Haines Skagway Fast Ferry — Local services in Alaska

A vacation NIGHTMARE!! I was crusing onboard Celebrity Solstice & heard about the Haines-Skagway Fast Ferry. I thought it would be fun to take a beautiful boat ride to see another Alaskan town. IT WAS NOT!!

Very long story short...they left us in Haines! THEY DID NOT RETURN TO PICK US UP & TAKE US BACK TO SKAGWAY SO WE COULD GET BACK TO OUR SHIP!!!! THEY CANCELLED THE RETURN TRIP WITH NO NOTICE!!

After MANY phone calls & emails (which were not returned for almost 1.5 hours) and communication with the cruise ship, we were going to get on the Alaska Fjord Lines Ferry, but they were too late getting back from their trip, which closed the window for us to meet our ship before it left port.

We had to spend the night in Haines & catch the Alaska Fjord Lines Ferry in the morning. We had no clothes, no toothbrush, no chargers, etc.!! We would then catch our cruise ship in Juneau.

The real kicker was I HAD TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING!!! The Fast Ferry said they notified me & I agreed it was ok to leave us. NO WAY WOULD I HAVE EVER SAID THAT!!!

The next morning we took the Fjord Lines Ferry on a whale watching tour. To be fair, it was a fun trip!! But they charged me almost $300!!! Oh, I was also charged for ferry service the night before, the one that arrived too late to be of any help...$100.

Also, I was never refunded for the cancelled Haines-Skagway Fast Ferry return trip to Skagway...$120.

Also, the $300 hotel room bill. I spent almost $900 to get back to the cruise ship, even though it was NO FAULT OF OURS. I have, to date, received no refunds from either of the companies.

Oh, I actually did get an email stating the 5pm Haines-Skagway Fast Ferry back to Skagway was cancelled. It arrived at 6:02pm -1 hour after the ferry was supposed to pick us up.

Save yourself the hassle & DON'T BOOK with either the Haines-Skagway Fast Ferry or the Fjord Lines Ferry.

Instead of helping stranded travelers, both company's chose to take advantage by charging us every cent they legally could. Neither of these companies is approved by the cruise lines. I WILL NEVER AGAIN take an excursion not approved by the cruise line!! I recommend you...

The Haines Skagway Fast Ferry offers reliable and friendly transportation between Skagway and Haines. During the summer, trips are available several times a day. The catamaran features two enclosed decks, the upper deck includes an outdoor viewing area, complimentary coffee, tea, and water and some snacks for sale

Almost all crossings feature a naturalist who narrates the journey, highlighting unique geological features, sharing facts about the area, and helping passengers spot wildlife.

Passengers are welcome to walk on with well-mannered dogs and bring their bikes, which makes exploring the port more efficient and enjoyable.

The ferry occasionally cancels crossings so it is best to remain flexible. Also advisable to arrive 15 minutes before departure as they sometimes...

The tour was awesome, only complaint we had was when the naturalist was speaking about the landmarks and the surrounding areas. She was going over the names they were before Europeans settled here. She kept stating it was called such and such before the white people renamed it whatever. I think that is highly unprofessional and do belive that she should call them something a bit more appropriate. Maybe something like the European settlers named it this. Thank you for joining...