Ward Cove vs. Downtown: The Ketchikan Port Guide
For decades, every cruise ship to Ketchikan docked directly on the downtown shoreline, steps from Creek Street. That changed with the opening of **Ward Cove**, a private port located 7-8 miles north of the city center. Knowing where you dock is the single most important part of your planning.
The Big 2026 News: The Lumberjack Show Now Performs AT Ward Cove
The single most useful update for Ward Cove passengers, verified mid-2026: the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show has opened a second venue at the Port of Ward Cove, alongside its original downtown arena. That means ships docking at Ward Cove now have a marquee attraction at the port itself — you can see the full show without taking the shuttle into town at all. Most guides are still telling you Ward Cove has "nothing walkable." That's no longer true. Details in our Lumberjack Show guide.
Who Docks at Ward Cove?
Typically, ships from Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas use the Ward Cove terminal. Most other lines (Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Disney, and Carnival) still dock at the Downtown berths (Berths 1-4).
Downtown Berths (1-4)
- Location: Directly on Front Street.
- Walkability: 10/10. You walk off the ship and you are in the historic district.
- Best For: Independent explorers and shoppers.
Ward Cove Terminal
- Location: 7-8 miles (roughly a 20-minute drive) north of town.
- Walkability: Limited — but no longer zero. The Lumberjack Show's new Ward Cove venue is at the port; downtown still requires the shuttle.
- Logistics: A shuttle connects the terminal to downtown.
Navigating the Ward Cove Shuttle
If you dock at Ward Cove, a shuttle connects the terminal to downtown. You must factor it into your plans:
- Transit Time: the terminal is 7-8 miles north of town — roughly a 20-minute drive each way, before any queueing.
- Wait Times: expect queues at peak disembark and the pre-all-aboard rush; exact frequency varies by day and season, so don't plan around a specific departure.
- Round-trip reality: treat downtown as a 45-90 minute round-trip commitment before you've done anything there.
Pro Tip: If you have an independent excursion booked downtown, allow at least **60-90 minutes** from your ship's clearance time to reach your meeting point.
What's Actually Walkable at Ward Cove?
Be realistic: Ward Cove is a working industrial cove, not a town. Off the gangway you have the terminal itself and — the big change as of mid-2026 — the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show's new Ward Cove venue, right at the port. That makes a genuine "no-shuttle day" possible for the first time: show in the covered, heated grandstand (~90 minutes, roughly $45 as of mid-2026), then back aboard at your leisure. Everything else — Creek Street, the totem sites, downtown shopping — is on the other end of the shuttle ride.
Planning Your Ship Time from Ward Cove
- Short call (4-5 hours): stay at the port — the Lumberjack Show's Ward Cove venue, or a tour with Ward Cove pickup. Skip the downtown round trip.
- Standard call (6-7 hours): one excursion with Ward Cove pickup (several rainforest and ATV operators collect at the port) OR the shuttle-downtown-Creek-Street loop. Not both, comfortably.
- Long call (8+ hours): a major excursion like the Misty Fjords floatplane plus a shortened downtown visit is doable — book the excursion for the first half of the day and keep the shuttle leg for the middle, away from the rush.
Excursions from Ward Cove
The good news is that many operators now provide direct pickups from Ward Cove. When booking excursions, always select "Ward Cove" as your pickup location if you are sailing with NCL — it spares you the full downtown shuttle round trip.
| Cruise Line | Likely Dock | Shuttle Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Princess Cruises | Downtown | No |
| Holland America | Downtown | No |
| Norwegian (NCL) | Ward Cove | Yes (to see town) |
| Royal Caribbean | Downtown | No |
| Celebrity | Downtown | No |