The fares can be very steep depending upon how you want to travel. Visiting Alaska’s coastal communities is an adventure when you combine your road trip with ferry trips on the Alaska Marine Highway. There is usually an hour or more at each stop to get out and go for a walk. The crew will announce when people can go down to the car deck to let their pets out to do their business when the passages between ports are long. If you need some privacy, book a cabin for over-night passages. Bring snacks and finger foods that do not require refrigeration.Ĭabins: If you want to go cheap, sleep in community areas on the ferry. If you have a cabin, you can bring your own alcoholic beverages on board. If you have dietary concerns, be sure to discuss them with the Alaska Marine Highway agents so that you will not suffer. The Larger the vehicle, the more expensive the ticket.įood: Bring your own snacks and beverages. The rates are much cheaper than taking a vehicle. Walk-on versus taking the RV: If you would like to travel by ferry with a round-trip ticket, you can travel as a walk-on passenger. If they anticipate any delays, they are excellent about contacting all of the affected passengers. Call the Alaska Marine Highway for any updates. Give yourself a few extra days between ferry passages for just in case. The best way is to view these delays is to consider it all part of your adventure. The ferry system can be frustrating when there is a breakdown on one of the ferries. Repairs and Schedule Changes: Plan for repairs and schedule changes. If you get confused when booking your route, the Alaska Marine Highway agents will help you sort it all out.
Stacking destinations without extra rates: It is possible to get off the ferry along your route without it affecting the total cost of your ticket. Be sure to ask for senior rates when you make your reservations. The only drawback will be snow and icy conditions. If you want to avoid the crowds, winter could be an exciting adventure. Senior and winter rates: Check the rate differences for winter travel. To find out current sailing information, fares, and reservations go to the Alaska Marine Highway website. Some areas such as the Eastern Aleutian Islands have ferry service only during the summer months. All of the regions have ferry service during the summer. The Alaska Marine Highway breaks down each major region into a network with a ferry that serves within each region. South-central including Kodiak and Bristol Bay.
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Visiting a series of island destinations can be very expensive without some serious planning months in advance. The only way to travel is by air or by ferry. Most island communities have no road access. This is the ferry system that serves the coastal communities. Unless you have a seaworthy boat, you will more than likely pack up the truck camper and visit some of the islands using the Alaska Marine Highway. So, paring down your adventure into something manageable will be critical, or you will find yourself overwhelmed. People can spend their entire lives exploring the Islands of Alaska and never seeing it all. For many, exploring the coastline of Alaska is a lifetime adventure. This ferry system connects the island communities in: The best way to visit the island communities is by the Alaska Marine Highway. Getting out of “tourist central” and getting to know local communities, will turn an Alaska visit from a standard tourist destination into a memorable life-changing adventure. The beauty of traveling small shines because going small saves a ton of money when taking the ferry and visiting coastal communities. You can even pack the RV truck camper and go. One of the best ways to explore these areas is by boat. So, if you want to see some spectacular parts of Alaska, spend some time exploring the coastline on the Alaska Marine Highway. If you add all the beaches, and all of the islands, it totals to over 47,300 miles. Alaska has more coastline than all other states combined, which is approximately 6,640 miles of coastline.
You cannot visit Alaska without a trip down the Inside Passage or to one of Alaska’s coastal and island communities.