Travel to Alaska from Seattle by ferry?

Question

Is it a madness travelling from Bellingham to Skagway by ferry? I'm gonna be on hollidays soon, my trip is about 15 days, around Alaska, starting from Seattle

Thanks and greetings from Spain.

Answer 1

The ferry trip is awesome..... especially when the ferry starts going between the islands from Sitka to Juneau.  The receeding glaciers cut huge deep channels - the ship is just 40 feet from shore, but in 100 feet of water.  Very cool.

I like what the guy from Kenai said about staying an sleeping in the solariaum.  I would bring a small tent - that way you can at least change clothing in private and sleep with a bit of privacy if there is too much going on.  

Answer 2

No, it is not madness.  It is a spectacular trip.  And much cheaper than taking a cruise ship.  If you go straight through, it is about 3 days.  But you can walk off of one ferry, hang out and explore Ketchikan, Juneau, Wrangell, Haines or Skagway, etc and catch the next north-bound ferry in a few days.

You do need to get 150 km from Seattle to Bellingham where the ferry leaves.

You can reserve a stateroom with a bed but that limits your options of getting on and off the ship.  The trick is to sleep in the Solarium on each ship.  A glass-covered deck with 2m long deck chairs.  Bring a sleeping bag or buy a cheap one at Wall-mart.  You'll get to know the people around you, chat, go into town together, and maybe hook up with someone to have adventure onshore with.

Have a great trip.  Watch for eagles, whales, glaciers and great scenery.

Answer 3

No, not too bad. You can also reach Alaska from Seattle by bus through Canada. Doing so requires a few transfers in Vancouver, Prince George and Whitehorse but might be nice to use in one direction for a change of scenery. The bus companies you would need are Cantrail, Canadian Greyhound and Alaska Direct Bus lines. Good Luck!