Inside Passage Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Inside Passage. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and Ultimate Whale Watch Combo

• Alaska Ocean Wilderness Expedition

• Ketchikan Zodiac Boat Adventure

• Juneau Shore Excursion: Paddle with Whales Kayak Adventure

• Expedition Black Bear - 6-Passenger Boat

That depends on how you visit. Visiting the Inside Passage on a cruise ranges in price from the hundreds to the thousands based on trip duration and inclusions. You can also book Inside Passage shore excursions and day tours, such as wildlife-watching cruises, for a starting price of US$200.

The Inside Passage is a popular cruise route because ships can move smoothly through the deep, 1,000-mile-long (1,600-kilometer-long) waterway, offering views of pristine glaciers and fjords. Cities such as Ketchikan and Juneau, as well as wilderness areas including the Tongass National Forest, offer countless shore excursions.

Most Inside Passage cruises run from May to September, the overall best time to visit Alaska due to warm temperatures, more daylight, and a wide variety of activities. Go in June or July for the warmest weather, longest days, and best bear-viewing opportunities. Choose May or September for lower prices.

Inside Passage cruises last from 4 to 16 days, with 7-night itineraries being common. On a week-long cruise, you might dock in Juneau for whale watching at Mendenhall Glacier, Ketchikan for kayaking in the Misty Fjords National Monument, and Skagway to tour the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

Inside Passage cruises offer many wildlife sightings from the ship and shore excursions. Ketchikan is known as the world's salmon capital, and black bears are frequently spotted there. Whales, such as humpbacks and orcas, populate the waters around Juneau. It’s also common to spot bald eagles, puffins, and sea otters.