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Cruises to Icy Strait Point
Icy Strait Point is a choose-your-adventure Alaska call: high-speed rainforest, serious whale time, Tlingit culture, or a quiet walk into Hoonah.
Upcoming visits
388
Best fare
$183 per night
Icy Strait Point is a choose-your-adventure Alaska call: high-speed rainforest, serious whale time, Tlingit culture, or a quiet walk into Hoonah.
Find Icy Strait Point on Google Maps before you plan the port day.
Icy Strait Point is not trying to be a big-city Alaska port, and that is the appeal. The day is built around a small set of strong choices: fly down the ZipRider, head into Chatham Strait for whales, stay close for Tlingit cultural programming, or walk into Hoonah for a quieter look at a historic fishing town. It is a port where overplanning can backfire. Pick the experience that matches your reason for sailing Alaska, then give it enough space to land.
The setting does a lot of the work here: rainforest, beach, calm water, and the lived-in presence of Hoonah nearby. Adventure travelers will gravitate to the zip line, ATV roads, or kayaking. Wildlife-focused passengers should put whale watching at the top. If you want context rather than adrenaline, the Chilkoot Cultural Center and the Hoonah Village Walk make the stop feel less like a photo grab and more like a place. The best Icy Strait Point day is usually one main excursion plus one low-key add-on.
The Icy Strait Point ZipRider is the headline attraction for a reason: it runs 5,330 feet over rainforest toward Hoonah Beach, with the actual ride clocking in at about six minutes. That makes it a smart pick for travelers who want one big, clean hit of Alaska scenery without committing the whole port call to a long tour. It is not the nuanced choice, but it is visually memorable and easy to understand: height, forest, water, speed. If you are even slightly afraid of heights, prioritize whales or culture instead.
Adrenaline seekers who want the port's signature thrill without turning the entire day into logistics.
Whale watching is the strongest argument for booking a sailing that calls here, especially if wildlife is the point of your Alaska trip. Tours head into Chatham Strait waters, where humpbacks are known for bubble-net feeding, and the experience is typically framed as a four-hour outing. That time commitment matters: this is not a quick filler between shopping and lunch. Choose it if you are willing to let the day orbit around water, patience, and the possibility of a spectacular sighting. For many passengers, this is the most Alaska-feeling use of the stop.
World's longest zip line at 5,330 ft over rainforest to Hoonah beach. Thrilling 6-min ride.
Tlingit clan house dances, carving demos, and salmon bake. Native immersion dockside.
Spot humpbacks bubble-net feeding in Chatham Strait waters. 4-hour high success.
Historic Tlingit fishing town with Russian Orthodox church and canneries. Self-guided.
Current sailings visiting this port, sorted by the lowest tracked cabin price per night.
Built 2008
Vancouver · Ketchikan · Sitka · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Hubbard Glacier · Seward
Built 2008
Vancouver · Ketchikan · Sitka · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Hubbard Glacier · Seward
Built 2006
Tokyo · Ishinomaki · Hakodate · Hubbard Glacier · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Skagway · Ketchikan · Vancouver
Built 2008
Seward · Hubbard Glacier · Juneau · Skagway · Icy Strait Point · Ketchikan · Vancouver
Built 2008
Seward · Hubbard Glacier · Juneau · Skagway · Icy Strait Point · Ketchikan · Vancouver
Built 2000
Vancouver · Icy Strait Point · Hubbard Glacier · Juneau · Ketchikan
Built 2008
Vancouver · Sitka · Endicott Arm · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Hubbard Glacier · Seward
Built 2008
Vancouver · Ketchikan · Sitka · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Hubbard Glacier · Seward
Built 2000
Vancouver · Icy Strait Point · Hubbard Glacier · Juneau · Ketchikan
Built 2008
Vancouver · Sitka · Endicott Arm · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Hubbard Glacier · Seward
Built 2008
Vancouver · Sitka · Endicott Arm · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Hubbard Glacier · Seward
Built 2006
Whittier · Hubbard Glacier · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Skagway · Ketchikan · Vancouver
If whales are your top Alaska goal, build the day around this rather than squeezing it in.
The Chilkoot Cultural Center is the best close-to-port choice for travelers who want more than scenery. Its draw is Tlingit cultural programming: clan house dances, carving demonstrations, and a salmon bake, all without needing to spend the whole day in transit. It fits passengers who prefer interpretation, performance, and food over a pure activity rush. It also pairs well with a slower walk or beach time, because it gives the port a human frame. If your Alaska itinerary is heavy on glaciers and views, this is a useful counterweight.
Culture first, then a self-guided walk or easy trail if you want a balanced day.
The Hoonah Village Walk is the anti-checklist move. Instead of chasing a major thrill, you spend time in a historic Tlingit fishing town, with details like a Russian Orthodox church and old cannery history giving the route texture. It is self-guided, which makes it especially good for passengers who dislike being locked into a group pace. Do not expect a blockbuster sight every few minutes; the value is in slowing down and noticing where the port sits in relation to a real community. It is a strong low-pressure add-on.
Independent travelers, repeat Alaska cruisers, and anyone who wants a break from packaged excursions.
Eagle Beach Kayaking is the softer adventure option: calm water, a paddle rhythm, and the chance to spot bald eagles. Rentals are available at the point, which keeps the experience grounded in the port day rather than turning it into a complicated transfer. This is the pick for active travelers who want to be outside but do not need speed or engine noise. It is also a better fit than the ZipRider if you want your scenery to unfold slowly. Weather and comfort on the water should guide the decision.
Active cruisers who want nature without going full adrenaline.
Adventure Cart Roads are the port's dirt-under-the-tires option, with ATV routes through rainforest and a gold panning element folded in. It is not the most contemplative way to experience Icy Strait Point, but it has a clear audience: groups, families with restless energy, and travelers who want movement more than museum-style context. Prioritize it if you have already had your whale moment elsewhere or if the idea of sitting still on a boat sounds like a waste of the day. For scenery purists, kayaking or the trails may feel more satisfying.
This is the playful, off-road pick, not the quiet nature option.
Ocean Point Resort Trails are useful because not every good port day needs a marquee excursion. From the cable car base, you can lean into easy beachcombing and forest walks, which is exactly the right speed if your itinerary has been packed or the weather is asking for flexibility. This is not the stop to choose if you need a dramatic story to bring home. It is for travelers who want fresh air, shoreline texture, and a little room to wander without committing to a schedule-heavy plan.
Use these trails as a reset between bigger Alaska days.
Paddle calm waters spotting bald eagles; rentals at the point. Scenic paddle.
ATV rainforest trails with gold panning. Off-road fun.
Easy beachcombing and forest hikes from the cable car base. Nature.