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. Youll find plenty of authentic Alaska gifts just a quick stroll from the dock at the historic Cannery Shops. 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. 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. 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. Best Juneau Excursions & Tours | Alaska Shore Excursions Moreover, our small group tours are purposely smaller than those offered by the cruise ship, giving you a more intimate experience, at a better rate, while visiting Hoonah near Icy Strait Point. Thank you for sharing this. This excursion is a gentle walking tour that lasts 2.5 to 3 hours depending on the wildlife you see. Availability: This tour is only available August-September. You'll enjoy a 2.5-hour cruise through the waters of Icy Strait, where you are guaranteed to spot at least one whale. Point Adolphus, a one-hour boat ride away from Icy Strait Point, is the prime site to catch a view of humpback whales. Who Offers This Shore Excursion in Icy Strait Point? You might even catch them bubble net feeding! Currently booked for shore excursions, I have Yukon Adventure & White Pass . Outdoor Adventures Elevate your adventure on the SkyGlider Mountaintop Gondola's high-speed, eight-person cars which whisk passengers to the top of Hoonah Mountain for Glacier Bay views and a host of nature activities. Get ready for fjords, majestic mountains, vast forests, potential animal sightings, and an experience you will never forget! The view is pretty nice but not warrant the ticket price. While that doesnt necessarily factor into the way this list is ranked, it means I always include 1-2 Alaska cruise excursions that are more active for those who are physically able. We keep our groups small, so we can take you off the beaten path, where the locals go. Yes! My wife and I have booked an August 2012 southbound cruise from Seward to Vancouver on the RC Radiance of the Seas. Response from Host, Sep 2022. That's about it for things to do except for the very awesome gondola to the top of the mountain and the zipline down. Will I make the __:__ tour? On this excursion, youll sample some of the food Alaskans love to enjoy, learn from a local chef about how to filet and prepare fresh Alaskan seafood, and then try your hand at preparing some for yourself. Thanks for the info and the pics, very nice. 10 Best Icy Strait Point Shore Excursions & Tours in Alaska Icy Strait Shore Excursions & Port Tours | ShoreTrips We do NOT have space to store wheelchairs or walkers on then van/bus or aboard the boat during your tour, even if they are the folding type. Whether you are looking for a scenic kayaking, adventurous or eating and drinking shore excursion, there's no better site to book your shore tour with than Shore Excursions Group. so we had a more personalized experience. Look for jewellery made from fine gold nuggets, handcrafted objects and warm winter fashions. On this visitI did a whale watching excursion. Guests must be able to walk over paved, gravel, and packed dirt surfaces, with inclines. Hearty and rich, Alaska cuisine is made to hit the spot. Wildlife such as; eagles, seals, sea lions, Sitka black tail deer, whales, and even a bear on the beach are possible sightings. Icy Strait Point is one tiny port that's big on Alaskan wilderness and Native culture. But the kayaking was well worth. Icy Strait Point offers some of the best opportunities for whale watching on your Alaskan cruise, so don't miss the Whale & Marine Mammals Cruise here! #1. In Juneau I know of asled dog excursionincluded as part of a helicopter to a glacier type activity which makes it expensive but very good. Whats more, we 100% guarantee whale sightings on every whale watching tour (from May to September). Best Icy Strait Point Tours & Excursions: 1. Would love the wildlife search! . This Exclusive Wildlife and Bear Search small group tour will give you a flexible, up-close experience that . 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. Lover of books and dessert. Agreed! This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Very small place with lovely scenery but limited activities. Icy Strait Point is the port for adventure. The Coastal Exploration by Zodiac excursion has you cruising along the coastlines of Port Frederick and Icy Strait, where you can search for humpback whales, sea lions, seals, eagles, and brown bears. $1,510. Be sure not to miss ShoreTrips' whale watching shore excursions, many of which include bear searching! Icy Strait Point Stream Fishing | Alaska Shore Excursions These gentle giants of the sea spend their summers right here in the nutrient-rich waters of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait. I loved this port for that very reason. That said, its not exactly unique to encounter these kinds of excursions, so it doesnt rank particularly high on my personal list of the best Icy Strait Point cruise excursions. The Tlingit people have lived in Southeast Alaska for many centuries in what is now Glacier Bay National Park. . So long as you select a tour that ends 1 hour before your ship's departure you will be fine. Icy Strait Point is home to a restored 1912 Alaska salmon cannery and museum. Alaska shore excursion advice - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise The Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in 2023 (One in Each Port!) To see a bear up close and in the wild, no better then that. Visiting from {country-flag} {country-name}? I agree that the activities are for older children. With that in mind, prepare for the worst and hope for the best! Don't worry we will definitely be back to Alaska (just after Hawaii and Europe according to my wife LOL). 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. The Crab House, The Cookhouse, and Duck Point Smokehouse are excellent dining options. Get ready for a stream fishing adventure in pristine wilderness that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Alaska is full of epic hikes, and you might want to experience some of that for yourself on your Alaska cruise. (Look for them holding a Hoonah Travel Adventures sign.) 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 ). This Alaskan wilderness and bear search tour is offered on Chichagof Island, a one-of-a-kind location with the highest population of bears per square mile of any place on Earth. T4. Watch the eagles in the nest right across from the school. From their connection to nature to their tribal dance, the spirit of their people is something to behold. In addition to your wildlife search, depart directly from Icy Strait Point on your safe, stable, covered, and comfortable whale-watching vessel and travel through the bountiful waters of Icy Strait to the renowned Point Adolphus area, home to Alaska's largest summer population of humpback whales. 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. On this 3.5-hour charter, youll board a locally-operated boat and head out onto the waters of Icy Strait. With a concentration in cruising. 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. The best tours in Icy Strait Point are: View below tower 6. Thanks so much, Elizabeth! Our wilderness tour will take you to Chichagof Island, where the population of brown bears per square mile is the highest of any place on Earth. Drones are able to see below the water surface and broadcast live video back to the boat. 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. I am concerned if I have saeveral days between catching fish and returning to my home, the fish may not be so goog. We recommend layers of clothing, which are easy to don and easy to remove. For all other questions, please email [emailprotected] or call 1-888-586-8489, In order to check the status of your reservation request, please use the following link: alaskashoreexcursions.com/order-status. While you are here, you can even take a tour aboard a traditional hand-carved Tlingit dugout canoe! Choose from a variety of Alaska cruise and cruisetour itineraries and connect . Youll be provided with binoculars and other gear you might need. Is there a whale and bear watching tour combo? If on a boat tour you will have to walk approx 100 yards from the van to the boat. Will definitely take rain gear. If you have further questions please email [emailprotected] or if it is an urgent matter you can call 1-888-586-8489. Excursions by boat or vehicle to the Spasski River provide opportunities to spot bald eagles, woodpeckers . No snow but you get to watch and touch them. Surrounded by towering rainforest and set against the backdrop of mist-shrouded mountains, guests can truly immerse themselves in our wilderness environment. Not only that, our sturdy fleet of boats in conjunction with our experienced captains at the helm, and guides at the wheel of the vans, are more than capable of coping with the conditions. Now lets dive into each one! You can potentially also see bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer, and otters. On this cruise excursion, a local guide will take you out to spot dozens of species of perching birds, seabirds, ducks, gulls, and bald eagles. RCL excursions in Icy Strait Point Alaska - Royal Caribbean Unless you are going to ride the Zip Line, save your money and just walk around the small tourist town. Who Offers This Icy Strait Point Shore Excursion? We just rode the Dragon's Breath zipline in November so we aren't leaning towards the zipline. more, Cultural Tours 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours Historical & Heritage Tours Zipline & Aerial Adventure Parks. Hoonah is just a stones throw from Icy Strait so no time is wasted getting to the fishing grounds and the hooks down! We walked a wide hilly 15- min trail from the dock to the cannery area. Our group said to each other, "we should come back in ten years and see if it looks the same". Start here. Icy Strait Point, Alaska ATV Expedition Excursion - Norwegian Cruise Line 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. The buildings that once was a cannery provided a very nice historical perspective of how it really use to be. Active Adventures | Icy Strait Point - Icy Strait Point Icy Strait Point, Alaska Bike, Hike & Beach Excursion | Norwegian Visited from our cruise ship. This 2.5-hour outdoor adventure is listed as moderate in terms of activity level. Along the way, most guides stop to take you on short hikes for even better views. 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. 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? We are a quick 20 minute flight from Juneau, Alaska. We decided to switch from Jayleen's Alaska in Juneau to another small boat tour group that I heard good things about, Glacier Wind Charters in Icy Strait Point. 1. View Health & Safety requirements. There is also a Zip line, a ropes course, and gondolas to take you up the mountain for spectacular views of Icy Strait. But young toddlers have to just walk and look around. Dive into Native Alaska culture at a tribal dance show or pay a visit to Hoonah, Alaska's largest Tlingit village. Royal Caribbean International ; RCL excursions in Icy Strait Point Alaska RCL excursions in Icy Strait Point Alaska. An Alaskan, family owned small business, inspired by nature. Located in southeast Alaska and along the coast, Icy Strait Point gives you a peek inside the beautiful and diverse Alaskan wildlife. 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. Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, and Seabourn. Another view of tower 5. Wildlife & Bear Search | Icy Strait Point - Icy Strait Point Yes is does have substantial tourist oriented shopping, and the main attraction the Ziprider. It is totally safe! They have an indoor shopping mall, a salmon cannery museum and a restaurant all under one roof. Our Icy Strait Point shore excursions are run by local guides who are eager to show you the real Alaskan Wilderness. Things To Do In Icy Strait Point Alaska - TravelProGuide.net Drive old logging roads to a picnic spot. They Rock! Can multiple families book a tour and be together? See our Icy Strait Point shore excursions on CelebrityCruises.com . If you want to see whales in Juneau, please check out Harv and Marvs. Don't Lose Your Reservation! This excursion starts with a boat transfer from Sitka to the nearby Siginaka Islands; this cluster of islands is located north of town so you'll enjoy views of Sitka's waterfront and coast along the way. Wildlife is one of the main draws for visitors who want to cruise in Alaska. This is truly an experience for the books, and cameras. 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. He know how to find the whales! Long time listener and I know this has been covered a million times, just not so much recently. While there will be lots of touristy junk and jewelry stores in Juneau, those are absent in ISP and I like that. I was born on the East Coast and currently live in the Midwest but my heart will always be out West. Approaching the lattice tower. Take a 4-hour shore excursion from Hoonah to Icy Strait in search of bears. Enjoy a fun small-group experience on this Icy Strait whale watching tour, limited to 18 passengers per tour. Take a Whale Watching Cruise. All tours offered on the day you are in port work with your ship schedule. 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. 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. Icy Strait Small Group Shore Excursion: We're going on a bear hunt 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. Enjoy a hot beverage before returning to your ship or exploring the cannery and nature trail at Icy Strait Point. https://www.valisemag.com/guides/alaska/cruises/. Our small group experiences offer a unique and thrilling memory of the pristine natural beauty around Icy Strait, Alaska. I really like ISP. Magnificent! Enjoy the serenity that can only be had while quietly gliding across the waters near Icy Strait Point enjoying the beautiful Alaskan scenery. 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. Icy Strait Point is one tiny port that's big on Alaskan wilderness and Native culture. Dive into Native Alaska culture at a tribal dance show or pay a visit to Hoonah, Alaska's largest Tlingit village. Brave the ZipRider, the worlds longest zip line, and enjoy amazing views of the forest as you race from a mountain peak at 60 miles per hour. We did the Spasski River Wildlife and Bear tour. Top Things to Do in Icy Strait Point Meet a Local Favorite, Freddy, the Humpback Whale Our Alaska cruises are your ticket to adventure amidst the Great Land's glaciers, wildlife and national parks. Who Offers This Icy Strait Point Cruise Excursion? Alaska Shore Excursions, Cruises & Tours Wildlife & Outdoor Tours: Alaska Whale Watching Tours Reserve your dining now. Duration: 4 hours (Roundtrip from cruise ship terminal.) Expand Your Vacation. The gondola and zip line are just outside this building. Royal Caribbean Group. When you arrive at the port, just check in with a Hoonah Travel Adventures representative at the Icy Strait Point Excursion Hub. Most meals spotlight local fish or caribou, and Dungeness crab when its in season. At first I was tempted to just walk the nature trail in port, visit the cannery museum, get souvenirs and walk into Hoonah. Icy Strait is home to a wide array of wildlife, including orcas, sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, porpoise, and the majestic humpback whale. Clear editor. Duration: 1.5 hours Price: $280 per person View Details Hawaii shore excursionmight be just the ticket. We did an independent whale watching tour in ISP and it was amazing. As tours can be enhanced or spoiled by the guide, we were unlucky. View All Results. Departs From Your personal view of the whales is not repaced with drones; just supplemented! Alaska-Sized Adventure With over 30 exciting tours, a restored 1912 salmon cannery and museum, nature trails, and even a beach! Fancies herself a bit of a . 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? Icy Strait Point Premier Whale Watching Tour, 212 Admiral Way Ste. After you successfully conquer that, youll hook into the first of six zip lines. If your ship is docking at the Wilderness Dock, you will disembark and walk up to the Gondola. Royal Caribbean Quantum of The Seas Alaska Cruise - Icy Strait Point Icy Strait Point is home to the world's largest zipline, the ZipRider. 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. Chichagoff Island is home to more brown bears than humans, its a place where eagles soar overhead and whales are regularly seen just offshore. Image Courtesy: Cunard Line. 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. Most stuff is sold out on our cruise and some of the adventures you talked about are not even listed. Does this also mean that THE Twangsterwill be on the May 13, 2019 sailing? Sky Glider - Icy Strait Point, AK - Lift Blog Find Unforgettable in Breathtaking Alaska | Royal Caribbeans 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. To learn more about the people who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. 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. We keep our groups small, so we can take you off the beaten path, where the locals go. Alaska-Sized Adventure (Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean) A cruise can also make an Alaska trip more affordable. We can guarantee you will be back to board your ship in plenty of time. Relax and spend a few hours away from the crowds while on this fishing expedition. Be ready to paddle about 7 miles total. Thanks for reading, Helen! Look for jewelry made from fine gold nuggets, handcrafted objects, and warm winter fashions. You will enjoy an hour of flightseeing over this massive wilderness area outside of Ketchikan, accompanied by your expert pilot guide. Cruises to Icy Strait Point, Alaska | Royal Caribbean Cruises Upon disembarking the Gondola, look for, and follow the signs to the Excursions Hub where you meet your Hoonah Travel Adventures Representative. One of our favorite FAQs: The cruise industry wants ALL of your money so they try and scare you with that line. For example, you can enjoy humpback whale watching, bear searching, exploring the village of. See the amazing humpback whales that call the waters of Icy Strait Point their home. Whale Watching 2. His knowledge of area waters is unsurpassed and his desire to share it with you is second to none! I try to include a food tour in every one of the posts in this series; I believe food is one of the best ways to experience the culture of a place including Alaska. Can you help. tips on choosing Alaska cruise excursions, The Best Icy Strait Point Cruise Excursions, 2. Who Offers This Icy Strait Point Cruise Excursion? Our fishing shore excursions are offered in Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. Itll be hard to keep your eyes on the trail with all the epic scenery around you! . 7 Night Northbound Alaska & Hubbard Glacier | Royal Caribbean Cruises In order to receive a refund, changes and cancellations must be made more than 7 days prior to your tour date. Would have loved to have done the seated zip line but not at 170 USD for one ride! If you are longing to see bears while you are here, then we've got you covered. See the "real" Alaska on this nature tour that takes you up close to bears, eagles and other fascinating wildlife. Take in the beautiful Alaskan scenery and bring your camera to snap some photos of . Required fields are marked *. Your Kayak experience will take you into the peaceful waters of Port Frederick. 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!