We found Icy Strait Point to be a rather small Alaskan port. This felt like an Alaskan destination that isn’t truly a must-see and we were glad this was at the start of our trip. That being said, we had a remarkable time here with some extremely good luck.

View other posts in this series:

• Trip Introduction: Cruising the Last Frontier
• Review: WestJet 737-800MAX Economy Class LAX-YVR
• Superb Service and Surprisingly Good Food: The Hyatt Regency Vancouver
• Vancouver with Kids: Fun in the Great Outdoors
• Family Dining in Vancouver: The Best of What We Ate
• Review: Celebrity Solstice Alaska Cruise – Part 1 – Booking and Room
• Review: Celebrity Solstice Alaska Cruise – Part 2 – Dining
• Review: Celebrity Solstice Alaska Cruise – Part 3 – Onboard Entertainment
• Review: Celebrity Solstice Alaska Cruise – Part 4 – Ship Features
• Disappointing Wi-Fi on Celebrity Solstice
• PSA: Do Not Waste Money on Celebrity Cruises Drink Packages
• Pro Tip: Celebrity Cruises Gives Free Parking at MGM Resorts
• Icy Strait Point: A Simple Alaskan Port Town (this post)
• Skagway: A Small But Enjoyable Port
• A Brief Encounter at Dawes Glacier
• Juneau: Full of Outdoors Experiences
• Ketchikan: Home to Salmon and Lumberjacks
• Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge YVR (Transborder / US Flights)
• Review: Air Canada 737-800MAX Business Class YVR-LAX

Map of the Area

Icy Strait Point was the smallest port town on our recent cruise with Celebrity Cruises. We docked at the Wilderness Landing and there were three ships at dock when we were here (a Princess Cruises ship needed to tender passengers as there are only two docks here).

By the Wilderness Landing, there are three main activities:

• There is a nature path along the right that takes roughly 15 minutes to traverse 0.5 miles through the trees.
• There is a free gondola to take you to the other landing area (the same destination as the nature path).
• There is a gondola to take you up the mountain where there are some other trails, viewing areas, and a zip line. This gondola is not free.

Of the three options, we did not go up the mountain but did do the other two. Before trying out those options, our whale watching cruise took off from the same dock where our cruise ship was parked.

Whale Watching

We signed up for a whale watching excursion through the cruise line for a total of $1,400 for our party of six (four adults and two children). I’ll admit that my hopes weren’t all that high for the trip. We have been on other whale watching trips before and were expecting something comparable. Under normal circumstances, I think that would have been a fairly accurate statement. However, we were extremely lucky on this trip and experienced what we would ultimately believe to be the best whale watching trip ever. After boarding, there was a quick safety explanation from the crew and we were on our way. I should note that there is a small bathroom onboard the ship but there are no refreshments available (for free or for purchase). You might want to bring your own water bottle on board.

From what I understand, there was poor weather in the region with heavy rains throughout the month of July. That caused the fish to be trapped in the region, leading to plenty of hunting opportunities for the wildlife here. Our first destination was out at sea where we watched a local pod of orcas hunting in the area. While not whales themselves, we ended up staying out here for some time watching them surprise us as they peeked out above the water’s edge. Crew recognized the orcas as being locals and noted it’s rather rare to see them out here; most of the orcas they see are just passing through.

We left the orcas behind and ventured far away in search of humpback whales. Orcas and humpbacks don’t like each other and are prone to fighting, so we needed to travel a good 15 minutes before we stumbled across a pod of whales.

What was quite remarkable was that they were executing their bubble net feeding technique, and did so immediately next to our boat. The whales did not seem bothered in the least by our presence there. Everyone on board the boat remained quiet and could hear the singing from the lead whale that directs the other whales to attack at the same time. Then there was a five minute pause before the next attack would take place.

They performed this act a dozen times around us, with passengers observing the water to find out where they would surface next. Bubble net feeding is quite rare, and the crew was simply amazed that they themselves laid witness to the event.

Quite frankly, I don’t want to go on another whale watching excursion again, given how unbelievably lucky we were on this one. I feel like every whale watching cruise after this will simply disappoint. If it weren’t for being in the middle of the bubble net action, I’d probably think of this as another generic cruise. So the ceiling for an excellent cruise is high, but based on conversations with the crew, it sounds like this was far above the norm.

Free Gondola

Initially, there was a decently long line for the free gondola when we first disembarked. However, when we waited to ride the gondola after our whale watching excursion, there was absolutely no wait and we could immediately walk on.

Once on the gondola, it was a quick trip through the clearing in the trees to the other side. You never get that high off the ground and there isn’t much of a view since there are trees all around, but it was still a great experience for the price paid.

Ultimately, I’d say it’s a great experience if there isn’t a long wait, but if we had to wait a long time, I’d feel a bit disappointed. And indeed, when we got to the other side, lines were absurdly long for people wanting to take the trip in the opposite direction.

Taking the Walking Path

If you ever encounter a long line for the free gondola, it’s best to just take the quick hike through the trees. You’ll find the walking path clearly labeled with a wide path that makes it obvious you’re on the right path. There are some light hills, but nothing our kids and their grandparents couldn’t handle. There are some signs of bears, but we did not see any.

About halfway through the trail, there is also a nest belonging to bald eagles. Sometimes it’s possible to see the eagles nesting, but we didn’t get a chance to see them here, though we did see their nest in the trees.

Also along the path is the Adventure Park & Ropes Course. It looks like a fun activity to do, but we didn’t get a chance to try it out. With a minimum age of seven to try out the course, we didn’t want to alienate four-year-old Char by holding her out of a family activity. Yes, there is a course dedicated to younger kids, but I don’t think she is mentally ready to be forced into a different experience from everyone else.

Hoonah Cannery

Following the path from the Ocean Landing to the Hoonah Cannery, you’ll spy a large sculpture of an orca, perhaps your chance to see one if you didn’t take a whale watching trip earlier in the day.

There isn’t too much to do in the cannery itself. There is a small museum (free) where you can learn the history of the area, including where the salmon were processed. Just be careful if you have kids as it did seem like real knives are glued to the boards (unclear if they were dulled–I didn’t want to test my luck).

You’ll also find a ticket booth if you want to watch a presentation in the Heritage Theater, but I’ll admit it didn’t interest us.

Near the ticket booth is a small donut shop. Half a dozen costs $5 ($10 for a full dozen). There is a military discount available but I didn’t inquire. The flavors are quite bold and tasted a bit overly sweet, but they were perfectly warmed so it was a nice treat the kids enjoyed.

You’ll also find a trio of restaurants in the area: Duck Point Smokehouse, The Cookhouse Restaurant, and The Crab House.

We wanted some fresh crab and so made our way over to The Crab House. We found the prices a bit cheaper than expected for a small port. They also had a bar inside where you could get some local brews ($9) and specialty mixed drinks. Knowing there was a full dinner waiting for us onboard the ship, we opted for a cluster of dungeness crab, some smoked salmon chowder, and Alaskan reindeer chili. In case you’re wondering, reindeer chili just tasted like regular chili with meat.

Pricing was comparable at each restaurant here and I suspect all the restaurants are related to each other. The food was fresh and delicious and I recommend sampling some if you’re in port (and don’t feel overly stuffed from the constant eating onboard the ship).

Have you been to Icy Strait Point before? What do you like to do there?