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Icy Strait Point: when your ship stops here

Whales off Point Adolphus, the zip line down the mountain, the old cannery and a walk into Hoonah; a bear is never promised.

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026, each with its source. No prices on this page.

Icy Strait Point is a cruise stop built on an old salmon cannery near Hoonah, on Chichagof Island in south east Alaska, about 30 miles (48 km) west of Juneau across the Inside Passage. It is owned by Huna Totem Corporation, which belongs to about 1,350 Alaska Natives with ties to Hoonah and Glacier Bay; it bought the site in 1996 and opened it to ships in 2004. A floating dock finished in 2016 ended the tender boats, and a second dock about half a mile away was done by 2022. About 85 percent of the staff live in Hoonah, a mile's walk away.

Sources: Wikipedia: Icy Strait Point; Wikipedia: Hoonah, Alaska

Top 3 things to do

  1. 1. Whale watching off Point Adolphus

    Humpback whales feed near Point Adolphus, across the strait, and the whale and marine mammal cruise from the dock lasts 2.5 hours with a naturalist on board. Bald eagles are a common sight all around.

    Tip: Dress for the water, not the dock: it is colder out on the strait.

    Sources: Icy Strait Point (official site: excursions); Wikipedia: Icy Strait Point

  2. 2. The ZipRider and the mountain top

    The ZipRider, opened in May 2007, is 5,330 feet (1,620 m) long and starts 1,330 feet (410 m) up, one of the longest and highest zip lines in North America; riders must weigh between 75 and 275 pounds and the outing takes about an hour and a half. The Mountain Top forest excursions, also about 1.5 hours, are ADA accessible and take mobility devices.

    Tip: Not up for the zip line? The mountain top excursion is the gentle way up.

    Sources: Wikipedia: Icy Strait Point; Icy Strait Point (official site: excursions)

  3. 3. The cannery and the walk to Hoonah

    The 1930s Hoonah Packing Company cannery is now a museum with a restaurant and shops. Hoonah, a mile along the shore, is the principal village of the Huna Tlingit, 931 people in 2020, rebuilt after a 1944 fire that destroyed much of the town and many Tlingit treasures; the Heritage Center puts on a cultural show.

    Tip: A mile each way on foot, and nothing to book.

    Sources: Wikipedia: Icy Strait Point; Wikipedia: Hoonah, Alaska; Icy Strait Point (official site: excursions)

What to skip

  • Booking the bear search if a bear is the only reason you go

    The 2.5 hour Spasski River Valley wildlife and bear search goes looking for coastal brown bears with a local guide, and the site itself says bear sightings are not guaranteed. Go for the river and the forest, and count a bear as luck.

    Sources: Icy Strait Point (official site: excursions); Wikipedia: Icy Strait Point

Before you go ashore

You do not have to book a tour: you are free to go ashore on your own. Royal Caribbean sets the all aboard time about 30 minutes before the ship sails, posts it near the gangway, and says the ship does not wait for guests touring on their own.

Source: Royal Caribbean FAQ: Do I need to book a shore excursion?

Back-to-backs that stop in Icy Strait Point

Back-to-back cruises from these home ports have a stop in Icy Strait Point, from the Royal Caribbean sailings we track:

Sources

Read on Nov 1, 2026. Opening days, hours and rules change: check with the place itself before you go. legtolegcruises.com is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Royal Caribbean International or any place named here.

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