The Alaska Marine Highway is the only highway that connects all of Southeastern Alaska. You can design an entire trip to all of the high points of southeast Alaska on the ferry system and include overnight stays in the ports of your choice. These classic ferry liners provide enjoyable basic travel with an opportunity to meet a wide range of interesting people.
With restaurants, cocktail lounges, observation rooms, interpretive programs, movies, and staterooms, the ferry provides all the basics for an enjoyable tour of the region. There are none of "hidden" cost of a traditional cruise. Budget travelers avoid the extra expense of staterooms by sleeping in the heated solariums, tent camping on deck, or sleeping in the lounges.
FERRY FACTS
The Alaska Marine Highway is not a cruise line. The food is decent, plentiful, and reasonably priced, but it is served cafeteria style on all ships except the M/V Columbia. Always inquire about the daily specials. Staff members are helpful but not gratuitous. These union employees are not working for tips. Be mindful of departure and arrival times. Because of tides and other factors, you can find yourself arriving at 3am. If you are slightly flexible, there are enough sailings to design a very pleasant itinerary without crazy hours. Book your ferry schedule before your flight, and decide how long you want to stay in each place. Round trips and through trips cost less than a series of one way fares.
RESERVATIONS
If you need to reserve a cabin or you are traveling with a car it is important reserve ahead. Either will add significantly to the fare, with staterooms generally being the less expensive of the two. This can easily be done at the AMH web site. The site is a bit quirky but fairly easy to negotiate. Make sure you reserve everything you need on each segment you book.
CABINS
For longer trips, there are also cabins, which rent by the room and not by the person. They provide a comfortable and private place to rest with your own bathroom. Room with three berths or larger are likely to be arranged with beds side by side instead of bunk style.
NORTH LYNN CANAL SCHEDULE
The daily north Lynn Canal summer schedule starts at the beginning of June and ends mid September. The schedule becomes more irregular after mid September, but continues to be the most inexpensive way to do a multi-day trip to the north Lynn Canal region.
NORTHBOUND
Leave Juneau/Auke Bay 7am
Arrive Haines 11:30am
Leave Haines 12:45pm
Arrive Skagway 1:45pm
SOUTHBOUND
Leave Skagway 4:15pm
Arrive Haines 5:15pm
Leave Haines 6:30pm
Arrive Juneau/Auke Bay 11pm
PASSENGER PRICES
Juneau to Haines - $27
Juneau to Skagway - $37
Haines to Skagway - $21
VEHICLE TARRIFS (up to 15 feet)
Juneau to Haines - $53
Juneau to Skagway - $71
Haines to Skagway - $28