Join us for the best show in town, a 3-hour whale watching excursion (includes transportation time and approx 2.5 hours on the water) which begins when you board the bus that departs from the Icy Strait Point Excursion Hub, just a short 5-minute walk from your cruise ship. Want to know more? 25422881. The bottom part of the profile is nearly flat. The majority of us, when we think of Alaska, probably picture a big area covered in ice, frozen land, and maybe even caribou running free across the tundra. 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. Everything was close together and easy. Hire a local guide to take you whale watching, fishing, or kayaking. But I feel confident that this list is both impartial but also informed by my expert advice. Make a payment and confirm your reservation. {{card.portName}}, Onboard Can you help. Explore our Alaska cruises today! If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. This 2.5-hour outdoor adventure is listed as moderate in terms of activity level. This is truly an experience for the books, and cameras. Dive into Native Alaska culture at a tribal dance show or pay a visit to Hoonah, Alaskas largest Tlingit village. On August 28, on its 80th visit to Icy Strait, . This is not a mass-market big bus tour. You soon will be where you can sight humpbacks, Orcas, sea otters, sea lions, porpoises and seals, all attracted to the nutrient-rich waters of Glacier Bay. Your previous content has been restored. 2. hrs Estimate Duration. Until then Alaska excursions do tend to run more pricey compared to Caribbean cruises. Its always an honor to share the backyard beauty in our mist-shrouded rainforest and our coastal city, steeped in history and Native Southeast Alaska culture alike. And, we do offer discounts for groups of 4 or more on some of the tours! Notes: Guests must be able to walk without assistance. Skip the hassle of a rental car and admire views during the bus journey to the glacier. Theres no guarantee, of course, but thats part of what makes the excursion an adventure! If on a boat tour you will have to walk approx 100 yards from the van to the boat. Royal Caribbean International; Celebrity Cruises; Silversea; CAPTAIN'S CLUB. Town is very small with nothing more than a few shore excursions to choose from. View All Results. We visited a couple of local shops and really liked the simplicity of Hoonah. Pasted as rich text. We also have 3 waterfront restaurants with breathtaking views offering some of the freshest seafood you will ever eat. 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. We keep our groups small, so we can take you off the beaten path, where the locals go. Best Icy Strait Point Tours & Excursions: 1. If you have further questions please email [emailprotected] or if it is an urgent matter you can call 1-888-586-8489, Please email us at [emailprotected] or call 1-888-586-8489In order to check the status of your reservation request, please use the following link: alaskashoreexcursions.com/order-status. Located about 35 miles west of Juneau, this area offers some great nature and adventure opportunities as well as rich Tlingit heritage. Every trip is an adventure in this lush rainforest where Brown Bears outnumber humans. Surround yourself in the majestic wildlife of Icy Strait! The boat was much smaller than the typical whale watching boats (6 people!) 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. Icy Strait Point features the world's largest ZipRider, with six 5,330 ziplines dropping 1330. 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!). Our fishing tour is led by a locally raised Tlingit native. To learn more about the people who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. 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. Can you purchase a whale tour when you arrive? 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. Itll be hard to keep your eyes on the trail with all the epic scenery around you! Please send an email to [emailprotected] letting us know which tours you would like to cancel as we must have all cancelation and change requests in writing. Read on for the best Icy Strait Point excursions for your upcoming Alaska cruise. Icy Strait Point, sometimes called Hoonah after the native people who live in this area and run the cruise port, is one popular stop on Alaska cruises but it can be hard to decipher the marketing language to know which excursions will be worth your time and money. OHIO. We have guests that book up to a year in advance as our tours typically sell out well before their departure date. Upload or insert images from URL. (This Icy Strait Point excursion is not for those who are faint of heart or afraid of heights!). No matter what kind of Alaska adventure youre craving, youll find it in Icy Strait Point. 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. Spasski River Valley Wildlife & Bear Search, join me in my Alaska Travel Tips Facebook Community, https://www.valisemag.com/guides/alaska/cruises/, Spasski River Valley Wildlife & Bear Search, I went through all of the Icy Strait Point excursions and chose the ones I think are worth doing (the V factor ). 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. (Look for them holding a Hoonah Travel Adventures sign.) First and foremost, Icy Strait Point is truly surrounded by unspoiled Alaska wilderness. The nature trailis pretty short. Dive into Native Alaska culture at a tribal dance show or pay a visit to Hoonah, Alaska's largest Tlingit village. All words and images 2013-2023 The Kolibro Group LLC. {{card.portName}}, Onboard Our Icy Strait shore tours give you the chance to get up close and personal with incredible wildlife. 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. Hoonay tram ride - an expensive waste of time! The Tlingit people have lived in Southeast Alaska for many centuries in what is now Glacier Bay National Park. The island is roughly 25 miles from the port town of Hoonah. more, Cultural Tours 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours Historical & Heritage Tours Zipline & Aerial Adventure Parks. 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It was one of the stops that sold me on this May 13 cruise since it's absent on Royal's Seattle based cruises. 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. On May 18th we came into port at Icy Strait Point in Hoonah, Alaska. Alaska's not the only ultimate destination on the eastern Pacific. If you have further questions please email [emailprotected] or if it is an urgent matter you can call 1-888-586-8489. As you pedal along, the views will be spectacular . Surrounded by towering rainforest and set against the backdrop of mist-shrouded mountains, guests can truly immerse themselves in our wilderness environment. Look for jewelry made from fine gold nuggets, handcrafted objects, and warm winter fashions. Posted December 26, 2021. family just booked Alaskan cruise Quantum May 30, 2022 going to Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes, Juneau, Victoria BC. Who Offers This Shore Excursion in Icy Strait Point? Expect guaranteed whale sightings in these nutrient-rich waters during the summer. To break ties, I used top Uniqueness score, since I want to encourage you to try new things in Alaska. This Exclusive Wildlife and Bear Search small group tour will give you a flexible, up-close experience that . RSSC-Regent, Royal Caribbean International. Our Icy Strait Point shore excursions are run by local guides who are eager to show you the real Alaskan Wilderness. Icy Strait Point is a cruise destination located in the small Alaskan village of Hoonah. Visiting from {country-flag} {country-name}? We are a family-run company based right here in Hoonah. 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. All rights reserved. This post was originally published in March 2020, and was updated most recently in November 2022 for the coming season. I now know August is the peak of the rainy season. We before they even had a pier and it was so different from the other ports. Thanks for the info and the pics, very nice. What really makes this tour unique is the Drone imagery. Another major cost factor is the type of stateroom you prefer. Continue on from the post above for some pictures from it and more in the area. 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! Whale Watching 2. 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'] ? " 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. If our guests missed their ships we would not be in business. Please dont worry; well know if your ship is delayed.