Sitka or Icy Strait?

[JENXYZ1234]

Hi All,

 

Deciding between two different weeks on the Eclipse and that is the difference in ports on day 3. We are two couples in our 30s who are more interested in nature than history.

 

Opinions on which is better? What have you loved? Thanks!

[AKStafford]

Both are great... It's a win/win no matter which you choose. The whale watching trips out of Icy Strait Point are pretty awesome...

[JT1962]

I agree that both are great options and less commercialized than the other primary cruise ports in Alaska.

 

In Icy Strait Point, we did whale watching with Glacier Wind and saw numerous whales including bubble net feeding. We also enjoyed the restored Cannery and trails near the pier.

 

In Sitka, we took a shuttle to Fortress of the Bear. It also stops at the Raptor Center, but we did not go in. You can take the shuttle back to town from the Raptor Center or walk back through a nice park with totem poles to town. We also walked around town and saw the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishops House and other sites.

 

The one factor for me would be how much time you have in Juneau, since that is the other primary port for whale watching. If you are in port from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm or longer, I would do the Tracy Arm Fjord excursion with Adventure Bound and choose the itinerary with ISP and do whale watching there. If you will not be in Juneau that long, I would do whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau and choose the itinerary with Sitka.

 

 

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[elbodans]

Like the others here have said, you can't go wrong with either ISP or Sitka. To help you decide, here's my description of both:

 

ISP is super peaceful. From the moment you step off the ship, you are surrounded by silence. I used to attend a spiritual retreat every summer in the mountains of western mass (I'm pagan; it was a pagan gathering) and ISP felt silent and sacred in the same way a mountain retreat felt. That's the best way I can explain it. The port area, while commercialized, is still very, very chill. There's a walk through the woods, a beach path, and then the walk into the actual town of Hoonah (around a mile, but it is flat and lovely). We also did a whale watching cruise with Glacier Wind, and I cannot recommend that more highly. We wished we had more time there and hope to return.

 

Sitka requires a shuttle into town. You are dropped off in the center of a lovely little village. There's a waterfront path which takes you to the Totem Park, which is less history-esque and more really beautiful. There are a few trails to explore. The town itself is touristy--unless you walk THROUGH the totem park and come out the other side to the actual town. There's a dispensary there as well as a brewery. Not that we stopped at both (we stopped at both.)

 

Hope some of this helps!

[syesmar]

Here’s what I wrote about our day in Sitka: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=56857457&postcount=24

 

Here are some comments I made about ISP: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=56794898&postcount=29

 

We LOVED both! It would be hard for me to choose between the two. We, too, enjoy nature and both are the perfect ports for it. I could have spent our entire day at Sitka National Historical Park, with its lovely trails in the forest, by the bay and river. We saw eagles by the river. Seeing so many whales during sail away was an unexpected surprise!

ISP is an unspoiled location, you can go an a variety of adventures or just sit on a bench by the water and admire the beauty. Call Icy Strait Lodge, they have information about canoe trips with the local Native craftsmen and other things of interest in Hoonah.

 

We did not want to leave either port.

 

Happy Sailing!

Edited September 1, 2018 by syesmar

[TwinMamainMN]

From elbodans: "ISP is super peaceful. From the moment you step off the ship, you are surrounded by silence. I used to attend a spiritual retreat every summer in the mountains of western mass (I'm pagan; it was a pagan gathering) and ISP felt silent and sacred in the same way a mountain retreat felt. That's the best way I can explain it. The port area, while commercialized, is still very, very chill."

 

What an EXCELLENT way to describe ISP. We agree and we loved it there too. Glacier Wind Charters was the icing on the cake. Loved Captain Casey and all he did to make our trip memorable and enjoyable for everyone.

Edited September 4, 2018 by TwinMamainMN
to quote the correct reply