Icy Strait Whale & Wildlife Endeavor

5.0 (249 reviews) 3 h 30 min Free cancellation

out of 5

249 reviews

5.0

Icy Strait Whale & Wildlife Endeavor — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Icy Strait Whale & Wildlife Endeavor, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Explore Icy Strait in style aboard our custom built 6 passenger whale watching catamaran with an enclosed heated cabin, restroom, indoor seating, outdoor seating, & 360 degree walk around viewing deck. We limit our vessel to 6 passengers max (whether private or mixed) to provide our guests with an uncrowded, relaxed, and intimate wildlife experience.

On the day of your tour, we will pick you up from your cruise ship port and return you via van. Our excursion is 3 hours and 45 minutes from pick up to drop off (includes meeting, transit, & loading time). We designed this excursion to be one of the longest whale watching tours offered in Icy Strait. This extra time on the water allows us the opportunity to fully experience Icy Strait's rich diversity of marine wildlife.

We guarantee whale sightings or you will receive a full refund.

We designed our calendar to accommodate as many ships as possible. A calendar listing specific ships can be found on our Vivid Endeavors website.

Half-day Tours Private and Luxury Ports of Call Tours Catamaran Cruises Water Tours Shore Excursions Small Group Excellent Quality

At a glance

Duration: 3 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 6 people
People per booking: 1–6
Guide: English
Operated by: Vivid Endeavors

Ages: Children (0–17 years) · Adults (18–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Private transportation
Included: On-board restrooms: Restroom on board

Itinerary

Icy Strait

3 hours

Icy Strait is a legendary body of water that connects the protected inside waters of Southeast Alaska to the open Pacific Ocean. The nutrient rich waters of Southeast Alaska make it one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. During the summer months, these abundant fjords become the ideal home and feeding ground for a large population of Humpback Whales. Humpbacks travel to the area every year after their winter breeding season in the warmer waters of Hawaii and Mexico. After navigating over 3000 miles, we often see the same individual humpbacks return to Icy Strait year after year.

Humpbacks aren’t the only wildlife in the area. Our trips often encounter Sea Lions, Seals, Porpoise, Sea Otters, Bald Eagles, Coastal Brown Bears along the shoreline, & our favorite – the awe inspiring Orca better known as the Killer Whale.
Hoonah

Passing by

On the day of your tour, we will meet you at your cruise ship port and then transport you through the town of Hoonah to the local harbor where our whale watching vessel is docked. Our brief van ride offers beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. Occasionally, we'll even see wildlife (including Eagles) on our ride to the vessel. After your time on the water, we will transport you back to your cruise ship docking area. The van ride is approximately 5 minutes.

Meeting point and pickup

The operator picks every participant up from their accommodation or the points below.

Pickup points

We will meet you at your cruise ship port at the EXCURSION HUB – a large outdoor meeting spot for guests and vendors. Please plan to arrive 10 minutes prior to your scheduled tour start time. Please note the Excursion Hub is an open air meeting spot - NOT a building.

At the Excursion Hub, we will have a small handheld sign that says VIVID ENDEAVORS. Don’t worry if you don’t see us/our sign holder there early; the driver/sign holder may arrive right on time as we coordinate our tour start times very precisely to avoid congestion at the hub.

There are two separate cruise ship docks on site at the Icy Strait port. Your ship will be coming into either the OCEAN LANDING or the WILDERNESS LANDING.

If your ship docks at the Ocean Landing – walk to shore and through the Adventure Center (a large beautiful building) and exit through the door marked #2. Follow the gravel path and look for an Excursion Hub sign that directs you slightly to the right and continue walking that path to the Excursion Hub. From the ship to the Excursion Hub is about a 5 - 10 minute walk. If there are mobility issues, please contact us ahead of time for extra details.

If your ship docks at the Wilderness Landing – walk to shore and to the green Transporter Gondola where you can catch a 5 minute ride to the main area of the port (this is a free and pleasant gondola ride that will save you a lot of time compared to walking on foot from the wilderness dock). After exiting the gondola look for the sign directing you to the Excursion Hub and follow the path and signs. From the gondola drop off location to the Excursion Hub, the walk is about 5 minutes. If there are mobility issues, please contact us ahead of time for extra details.

After we meet at the Excursion Hub, we will drive you via van through the town of Hoonah to the harbor where you will board our whale watching vessel. We provide return transportation back to the port after your tour.

Additional Information:

Due to Icy Strait’s remote location and influx of people throughout the day - cell phone coverage including data/internet capabilities on the day of your tour can be spotty at best. Please try to call or text ahead of time with any questions. Additionally, please consider either printing or taking a screen shot of our meeting instructions beforehand.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.