Hi there!
So if you’re a paper map type of person (I am!) and you want to walk around downtown Sitka, the first thing you’ll want to do once you get off the cruise ship is go to the Harrigan Centennial Hall!
This is right in front where you will be dropped off by the cruise ship shuttle!
No matter where your cruise ship is located it will require some sort of shuttle to get to downtown. Depending on your cruise ship location, this will be a land shuttle from the cruise terminal or a water shuttle (tender boat) from your cruise ship anchored off-shore.
So you’ll be just a short walk away from getting your Sitka map!
Otherwise, for planning purposes, I’ve created a google map below that includes some of the top attractions, which is based on my cruise ship visits to Sitka. You can decide if you want to do any of these things!
These are things you can do on your own, walking from the cruise ship drop-off spot.
I’ve been on a cruise ship that has docked at Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, and I’ve also been on one that tendered in Sitka.
See below for how to figure out exactly where your cruise ship will arrive in Sitka.
There are partner websites that are included below.
Where do cruise ships dock in Sitka?
Most cruise ships dock at the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal. This is around a 10-15 minute drive from downtown Sitka.
There is not really too much directly around the cruise terminal, although there is a gift shop and food. So at the cruise port, you can shop for souvenirs and get classic Alaskan food at a crab restaurant (menu + reviews).
You can see exactly where your cruise ship will arrive in Sitka by looking at the Alaska cruise port schedule for 2026.
If you see STI and STO next to your cruise ship, this means you will be docking at the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, and you can take a free shuttle to get to downtown Sitka. (The i and o of STI and STO are inside/outside.)
If you see that a number starts off the code next to your cruise ship name (like 1BR, 2BR, 3CR), this means that Sitka will be a tender port for you, and you will take a tender boat to get to Crescent Harbor of downtown Sitka.
If you see something else listed next to your cruise ship, you can check the berth codes pdf.
Although as always, schedules can change.
Sitka cruise ship tender
If your cruise ship will be tendering in Sitka and you are planning to do things on your own, then it’s very important that you look at the daily activity schedule the night before to look for instructions on how to get a tender boat ticket.
If you’re only finding out about the boat tickets on the morning of, then you’ll end up waiting even longer to get to shore, and that is most definitely not fun!
If you have a morning excursion through the cruise line, you will probably get a designated meet-up spot on the cruise ship (or right off the ship) which would mean you don’t need to worry about a shuttle bus ticket or tender boat ticket. (On the day you board the cruise ship, your excursion tickets will be in your stateroom/cabin, and there will be meeting instructions on that ticket.)
👆 Where do cruise ships dock in Sitka? Most cruise ships will dock at the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal outside of town, and you will take a free cruise ship shuttle to get to downtown Sitka. Cruise ships also anchor off-shore, and you will take a tender boat to get dropped off in downtown Sitka. You can find a Sitka map in the official Sitka visitors guide. You can have a paper copy of the guide mailed to you, or you can view an online copy. The map above can be downloaded as a pdf.
There are things that you can do in Sitka walking from the cruise shuttle drop-off spot. For that, see about walking to do in Sitka! (Map of these places below.)
Sitka tours I think you should know about!
Sitka is the best port for being able to see rafts of cute sea otters, and for that, you'll want to do the sea otter quest! The Sitka small group scenic tour takes you to less-visited spots so you can experience a bit of the wilderness of Alaska, where you can look for eagles and get volcano views. The Alaskan wilderness trail adventure hike takes you deeper so you can experience more of the rugged wilderness.
If you're in Sitka on a Wednesday, don't miss the Russian and Ukranian folk show!
👉 See more so-very-Alaska experiences I think you should know about in other ports!
👆 Most cruise ships arrive at Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal.
👆 There’s a free shuttle that will take you from the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal to downtown Sitka.
👆 An eagle may welcome you to Sitka cruise port! See more welcome signs in Alaska cruise ports you need to get a picture of/with!
👆 The back-on-board time will be displayed in many places. Take a picture of it! It’s usually 30 minutes before the cruise ship departure.
👆 Some cruise ships anchor off shore in Sitka, making it a tender port.
👆 If Sitka is a tender boat for you, you’ll take a small boat to get from the cruise ship to downtown Sitka.
👆 The night before your tender port arrival, be sure to look for instructions in the cruise ship schedule on what to do in the morning!
👆 Take a picture of the last tender boat time!
Sitka Alaska map
Now, here is the interactive google map of Sitka that I created!
This includes the easy walking in Sitka that I wrote about. (Check that post for details.)
👆 How to use this map: Click on the top left icon for a list of what’s on the map! Or, just start clicking the icons on the map! Each icon has more details, so click to expand! If the map isn’t loading well for you, you can also open it directly in google maps. See below for the quick list of what’s on the map.
👆 There are many things you can do walking from the cruise shuttle drop-off.
What’s on the Sitka map?
- Cruise ship shuttle drop-off locations (Check the Alaska cruise port schedule 2026 for where your cruise ship will be arriving)
- Harrigan Centennial Hall (Stop here to get a paper map! When I have gone here, they have had a table set up with little pocket-sized maps for the taking)
- Where to see totem poles
- Sitka National Historical Park visitor center (start of walking the totem trail in Sitka)
- Russian America things
- Russian cultural show (When I went to Centennial Hall, there were tickets available to see this show)
- Russian Bishop’s House
- Iconic church built by Russians
- Baranof Castle State Historic Site
- See more about walking in Sitka
- Hiking in Sitka
- Sitka Cross Trail
- Baranof Street trailhead
- Indian River trailhead
- Mount Verstovia Trail
- See more about hiking in Alaska cruise ports
- Sitka Cross Trail
- Bike rental near cruise terminal
- USA things
- Sitka National Cemetery
- Food near cruise terminal
- Halibut Point Crab and Chowder (menu)
More maps and where cruise ships dock:
👆 Sitka cruise port agent information.
HAPPY PLANNING YOUR TIME IN SITKA!
👉 My top picks: Alaska cruise excursions you need to know about!
I've picked out a theme for each port so you can experience different aspects of Alaska!
Explore Alaska cruise ports:
Juneau | Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Victoria
Seattle | Vancouver
Whittier | Seward
Things to know: Mendenhall Glacier on your own vs shuttle
👉 PACKING LIST: waterproof shoes | rain jacket or poncho | puffer jacket
👉 Before you book: First-timer's guide to Alaska cruises
There are partner websites that are included on this blog. I may earn a commission.