Icy Strait Point!

[zzmaxwell]

Can someone please tell me which cruiselines go to Icy Strait Point please. We are anxiously waiting to book our 2006 trip and after reading about this port are extremely interested in looking into a trip that includes this port.

 

Thanks a bunch!

Robin

[SEPyle]

Hi Robin,

 

At this time the only two cruise lines to go to Icy Strait are Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. We're booked on the 5/20/05 Celebrity Summit and I am really looking forward to this port!

 

Sharon

[wcal]

We are booked on the Summit for August 5th. One of the reasons we booked with them was because of ISP.

[tetleytea]

Hoonah (or Icy Strait) IMO is overrated. I went there twice, with both cruise lines.

[zzmaxwell]

Thanks for the quick response! I only have a Princess book and was curious as to what lines to get info. from. Would you mind posting a review when you get back Sharon? We need to book this early as some in our group need to prepare their work schedule way out.

 

Have any of you gone to Alaska on Celebrity or RCCL? If so, could you tell how it was. I've saw rave reviews about Princess and Holland America but not much on these two lines. We've only sailed with RCCL and enjoyed all of our cruises with them but really want to experience the best that we can when we go to Alaska.

 

Again, thanks so much for your time and HAPPY SAILING to all!!!!!

Robin :)

[tetleytea]

Of the two, my wife & I clearly liked Celebrity better than Royal Carib. It's just a lot of subtle points that made Celebrity stand out. Like for example, Royal Carib would charge you for stuff (like hot cocoa) that you would get on Celebrity for free. Or Royal Carib would close down the dining room off-hours for cleaning, where Celebrity would just work around you. And at times that could be important, like when you're at Hubbard Glacier.

[zzmaxwell]

O.K. I have two more questions.

 

First, what didn't you care for at Icy Strait Point and have you been on any other cruiselines to Alaska?

 

This will be our first time to Alaska and I was wondering what you thought of the Hubbard Glazier.

 

Thanks a bunch for giving me this info. !

 

Robin

[JohnQ]

Robin

We have been to ISP on Celebrity Summit last Sept and it was great. We have also been to Alaska on HAL. We had mechanical problems on the Summit that caused schedule changes and I still say the officers hid out all week so they didn't have to explain what was going on or why they couldn't keep even revised schedule. But the rest of the crew was great. We chose this cruise due to ISP, where we were looking forward to something a little less commercialized as most of the other major ports here have become.

 

We loved the setting, the sunrise, the short walks and restored cannery area, friendly people, and best whalewatching tour we have ever had. We met and talked to Koo Hook, who is apparently busy somewhere since I haven't seen him on here for a while, answering questions.

 

I, too, would like to know what Tetly didn't like or would rather do in a port? Since they were there twice, they had opportunity to try different things or just complain that it was different. Most of the comments I have read since the first ship was there last May have been positive and a very different experience which is what they are trying to preserve.

[zzmaxwell]

HI John!

 

Thanks so much for answering me. Did you like sailing on Hal? My travel agent loves Princess and Hal for Alaska but says a lot of the time the best deals she gets is for Hal. A lot of the time the price beats Carnival. The only worry she had was that we are a group from our low 40's to 50. She didn't know how many younger people sailed on it but as we were going in a group she thought we would be fine.

 

Also, it's great to know that you liked ISP. Our main objective is to try to view whales and when I read on here how awesome it was there I was thinking of looking into a cruise that sails there. We love the little unpopulated out of the way places over the more commercialized ports with lots of shopping and such. You answered my questions completely on that end.

 

I much appreciate you giving me some things to think about and would enjoy any feedback you have at all on what to do and see in Alaska. We are doing a cruisetour, also, so if there's stuff not to miss I'd appreciate having some input!

 

Have a great evening!

Robin

[tetleytea]

Hi JohnQ, I used to live in Folsom. Not the prison. :D I worked with Intel.

 

It's not my intent to complain about Icy Strait--it's just the purpose of a critic board is not just to say how wonderful everything is. We need to share what stands out as impressive, but equally important is what stands out as not-so-impressive as well.

 

What I find "blah" about Icy Strait is that there's nothing there. The Hoonah locals are divided over whether they even want tourists. Notice they built the touristy stuff off to the side, a bike-ride away from town. And in town, again--there's nothing there. Well okay, you can watch the fishermen go out and make their catch. And on that road to Hoonah there's lots of edible wild berries (and good!).

 

Back at the tourist spot, you've got a Tlingit museum & souvenir shop--okay, fine, but I can see that in Anchorage. You've got a living museum, too, but that costs about $25 a head and there's really not much to it. You've got a mile-long walking trail (if that), that's nice but: 1) it's way too short, and 2) it's too well-groomed. The whole point of Icy Strait is it's supposed to be "wild Alaska". Same with the beach--too groomed, too small. Is there anything else there I missed?

 

Then, you can see some of the neighboring islands; some of which are pretty, but--the locals deforested some as well. It's pretty obvious. And it doesn't particularly look good.

 

And then, the shore excursions. What do you do? You can pay $55 a head to go to a cannery and can fish. Someone on the cruise ship with me mentioned, they should be paying you. And even those who can fish for a living, many of them hate it. You can go whale-watching--okay, fine, but I can do that virtually anywhere in Alaska, BC, or Seattle. Or you can do a salmon bake--WHY?!?? Hello, you're coming from a cruise ship. The cruise line should be paying for the "rustic" salmon bakes, and give the crew a break. IMO the only decent shore excursion is the biking, but even that tour doesn't go that far. If Icy Strait is supposed to be rustic Alaska, then they need to bike way past Hoonah and onto some more good mountain biking trails--not some long stretch of two-lane road.

 

Anyway, I guess Icy Strait is okay to visit, once.

[wolfie11]

And on that road to Hoonah there's lots of edible wild berries (and good!).

 

Just make sure you don't eat any of the round red ones - baneberry can kill you!

[charliem]

zzmaxwell..............we loved ISP!! We visited last July on Vision of the Seas - so much in fact, that we are going back this year. My husband and brother-in-law fished right from the shore and caught a good many fish.

 

This year we are planning to whale watch - have heard so many good comments about how awesome it is at ISP. We went with Capt. Larry last summer in Juneau and it was great too.

 

And a word about RCCI in Alaska - I have read so many comments about doing Alaska only on HAL or Princess but our experience with RCCI would be hard to beat. We had the most accommodating captain we have ever had (in 9 cruises) - he and his staff went far beyond the call of duty to make sure we saw as much wildlife as possible.........even backed the ship up to view whales! We were so fortunate to see so many whales from the ship but would have missed many of the sightings if it had not been for the captain and crew. He also did an excellent job getting us so close to Hubbard Glacier.

 

We will be back on Vision this summer and am hoping for the same awesome time as last. By the way, we did a cruisetour with RCCI last summer but will be doing a pre-cruise land tour on our own this time. We enjoyed the cruisetour but want to go south to Homer, Sterling area this year.

 

Whatever cruise line you take - it will be a trip you will never forget. You will not come back the same - Alaska has a way of drawing you back.

[JohnQ]

Robin

Just ask any questions re ISP. Have you found the Hoonah thread on here from Koo Hook. There is a lot of info if you are interested. I posted a few pictures on ISP and others from our Sep trip.

http://community.webshots.com/user/jq4653

 

Tetly, OK, thats why I was asking. So how do you end up in NC with Intel or are they a used to also? We met a young couple on a day long bear viewing trip to Katmai NP last year who were from Folsom and ex Intel. They cashed out and bought a lodge in Soldotna and a couple of fishing boats in Homer. I asked as to what you would have liked to see because we didn't feel we had enough time to see all. Once we did the whalewatch which was 3.5 hrs, and they moved the Summit schedule up from 8am to 6:30 am but didn't change tour time, so we had only enough time to walk around the cannery area, the beach, the nature trail and shops. No Hoonah, no bear tour. So we would go back again. I like not having 300 T-shirt shops with all their Alaska souvineers from China. Saw enough of that in all the other ports.

[zzmaxwell]

Thanks so much guys!

 

Charliem, it's great to know that RCCL was great there. We have always had a great time sailing with them. This is such a hard decision because we don't know much about it and trying to put all of the info. we are collecting together and then trying to pick the best vacation is a little nerve racking. I so appreciate all of the advice you've been giving me. We do know that we will be booking the cruisetour with the cruiseline because there's too many of us to try and do our own and we don't all live near one another so that's not an option but after visiting once we will probably go again on our own.

 

John, could you possibly send me a link to the post you are referring to, please. I can't ever get the search to work properly to find a post. Some insight into making the search work would be great also. I put a word in and posts that have nothing to do with what I put in come up. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Did you go whale watching in ISP? That is the #1 thing we want to do and it sounds like we should be doing this here.

 

Also, my agent thinks that we should pick a trip with 2 nights in Fairbanks because she thinks there's a lot there that we would be interested in. Do you guys agreee with her advice and what are some not to miss things to see on our trip.

 

Names of excursions for whale watching would be great also!

 

Have a great day!

[Shebbieal]

ZZ,

 

We are doing cruise/tour #15 this summer, it has 2 nights in Fairbanks. The land part is 6 nights. It starts 25 June then southbound on 1 July on the Vision of the Seas.

 

We can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sherry

[zzmaxwell]

That's exactly the same time of year we're looking at going Sherry. I'll be anxiously waiting your report when you get back. Have a wonderful time!!!!

 

Also, John, I forgot to tell you "Thanks" for posting those pictures. I have really enjoyed looking through them. You really have me excited to go now!!!

 

HAPPY SAILS, everyone!

Robin

[JohnQ]

Robin,

I bumped that thread up to today, just look for Hoonah with about 190 replies. From your second post, I see you answered your question re whalewatching. We had one of our best whalewatching tours here, nice sunny day and lots of whales doing lots of behaviors. I probably wrote all this in that other thread.

 

We have not been to Fairbanks, we have only had about a week or 8 days for the land portion which we have done on our own. By the time you do denali for two nights, a little in Anc, and Seward area (also Homer on our last trip), there is never any time for Fairbanks. We will do one of these days but there is lots to see in Alaska so research wisely. Get Frommers book on Alaska, Amazon has for good price.

Where is Maxwell? I spent my early years (until 2nd grade) in Sioux City, and I still have relatives there and in northwestern corner.

[lulabug]

We will be on the Summit May 20th, I vote for Celebrity, 3rd trip to alaska with them!!!:)

[Kay C]

John Q...Did you book your whale watching from the cruiseline or do it on your own? If you did it on your own, who did you use? My husband and I are sailing on Aug. 26, northbound Summit. This will be our 6th cruise to Alaska, but 1st to ISP. Thanks..Kay C Oh yes, we also vote for Celebrity. Been on the Summit 1x and the Mercury 2Xs. This will be the 3rd time to Alaska on Celebrity.

[zzmaxwell]

Hi guys!

 

Thanks so much for answering me on this. I guess I'm going to do some looking into Celebrity.

 

Thanks for putting that thread up for me John. I've started reading it and it just makes me want to go more. I, also want to know how and who you booked your whalewatching tour with. Would you share that info. please.

 

As for where Maxwell is, it's right smack in the middle between Des Moines and Ames. I'm from West Des Moines and my husband is from Des Moines but we moved to this small town 21 years ago because we didn't want the kids to grow up in the city. It's the best decision we ever made. My best friend is buried in Sioux city and we have really good friends who live just outside in Sloan. We get up there every now and again. It's a small world isn't it! :)

 

Well, I hope everyone is having a great night!

Thanks again!

Robin

[JohnQ]

OK, ISP whalewatching!!! I booked thru the ship because we booked late due to indecision between whalewatching, which we were also doing in Juneau with Cap Larry and Orca Enterprises, or the bear viewing trip. We did a 9 days on land before our Summit cruise from Seward, and we went to Katmai NP for all day bear viewing. But since we didn't know in advance if we would see any, we wanted to keep ISP bear tour as option. But we saw plenty and very close at Katmai-Hallo Bay as you can see by the photos I posted earlier, so we chose to book the whale tour thru the ship as we got on, since there was only one scheduled, and there were several bear tours if we changed our mind.

 

As for private tours in ISP, the cruise company has most of the area locked up and almost everyone works for them on ship days. About the only thing you can do is charter a fishing boat to fish or go whalewatching. When we were there, several cruisecritic friends charted one of these and went whalewatching. We saw them a couple of times from the tour. The ship tour used a large boat that held about 200, and we had a nice sunny day with lots of whales. Koo Hook was the head narrator or the tour although we were out on the top back deck the whole time for better pictures but heard no loud speaker!!! The lack of private tours may change but as of end of last season, not much there. The local residents and staff are all friendly and we enjoyed this port very much.

[tetleytea]

Hi John,

 

I'm another ex-Intel. North Carolina is with the new company. I was actually on the Pentium III processor development, which was code-named Katmai. :cool: I can see why you'd meet Intel people in Alaska--Intel's code names for their projects were good for Alaskan business.

[Chookenshaa]

Just to let you know I am a resident of Hoonah and work at Icy Strait Point with the ambulance and the local EMS. Holland cruise lines are slated to start stopping on our island in 2006. SO you might want to check them out also....