Cruise Ship Season in Ketchikan

A cruise ship slips through the Tongass Narrows, as the moon rises above mountains on Gravina Island, near Ketchikan.

A (Very) Brief Overview

Ketchikan has no shortage of strong opinions, and if you ask locals about cruise ship tourism, you’ll get an earful of varying perspectives. What’s undeniable, however, is that Alaska’s cruise industry provides a major boost to our economy.

It also brought me to the place I now call home.

"Are you from here, Jack?" Of the thousand-plus tours I’ve given in Ketchikan, this is easily the most common question I’m asked first. (A future post on common questions will be fun to write.) Like many others, I came to Alaska for adventure and fell in love with the beauty and people of this place. My wife was born and raised here, our son was born here, and we feel incredibly lucky to call this town home. In fact, if your cruise ship docks at Berth 4, we could wave hello from our front door.

Ketchikan’s Changing Economy

In its 125 years as an incorporated city—a mere blink of an eye compared to the thousands of years Alaskan Native people have lived here—Ketchikan’s economy has shifted through different industries. Mining, once a major interest, continues on a much-reduced scale. The logging industry largely ended with the 20th century. Commercial fishing, while still a backbone of the community, faces challenges. Mariculture is emerging as a promising new sector, but for the past several decades, cruise tourism has grown to become the biggest economic force.

With this growth comes trade-offs. The influx of visitors—up to 1.6 million over a five month period—brings congestion, infrastructure strain, and an unrelenting daily bustle. On peak days, nearly 20,000 people step ashore in our town of just 14,000 residents.

First Hints of the Season

The first signs of activity appear in March as the days lengthen. Shops reopen, deep cleanings begin, and boxes of inventory arrive. The countdown shifts from months to weeks before the first ship docks.

By April, new and familiar seasonal workers begin trickling in, and businesses extend their hours. The first few ships arrive in a trickle, but by May, the season is in full swing, with multiple cruise ships arriving daily.

For me, this time of year is a dream. I get paid to do what I love—in one of our gorgeous world's most breathtaking places—for people who are thrilled to be here. I get to share my hometown, take guests on Alaskan adventures, and spend my days out on the water.

Winters in Ketchikan are another story, and I’ll save that for a future post. But I love this place just as much in the off-season as I do in the summer, and for different reasons.

Join Us on the Water

If you’re visiting Ketchikan this summer by cruise ship, we’d love to take you on an unforgettable ocean adventure. Whether you want to spot whales, reel in a salmon, or customize your own charter, Fishability Alaska is here to make it happen. We would love to show you some of the best of what Ketchikan has to offer—and we can’t wait to meet you. Book your trip today!