boarding the M/V Kennicott in Skagway, Alaska.....

Constructed in 1998 by the Halter Marine Group in Gulfport, Mississippi, the M/V Kennicott has been one of the most vital vessels to the Alaska ferry system since its inception. It is nine-deck, ocean certified vessel and is also able to serve as a command and logistics vessel in the event of disaster or oil spill. The ferry system, taking advantage of her ocean-going status, sends the vessel on a monthly trans-Gulf of Alaska ("cross-gulf") voyage beginning in Juneau and concluding in Whittier. On this voyage, the Kennicott is able to provide service to the isolated Gulf of Alaska community of Yakutat and is the only vessel able to do so. The cross-gulf voyages are very popular and quite often sold out. The Kennicott also serves as a mainline ferry beginning its inside passage voyages in either Bellingham, Washington or Prince Rupert, British Columbia and, when not continuing on to a cross-gulf voyage, running up to the Alaskan Panhandle community of Skagway and stopping in communities along the way. The aft portion of the Kennicott appears bloated because there is a car elevator built into the superstructure. The elevator is used in communities where the tides make it dangerous to load directly onto the car deck. While its elevator is external, the Tustumena is the only other ferry with this feature. (Source: Wikipedia)

We boarded the M/V Kennicott on Monday July 14 2008.

(if you want to see the images larger, click on each one)

The Kennicott unloading the vehicles from the previous voyage.....
Looking back at the ferry terminal (Skagway) from the M/V Kennicott.
Janine on board...... and yes, it was quite chilly!!!!
dining area, where we also played cards and scrabble!
Top deck where a lot of people slept if they did not have a cabin or a roomette

cafe area.....


We had booked the ferry as far back as February thru a travel agent in Alaska, but was told at the time there were no cabins available... all had been booked. We checked in weekly in case there were any cancellations, but 'twas not to be.

When we arrived at the Ferry Terminal in Skagway, we were told that the ferry we were booked on (M/V Columbia) had a mechanical problem and we would need to sail on the Kennicott for the first two days, picking up the Columbia in Ketchikan. That was fine by us, but we did check for a cabin and was told "oh yes, there are plenty of roomettes, you can have one of those for $33.00" We thought it was $33.00 each per night, but no, it was $33.00 for both nights for the two of us...... now that was a pretty good deal we thought. Now a ROOMETTE is just that, a room with beds and bedding and handbasin but no shower or toilet. The shared bathroom was nearby.


Next Posting will be with images of our roomette and the bathroom area, you will see that for an extra $33.00, it was well worth it, at least we did not have to "sleep out" on the Kennicott!!

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.html

http://www.alaskacruisingreport.com/page3.html

http://www.cruiseserver.net/travelpage/yourfav/yfc_amh_kennicott.asp