Shopping Tips On Your Alaska Cruise

One of the first things I noticed on my Alaska cruise were the advertisements for shopping in Skagway, our first stop. There were pamphlets handed out, lectures you could go to, and coupons for "free charms" from specific jewelry stores in the port.

 "I didn't know buying diamonds in Alaska was a thing," I said to my boyfriend and not as a hint:)

Cruise Ship Sponsored Stores

What I didn't know, as this was my first ever cruise, was that cruise ship sponsored stores, mainly selling jewelry and luxury goods, are set up in each port.  Diamond International/Tanzanite International is an example of one of these stores with over 130 locations in cruise ports throughout North America and three stores in Alaska specifically.

I heard so many people on the cruise, mainly women, excitedly talking about the jewelry they bought. "Such a good deal!" 

The shops are purposely set up near the cruise terminals to take advantage of the disposable income the passengers have. Diamonds and watches are the main goods purchased. Passengers should know though, that shopping lectures on board, pamphlets given out and coupons recommended stores that  have paid the cruise lines for advertising. However, many websites state that these stores don't necessarily offer the best deals and a large percentage of sales (sometimes up to forty percent) go back to the cruise ships themselves.

To find locally produced goods, indigenous and representative of Alaska, might require you to walk a bit further into town but it is worth it. Cruise ship sponsored stores pack up after the season and do not contribute to the local economy as they often do not pay local taxes. 

                                                        Store Fronts in Skagway


Local stores that are highly recommended are:

Ketchikan - Julie's

                  - Scanion Gallery

                  - Soho Coho

                  - Exploration Gallery

Juneau   - Annie Kaill's

              - Rie Munoz Gallery

              - Juneau Artists Gallery

Skagway - Alaska Artworks

                - Icy Straight Point

                - Knife and Ulu Store

Shops run by locals support the local economy. Make sure that you look for the label on goods to ensure that it is locally produced; for example, "Made in Skagway".

                                         Ulu Knife  - Image by JLS- Photography Alaska


Things to Buy on Your Alaskan Cruise

The best things to buy on your Alaskan cruise would be things that are indigenous to Alaska and that you can't get at home. 

Souvenirs such as:

              - jade

              - woolly mammoth fossil

              - gold

              - salmon

               -abalone shell

Personally, I was obsessed with the woolly mammoth stones used to make jewelry. They are a bone-white colour. If I had been able to find a bracelet for under $200 I would have gotten one. 

Another interesting object that I wish I had bought was an ulu knife. These knives have a curved stainless steel blade with a wooden or bone handle. Traditionally used by the Alaskan aboriginal people, the ulu knife is used for chopping and would be very useful in a home-chef's kitchen.

Summary

Because it's not every day you get to go on an Alaskan cruise, you definitely should take home a souvenir from your trip. If you believe your hard earned tourist dollars should go towards supporting the economies of the places you visit, support the stores that produce locally made goods.