paige]

If Haines is one of your stops, you can go to Moose Horn Laundry. We were in Haines last summer and I went there. For me, it turned out to be an excursion. I took the town's only taxi. He asked me when I wanted to go back, and he was there when he promised. While there, I got to talking with a young couple who live there and got to hear about their adventures in Alaska. On the trip back to port, somehow the conversation between the driver and me turned to hobbies. I mentioned that I love to knit. So he took me to a great yarn shop in beautiful downtown Haines. So I got all clean clothes for our family, spent less than it would have on the ship (and didn't have to wait 24 hours or more), and got to meet some very interesting locals. 

I don't remember exactly what the machines cost, but it was more than I would have expected. But Moose Horn is clean, neat, and in a beautiful location.

[Baked Alaska]

@Paige What a great laundry Excursion! It's the extraordinary in the ordinary that make life grand! Unfortunately, we will not be staying in Haines. Perhaps they could send a tender for me on the way to Skagway! LOL! I, too, am a knitter and will have my eyeballs peeled for yarn shops.