Icy Strait Point is a cruise port built around a restored 1912 salmon cannery just outside Hoonah, a Tlingit village on Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska. It’s owned by Huna Totem Corporation, the Alaska Native village corporation for Hoonah, and ships dock at its own piers rather than in a town. You come for three things: whale watching in Icy Strait, the ZipRider (at 5,495 feet, billed as the world’s largest), and a quieter, more nature-focused day than Juneau or Ketchikan. A gondola climbs the mountain behind the port, and Hoonah itself is a short shuttle ride away.
This guide is for cruise passengers with an Icy Strait Point call on their itinerary, and it covers the docks, the gondolas, every major excursion, what’s free, and the village next door. The caveat: this is a private destination, so most of the headline experiences are paid tours, and the best of them sell out. Book whale watching or the ZipRider before you sail. Last updated October 9, 2026. Every price, fee and schedule below is dated, and the sources are listed at the end.
Icy Strait Point port facts
The essentials, as of the 2026 season.
| What | The details |
|---|---|
| Where | 108 Cannery Road, Hoonah, on Chichagof Island, roughly 30 miles west of Juneau across Icy Strait from the mouth of Glacier Bay |
| Docked or tendered | Docked. Two cruise piers: Wilderness Landing, near the ZipRider and the Adventure Center, and Ocean Landing, near the cannery |
| Between the piers | A half-mile walking trail, plus the gondola system |
| Walkable | The cannery, shops, restaurants, the shoreline and forest trails |
| Needs transport | Hoonah village (a shuttle reported at about $10 round trip), the ZipRider launch and the mountaintop (gondola), whale and bear tours |
| Owner | Huna Totem Corporation, Hoonah’s Alaska Native village corporation |
| Signature tours | ZipRider (1.5 hours, riders 75 to 275 lb), whale tour (2.5 hours), bear-search tour (5.5 hours, sightings not guaranteed) |
| Weather | Cool and often wet; pack a rain jacket even on a clear morning |
What’s changed for 2027
- The gondolas are now central to the day. Since the Wilderness Landing pier and gondola opened in 2021, a gondola system links the cannery, the new pier and Hoonah Mountain. The ZipRider’s maker says riders now reach the launch platform by gondola; older guides still describe a bus ride up the mountain.
- More lines, more ships. Holland America’s Eurodam, Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas and Viking’s Vancouver-to-Seward cruise list Icy Strait Point in 2027, MSC Poesia’s 2027 Seattle round trips were reported to include it, and Celebrity features it on its Alaska itineraries.
- ZipRider prices depend on where you book. Its maker lists an average ticket of $200, and reported prices vary by booking channel, from roughly $109 to $159 through cruise lines or the port to about $199 at the walk-up counter.
- The owner is building in Juneau. Huna Totem is developing the Áak’w Landing cruise dock in Juneau, targeted to open in 2028. It doesn’t change your Icy Strait Point day, but it tells you how seriously the company takes cruise tourism.
Where is Icy Strait Point?
Icy Strait Point is on the northeast shore of Chichagof Island, beside the village of Hoonah, at the entrance to Port Frederick. It faces Icy Strait, the channel that runs west from the Inside Passage toward the open Gulf of Alaska, past the mouth of Glacier Bay. That location is the whole point: the strait is rich feeding water for humpback whales, and the forest behind the port is brown bear country.
On an itinerary, it often sits between Juneau and a glacier day, or between Skagway and Sitka. It’s the one main Southeast Alaska stop built as a cruise destination rather than a town waterfront, and it feels like it: no downtown of jewelry stores, no five-ship days, just the cannery, the forest and the water. For how it compares with the other stops on a typical route, see our guide to Alaska cruise ports.
Chichagof Island is one of the three large “ABC islands” of Southeast Alaska, with Admiralty and Baranof, known for their dense populations of brown bears. It’s a big, mostly roadless island of rainforest, mountains and salmon streams, and Hoonah is its largest community. That wildness is what you’re looking at from the ship: almost everything beyond the port and the village is forest.
The docks and the gondolas
Icy Strait Point has two cruise piers. Ocean Landing is next to the cannery, the historic heart of the site. Wilderness Landing, which opened with the first gondola in 2021, is near the ZipRider and the Adventure Center. A half-mile walking trail joins the two along the shore, and the gondola system links them too.
The gondolas, marketed on cruise excursion lists as the SkyGlider, run on two lines of 8-passenger cabins able to carry about 5,600 people an hour between the cannery, Wilderness Landing and the top of Hoonah Mountain, according to the project’s builders and cruise-line listings. The ride up takes about seven minutes each way, and the mountaintop looks out over Port Frederick, the village of Hoonah and the islands of Icy Strait. It’s worth doing on a clear day even if you’re not riding the ZipRider down. For current prices, hours and the best time to ride, see our Icy Strait Point gondola guide.
Before the piers, this was a tender port: in the early years, passengers came ashore by small boat. Today you walk off the ship. Our Icy Strait Point cruise port page covers which lines use which pier and how to get between them with mobility needs.
Getting around: the port layout in plain words
Icy Strait Point is easy to navigate once you know its shape. Think of it as a line along the shore with a mountain behind it.
- At one end, Ocean Landing and the cannery. The restored cannery buildings, with their exhibits, shops and places to eat, sit beside this pier. If your ship docks here, you walk straight into the historic core.
- Along the shore, the half-mile trail. A walking path follows the waterline between the two piers, through forest and past the beach. It’s flat enough for most walkers and the best free stroll in the port.
- At the other end, Wilderness Landing. The newer pier sits near the ZipRider landing area and the Adventure Center, where many tours start.
- Above it all, Hoonah Mountain. The gondola lines connect the cannery and Wilderness Landing with the mountaintop, where the ZipRider launches and the viewing platform looks over Port Frederick and Icy Strait.
- Down the road, Hoonah village. The town is a short shuttle ride away, with its harbor, stores and totem poles.
Pick up a paper map at the pier, or photograph the posted site map when you come ashore, and note which pier your ship is at before you head off. On a two-ship day, it’s easy to walk back to the wrong one.
Things to do at Icy Strait Point, ranked
Here’s how the main experiences compare for a first-time visitor, ranked on what they add to an Alaska trip. Most are bookable through your cruise line or the port; prices are the latest reported.
1. Whale watching in Icy Strait
Whale watching is the best reason to book a tour here. Humpback whales feed around Point Adolphus and through Icy Strait from about May through September, and the boats don’t have far to go. The port’s own whale tour lasts 2.5 hours with an onboard naturalist, and independent Hoonah operators such as Icy Strait Whale Adventures, Hoonah Whale Tours and Hoonah Travel Adventures run trips of about 2.5 to 3 hours; some advertise sighting guarantees, such as a $100 credit if no whale appears. If you only book one tour here, book this one. Skip it if you get seasick easily and your itinerary has another whale port, such as Juneau. Our guide to Icy Strait Point whale watching compares the operators and boats.
2. The ZipRider
The ZipRider is the port’s signature thrill. Its maker describes it as 5,495 feet long with a 1,320-foot vertical drop, six cables side by side and top speeds of 65 mph; the ride itself takes about a minute and a half, and the whole tour, including the trip up, about 1.5 hours. Riders must weigh between 75 and 275 pounds. Prices vary: the maker lists an average ticket of $200, and reported prices run from roughly $109 to $159 through cruise lines or the port’s website to about $199 at the walk-up counter. Book ahead on a busy day. Skip it if you’re nervous of heights; the gondola gives you the same view at a gentler pace. Our Icy Strait Point zipline guide covers what the ride is like and how to get the best price.
3. The gondola to Hoonah Mountain
Even without the ZipRider, the gondola ride up Hoonah Mountain is one of the best views of the day: about seven minutes up through spruce and hemlock forest to a platform over Port Frederick and Icy Strait. On a clear day you can see across the strait toward the mountains of Glacier Bay. On a cloudy one, check the summit view before you pay.
4. The cannery
The cannery was built by the Hoonah Packing Co. in 1912 and closed in 1953, according to the city’s history, and it’s now the heart of Icy Strait Point, with exhibits on the canning era, shops and places to eat. Walking through it is typically free and gives you a sense of what the site was: one of many salmon canneries that shaped Southeast Alaska’s economy in the 20th century.
5. The bear-search tour
Chichagof Island is brown bear country, and the port runs a 5.5-hour bear-search tour into the surrounding wilderness. Be realistic: the port itself says bear sightings aren’t guaranteed, because the animals are wild and roam freely. It’s a long tour and a good forest trip even without a bear, and it suits travelers who’d rather be in the woods than on the water, but if seeing a bear is the priority, whale watching is the surer bet here. Our Icy Strait Point bear viewing guide explains the odds by month.
6. Hoonah village
Hoonah, a short shuttle ride away (reported at about $10 round trip), is the real town: a working fishing community of roughly 900 people, often described as the largest Tlingit village in Southeast Alaska. Walk the harbor, look at the totem poles, and look for the carving shed where Hoonah carvers made the posts and screens for Xunaa Shuká Hít, the tribal house at Bartlett Cove in Glacier Bay. It’s the best antidote to the idea that Icy Strait Point is a theme park. Our guide to visiting Hoonah as an Alaska cruise passenger has a walking route.
7. The trails and the shoreline
The simplest pleasure here is free: the half-mile trail between the two piers, the forest paths behind the cannery, and the rocky beach. Keep binoculars handy. Eagles are common, and whales sometimes surface close enough to see from shore. Our guide to things to do at Icy Strait Point lists every free and walkable option.
8. Food
The complex has several places to eat, from quick counters to sit-down seafood, and most visitors plan lunch around their tour times. Local seafood is the obvious choice. For menus, prices and which spots are worth the wait, see our Icy Strait Point restaurants guide.
Which cruise lines stop at Icy Strait Point in 2027?
Icy Strait Point appears on a growing number of itineraries. These are examples from the lines’ published 2027 plans as of September 2026; ports change by ship and date, so check your own day-by-day schedule.
| Line and ship | 2027 itinerary | Other stops |
|---|---|---|
| Holland America, Eurodam | 7-day Alaska Explorer, round trip from Seattle | Victoria, Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka and Glacier Bay |
| Royal Caribbean, Serenade of the Seas | 7-night round trip from Vancouver | Sitka and Ketchikan |
| Viking | 11-day Alaska and the Inside Passage, Vancouver to Seward | Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier, Valdez |
| MSC, MSC Poesia | 7-night round trips from Seattle, as reported | Ketchikan and Juneau among others |
| Celebrity | Features Icy Strait Point on its Alaska itineraries | Varies by ship |
Holland America’s Eurodam pairing is worth noting: the same week includes Glacier Bay, the Huna Tlingit homeland, so you see both the bay and the village whose people come from it.
Hoonah and the Huna Tlingit
Icy Strait Point can’t be understood apart from the village beside it. The Huna Tlingit’s ancestral homeland is Glacier Bay, just across Icy Strait; the city’s own history says advancing glaciers forced them out more than two centuries ago and that they settled permanently at Hoonah. The Hoonah Indian Association was chartered as a federally recognized tribe in 1939. Hoonah’s village corporation, Huna Totem, opened Icy Strait Point to cruise ships in 2004 and calls it Alaska’s first Indigenous-owned cruise ship destination.
That ownership matters for visitors. Much of the money you spend here goes to a Native-owned company tied to the local community. It’s also why the port’s cultural side is worth your time. For the wider picture of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian culture on an Alaska cruise, see our guide to Alaska Native culture.
In the village, look for the totem poles along the main streets and the carving shed, a light blue warehouse across from the ANB Hall, where carvers worked on the tribal house project. Be respectful: Hoonah is a home, not an attraction. Ask before photographing people, stay on public streets, and buy directly from local artists when you can.
If you’re new to Tlingit culture, one framework helps you read what you see. Tlingit society is organized into two halves, Raven and Eagle (or Wolf), and within them into clans and clan houses, each with its own crests, stories and names. Totem poles, house posts and screens carry those crests and histories. When a carver in Hoonah makes a post for a tribal house, the figures on it are a record of who the people are and where they come from, not decoration.
The Glacier Bay connection
Stand on the shore at Icy Strait Point and look north across the water: the entrance to Glacier Bay is over there. The Park Service describes Glacier Bay as the ancestral homeland of the Huna and Yakutat Lingít (Tlingit), and Hoonah’s history is tied to it. When the ice advanced in the 1700s, Huna families left the bay and settled at Hoonah; when it retreated, the bay they returned to was a different place.
That connection came full circle in 2016, when Xunaa Shuká Hít, the Huna Ancestors’ House, was dedicated at Bartlett Cove, inside the national park. Its carved posts and screens were made in Hoonah. If your cruise visits both Icy Strait Point and Glacier Bay, ask the park rangers aboard about the tribal house; it gives the two days a shared story.
Hoonah’s working harbor
Hoonah’s harbor is where the village’s real life shows most clearly. Commercial and subsistence fishing have sustained the community for generations, and the boats, nets and seafood plants along the waterfront are working equipment, not decoration. It’s the best place in the area to understand why the cannery was built here in 1912, and why the town still looks to the sea.
Walk the harbor floats if they’re open to the public, watch the boats unload, and look for local seafood for sale in town. Keep to the public walkways and give fishermen room to work. If you only have an hour in Hoonah, spend half of it here and half among the totem poles.
Icy Strait Point excursions compared
Here’s how the main tours compare. Durations are the port’s own; prices are the latest reported and vary by booking channel.
| Tour | Length | Price (reported) | Book ahead? | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whale watching | 2.5 hours (port tour); independent tours about 2.5-3 hours | Varies by operator | Yes | The best tour here |
| ZipRider | 1.5 hours including the ride up | Average $200 per the maker; about $109-$159 through lines or the port, about $199 walk-up | Yes | Worth it if you want the thrill |
| Gondola to Hoonah Mountain | About 7 minutes each way, plus time on top | Check the current price | Usually not | Great on a clear day |
| Bear-search tour | 5.5 hours | Varies | Yes | Beautiful, but no guarantee of bears |
| Hoonah village | 2-3 hours on your own | Shuttle about $10 round trip | No | The best value of the day |
| Cannery and trails | As long as you like | Free | No | Easy and rewarding |
Verdict: if you can afford one paid tour, make it whale watching. If you can afford two, add the ZipRider or the gondola. Then spend the rest of the day in Hoonah and on the trails, which cost next to nothing. Our full guide to Icy Strait Point excursions compares every option the port and the local operators sell.
Booking tips: cruise line, port or independent?
You can book Icy Strait Point’s tours three ways, and the choice affects price, flexibility and risk.
- Through your cruise line. The simplest option, and if the tour runs late, the ship waits. Prices can be higher than booking direct.
- Through the port. Icy Strait Point sells its own tours, including the ZipRider, whale watching and bear searches. Reported ZipRider prices through the port are in the same range as cruise lines, from about $109 to $159, well below the reported walk-up price of about $199.
- Through independent Hoonah operators. Local whale-watching companies often run smaller boats and sometimes offer sighting guarantees. The trade-off is that getting back before all-aboard is your responsibility, so choose an operator that works around ship schedules.
Verdict: book the ZipRider ahead through the port or your line rather than at the counter, and compare a local whale operator’s price and boat size with the ship’s option before choosing. Either way, don’t wait until you’re ashore on a two-ship day.
Icy Strait Point with kids
Icy Strait Point is one of the easier Alaska ports for families: it’s compact, there’s no traffic, and the beach and trails give children room to run. A few things to know:
- ZipRider limits: riders must weigh between 75 and 275 pounds, so younger children often can’t ride. Check before promising it.
- Whale watching: a 2.5-hour boat trip suits most school-age children; bring snacks and warm layers.
- The gondola: a short, easy ride with a big view, good for all ages.
- The beach and tide line: free, and endlessly interesting to kids. Watch the tide and the slippery rocks.
A rainy-day plan
Rain is normal here, and it doesn’t ruin the day. Whale watching goes ahead in most weather, and whales don’t mind rain. The cannery’s exhibits, shops and restaurants keep you dry, and a trip into Hoonah works in any weather. What rain and low cloud do affect is the view: the gondola ride and mountaintop platform lose their payoff when the summit is in cloud, so check visibility before you pay. Wear a waterproof jacket and shoes, and put your phone in a dry bag on the boat.
Wildlife beyond the whales
Whales are the headline, but Icy Strait and Chichagof Island hold much more. Bald eagles are a common sight along the shore and over the harbor. Sea lions and harbor seals turn up on whale-watching trips, and brown bears live in the forests and along the salmon streams of the island, which is why the port runs a bear-search tour at all. Keep binoculars with you on the trails and the gondola; some of the best sightings happen when you’re not on a tour. For how Icy Strait Point fits into a wildlife-focused itinerary, our Alaska wildlife cruise guide compares the best ports and excursions across the whole trip.
Icy Strait Point vs the big ports
| Icy Strait Point | Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | A private destination beside a small Tlingit village | Real towns with busy cruise waterfronts |
| Crowds | Two piers, so at most a couple of big ships | Several ships a day; Juneau takes up to five |
| Best for | Whales, the ZipRider, a calm day outdoors | Glaciers, history, trains, shopping, museums |
| Free things | The cannery, trails and beach | Town walks, parks, many museums for a fee |
| The catch | Most headline activities are paid tours | Crowds and jewelry-store promotions near the docks |
Verdict: Icy Strait Point is the best whale-watching and nature day on most itineraries that include it. It isn’t a substitute for Juneau’s glacier or Skagway’s history, but as the fourth port on a 7-day cruise, it adds exactly what the big towns lack: space.
A sample Icy Strait Point day
For a call of seven to nine hours, here’s a plan that gets the most out of the port without rushing:
- Morning: whale watching, while you’re fresh and the day’s plans are still flexible.
- Late morning: the gondola up Hoonah Mountain, and the ZipRider down if you’ve booked it.
- Lunch: seafood at the cannery complex.
- Afternoon: the shuttle to Hoonah for the harbor, the totems and the carving shed.
- Last hour: the shoreline trail back to your pier, with binoculars out for whales and eagles.
If your call is shorter, drop Hoonah or the gondola rather than the whales. And if you’d rather not spend money on tours at all, a good free day is easy: walk the cannery, take the shoreline trail to the far pier and back, sit on the beach with binoculars, then ride the shuttle into Hoonah for the harbor and the totem poles.
Icy Strait Point on a budget
Icy Strait Point has a reputation as an expensive port, because its headline experiences are paid tours. It doesn’t have to be. Here’s how the costs stack up, from free to splurge.
| Budget | What you do | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Free | The cannery, the shoreline trail between the piers, the beach and forest paths | $0 |
| Almost free | Add the shuttle to Hoonah for the harbor and totem poles | About $10 round trip, as reported |
| One tour | Add whale watching, the best-value paid experience here | Varies by operator and booking channel |
| Splurge | Whale watching plus the ZipRider | Add roughly $109-$159 for the ZipRider when booked ahead, or about $199 walk-up |
The single easiest saving is booking the ZipRider ahead rather than at the counter. The best value of the day is the Hoonah shuttle.
How Icy Strait Point began
For most of the 20th century, the site was an industrial one. The Hoonah Packing Co. built its cannery north of town in 1912, and for four decades it packed salmon from the rich waters of Icy Strait before closing in 1953. The buildings stood for another half century before Huna Totem Corporation turned them into something new: a cruise destination owned by the community whose homeland surrounds it.
The first cruise ship, Celebrity’s Mercury, arrived on May 23, 2004, according to the port’s history, and early calls came from Royal Caribbean’s family of brands. The ZipRider followed in 2007, the Wilderness Landing pier and first gondola in 2021, and in 2024 Huna Totem marked the port’s 20th anniversary, calling it Alaska’s first Indigenous-owned cruise ship destination. From a handful of calls a season, it has grown into a regular stop for several major lines.
When is the best time to visit Icy Strait Point?
You don’t choose your port day; your itinerary does. But the month shapes what you’ll see. Cruise ships call from May through September, and humpback whales feed in Icy Strait over the same months, so whale watching is good all season. Using nearby Juneau’s NOAA normals as a guide, the days are coolest in May and September and wettest in late summer, with September averaging 9.15 inches of rain in Juneau against 3.51 in May.
| Month | What to expect |
|---|---|
| May | Cool days, fewer ships, drier weather, whales arriving |
| June and July | The longest days and the warmest weather; peak season |
| August | Still warm, but wetter; salmon season in the streams |
| September | Cooler and the wettest month; quieter port days |
What to wear and bring
- A waterproof jacket and layers. Boats and the mountaintop are colder than the shore.
- Shoes with grip. Trails and docks are often wet.
- Binoculars. For whales, eagles and bears at a distance.
- A dry bag or phone pouch for the whale boat.
- Some cash for small purchases in Hoonah.
- Your ship card and ID, and a note of which pier your ship is at.
Photography tips
The best photographs at Icy Strait Point come from three places. On the whale boat, use a fast shutter and burst mode, and keep shooting after a whale dives: the tail often comes up a few seconds later. From the gondola and the mountaintop, a wide setting captures Port Frederick, Hoonah and the strait in one frame, and a clear morning gives the best light. And at the cannery, the red buildings on their pilings are at their best from the shoreline trail, especially with a ship’s bow or a fishing boat in the frame. In Hoonah, ask before photographing people or private homes.
Common mistakes at Icy Strait Point
- Not booking ahead. The ZipRider and whale boats fill up on two-ship days, and walk-up prices are higher.
- Losing track of your pier. Ocean Landing and Wilderness Landing are half a mile apart. Note your ship’s pier before you set off.
- Skipping Hoonah. The village is cheap to reach and the most authentic part of the day.
- Underdressing for the boat. A whale-watching trip in a T-shirt is a cold two and a half hours.
- Paying for the gondola in cloud. Check the summit before you buy.
- Promising a child the ZipRider. Riders must weigh at least 75 pounds.
All-aboard math at Icy Strait Point
Icy Strait Point is compact, but the piers are half a mile apart, and the last hour gets busy on the shuttles and gondolas. Work backward from all-aboard, not from the sailing time:
| Step | Time to allow |
|---|---|
| Shuttle back from Hoonah, including the wait | 20-30 minutes |
| Walk or ride between the cannery and Wilderness Landing, if your ship is at the far pier | 10-15 minutes on the half-mile trail |
| Security and boarding | 10 minutes |
| Safety buffer for crowds or weather | 45-60 minutes |
| Leave Hoonah this long before all-aboard | About 1.5 to 2 hours |
If a tour booked through your ship runs late, the ship waits for it; independent tours are your responsibility, so pick operators that understand cruise schedules.
Icy Strait Point weather
Hoonah shares the cool, wet climate of the northern Inside Passage. Juneau, about 30 miles east, has the nearest long-term official record and makes a good guide: NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals there show average highs of 57.6°F in May, 64.0°F in July and 56.1°F in September, with rain rising from 3.51 inches in May to 9.15 inches in September. Expect temperatures in the 50s and low 60s °F and at least some rain on most days.
Dress in layers with a waterproof shell, and wear shoes that can handle wet trails. On a boat, it’s colder still. A clear day at Icy Strait Point, with the mountains of Glacier Bay visible across the water, is spectacular, but plan for the other kind too. Check a 10-day forecast in the week before your call, and pack for rain regardless.
A short history of Icy Strait Point
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Time immemorial | Glacier Bay is the ancestral homeland of the Huna Tlingit |
| 1700s | Advancing ice pushes the Huna Tlingit out of Glacier Bay; they settle at Hoonah |
| 1912 | The Hoonah Packing Co. builds the cannery north of town |
| 1939 | The Hoonah Indian Association is chartered as a federally recognized tribe |
| 1953 | The cannery closes |
| May 23, 2004 | Icy Strait Point opens to cruise ships with Celebrity’s Mercury |
| 2007 | The ZipRider opens |
| 2016 | Xunaa Shuká Hít, with posts carved in Hoonah, is dedicated at Bartlett Cove |
| 2021 | The Wilderness Landing pier and the first gondola open |
Icy Strait Point FAQ
Where is Icy Strait Point, Alaska?
Icy Strait Point is on Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska, next to the Tlingit village of Hoonah and roughly 30 miles west of Juneau. It faces Icy Strait, across from the entrance to Glacier Bay. The address is 108 Cannery Road, Hoonah. It’s a private cruise port owned by Hoonah’s Alaska Native village corporation, Huna Totem.
Do you tender at Icy Strait Point?
No, not anymore. Ships dock at one of two piers, Ocean Landing by the cannery or Wilderness Landing near the ZipRider, and you walk off. The piers are half a mile apart, joined by a walking trail and the gondola system. In the port’s early years, passengers came ashore by tender.
What can you do for free at Icy Strait Point?
Plenty. Walk the restored 1912 cannery, follow the half-mile shoreline trail between the piers, explore the forest paths and the beach, and watch for eagles and whales from shore. For a few dollars, the shuttle to Hoonah (reported at about $10 round trip) adds the village, its harbor and its totem poles.
How much is the ZipRider at Icy Strait Point?
Its maker lists an average ticket price of $200. Reported prices vary by booking channel, from roughly $109 to $159 through cruise lines or the port’s website to about $199 at the walk-up counter. Riders must weigh between 75 and 275 pounds, and the tour takes about 1.5 hours.
Can you see whales at Icy Strait Point?
Yes, and it’s one of the best whale-watching stops in Alaska. Humpbacks feed around Point Adolphus and in Icy Strait from about May through September. The port’s tour lasts 2.5 hours with a naturalist, and some local operators advertise sighting guarantees. You may even spot whales from shore.
What is the weather like at Icy Strait Point?
Cool and often wet. Using nearby Juneau’s NOAA normals as a guide, summer highs average in the high 50s to mid 60s °F, and rain increases through the season, with September the wettest month. Pack a waterproof jacket and layers, and check a 10-day forecast before your call.
Who owns Icy Strait Point?
Icy Strait Point is owned by Huna Totem Corporation, the Alaska Native village corporation for Hoonah, not by a cruise line. Huna Totem opened it to cruise ships in 2004 and calls it Alaska’s first Indigenous-owned cruise ship destination. The company is also developing a new cruise dock in Juneau, targeted for 2028.
Is Icy Strait Point worth it?
Yes, especially for wildlife lovers. It offers some of the best whale watching on any Alaska itinerary, a Native-owned port with real local ties, and a calmer day than the big towns. The catch is that its best experiences cost money; budget for at least one tour.
Related Alaska Cruise Guides
Sources and How We Checked
We checked the prices, rules, schedules and ship deployments in this guide against the sources below on September 24, 2026, and we log each one in our research database with the date it was checked. Cruise lines change ships, fares and fees every season, so confirm anything that affects your booking with the line or the agency concerned. Alaska Cruise Guide (AlaskaCruise.org) is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with any cruise line, port, tour operator or tourism office, and no one paid to be included.
- alaskacruisehub.com: Icy Strait Point
- Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Cruises
- cityofhoonah.org: Hoonah
- cityofhoonah.org: Hoonah
- cityofhoonah.org: Hoonah, Icy Strait Point
- cruisemapper.com: Icy Strait Point
- Holland America Line: Holland America Line
- hunatotem.com: Icy Strait Point
- hunatotem.com: Icy Strait Point
- Icy Strait Point: Icy Strait Point
- icystraitwhaleadventures.com: Icy Strait whale watching
- KTOO Public Media: Juneau Aak'w Landing dock
- mscpressarea.com: MSC Cruises
- National Park Service: Glacier Bay park facts
- National Park Service: Huna Tribal House
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information: Juneau weather
- portlandbolt.com: Icy Strait Point gondola
- PR Newswire (line press release): Royal Caribbean
- vikingcruises.com: Viking
- ziprider.com: Icy Strait Point ZipRider, Icy Strait Point
Photo Credits
- Icy Strait Point cannery (2012): photo by Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
- Alaska cruise region map: map by Kmusser, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); ferry routes removed; cruise ports, glacier-viewing areas and Denali added by Alaska Cruise Guide
- Icy Strait Point (2016): photo by Enrico Blasutto, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Whale-watching boats, Icy Strait Point (2024): photo by Cullen328, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Aerial view of Hoonah (2014): photo by Joseph, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Hoonah Tribal House posts (2014): photo by Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Hoonah totem (2012): photo by Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Arriving at Icy Strait Point (2009): photo by Jonathan Schilling, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
- Fishing boat, Hoonah (2012): photo by Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)