Making the most of Kodiak AK
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Your ship will make port at Kodiak's City Dock II, located about 1½ miles south of the downtown area. The most direct pedestrian access from the cruise ship dock to downtown is along Shelikof Street, which will take you past Kodiak's fish processing facilities. Most cruise lines offer its passengers a shuttle service that takes them from the cruise ship dock to downtown and back.
Webcam.
Sightseeing:
Kodiak Island is famous for huge Kodiak brown bears, world-class sport fishing, one of the largest commercial fishing ports in the nation, and the magnificent green that the island turns during the summer--which is why Kodiak is affectionately called USA's Emerald Isle.
The Kodiak Island Borough, with a population of 13,900 persons includes The City of Kodiak, seven villages, the U.S. Coast Guard Base, plus several remote camps and lodges.
Kodiak has a rich Alutiiq culture. Kodiak's cultural traditions and history can be found at the Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository, the Baranov Museum.
The lifestyles of many Kodiak residents still include subsistence food gathering. Fishing (particularly for salmon and halibut), hunting (for black-tailed deer, elk, and goats), and berry-picking (salmonberry, blueberry, and high- and low-bush cranberry) are common summer and fall activities.
Getting around
Rent a car in advance, share a cab or book a tour. Watching the otters play is one of the most popular pastimes. Taxis are reasonable priced.
Money
The official U.S. currency is the United States dollar (symbol: $). ATM's everywhere.
Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely used and accepted, even for transactions worth only a few dollars. In fact, in some cases, it may be the only way to make a transaction. Note to overseas visitors: Prices of goods and services always seem lower than they really are, as taxes and gratuities are seldom included.
Most states have a sales tax, ranging from 2.9% to nearly 10% of the retail price; 4-6% is typical. Sales tax is almost never included in posted prices (except for gasoline, and in most states, alcoholic beverages consumed on-premises), but instead will be calculated and added to the total when you pay.
Staying connected
The U.S. has no official language at the federal level, but English is by far the standard for everyday use. Several states have declared their official state language as English. Spanish is also official in the state of New Mexico, where it is widely spoken; French is official in Louisiana and the Hawaiian language is official in Hawaii, but neither approaches the use of English and are official for primarily historical reasons.
There is a WiFi McDonald's in Kodiak.
Emergency 911
Opening Hours and
In major metropolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles, many drugstores and supermarkets are routinely open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, while department stores, shopping centers and most other large retailers are typically open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and often with shorter hours on Sundays - generally 11 a.m. or noon to 5 or 6 p.m. On holidays, the tendency is to remain open (with the exception of the most important holidays like Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day where stores are generally closed)