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Shore excursions from Haines


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I am trying to figure out a 2022 Alaska trip, since it appears that our 2021 one is off.  The last time I went to Alaska, Skagway was my favorite port because I loved the train trip up into the mountains.  It was so beautiful!  Plus, I love trains.  Several of the 2022 itineraries list Haines, but not Skagway as a port of call.  My 2021 cruise planner had both Skagway and Haines and listed the same shore excursions for both.  Hence, my question:  is the train in Skagway an option for a shore excursion from Haines.

As always, thanks.

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  • 3 months later...

I've been wondering about the same thing! We are booked on Serenade May 15-22, and Haines is my biggest question mark for excursions. I think the train would technically be possible, since we have 8-9 hours on shore. The fast ferry costs $74 or so round trip, and takes 45 minutes each way. Then the train costs $134 for the summit tour and takes about 3 hours. Not sure when the Ferry runs, though I'd assume it starts fairly early and makes several trips a day. The train seems to run almost every hour from 8am to 4pm. The ferry itself could be interesting as they say on the website you travel through a deep fjord with waterfalls, possible wildlife sightings, and a naturalist/guide to narrate it. I've just noticed the ferry from Haines has a "rail and sail" package that gets you round trip ferry passage and a summit train ticket for $183 (as of 2019), so that saves about $25 vs buy tickets separately. It's only good from Haines, however.

Alternatives to the ferry/train excursion from Haines are a RC bus trip along the Haines scenic byway into the Yukon, which could be a bargain at $70 for 5 hours (not sure if being on a bus that long would be fun, but I think they make some stops), or visiting a local distillery.

Independent excursions are kayaking or rafting on a nearby lake/river/bald eagle preserve (Chilkoot/Chilkat?) and visiting a native village, or taking a 4x4 up the Takshanuk mountain trail (with a halibut dinner). Not sure if I am allowed to post the websites for these, but if you search a bit, you should find them.

We're taking the trip for our 15th anniversary, and Haines is the actual anniversary day, so I'd like to plan something memorable. Think I'll check out the "Skagway" threads for reviews on the train, but any thoughts/recommendations on the other options? Actually, Haines looks to be quieter/less touristy compared to other ports, so it might be a nice change of pace.

Slightly off topic: I wonder if we could skip whale-watching in Juneau (to have more time at the glacier) and cross our fingers to see whales on the Haines/Skagway ferry?

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