Icy Strait PointCruise Port Guide
A private Tlingit-owned stop where ships tie up beside the water and humpbacks are the main event. Here's what fits your hours, with real prices.
Welcome to Icy Strait Point
Pro Picks
Whales · 3 hrsWhale Watching with Drone Footage
A three-hour boat trip from Hoonah's harbor in search of humpbacks, with a drone filming the whales from above and a USB copy of the footage to take home. Check in at the excursion hub 15 minutes early; the bus ride to the boat adds about 15 minutes each way.
From $267/ person
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Bears · 3 hrsBrown Bear Search by Van
A three-hour van tour of Chichagof Island with a local guide, looking for brown bears along the roads and trails. It runs rain or shine and sightings aren't guaranteed. Meet at the excursion hub 15 minutes early, a short walk from the Adventure Dock.
From $181/ person
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Food and culture · 3 hrsVillage Tour and Crab Feast
A three-hour small-group van tour of Hoonah ending with Dungeness crab and Thai fried rice on a covered deck over the water. It also stops at a carving shed. It's a good pick for a rainy day or if whales aren't your thing; check in 15 minutes early.
From $195/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Icy Strait Point in 3 hours
Wellness
Sound Bath and Tea at a Lodge
A short guided walk through Hoonah, then two hours of singing bowls, gongs and tea on a lodge deck above the village, in a group of up to six. Pickup is included. Not suitable for under-16s, or for anyone with a pacemaker or epilepsy, and the lodge is up stairs.
From$125
Time required2 hours
Icy Strait Point in 4 hours
Whale watching
Whale Watching Cruise
A three-hour whale and wildlife cruise from Hoonah's harbor, about a 7-minute bus ride from the excursion hub, with about two and a half hours on the water. After the boat you can stay in Hoonah and take the shuttle back. Check in 15 minutes early.
From$225
Time required3 hours
Small-boat charter
Small-Boat Whale Charter
A private-feeling charter limited to six passengers, with a whale-watching itinerary of about three and a half hours; fishing trips are also sold, and the listing runs up to six hours. Pickup is 30 minutes after your ship arrives, so it won't suit an early all-aboard.
From$284
Time required3 - 6 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Six stops within a ten-minute walk of the Wilderness Dock, all inside the old cannery grounds. Ships at the Adventure Dock, about half a mile east, are 0.5 to 0.6 miles from the same spots; the free green gondola links the two. The village of Hoonah is a separate trip of about a mile and a half.
Eat · 0.2 mi · ~5 min
Landing Zone Bar & Grill
A restaurant and bar mapped where the Wilderness Dock walkway meets shore, beside the green gondola station. Its menu and hours weren't verified, so treat it as a first or last stop.
Landmark · 0.2 mi · ~6 min
Wyland orca statue
A statue of an orca by the artist Wyland on the waterfront at the west end of the port. It is wheelchair accessible, and a handy meeting point for a group.
Eat · 0.3 mi · ~8 min
The Cookhouse
The port's historic cannery dining room, serving halibut and chips and smash burgers, according to Icy Strait Point. A sensible refuel between tours.
Museum · 0.3 mi · ~8 min
Cannery museum
A free museum in the old salmon cannery, mapped with no admission fee and listed as free on Icy Strait Point's FAQ. The canning line it describes is mapped beside it.
Eat · 0.4 mi · ~9 min
The Crab House
A dockside seafood restaurant with local crab cooked to order and seating indoors and out over the water, per Icy Strait Point's dining page.
Snack · 0.4 mi · ~9 min
Lil' Gen's Mini-Doughnuts
A doughnut kiosk mapped near the Adventure Center end of the cannery. Menu and prices weren't verified; it is an easy last stop before the walk back.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Icy Strait Point.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
Getting ashore
Do cruise ships dock or tender at Icy Strait Point?
Ships dock at Icy Strait Point: its own history dates two cruise docks to 2016 and 2020, so most passengers walk off rather than tender. Guides call them the Adventure Dock and the newer Wilderness Dock, and your ship's dock is set for each call, so check your daily program or the ship calendar on icystraitpoint.com. A free green gondola runs between the two.
Which cruise lines go to Icy Strait Point, and which dock do they use?
Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are among the lines that call at Icy Strait Point, along with Oceania, Regent and Crystal, according to CruiseMapper's list. Norwegian usually gets the newer Wilderness Dock, which it helped fund. No source we found assigns the other lines to a dock, so confirm yours in the daily program or on Icy Strait Point's ship calendar.
How much is the gondola ride at Icy Strait Point?
It depends which gondola. The green Transporter between the two docks is free, and the red Sky Glider up the mountain costs extra: guides put an all-day pass at about $50, and Princess lists a one-hour SkyPeak Gondola excursion from $54.95 per person. Prices change, so check the current fare at the port or on your ship's excursion list.
How do I get from Icy Strait Point to Hoonah, and what does the shuttle cost?
A paid shuttle runs from beside the Icy Strait Point ticket booth to Hoonah, about a five-minute ride, and returns from in front of Icy Strait Brewing in town. Guides report round-trip fares from $5 to $10, so confirm the fare at the booth. You can also walk, a flat road of roughly a mile and a half that guides put at 20 to 30 minutes.
Walking & sights
Is Icy Strait Point walkable from the cruise port?
Yes: the shops, museum and restaurants of the old cannery are a short walk from either dock, about 0.3 miles from the Wilderness Dock and 0.6 miles from the Adventure Dock. The stroll map shows them. The village of Hoonah is a separate trip of roughly a mile and a half; most people take the paid shuttle or walk the flat road.
Is there anything to do at Icy Strait Point without booking an excursion?
Yes, a little: Icy Strait Point says it has three waterfront restaurants, a dozen cannery shops, coastal trails, live Native culture and a free museum, and it is open to visitors whenever a ship is in port. Guides add a free beach and self-guided nature trails. It is mostly a base for tours, though, so most passengers book at least one whale, bear or culture excursion.
What are some free things to do at Icy Strait Point?
The cannery museum is free, according to Icy Strait Point. Guides also list the beach, where whales are often visible from shore, self-guided nature trails (get a map at the Adventure Center), the green gondola between the docks, and the walk into Hoonah, where two totem poles stand and a Tlingit carver sometimes works outdoors. Eating, the red gondola and tours cost extra.
Can you walk to a beach from the Icy Strait Point cruise port?
Yes, there is a rocky public beach at the port, but it is for walking and whale-spotting rather than swimming. A guide says rocks can be collected at low tide, and whales are often visible from the shore. We found no source that says anyone swims there, and the water is cold Southeast Alaska sea. The beach isn't on our stroll map.
Excursions
What are the best excursions at Icy Strait Point?
Whale watching is the headline: Icy Strait Point says it sits just around the corner from Point Adolphus, one of the top whale-watching spots on Earth, and tour operators run humpback trips from Hoonah's harbor from about May to September. Brown bear van tours on Chichagof Island are the other big draw. Our Pro Picks list the top-reviewed ones with prices.
Do I have to book Icy Strait Point excursions through my cruise line?
Not necessarily, but Icy Strait Point says most tours are reserved through your cruise line and that tours fill up fast, so book early; independent operators also sell tours online. It says ship prices are often the same as the tour's but can vary by line and tour. Independent operators' tours meet at the excursion hub and ask you to check in 15 minutes early, so leave a buffer against all-aboard.
When is whale-watching season at Icy Strait Point?
Roughly May to September, which is also the cruise season: a local operator says the Hoonah whale season runs about May to September, and Icy Strait Point says dozens of whales gather nearby every summer. Humpbacks are the usual sight, with orcas, sea lions, otters and bald eagles possible. No tour can promise a sighting, so treat it as a strong chance, not a guarantee.
Where do Icy Strait Point tours meet, and how early should I check in?
Most outside-operator tours meet at the excursion hub, which is a 6 to 8 minute walk from the Adventure Dock through the Adventure Center. From the Wilderness Dock, ride the free green gondola (3 to 4 minutes) rather than walk, which operators put at about 25 minutes. They ask you to check in 15 minutes early and leave on time, and whale boats leave from Hoonah.
Practical
Is Icy Strait Point wheelchair accessible?
Yes, according to Icy Strait Point: its boardwalks and pathways are designed for accessibility, and compact vehicles are available to assist guests. Many tours are ADA-friendly too, but not all, so check each tour listing before you book.
What time zone is Icy Strait Point on?
Icy Strait Point is on Alaska Time: until clocks go back on 1 November 2026 that is Alaska Daylight Time, UTC-8, one hour behind Pacific Daylight Time. Your ship's own clock is what counts for all-aboard.
Do I need a passport for Icy Strait Point?
No: Icy Strait Point is in Alaska, so no passport check applies there. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says citizens on a closed-loop cruise (one that starts and ends at the same U.S. port) can re-enter with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID, though a passport may still be needed for other countries on your itinerary.