Whale Watching Cruise From Icy Strait Point
Cruise Icy Strait on a small vessel to spot whales and coastal wildlife
Duration
2h 46 min
Ideal For
24 max people
Includes
Transfer, Whale watching
Highlights
Meet at Icy Strait Point and transfer to your vessel for a 2.5-hour cruise through Icy Strait, with opportunities to spot whales and other coastal wildlife along the way.
- Meet at Icy Strait Point and transfer to the vessel
- Cruise through Icy Strait for about 2.5 hours
- Watch for humpback whales and orcas (killer whales)
- Look for sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, and Dall’s porpoise
- Scan the shoreline for brown bears, Sitka Black-tailed deer, and bald eagles
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation more than a week in advance: 15% administration fee. Cancellation between a week and 48 hours prior to departure date: 50% of the total amount plus administration fees that might be imposed. Cancellation less than 48 hours prior to departure date and time or no-show: 100% of the total amount.
FAQs
Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time to check in.
Proceed up the dock and follow the signs to the Excursion Hub. Your representative will be there with a clipboard to check you in.
Come prepared for rain or shine. Bring a hat and mittens, a warm water-resistant coat, a camera, binoculars, and sunglasses.
Meeting details
Icy Strait Point
More about Icy Strait Point
Icy Strait Point sits on the northern shore of Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska, a former salmon cannery turned gateway to some of the richest marine waters in the world. The cold, nutrient-dense currents that swirl past Icy Strait Point draw humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, porpoises, and bald eagles into a feeding ground that locals consider unmatched along the Inside Passage. Stepping off the dock at Icy Strait Point, you trade the bustle of larger Alaskan ports for the quiet of spruce-covered hills, weathered cannery buildings, and the steady sound of water against the shore, the perfect launching point for a whale watching adventure.
This experience leads you out from Icy Strait Point aboard a comfortable vessel built for wildlife viewing, with knowledgeable local guides who know exactly where the humpbacks are likely to be feeding that day. You will scan the horizon for telltale spouts, then watch as massive flukes rise and slip back beneath the surface, sometimes close enough to hear the rush of breath as a whale surfaces beside the boat. Bubble net feeding, a cooperative hunting technique humpbacks practice in these waters, is one of the rare spectacles guests hope to witness from Icy Strait Point. Along the way, the guide narrates the area's natural history, points out seabirds and shoreline wildlife, and shares stories of the Huna Tlingit people whose ancestral homeland surrounds Icy Strait Point.
This tour is perfect for families, photographers, cruise passengers with limited time ashore, and anyone who wants to see Alaska's marine giants in their element without a long, rough crossing. Children are captivated by the close encounters, while seasoned travelers appreciate the depth of commentary and the high success rate of sightings. Whether you are stepping off a ship for the day or building a longer Southeast Alaska itinerary, whale watching from Icy Strait Point delivers the kind of unhurried, awe-filled morning on the water that becomes the story you tell long after the trip ends.
