Juneau (Ketchikan, Skagway, Ferry: fit in, apartment, rental)

[mccoml]

Hi guys,
My fiancee and I are planning on moving to Alaska(Juneau) next summer and are debating on our method of travel. We're relocating from Florida and are debating whether driving across the country and up to Prince Rupert, and taking the ferry from there(rather than Bellingham to save $), or, just selling most of our stuff, including our cars, and flying, and than replacing them when we get there. I'm wondering if this is feasible, or even a good idea. We're trying to figure out the most cost effective method for moving. Any help would be appreciated

[Skippyup]

Take a ferry from Prince Rupert. That is the way that our family traveled. Plus you get to see part of the Country and Canada. Great experience! The Ferry ride is wonderful.

[GrammasCabin]

Any household items or vehicles you sell will cost way more to replace in Juneau than it will cost to bring with you. The ferry is spendy too for vehicles but you can haul whatever you can across country with you, put it on the barge in Seattle while keeping one car with you to take up to Prince Rupert. The drive through Canada is breathtaking with lots of beautiful camping spots on the way and/or motels if you have time to take advantage of the sights. You can set up a tent on the solarium deck and have your own little home onboard, there are great showers on the next floor down. It's a blast of a way to travel!! Don't forget to keep your camera with you.

[akck]

If you want to save even more money, drive up to Skagway and take the ferry down. You're looking at 1-2 days additional driving, but the cost will be about 1/3 of the cost from Prince Rupert. You will miss out on some of the most scenic stretches between Ketchikan and Juneau though.

I would recommend selling most of your stuff and just keeping the essentials, mainly because you won't use a lot of it. I figure we should have brought about half of what we did, maybe even less. The company I worked for paid a lot for stuff we ended up selling or throwing away.

[ggoodman]

Hey there my GF is already there and Im heading up in august or when I get a job whever hoccurse first. Im also coming from florida.

If I have a job im shipping my truck(tacoma with camper including 600lbs of our stuff) to seattle and driving to prince rupert. No job and im driving the whole way across the us. cost is only about $400 diffrence.

when are you guys going up?

[mccoml]

We're not planning on going until next summer at the earliest. I'm graduating this fall from UNF, and we want to wait until the summer.

[mccoml]

what 'stuff' would you recommend leaving?

[akck]

At least half of your summer clothes. You'll need some for vacations and when it gets nice here, but you don't need that much. Any warm water recreation gear that can't be adapted to cold water use. I'm thinking like a surfboard, no waves here anyway. Large pieces of furniture that might not fit into a small house or apartment. I'm also thinking quantity here. Antiques and family heirlooms are an exception as long as you use them. From a personal preference now, if you have a picture tube TV, I'd leave it and eventually get a flat screen. This is mainly because of weight and bulkiness.

Consider not bringing anything that you do not use regularly now. For instance, if you occasionally use a bike now, you'll likely use it less here, even though people here bike in all conditions. That goes for clothes too, unless it's cooler weather clothes that you'll wear here. I'd also leave fitness equipment and weight sets simply because you may not have a place to put them.

This is from someone who moved here with all our stuff. We've been purging it ever since.

[ggoodman]

im flying to seattle on the 7/28 and then taking the ferry on the 30th.
almost all our summer clothes are staying in florida Im only bringing work clothes and outdoor gear.(which I seem to have a pile of) and my home brew making gear. kitchen stuff my poor tacoma is loaded.

I landed a job that fits me to a T and is in my degree field This is all coming together for us.


Let me know if I can do anything to lend a hand. Im going to take lots of pictures and document everything.

****If you like to hike, buy and bring a good set of waterproof hiking boots much cheaper down here.

Cost break down thus far are
$250- shipping large boxes of her stuff to her USPS parcel post is cheap but taked on average 12 business days. Priority takes 3 business day.(flat rate boxes are awesome!)

$102 one way ticket from Jax to seattle(book by october 20 and you can get the same deal)
$975- to ship the truck door to door from TLH to SEA.
Ferry from Bellingham to Juneau
$877- ferry ticket for my doubl cab tacoma with camper top
$326- Ferry ticket for me no room rental Im picthing a tent and sleeping in the atrium.

thats what Ive spent thus far.