Inside Passage, Alaska cruise port guide

About Inside Passage, Alaska

The Inside Passage is a protected coastal waterway stretching approximately 800 km (500 mi) along the Alaska Panhandle and through Western British Columbia, connecting Puget Sound in Washington State to Southeast Alaska. Cruise liners depart from homeports Seattle and Vancouver BC on 7-day roundtrips, threading through straits and island channels past 1,000 islands and 24,000 km (15,000 mi) of shoreline. The passage is renowned for wildlife encounters—whales, sea lions, brown bears, and bald eagles—alongside dramatic glacial and coastal mountain scenery.

Wildlife viewing is the signature draw of the Inside Passage, with whales, sea lions, seals, brown bears, and bald eagles regularly encountered along the route. The coastal mountain ranges and Alexander Archipelago—encompassing Chichagof, Baranof, and Prince of Wales Islands—provide dramatic settings for outdoor activities including kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, and camping. Shore calls at communities such as Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island and Sitka on Baranof Island are standard on Inside Passage itineraries. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system parallels the cruise route, connecting 32 terminals from Bellingham, Washington, to Skagway, Alaska, and serving communities including Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, and Haines.