Cruising in Alaska Should Be On Everyone's Bucket List, Alaska is a paradise for animal lovers. In years past, I used to call out Icy Strait Point as the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park; this year, my research showed that the major cruise companies seem to be visiting Glacier Bay as part of their itineraries and there are no excursions that take you into the park anymore. You will enjoy an hour of flightseeing over this massive wilderness area outside of Ketchikan, accompanied by your expert pilot guide. Foodie cruisers, this ones for you! For a real Alaska specialty, head to the Cookhouse Restaurant and try the reindeer chili or the Alaska Blue Burger, made with reindeer meat, blue cheese and merlot steak sauce. For a real Alaska speciality, head to the Cookhouse Restaurant and try the reindeer chilli or the Alaska Blue Burger, made with reindeer meat, blue cheese and merlot steak sauce. We are constantly evaluating ourselves, innovating, and improving to ensure that every customer gets an amazing experience from the first contact to the last touch. Expand Your Vacation. View All Results. (This Icy Strait Point excursion is not for those who are faint of heart or afraid of heights!). Indulge in fresh seafood and native veggies like beach asparagus and seaweed to fuel up for stops in Icy Strait Point, Sitka, Skagway, Seward, and of course the marvelous Hubbard Glacier. Included with the all-day gondola pass is a visit to a traditional ceremonial hall to see a Tribal Dance, hosted by the family of Johan Hinchman. Can multiple families book a tour and be together? Often two ships split the day with one in the AM and one in the PM which works since the days are long in the summer. As I mentioned, Skagway is a destination for history lovers - so it's no surprise that a history tour tops the list. Icy Strait is home to a wide array of wildlife, including orcas, sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, porpoise, and the majestic humpback whale. Board the Gondola for a 4 minute ride through the forest toward the Adventure Center. Start here. {{card.portName}}, Onboard We did the Spasski River Wildlife and Bear tour. We want your port call in Hoonah, and our Icy Strait Point excursions, to be the highlight of your Alaskan cruise. Seeing the humpback whales on our whale-watching tours or spying on the native bears of Chichagof Island will take your breath away. On this 3.5-hour charter, youll board a locally-operated boat and head out onto the waters of Icy Strait. Unfortunately, this excursion isnt offered by as many cruise companies as others above it on the list so it ended up falling a few spots on my list for 2023. This excursion is a gentle walking tour that lasts 2.5 to 3 hours depending on the wildlife you see. Be sure not to miss ShoreTrips' whale watching shore excursions, many of which include bear searching! (Look for them holding a Hoonah Travel Adventures sign.) Climb onboard a wheeled training cart and relax as your team of Alaskan huskies take you on a 1.5-mile journey through the rainforest! No snow but you get to watch and touch them. This is a 90-minute excursion that includes an obstacle course dubbed the Adventure Park, made up of a log bridge, climbing planks, fishermens net, and more. Professionally guided stream fishing excursions on the hidden edge waters of Chichagof, Island. View below tower 6. The home of Icy Strait Point Excursions. All reservations must be made through the website as our customer service representatives cannot take credit card information over the phone. Opened a decade ago by the Huna Tlingit Native Alaskans, it's easily one of the best spots in the region for fishing and whale watching. $1,510. I wasn't in charge of the booking, so I can't recommend a specific company to use but a quick search on TripAdvisor will give you lots of options. Im grateful Johan allowed me to paint him in his regalia as the dance was incredibly inspiring and definitely worth the short walk through the shops. Icy Strait Point 108 Cannery Rd, Hoonah, AK 99829, USA Open in Google Maps Confirmation will be received at time of booking Tour Time is Departure time. Multiple families may join the same tour as long as adequate space is available and the maximum is not exceeded. I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington. Wildlife is one of the main draws for visitors who want to cruise in Alaska. Drive old logging roads to a picnic spot. This Icy Strait Point excursion is a good value and widely offered, which is why it ranks so highly on my list for 2023 Alaska cruises. If you have questions about tours prior to booking, please email [emailprotected]. Paste as plain text instead, This is truly an experience for the books, and cameras. Hire a local guide to take you whale watching, fishing, or kayaking. @alaskatravel, Small cruise ship stop with good scenery but limited and expensive activities. If you want to see whales in Juneau, please check out Harv and Marvs. When comparing all of the Alaska cruise excursions in Icy Strait Point, theres one that stands out as truly special: the Hoonah Sightseeing and Tribal Dance offering that almost every cruise company provides. They've been living under the radar to protect Maisie, but she feels like a prisoner. Icy Strait Point is a new cruise port option with new dock, new facilities, and great signage for the limited options here in the land of the Hoonah Tlingit people. This Exclusive Wildlife and Bear Search small group tour will give you a flexible, up-close experience that . Don't worry we will definitely be back to Alaska (just after Hawaii and Europe according to my wife LOL). That said, its the one I would do in Icy Strait Point, so take that as an extra point in its favor. Dive into Native Alaska culture at a tribal dance show or pay a visit to Hoonah, Alaskas largest Tlingit village. IMO your best bet is to hike the short nature trails and take the cable car up the mountain for more hiking and scenic views. Beautiful overview with a 1- mile hiking trail loop at the top that required groups of at least 10 and a guide with a gun die to bear activity. At first I was tempted to just walk the nature trail in port, visit the cannery museum, get souvenirs and walk into Hoonah. On May 18th we came into port at Icy Strait Point in Hoonah, Alaska. What really makes this tour unique is the Drone imagery. 1. Who Offers This Icy Strait Point Cruise Excursion? One of our favorite FAQs: The cruise industry wants ALL of your money so they try and scare you with that line. Keep your eyes open for wildlife and breathtaking scenery on this adventure. Add in the communication he has with other captains on the other boats, and it's a perfect whale finding system! Imagine eating delectable halibut harvested directly from the waters of Icy Strait. Thank you for sharing this. Sharing the types of adventures along with the budget you seek will help anyone who might respond with ideas. As you pedal along, the views will be spectacular . What if the weather is bad? We have been operating and improving our small group tours for over a decade. If wild and cruise line food is not your thing, there are delicious restaurants in the area. The Tlingit tribe has called this area home for centuries, and they love to share their native culture. Depending on the season, catch the bears coming out of hibernation and looking for food; or later on in the season when the bears are mating and eating grasses on the tidal flats. Sorry to hear that, John. We visited a couple of local shops and really liked the simplicity of Hoonah. We before they even had a pier and it was so different from the other ports. The ticket agent for the sky glider was the one that advised us about the hike. To break ties, I used top Uniqueness score, since I want to encourage you to try new things in Alaska. Your email address will not be published. Icy Strait Point website. Alaska is full of epic hikes, and you might want to experience some of that for yourself on your Alaska cruise. How is the Halibut shipped home for oyu. For the best wildlife viewing, check out our small group Icy Strait Point shore excursions. We too the free shuttle back into the port area and walked through the old cannery, the museum and gift shops, which were all cool. Im also a not-so-secret space nerd and speak fluent emoji! My wife and I used them and when we go back we'll use them again.. Now lets dive into each one! If you have already received tickets, please call the local tour operator phone number listed on your tickets for tour-specific questions as they will be the best resource to answer unique questions. Point Adolphus, in particular, is world-famous for its concentration of humpback whales and is located about 5 miles from the southern side of Icy Strait. There will be no shortage of fish in the cool, clear streams we'll take you on this trip. View pods of orcas effortlessly gliding under the waves, on rare occasions, see humpback calfs playing with their mothers, on rare occasions, the amazing phenomenon of "bubble-net" feeding by groups of humpbacks is seen. {{card.shipName}} of the Seas, We've circled the globe and couldn't find any sailings that match your search. Hopefullythis level of detail helps others make suggestions. We aren't super adrenaline junkies but can handle some adventure. FAQ What are the best tours in Icy Strait Point? I get a lot of questions about fishing in Alaska. Do you offer any discounts or promotions? After a drive through (and out of) town, youll leave the crowds behind and head onto Alaska native-owned lands where youll disembark and start your wilderness hike. Josh has captained in this area for many years and knows the area well! Check out our list of the the best things to do in Icy Strait Point for more ideas! Glacier garden hours are 9:00 to 6:00 everyday our first tour is it 9:15 our last tour leaves at 4:00 p.m. Glacier Gardens rainforest adventure is a guided tour through the Tongass Forest on 18 passenger trams. Which of these Icy Strait Point excursions will you book? We ensure your safety aboard our boats and tour vans. Thanks so much, Elizabeth! To learn more about the people who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. more, Cultural Tours 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours Historical & Heritage Tours Zipline & Aerial Adventure Parks. View All Results. So I decided to use that knowledge to come up with a list of the best Icy Strait Point excursions. Our group said to each other, "we should come back in ten years and see if it looks the same". Youve finally decided: 2023 is the year to take the Alaska cruise youve been dreaming of whether its been a few years or a lifetime of waiting. I want to get the most out of Alaska but excursions over $400 per person are out of the picture. Find 9 other excursion options on my guide to the best Skagway cruise excursions. Shore Excursions Departure Ports & Hotels Free Brochures Ships & Experience. Who Offers This Shore Excursion in Icy Strait Point? Clear editor. Hoonah is just a stones throw from Icy Strait so no time is wasted getting to the fishing grounds and the hooks down! The old cannery is now home to a museum, restaurants, and locally owned arts and crafts shops. If you do have the fortune to hook a halibut, the boat company will ship it home to you. Enjoy the serenity that can only be had while quietly gliding across the waters near Icy Strait Point enjoying the beautiful Alaskan scenery. Response from Host, Sep 2022. . Sorry, I dont know the specific tour company; the goal of this post is to help people book their cruise excursions through the cruise company. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5211-alaska-recap-celebrity-millennium-june-2017/&do=findComment&comment=51846. I mean, you can zip-line in many ports around the world, so is it any surprise that theres an epic zip-lining experience in Alaska? In both Juneau and Skagway there are excursions that go to a sled dog facility. The nature trailis pretty short. No matter what kind of Alaska adventure youre craving, youll find it in Icy Strait Point. Im glad youre happy with it! Get ready for fjords, majestic mountains, vast forests, potential animal sightings, and an experience you will never forget! Things To Do In Hoonah / Icy Strait. Upload or insert images from URL. Hawaii shore excursionmight be just the ticket. Please Note: A one-day fishing license is required for everyone 16 years and older ($25). Is there any activities for a 3 yo and 4 yo at Icy Point? Our stops are Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, and Victoria,BC. Icy Strait Small Group Shore Excursion: We're going on a bear hunt! Icy Strait Point features the world's largest ZipRider, with six 5,330 ziplines dropping 1330. Youll descend from an elevation of 1,330 feet back to sea level along those six zips at times you may be going as fast as 60 miles per hour and at heights of 300 feet above the ground! Best of all, were able to offer more competitive rates than the cruise ships because you are booking locally. Alaska-Sized Adventure Our small group experiences offer a unique and thrilling memory of the pristine natural beauty around Icy Strait, Alaska. I have heard that whale watching excursions book on the ship are on very big boats that hold a lot of people. Or, in the unlikely event you dont sight a whale, well refund you $100. As tours can be enhanced or spoiled by the guide, we were unlucky. As a company that has been in the business of offering small group shore excursions in the Icy Strait Point area for over a decade, our tour schedules are mindfully constructed around the cruise ships arrivals and departures! View All Cruises, We're having trouble retrieving these cruises. Another major cost factor is the type of stateroom you prefer. Children as young as 6 years old can ride the zipline, and guests must be between the weight of 75 pounds and 275 pounds to enjoy this adventure. Fancies herself a bit of a . If you have further questions please email [emailprotected] or if it is an urgent matter you can call 1-888-586-8489. Mom of a shaggy-haired dog and a shaggy-haired human. View All Cruises, We're having trouble retrieving these cruises. Purchase your fishing license, put your line in, and hope for good fishermens luck! Located in Alaska's largest Native Tlingit village of Hoonah (about 35 miles west of Juneau), Icy Strait Point features 20+ exciting tours, a restored 1912 Alaska salmon cannery and museum, nature trails, restaurants, 100% Alaskan-owned retail shops, and even a beach! This 2.5-hour outdoor adventure is listed as moderate in terms of activity level. Magnificent! If you love the idea of stretching your legs a bit more than you can on the boat, this is a great excursion it only ranks low on the list because of few companies (okay, one) offering it in 2023. Who Offers This Icy Strait Point Shore Excursion? Here is my my last stop in ISP, September 2018: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/9160-not-so-live-blog-radiance-of-the-seas-alaska-southbound-83118/&do=findComment&comment=83835. It can get chilly and rainy in our temperate rain forest, although summertime often sees our coastal city enjoy mild temperatures. Take in the views on the bus ride to the top, then race to the bottom on the zip line at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, 300 feet above the forest! We did an independent whale watching tour in ISP and it was amazing. Only Seabourn offers this one. There may be 3rd party options you can explore directly. Hoonay tram ride - an expensive waste of time! Head out to Icy Strait Point, to explore the beach, shop, or hike the beautiful trails. Retired after 10 years as a college professor to focus full-time on her primary research interest: travel. Our most popular tour is the Icy Strait Point Premier Whale Watching Tour. Beyond the cannery is the pick up for tours and the ( today free) shuttle to the local village of Hoonah. Our tours have been providing exceptional customer service for over a decade now. 25422881. You will have to walk up and/or down a potentially steep ramp depending on the tide to access the floats where the boat will be. On arrival at the Hoonah Harbor, it's All aboard! and youre off for the waters of Icy Straits and the ultimate whale watching experience. They had a blast doing things there. Make a payment and confirm your reservation. Duration: 1.5 hours Price: $280 per person View Details Long time listener and I know this has been covered a million times, just not so much recently. The boat was much smaller than the typical whale watching boats (6 people!) Who Offers This Shore Excursion in Icy Strait Point? Look for jewelry made from fine gold nuggets, handcrafted objects, and warm winter fashions. Enjoy a fun small-group experience on this Icy Strait whale watching tour, limited to 18 passengers per tour. Ovation of the Seas in Alaska. T4. Only Holland America offers this one. Tlingit Canoe Tour 4. Our Alaska cruises are your ticket to adventure amidst the Great Land's glaciers, wildlife and national parks. These ports are where you can experience the real Alaska if you know which excursions to choose, that is. Opened a decade ago by the Huna Tlingit Native Alaskans, its easily one of the best spots in the region for fishing and whale watching. Generally speaking, Carnival will be the least expensive and Disney will be the most expensive, with Royal Caribbean and Norwegian at the lower end and Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, and Cunard at the upper end. For guests with mobility concerns, the following information will help you decide if you will be able to join our tours. Our fishing shore excursions are offered in Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. (That means each excursion gets its own number, no ties), I gave each excursion a boost or deduction for being a good value based on the. Website Season:$180 per person3.5 hrs. Yes, there is an excellent exhibit on the fishery and canning industry. , Any other suggestions or comments would be appreciated. View Health & Safety requirements. We didn't do the whale watch so can't help sorry, Icy Strait Point, Hoonah: Hours, Address, Icy Strait Point Reviews: 4/5, Icy Strait Point is one of the most authentic and unspoiled ports in an Alaska cruise itinerary. Sitting 1330' above Icy Strait Point, you will descend just over a mile and travel at speeds in excess of 60 mph while soaring 300' above the tree-tops below. Typically, I recommend halibut fishing charters in Seward, but if your itinerary doesnt allow that, heres an alternative. However, for those of you who are thinking about taking a vacation, The Icy Strait Point is the divider between mainland Alaska in the north and the Chichagof Island in the south. All rights reserved. 25422881. Excursions by boat or vehicle to the Spasski River provide opportunities to spot bald eagles, woodpeckers . Get ready for your fill of bears, deer, bald eagles, and more on this exciting wildlife search! Celebrity, Disney, Holland America, Norwegian, Oceania, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, and Viking. The area near Icy Strait Point, with its proximity to Point Adolphus and Glacier Bay, is home to one of the largest summer populations of humpback whales found in Alaska and the whale watching is second to none. An Alaskan, family owned small business, inspired by nature. - Ovation only at Icy Straight Point and Sitka, - Juneau has 5 ships, port load - 11970 guests, - Skagway has 3 ships, port load - 6830 guests. I would like to know if the zodiac boats and whale watching boats travel in the same waters? If your ship is docking at the Adventure Dock, after exiting your cruise ship, disembark and proceed up the ramp to the Icy Strait Point Adventure Center. We walked a wide hilly 15- min trail from the dock to the cannery area. Pedal a mountain bike along a nature trail to an old-growth rainforest, where you will enjoy a leisurely hike to a wonderfully picturesque beach. 2022, Action/Adventure, Rated PG-13. In this post, I promote travel to a national park that is the Lingt Aan (traditional lands) of the Huna (Hoonah) Tlingit people. The Cruise ship is telling us if we dont book with them we might get left behind. If you book the Icy Strait Exclusive Wildlife and Bear Search Tour through Alaska Shore Excursions, you'll receive an e-mailed ticket along with detailed meeting directions as seen below: Be sure to print it out and bring it along with your other cruise documents. We booked "Glacier Winds" for the Whale watching on a small (6 person) boat in Icy Point for our 2020 trip. In Icy Strait Point, this new excursion which includes both biking and hiking before beachcombing does the trick. " + cards[0]['totalGroups'] + " Itineraries" : "" }}. Alaska-Sized Adventure With over 30 exciting tours, a restored 1912 salmon cannery and museum, nature trails, and even a beach! Seeing whales on your tour is guaranteed. If youve read any of my other lists of cruise excursions, you know that getting active is one of my personal travel priorities. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. While there will be lots of touristy junk and jewelry stores in Juneau, those are absent in ISP and I like that. Yes! The only thing you can count on in Hoonah, and the area near Icy Strait Point is that you cant count on the weather. My blog posts likely contain affiliate links, including for the Amazon Associates program.If you click, book, or buy from one of these links, I may earn a commission. You're in for an adrenaline rush of a lifetime as you fly above the treetops at speeds of up to 60 mph. Nestled among those trinket shops you will find authentic local art, jewelry, and even hand-carved headdresses such as the one Johan is wearing here. Yes! View Details. Itll be hard to keep your eyes on the trail with all the epic scenery around you! My husband and I are booked for a cruise to Alaska with Royal Caribbean August 4th through the 12th. The Chichagof Island wilderness hike excursion is a good opportunity. With over 30 exciting tours, a restored 1912 salmon cannery and museum, nature trails, and even a beach! They have an indoor shopping mall, a salmon cannery museum and a restaurant all under one roof. Visiting from {country-flag} {country-name}? This whale watching tour is personalized, as it takes out a maximum of 14 guests at a time. - More time on the water! In the unlikely event we do cancel the tour, we will provide you with a full refund. Disney, Holland America, Norwegian, Oceania, Princess, Regent, and Royal Caribbean. Every summer, humpback whales come to Hoonah in huge numbers to feed on the nutrient-rich waters before migrating south again in the winter. {{card.shipName}} of the Seas, We've circled the globe and couldn't find any sailings that match your search. Home port: Seattle. Among the huge number of excursions you can book in Juneau - and even on this list of nine - it's hard to choose the best one. Our experiences focus on the heart of Alaska. This one, which broadly incorporates a helicopter tour, glacier landing, and dog sledding depending on the tour operator and . While you are here, you can even take a tour aboard a traditional hand-carved Tlingit dugout canoe! Breathe in the 1,000-acre greenspace of Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. Visiting in September of 2023. Alaska Shore Excursions, Cruises & Tours Wildlife & Outdoor Tours: Alaska Whale Watching Tours I'm a newbie to Cruise Critic. Icy Strait Point is one tiny port thats big on Alaskan wilderness and Native culture. I agree that the activities are for older children. Our team personally tests every tour in a destination to select only the best shore excursions for your Quantum of the Seas cruise . . Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, and Seabourn. Skip the hassle of a rental car and admire views during the bus journey to the glacier. But I feel confident that this list is both impartial but also informed by my expert advice. Display as a link instead, I started this site to share my travel stories and inspiration to help you complete bucket list trips. They offer innovative dishes and use nothing but the freshest local ingredients. Have you seen my other Alaska cruise resources? While we love delivering stunning target birds like Varied Thrushes, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Bald Eagles, and Stellers Jays, we arent just about birds on this tour. Our Icy Strait shore tours give you the chance to get up close and personal with incredible wildlife. Currently booked for shore excursions, I have Yukon Adventure & White Pass . What to expect when you get there - Amy will meet up with you at your pre-arranged meeting point (we were off a cruise ship, so Icy Straight Point excursion hub for us). Icy Strait Point (Hoonah) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, Hotels near Dei L'e.aan (lisa's Art Store), Hotels near Alaska Luxury Tours - Icy Strait Point / Hoonah, Hotels near Excursion Inlet Seaplane Base Airport (EXI), Motels near Excursion Inlet Seaplane Base Airport (EXI), Zipline & Aerial Adventure Parks in Hoonah, Icy Strait Point - Whale & Marine Mammals Cruise, Tribal Dance & Cultural Legends at Icy Strait Point, Mount Sinai Climb and St Catherine Tour from Sharm El Sheikh, Fire in the Valley- Carnegie Steel and the Town That Built America, Bohol Taug Whale Shark Watching and Snorkeling, Private Two Hour Yacht Charter in Tampa Bay, Half Day Blue Cave and Snorkeling Tour from Dubrovnik Old Town, Hvar (Hvar island) & Bol (Bra island) - Day Trip from Makarska - Every Tuesday. Located about 35 miles west of Juneau, this area offers some great nature and adventure opportunities as well as rich Tlingit heritage. Shore Excursions Group takes you on a journey in the Icy Strait to see the bears, fish, bald eagles, and whales that call Icy Strait home. Local knowledge is king, and having a fantastic team with a wealth of local expertise in our employ, gives us the confidence that well leave you happy and wanting to return! However there is so much more. Notes: Guests must be able to walk without assistance. From land to sea to sky, envelop yourself in the natural beauty of Alaska, and get close (but not too close) and personal with the wildlife, and the locals! Date of experience: September 2017. We know where all the wilderness hotspots are. So, when I see a good Alaska cruise excursion for fishing, I recommend it! Valerie! Icy Strait Shore Excursion: Whale Watching Adventure Tour, Local Alaska Whale Watching with Bonus Drone Footage of Whales, Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier, Whale Watching Charters through Icy Strat Alaska. Who Offers This Icy Strait Point Shore Excursion? Then walk along the Seawall, with the downtown skyline as your backdrop. All tours offered on the day you are in port work with your ship schedule. CHECK SHORE EXCURSIONS IN Icy Strait Point, Alaska, *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions, Alaska Icy Strait Point Tribe Local Performance, Cuisine Dungeness Crab, Icy Strait Point, Alaska, One of the Many Historic Cannery Buildings, Icy Strait Point, Alaska, View All{{ cards[0] && cards[0]['totalGroups'] ? " Thanks for reading, Helen! Guests must be able to walk over paved, gravel, and packed dirt surfaces, with inclines. Description (Courtesy of IMDb ): "After surviving the destruction of Isla Nubla, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing took in young Maisie Lockwood. . Theres no guarantee, of course, but thats part of what makes the excursion an adventure! The Icy Strait Point Zipline features six 5,330-foot ziplines dropping 1330 feet. If our guests missed their ships we would not be in business. Is there a whale and bear watching tour combo? Youll find plenty of authentic Alaska gifts just a quick stroll from the dock at the historic Cannery Shops. Discover the frontier town of Icy Strait surrounded by nature in its unspoiled glory. Upon disembarking the Gondola, look for, and follow the signs to the Excursions Hub where you meet your Hoonah Travel Adventures Representative. But the kayaking was well worth. This May 13 cruise has a long stay in ISP, something absent on most itineraries.
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