Day 4 Diamond Princess Alaska Cruise - Shopping and Dining at Downtown Juneau

Alaska Cruise (Juneau) . 2012 . Sep 18 

Out of the 3 ports of call (Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway) for our 'Voyage of the Glacier' cruise, we enjoyed the shopping at Juneau the most.  To the locals, things at Juneau the capital of Alaska could be expensive, but with the end of season clearance sale everywhere, it was shopping paradise for tourists.

Downtown Juneau

The tourist-lined streets of Juneau.

Some beautiful handmade crafts at a shop in Juneau.

For those who prefer better quality stuff, get your souvenirs from the local authentic shops.  At the Mount Juneau Trading Post, totem poles are aplenty, ranging from the very small to the very huge.  But prices are steep.  The smallest totem poles can start from USD$100 onwards.

Notice the shop sign? Most of the shops in Juneau are passed down from generations to generations and the most current owners are proud to display the sign "This shop is owned by an ALASKAN FAMILY" at their entrance.

There are lots of fur galleries in town and animal skins on sale in Juneau. They may look pretty and are soft to the touch, but it is pretty offensive to animal lovers.

 Glacier Smoothie

This small store called Glacier Smoothie is housed in a shack and claims to be the one and only patented glacier silt soap.  Glacier silt is supposed to be rich in minerals and ultra fine and is effective in gentle exfoliation.  This little shop is located very near to Franklin Square (see the cruise ship docked in the background) and you can walk in to get a free sample.  Though we can’t vouch for the soap’s effectiveness, we can guarantee that it smells superb.   Makes a great gift for a friend or relative.  You can also place orders online at http://www.glaciersmoothie.com/

Tracy's King Crab Shack

Attracted by the aroma of crab meat, we ventured into a small lane and chanced upon this little store called Tracy’s King Crab Shack.     Just across from the little counter where customers place their orders, there is a small canopy provided for customers to seat down to enjoy their meal.  This little shack is bustling with customers and is obviously a hit with the tourists from the cruise ships.

The menu of Tracey’s King Crab Shack.  One Alaskan King Crab Leg costs USD$24!!!  Although this is not considered pricey, we could not bear to pay this much for a crab leg!  Visit them online to find out more: http://www.kingcrabshack.com/.   

Red Dog Saloon

Located near to Tracey’s King Crab Shack is the famous Red Dog Saloon, located at the junction of Franklin and Marine Way.  It is one of the best known authentic local watering hole and is popular with the cruise people like us who do not want to pay a premium for beverages on board.  If you have time, check it out for its vibrant atmosphere, or pick out a souvenir or two.

Heritage Coffee Company

Stop over here for a caffeine shot if you happen to pass by Heritage Coffee Company.  They serve nice strong brews and is one of the best coffee chains in town.   There are two outlets in downtown Juneau, one at Franklin Street and the other at 2nd Street.

Alaska Shirt Company

One of those places you definitely do not want to miss out on.  In fact, if you are walking around downtown Juneau without a big red plastic bag from Alaska Shirt Company, it means that you are missing out on something, because everyone else has a red bag in hand!

We were initially shopping at another store and was tempted to buy one of those on sale winter wear, but a kind elderly lady pointed out that those exact same things were sold at the Alaska T-Shirt Company for less than half of the price!

At the Alaska Shirt Company, fleece vests are at $5 each, and wind breakers at $10 each.  After our trip to Juneau,  many of the couples on our ship turned out on deck wearing matching wind breakers.  They are so cheap here, you could afford to buy 2 of the same design and still have left-over for a lot more.

Tip: The Alaska Shirt Company, located at 489 South Franklin Street has another outlet at Skagway, but do your shopping at the Juneau outlet as it is much larger.

Wilderness Peaks Gallery

We chanced upon the beautiful Wildernesss Peaks Gallery while walking along South Franklin Street and were awed by the amazing pictures of nature and wild life.  They do international delivery and free delivery within USA, and you can order online.    Check out their webpage for the full range of pictures they offer.

Bye Bye Juneau

The Diamond Princess leaves at 8:30pm, therefore, passengers have the full day at Juneau to enjoy its sights and attractions before leaving.

We had a great day @ Juneau, starting with the whale watching cruise and the magnificient Mendahall Glacier, followed by shopping and dining at Downtown Juneau. The weather was amazing kind to us during our entire Alaska trip.. ;)

We leave you with these 2 beautiful evening photos that we took on board the Diamond Princess docked at Juneau...

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