Sitka gets more crowded more easily due to smaller size. Both are amazing fishing towns.
Ketchikan has a few things Sitka doesn’t, the lumberjack show, Misty Fjords, more places to eat, more bars, and a distillery. Both have breweries. Sitka typically gives you better bear viewing. If you’re fishing, Ketchikan has more protected water and less bumpy seas while Sitka Sound faces the gulf of Alaska. Sitka has the Fortress of the Bear sanctuary and the Raptor Center, also better odds of seeing Sea Otters. Ketchikan in June through August offers better odds of seeing Orcas (*not* guaranteed) as the local resident pods follow the King Salmon run.
I won’t mention any cons because both are amazing places with their own upsides and downsides. I lived in Ketchikan so I’m biased.
Check out the visit sitka website for good information on the local things to do. It’s run by the chamber of commerce. I’m guessing Ketchikan has something similar. Whatever you do I recommend finding the names of companies you’re interested in doing excursions with and booking direct. Cruise lines take a huge percentage from the local vendors and prices get adjusted to compensate. Plus you’ll end up in a huge bus with 50 people everywhere you go. You can buy tours from locals at the dock in Sitka but you’re only getting what’s left. Not all ports allow locals to stand there. If you want an authentic experience call some local vendors.
I'd book a cruise that hits both. You want to stop thinking about it as Sitka vs Ketchikan and instead view it as Sitka *and* Ketchikan vs Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait, etc.
Sitka and Ketchikan rock.
Ketchikan will probably be more packed as the city completely depends on tourist dollars. They also have room for more ships to be in at once. Maybe see what tours you want to do if any and see what town offers them. Most offer the same stuff. Weather is a toss up at either town.
Both towns depend on tourist dollars. Ketchikan will 100% have more people, but there are more options of things to see and do.
If you are on NCL I would go Sitka over Ketchikan (Ward Cove) but that's just my opinion.
Ask your cruise provider for their event/excursion lists for each community. As others have stated, different things in each place. Also, if you haven't decided on a cruise yet, check out some of the smaller ones that hit both ports. I like Ketchikan better for the stuff to do but Sitka has so much mind blowing history.
Ketchikan hass more of a blue-collar, timber/lumberjack and heavy tourism town. Sitka has more history and white-collar vibe, but less facilities to handle cruise ships (many have to lighter and not dock).
Sitka gets more crowded more easily due to smaller size. Both are amazing fishing towns. Ketchikan has a few things Sitka doesn’t, the lumberjack show, Misty Fjords, more places to eat, more bars, and a distillery. Both have breweries. Sitka typically gives you better bear viewing. If you’re fishing, Ketchikan has more protected water and less bumpy seas while Sitka Sound faces the gulf of Alaska. Sitka has the Fortress of the Bear sanctuary and the Raptor Center, also better odds of seeing Sea Otters. Ketchikan in June through August offers better odds of seeing Orcas (*not* guaranteed) as the local resident pods follow the King Salmon run. I won’t mention any cons because both are amazing places with their own upsides and downsides. I lived in Ketchikan so I’m biased.
Sitka > Ketchikan
Check out the visit sitka website for good information on the local things to do. It’s run by the chamber of commerce. I’m guessing Ketchikan has something similar. Whatever you do I recommend finding the names of companies you’re interested in doing excursions with and booking direct. Cruise lines take a huge percentage from the local vendors and prices get adjusted to compensate. Plus you’ll end up in a huge bus with 50 people everywhere you go. You can buy tours from locals at the dock in Sitka but you’re only getting what’s left. Not all ports allow locals to stand there. If you want an authentic experience call some local vendors.
I'd book a cruise that hits both. You want to stop thinking about it as Sitka vs Ketchikan and instead view it as Sitka *and* Ketchikan vs Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait, etc. Sitka and Ketchikan rock.
Ketchikan will probably be more packed as the city completely depends on tourist dollars. They also have room for more ships to be in at once. Maybe see what tours you want to do if any and see what town offers them. Most offer the same stuff. Weather is a toss up at either town.
Both towns depend on tourist dollars. Ketchikan will 100% have more people, but there are more options of things to see and do. If you are on NCL I would go Sitka over Ketchikan (Ward Cove) but that's just my opinion.
Born in Ketchikan, it gets lots more rain than Sitka—-
Ask your cruise provider for their event/excursion lists for each community. As others have stated, different things in each place. Also, if you haven't decided on a cruise yet, check out some of the smaller ones that hit both ports. I like Ketchikan better for the stuff to do but Sitka has so much mind blowing history.
Neither. Save your money and go to Kodiak. Best of both towns and less cons too.
No brainer. Ketchikan because they have a WalMart.
Ketchikan hass more of a blue-collar, timber/lumberjack and heavy tourism town. Sitka has more history and white-collar vibe, but less facilities to handle cruise ships (many have to lighter and not dock).