Skagway vs Icy Strait Point?

[JSSpence]

We've started to plan a family cruise for 2021 for myself, my husband, and our son (will be almost 10 at the time). Must-have aspects are family-friendly ship environment, and a one-way itinerary so we can do a land-tour addition. So far, we've narrowed down to NCL, Princess, and RCI. NCL has what seems to be a short stop in Juneau, only half a day, so I'm leaning toward crossing that one off. In scrutinizing the itineraries, it looks like RCI now has permission to go into Glacier Bay, so the primary difference in itineraries is that RCI stops in Icy Strait Point and Princess stops in Skagway. Skagway seems to be more of a "real" town, but there seem to be more land-tour options that we prefer on RCI. Any thoughts on the value of Icy Strait vs Skagway as a cruise-line determining factor? Between Juneau and Icy Strait Point/Skagway, our excursion emphasis will be on dog-sledding-glacier and whale watching, vs the Yukon trip that I know you can do from Skagway. Thanks!!!!

[skrufy]

4 hours ago, JSSpence said:

We've started to plan a family cruise for 2021 for myself, my husband, and our son (will be almost 10 at the time). Must-have aspects are family-friendly ship environment, and a one-way itinerary so we can do a land-tour addition. So far, we've narrowed down to NCL, Princess, and RCI. NCL has what seems to be a short stop in Juneau, only half a day, so I'm leaning toward crossing that one off. In scrutinizing the itineraries, it looks like RCI now has permission to go into Glacier Bay, so the primary difference in itineraries is that RCI stops in Icy Strait Point and Princess stops in Skagway. Skagway seems to be more of a "real" town, but there seem to be more land-tour options that we prefer on RCI. Any thoughts on the value of Icy Strait vs Skagway as a cruise-line determining factor? Between Juneau and Icy Strait Point/Skagway, our excursion emphasis will be on dog-sledding-glacier and whale watching, vs the Yukon trip that I know you can do from Skagway. Thanks!!!!

Skagway is full of gold rush history. The city is only three blocks wide with wood board walks. The White Pass railroad is a great train ride. Skagway is my favorite Alaska city. Icy Strait Point is completely different. All there is at Icy Strait is an old cannery made into a museum, and a few restaurants. Hoonah a mile or so from Icy Strait its a native Alaskan town with not much there. One plus also on the island is the largest concentration of bears in Alaska. We took a whale watch/ bear excursion. It was amazing. Icy Strait sits a little south of Glacier Bay. My choice would be RCI because of Glacier Bay.

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, skrufy said:

All there is at Icy Strait is an old cannery made into a museum, and a few restaurants. Hoonah a mile or so from Icy Strait its a native Alaskan town with not much there. 

 

Au contraire, a different opinion of Icy Point Strait!  

 

skrufy's description is accurate.  (Can't speak about Hoonah; heavy driving rain started during the time I was ashore and I retreated to the ship.)  What is unique and enjoyable, in my opinion, was a native cultural experience/performance offered by the local citizens that I have not experienced in any other Alaskan port.  The tram tour through the nearby rain forest was also a very good tour with a guide who was well informed and humorous as the tram drove along the waterway where some salmon could be observed jumping. 

[LeftcoastBC]

Apples and Oranges.  Skagway a real old Gold Rush feel.  Icy Point a real old Cannery feel and a "Real" (no tourist traps) small Alaskan Village a mile or so away from the Cannery.  Skagway has tours into BC and Gold Rush Country.  The Train is certainly a must do.  So if you don't go there you will have to come back. 😁  Icy Point does have some great Water tours and of course the World's Largest Zip line.  I enjoy both places better than the other stops up there and wish more ships went to both.  (Rather than Juneau and Ketchikan.)  but that's just me... been there and done that both as a worker bee and frequent cruiser.  Glacier Bay does offer the best glacier views and odds of seeing them in my opinion.  I have never cruised NCL or Princess.

 

[AlanF65]

Skagway train and natural history museum and trip to Carcross and Emerald lake are all great. There are some nice local stores in Skagway.

 

ISP is small and fun where some of it starts

 

the n in town after a whale watch tour

 

Honah is a small 3-4 block town

 

With Authentic eats

 

At a samll diner

 

 

 

[geoherb]

22 hours ago, skrufy said:

My choice would be RCI because of Glacier Bay.

 

I think all of the Princess one-way cruises go to Glacier Bay. 

 

I went to Icy Strait Point for the first time this summer. There's not much there. I walked to Hoonah and back and enjoyed the museum exhibits in the cannery. 

[AuroraRose]

We went on a cruise this summer that went to both locations, and I have to say that I enjoyed Skagway much more. ISP is very small, and the port itself feels very touristy/theme park-esque unless you go to the nearby town of Hoonah. While it is charming to see such a small town with a true Alaskan feel, we also got bored quickly. We had much more time in port in ISP than we did in Skagway, and I much rather would have had more time in Skagway because I feel like we missed out on some things there (I guess it gives us an excuse to go back someday though!). 

[NantahalaCruiser]

On 10/28/2019 at 8:58 PM, JSSpence said:

We've started to plan a family cruise for 2021 for myself, my husband, and our son (will be almost 10 at the time). Must-have aspects are family-friendly ship environment, and a one-way itinerary so we can do a land-tour addition. So far, we've narrowed down to NCL, Princess, and RCI. NCL has what seems to be a short stop in Juneau, only half a day, so I'm leaning toward crossing that one off. In scrutinizing the itineraries, it looks like RCI now has permission to go into Glacier Bay, so the primary difference in itineraries is that RCI stops in Icy Strait Point and Princess stops in Skagway. 

To the best of my knowledge, RCI has yet to release details of any itineraries that go to Glacier National Park - thus there is no way of knowing what the actual port differences will be.

 

Secondly, if you are interested in glaciers, Hubbard Glacier is also an important cruising experience. Both Princess and NCI have one-way cruises that go to both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier National Park. It remains to be seen whether or not RCI will have cruises that go to both.

[NantahalaCruiser]

On 11/4/2019 at 11:47 PM, NantahalaCruiser said:

To the best of my knowledge, RCI has yet to release details of any itineraries that go to Glacier National Park - thus there is no way of knowing what the actual port differences will be.

 

Secondly, if you are interested in glaciers, Hubbard Glacier is also an important cruising experience. Both Princess and NCI have one-way cruises that go to both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier National Park. It remains to be seen whether or not RCI will have cruises that go to both.

And here is an article that says RCI will not be going to Glacier Bay aka National Park until 2029 at the earliest!

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4720/

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by NantahalaCruiser