Skagway or Icy Strait Point

[We Be Floatin !]

If you had to choose one port, which would it be Skagway or Icy Strait Point?

[luvteaching]

I think it depends on what you are looking to do. If you want to go whale watching, zip lining, or see an area that's a bit more unspoiled then Icy Strait Point would be the choice. If you want to ride a train, go up to the Yukon, be in a more commercial location, then Skagway would be the choice. We've been to both several times and they each have their own assets. 

 

Karen

[NEWLKAT]

I have been to both, here are my thoughts,  Skagway is a cute town and the drive up to Emerald Lake has some beautiful scenery, we have seen black bears on the drive several times.  The train is fun but can get a little boring if you are not into gorgeous views, I liked it but my sister almost fell asleep lol. The town is small and a bit more touristy but worth going.

Icy Strait is great for whale watching, zip lining and looking for grizzlies, it has one of the highest populations per capita populations of bears in the world and does not require a float plane to access it. (it is not a zoo and no bear sightings are guaranteed, so keep that in mind if you do a bear search). But it is one of my favorite stops because it is not so touristy yet.

Edited December 1, 2018 by NEWLKAT

[oaktreerb]

Skagway is a national park and has lots of history to experience.  You can take an excursion that hikes the beginning of the Chilkoot Trail and rafts back to Skagway, you can take the White Pass and Yukon railway all the way to Lake Bennett or just to Carcross, you can rent a car and drive the road to Emerald Lake and stop along the way (you may see bears), or you can take a bus one way and the train the other,  there are historical buildings and a nice museum, or pick up a hiking map at the visitor’s center and enjoy a hike away from town.  

Edited December 1, 2018 by oaktreerb

[dyeadave]

Wish you all could be here to see the bear den under the bus in our garden lot between the houses. (See other post)

DD

[gottagoacruzn]

Well, how bout some pictures Dave?

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We are lucky to have both on our itinerary this year. We are going on a Whale Watch cruise and a bear search hike in IPS and to Emerald Lake and the Yukon combination tour with the train ride back in Skagway. We are looking forward to both! 

[masterdrago]

23 hours ago, We Be Floatin ! said:

If you had to choose one port, which would it be Skagway or Icy Strait Point?

We're on Radiance and will do both. You might consider looking at the Port Passenger Load at http://m.cruisett.com/.

When we are in Icy Straight, we share space with Celebrity Eclipse so the load is 5,353. In Skagway we share with Ovation (big ship), port load is 6,681. The next day in Skagway, the load is 10,636. Big crowd! I have no idea how these small towns can accommodate such high numbers, but they seem to do it well. We wanted to do the Lake Bennett train but they do not run it that far the day we are there so rented a jeep for the day in Skagway.

[Budget Queen]

2 hours ago, masterdrago said:

We're on Radiance and will do both. You might consider looking at the Port Passenger Load at http://m.cruisett.com/.

When we are in Icy Straight, we share space with Celebrity Eclipse so the load is 5,353. 

There is only one dock.  In the past they had different port times.  Otherwise one has to tender.     Not ideal.  

[masterdrago]

2 hours ago, Budget Queen said:

There is only one dock.  In the past they had different port times.  Otherwise one has to tender.     Not ideal.  

I agree, very not ideal. And yes, the Celebrity Eclipse is sailing Alaska. And correct, the Ovation is not stopping at Hoonah, except for May 16th. The Ovation is such a huge ship. Looks like they do mostly Skagway and Juneau where they unfortunately dock with us. They also do Sitka (May 17th) and Hubbard Glacier (May 18th).

[Crew News]

Since whales like to surface close to the Icy Strait piers, those tendering might have an amazing whale encounter as they ride to the pier.  Have your camera ready and sit by a window.

[Budget Queen]

51 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Since whales like to surface close to the Icy Strait piers, those tendering might have an amazing whale encounter as they ride to the pier.  Have your camera ready and sit by a window.

This actually is not all that  common.   I've been there when no whales were anywhere in the  dock/bay vicinity.     Yes it does happen  occasionally-   however your "like to surface"   claim is a stretch.   Breeching/ and surface behavior isn't any more common here there  than anywhere else.   

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi, last yr on the Radiance in May,  we were in Icy Strait an my roommate & I were wanderin around the deck an found some whales circlin the ship again, again and again. It was an amazing thing to watch. We didn't have to get on a whale watchin tour, we just had a good view. Had never seen anything like that before.

[Sailor Taylor]

Is icy straight point the same as hoonah?  

[dyeadave]

Hoonah is a native village situated on Icy Strait.

when the cruise industry took over the old cannery they renamed it Icy Strait Point. 

For a while they denied the existence of the village,  in order that you might stay around the pier and shop thereabouts......

truth has come out that there is something genuine just up the way.

it is worth the stroll.

don't miss it!

DD

[Sunny AZ Girl]

2 hours ago, dyeadave said:

Hoonah is a native village situated on Icy Strait.

when the cruise industry took over the old cannery they renamed it Icy Strait Point. 

For a while they denied the existence of the village,  in order that you might stay around the pier and shop thereabouts......

truth has come out that there is something genuine just up the way.

it is worth the stroll.

don't miss it!

DD

Good to know! Thank you for the information.  How far of a walk is it to the village from the cruise port?

[Budget Queen]

32 minutes ago, Sunny AZ Girl said:

Good to know! Thank you for the information.  How far of a walk is it to the village from the cruise port?

 

I walk all the way past the “town”. Down to the carving shed/cultural center. To the eagles nest.    A mile ++

[Northern Aurora]

2 hours ago, Sunny AZ Girl said:

Good to know! Thank you for the information.  How far of a walk is it to the village from the cruise port?

  

 

It is a flat easy walk on a paved pathway along the shoreline.  There are several benches along the way and some nice views across the water.  We always look for eagles in the trees along the road and are rarely disappointed.

[Crew News]

FWIW if it is raining, the port provides free golf umbrellas at tne pier for use while ashore.

[Budget Queen]

23 hours ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hi, last yr on the Radiance in May,  we were in Icy Strait an my roommate & I were wanderin around the deck an found some whales circlin the ship again, again and again. It was an amazing thing to watch. We didn't have to get on a whale watchin tour, we just had a good view. Had never seen anything like that before.

I was there as  well,  during  the herring bloom.   which did  have humpbacks  feeding in the bay.  It was amazing.   But  I returned  twice more last year and  they weren't  there.    2 trips  this year  had  viewing outside the bay as well.    Bubble  netting  100% of  those 5 whale watching   trips   for me.  :)  :)  :)  

[reallyitsmema]

On 12/3/2018 at 12:03 AM, gottagoacruzn said:

Hi, last yr on the Radiance in May,  we were in Icy Strait an my roommate & I were wanderin around the deck an found some whales circlin the ship again, again and again. It was an amazing thing to watch. We didn't have to get on a whale watchin tour, we just had a good view. Had never seen anything like that before.

 

We watched them bubble net feeding from our aft facing balcony on Radiance this past May while docked in Icy Straight.  My DH got some great pictures!  We were almost late for our whale watch tour because we were watching from the balcony instead of getting ready.

[gottagoacruzn]

On 12/2/2018 at 9:03 PM, gottagoacruzn said:

Hi, last yr on the Radiance in May,  we were in Icy Strait an my roommate & I were wanderin around the deck an found some whales circlin the ship again, again and again. It was an amazing thing to watch. We didn't have to get on a whale watchin tour, we just had a good view. Had never seen anything like that before.

Hi, forgot to mention, that when we saw the whales, it was in the middle of the afternoon!!

[Jimbo]

On 12/2/2018 at 8:28 AM, masterdrago said:

We're on Radiance and will do both. You might consider looking at the Port Passenger Load at http://m.cruisett.com/.

When we are in Icy Straight, we share space with Celebrity Eclipse so the load is 5,353. In Skagway we share with Ovation (big ship), port load is 6,681. The next day in Skagway, the load is 10,636. Big crowd! I have no idea how these small towns can accommodate such high numbers, but they seem to do it well. We wanted to do the Lake Bennett train but they do not run it that far the day we are there so rented a jeep for the day in Skagway.

 

 

There is no where to tender at Icy Straight Point, it's impossible no other place to dock besides the big dock for the cruise ships........................one of the ship port times will be 6:30am until 3:00pm...other ship docks 3:30pm until 10pm. It will be light longer so don't let the port times get you down on the second ship port times.

 

Radiance docks first ....

Edited December 5, 2018 by Jimbo

[Sunny AZ Girl]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

 

 

There is no where to tender at Icy Straight Point, it's impossible no other place to dock besides the big dock for the cruise ships........................one of the ship port times will be 6:30am until 3:00pm...other ship docks 3:30pm until 10pm. It will be light longer so don't let the port times get you down on the second ship port times.

 

Radiance docks first ....

We are lucky on the Ovation 11 night cruise.  We are in port from 9 AM to 8 PM!   I guess we are the only ones in port that day.

[masterdrago]

12 hours ago, Jimbo said:

 

 

There is no where to tender at Icy Straight Point, it's impossible no other place to dock besides the big dock for the cruise ships........................one of the ship port times will be 6:30am until 3:00pm...other ship docks 3:30pm until 10pm. It will be light longer so don't let the port times get you down on the second ship port times.

 

Radiance docks first ....

Thanks Jimbo. That is useful info for us and yes, we (Radiance) are there 6:30-3. I had sent RCI a note asking about that but had not heard back yet.