A good trick for travel photography is to be there early. I was ready to get off the ship as soon as we were permitted to do so and I immediately caught a shuttle to Ketchikan (NCL has to operate out of Ward Cove so it’s a 20-minute ride to town). Pretty much everyone doing an excursion will be doing it as soon as they get off their ship. So that first hour or two of exploring the town will see fewer tourists. It also helps if fewer things are open.
This all means I had almost free reign of everything to get the shots I wanted without competing against loads of tourists. It also helps if you are willing to hoof it and hoof it fast. That way you can outwalk the other tourists that aren’t doing excursions. Not to mention, the morning sun looks great on everything. Finally, research, research, research. If you have a general idea of where you want to go and work from there you will have an easier time accomplishing whatever you are trying to do.
The ultimate plus side to all of this, after my first two photography laps, I had no qualms putting my camera away once the crowds arrived and just enjoying the things I wanted to check out. And by then, everything was open. All that stated, I highly recommend Ketchikan.