Icy Strait Point is owned by the Hoonah Tlingit tribe, so this is a chance to learn about the culture and lifestyle of the locals who are hosting you on their land. The gondola is fairly new (expensive investment) but the ride only lasted for about 5 minutes. Another major cost factor is the type of stateroom you prefer. If you walk the 1.5 mile route to Hoonah on the paved sidewalk honoring veterans, you can see the petroglyph, walk along the water, and explore an old cemetery en route. All rights reserved. My husband and I are booked for a cruise to Alaska with Royal Caribbean August 4th through the 12th. Favorites. View below tower 6. Seeing the humpback whales on our whale-watching tours or spying on the native bears of Chichagof Island will take your breath away. 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. Pasted as rich text. Surrounded by towering rainforest and set against the backdrop of mist-shrouded mountains, guests can truly immerse themselves in our wilderness environment. An Alaska cruise isn't complete without exhilarating shore excursions. We know where all the wilderness hotspots are. They Rock! Website Season:$180 per person3.5 hrs. Please dont worry; well know if your ship is delayed. 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! These ports are where you can experience the real Alaska if you know which excursions to choose, that is. - More time on the water! In fact, our captains, naturalists and guides live to love whales, so it pleases them to no end to leave you wide-eyed on whales! Wow, we will be cruising with a celebrity. Our Icy Strait shore tours give you the chance to get up close and personal with incredible wildlife. Our Icy Strait Point shore excursions are run by local guides who are eager to show you the real Alaskan Wilderness. Notes: Guests must be able to walk without assistance. My eBook, Alaskas Best Cruise Excursions, will help you wade through all the excursions in each port to make the best choice for each stop on your Alaska cruise itinerary. Continue on from the post above for some pictures from it and more in the area. Perfect for small groups. Youll be surrounded in one of the largest summer populations of humpback whales found in Alaska with Glacier Wind Charters small group tours. Town is very small with nothing more than a few shore excursions to choose from. Established in the early 1960s, Tok River Outfitters, now a second generation Alaskan business, is still owned and operated by the original founder's family. Head out to Icy Strait Point, to explore the beach, shop, or hike the beautiful trails. Many outdoor enthusiasts come to Alaska for fishing, and Hoonah won't disappoint. Royal Caribbean Group. AK 99829, Guaranteed Whale Watching Tours in Icy Straits, The Best Time To Visit Alaska - Various Seasons Of The North, 7 Things You Shouldnt Miss During Your Icy Strait Point Tours, Why the Icy Strait Point Gondola is a Must-Ride for Tourists. Excursions by boat or vehicle to the Spasski River provide opportunities to spot bald eagles, woodpeckers . That said, its the one I would do in Icy Strait Point, so take that as an extra point in its favor. A CareCart is available to people who cannot make the 300 yard walk from the cruise ship dock to the excursions hub where we meet you. Instead, use your day in port at Ice Strait Point or Hoonah to experience the unique slice of Alaskan life you can only find in this native-owned and operated purpose-built cruise port. The restored cannery turned museum shop offers fine jewelry, warm fashions, canned sockeye salmon, and plenty more. Visit the Tlingit carvers and walk about to appreciate the totem poles in town. Very small place with lovely scenery but limited activities. . The boat was much smaller than the typical whale watching boats (6 people!) This cruise ship stop is not like all the others with hoards of jewelry stores. Add in the communication he has with other captains on the other boats, and it's a perfect whale finding system! I can't comment on that since we did not choose it for our ziplining experience. Icy Strait Small Group Shore Excursion: We're going on a bear hunt! Rides are unlimited and allow you to explore Icy Strait Point at your leisure. 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. Gratuities/Tips are never expected, but our crew work hard to make sure you have a great experience and a Thank you tip is always appreciated! Required fields are marked *. Celebrity, Disney, Holland America, Norwegian, Oceania, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean, and Seabourn. On our cruise day, May 31, they have a 6 passenger boat at 8:00a followed by a 13 passenger boat at 8:45a. I share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge. I've already enjoyed reading the boards and have already learned so much that is very helpful. The ticket agent for the sky glider was the one that advised us about the hike. Departs From I want to get the most out of Alaska but excursions over $400 per person are out of the picture. $605. Is it safe to book with a local company that does not work with the cruise ships? Let us show you an untouched Alaskan wilderness. Currently booked for shore excursions, I have Yukon Adventure & White Pass . These cruises are selling out fast, get them while you can. Hoonah is just a stones throw from Icy Strait so no time is wasted getting to the fishing grounds and the hooks down! Older males fight each other for dominance and mating rights with the females, who at times are not receptive and force the male to give chase. From there, you can board a fixed-wing plane and soar over the massive national park, where you'll witness glaciers and animals from a first-class viewpoint from up above. Long time listener and I know this has been covered a million times, just not so much recently. 25422881. View All Results. If you want to see whales in Juneau, please check out Harv and Marvs. Enjoy a hot beverage before returning to your ship or exploring the cannery and nature trail at Icy Strait Point. Professionally guided stream fishing excursions on the hidden edge waters of Chichagof, Island. Any other suggestions or comments would be appreciated. I also keep in mind some of the othertips on choosing Alaska cruise excursions Ive previously shared. Norwegian Communications Center. That being said, if you call and book you will save the 6% fee the booking platform we use charges. Heres how I calculated the scores: Based on all that, heres my list of the best Icy Strait Point excursions: While not everyone will agree with this list and it wasnt the original list I wrote back for the 2020 season (ha!). This excursion doesnt have the same wow factor as flightseeing or adrenaline-inducing zip-lining, its by far the most culturally immersive experience you can have in Icy Strait Point and possibly on your whole Alaska trip. As an established, local company with a Certificate of Excellence, we love nothing more than to enrich your experience while visiting the area of Icy Strait Point. 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. Your link has been automatically embedded. Find 9 other excursion options on my guide to the best Skagway cruise excursions. Does this also mean that THE Twangsterwill be on the May 13, 2019 sailing? We aren't super adrenaline junkies but can handle some adventure. Every trip is an adventure in this lush rainforest where Brown Bears outnumber humans. 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. Five stars arent enough to describe this wonderful production filled with colorful regalia, genuine ritual, deep spirituality, and a sense of humor and play (Raven was a trickster, after all). Norwegian Communications Center. Least Favorite Port but Still Pretty Cool, Rainy and cold the day we visited, which changed our excursion plans from kayaking to walking from port to town. No matter what kind of Alaska adventure youre craving, youll find it in Icy Strait Point. Bear Viewing on Chicagof Island 3. 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. Dive into Native Alaska culture at a tribal dance show or pay a visit to Hoonah, Alaskas largest Tlingit village. Departs From Breathe in the 1,000-acre greenspace of Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. We love the article! Royal Caribbean International ; RCL excursions in Icy Strait Point Alaska RCL excursions in Icy Strait Point Alaska. If you have questions or comments, let me know below or join me in my Alaska Travel Tips Facebook Community! You can potentially also see bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer, and otters. Ovation of the Seas in Alaska. , If on a boat tour you will have to walk approx 100 yards from the van to the boat. About Prof. Cruise. The full cancellation policy can be found here. Alaska's not the only ultimate destination on the eastern Pacific. Shore Excursions Departure Ports & Hotels Free Brochures Ships & Experience. My wife and I have booked an August 2012 southbound cruise from Seward to Vancouver on the RC Radiance of the Seas. Start here. With over 30 exciting tours, a restored 1912 salmon cannery and museum, nature trails, and even a beach! Finally, I added up the metrics to come up with a final score. Once outside of Door #2, follow the signs to the Excursions Hub where you meet your Hoonah Travel Adventures Representative. If you have further questions please email [emailprotected] or if it is an urgent matter you can call 1-888-586-8489. This is the real Alaska! Watch members of the Huna Tlingit Dancers troupe tell the story of their tribal heritage through song and dance at the Native Heritage Center Theater. In order to receive a refund, changes and cancellations must be made more than 7 days prior to your tour date. Cunard rolled out the winter 2025 cruise schedules for its three ships, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2, plus the new-build Queen Anne, set to debut . 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. TO BOOK A TOUR AT ICY STRAIT POINT PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR CRUISE LINE. We did an independent whale watching tour in ISP and it was amazing. 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! Our fishing tour is led by a locally raised Tlingit native. My husband and I were excited to take the sky glider up to the top so we could do the Alice Lake trail 1.5 mile hike to hidden lake. Yes is does have substantial tourist oriented shopping, and the main attraction the Ziprider. 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. The Tlingit community has invested a great deal of money, time, and energy to convert this historic fishing village into a respite for cruisers who wish to learn more about the Indigenous people, their land, and their fascinating culture. Yaakw Kahidi Cultural Center Check out our list of the the best things to do in Icy Strait Point for more ideas! Our Icy Strait shore tours give you the chance to get up close and personal with incredible wildlife. At the end of the day, you can take in forest views while soaring high above the trees on the longest zip line in the world. Secure easy and reliable transportation to the Mendenhall Glacier from Juneau with the Blue Bus Glacier Express. Our tours have been providing exceptional customer service for over a decade now. 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'] ? " (This Icy Strait Point excursion is not for those who are faint of heart or afraid of heights!). There will be no shortage of fish in the cool, clear streams we'll take you on this trip. View All Results. Wildlife is one of the main draws for visitors who want to cruise in Alaska. Dining on sale - Exclusive Dining Offer. Paste as plain text instead, An Alaskan, family owned small business, inspired by nature. Thanks for the info and the pics, very nice. We can guarantee you will be back to board your ship in plenty of time. T4. After a short bus ride to the Spasski River Valley, youll take a guided tour along a boardwalk and gravel path into a habitat that Alaskan brown bears are known to frequent. It was one of the stops that sold me on this May 13 cruise since it's absent on Royal's Seattle based cruises. I'm a newbie to Cruise Critic. Even waking up to warm, sunny skies can turn cool and rainy. " + cards[0]['totalGroups'] + " Itineraries" : "" }}. A convenient meeting time and place. Combo assemblies on tower 5. Lower lift line. {{card.portName}}, Onboard You can post now and register later. Display as a link instead, While there will be lots of touristy junk and jewelry stores in Juneau, those are absent in ISP and I like that. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. On this 2- to 3-hour excursion, youll board a helicopter, cruise up to the top of the mountain, unload your bikes, and ride back down. And best of all: the proceeds of this excursion support the Juneau Audubon Society, so your excursion costs are funneled back into supporting the bird populations you get to enjoy. Celebrity, Disney, Norwegian, Oceania, Regent, and Royal Caribbean. Approaching the lattice tower. Dry too. With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands. . Get ready for your fill of bears, deer, bald eagles, and more on this exciting wildlife search! In both Juneau and Skagway there are excursions that go to a sled dog facility. I get a lot of questions about fishing in Alaska. What do you think? If you would like to exchange one tour for a different one, you must create a new reservation for the new tour and send us an email to cancel the other tour. These gentle giants of the sea spend their summers right here in the nutrient-rich waters of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait. I looked at the number of cruise companies offering that excursion in 2022. We offer the lowest rates in Hoonah! 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 then get to see how the birds, fish, mammals, plants, forests, rivers, and climate all weave together to create this lush, vibrant ecosystem! The longest ZipRider in the United States, treetop obstacle courses, kayaking, and ATV tours are among some of the activities to help you feel truly alive while you cause heart palpitations in your . Surrounded by towering rainforest and set against the backdrop of mist-shrouded mountains, guests can truly immerse themselves in our wilderness environment. Availability: This tour is only available August-September. 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. Caribbean Europe Getaways (3-6 Days) Hawaii Japan Mexico Panama Canal South America & Antarctica Tahiti & South Pacific World Cruises . After a short bus ride to the Spasski River Valley, you'll take a guided tour along a boardwalk and gravel path into a habitat that Alaskan brown bears are known to frequent. 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. 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Chichagof Island has been named "Bear Island" by National Geographic because it has the highest concentration of bears in the world at 1-2 brown bears per square mile, making it a great destination for bear watching from Icy Strait Point. We are so excited about it and are beginni. Date of experience: September 2017. I'm stuck right now on the Whale and Marine Mammal Cruise for $189 and the Whales, Wildlife and Brown Bear Search for $255. Thanks so much, Elizabeth! As you pedal along, the views will be spectacular . 6: It's an adventure seeker's paradise. Wind along back roads in search of wildlife, including bald eagles, brown bears, and Sitka black-tailed deer, and enjoy spectacular views of the natural beauty that surrounds you along the way. This gondola was build alongside a second cruise ship pier as part of a major expansion to Icy Strait Point. Until then Alaska excursions do tend to run more pricey compared to Caribbean cruises. 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! Your experienced guide will take you on an adventure to discover the secrets of Icy Strait and the vast history of the Tlingit Native population. Just let us know and we will make sure everyone is together. 1. We receive a constant stream of updates on the cruise ships timetables. As tours can be enhanced or spoiled by the guide, we were unlucky. See the amazing humpback whales that call the waters of Icy Strait Point their home. Take a Whale Watching Cruise. To book a tour please reach out to your cruise line for availability! Icy Strait Point is the only private cruise ship destination in Alaska; we offer over 20 different shore excursions including ATVs, biking, kayaking, nature tours, the best whale watching in Alaska and the world's largest and highest zipline ride. For each excursion, I list which cruise companies offer that one so you can see whether your cruise is on the list. This Alaskan cruise port town has so much to offer. While in Icy Strait, we also give you the chance to enjoy some incredible and famous Icy Strait seafood. amazing ships, destinations and onboard offerings.. Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Located in southeast Alaska and along the coast, Icy Strait Point gives you a peek inside the beautiful and diverse Alaskan wildlife. Yes! They've been living under the radar to protect Maisie, but she feels like a prisoner. You will experience seeing and hearing these amazing animals with your own eyes and ears, and then we take you to the next level with our displays onboard. View Details. Along the rugged coastline, you can spot humpback whales, brown bears, otters, seals, eagles. Your previous content has been restored. Imagine eating delectable halibut harvested directly from the waters of Icy Strait. We are on the same sailing and I checked the port loads for each stop. Good Value. Valerie! If you are interested in a less tourist like experience, you might like this. In 1912, the Hoonah Packing Company built the first cannery in the area, and it has become quite a tourist attraction since then. View Health & Safety requirements. Best Icy Strait Point Tours & Excursions: 1. We only have 4 port days! https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2018/07/17/excursion-focus-alaska-sled-dogs-mushers-camp-juneau-alaska. View All Cruises, We're having trouble retrieving these cruises. Dive into Native Alaska culture at a tribal dance show or pay a visit to Hoonah, Alaskas largest Tlingit village. The Crab House, The Cookhouse, and Duck Point Smokehouse are excellent dining options. Hopefullythis level of detail helps others make suggestions. Alaska Shore Excursions, Cruises & Tours Wildlife & Outdoor Tours: Alaska Whale Watching Tours 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. Disney, Holland America, Oceania, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean, and Seabourn. Learn about the area's other wildlife from your informative guide and about the native Tlingit population. 5 Juneau, Alaska 99801. Embrace the rich culture of the Tlingit while on one of their canoe tours. We are committed to keeping Alaska wild! 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. No matter what kind of Alaska adventure youre craving, youll find it in Icy Strait Point. Once inside the Adventure Center, walk through the building and exit through door number 2 this is clearly marked. With a concentration in cruising. Who Offers This Icy Strait Point Shore Excursion?