Description
- Air-conditioned and licensed round-trip transportation from your Icy Strait cruise pier area!
- English-speaking certified local guides!
- Visit the waters off Point Adolphus!
- Exclusive small group!
- Heated cabin as well as outdoor deck space!
- Escape the cruise ship shore excursion crowds and enjoy the unique sights of Icy Strait and the surrounding area!
- Guaranteed whale spotting or 50% of your money back!
Transfer from the private cruise pier called Icy Strait to your small boat dock located near the native village of Hoonah, Alaska. Here, you will board your custom-built boat designed for seeing whales close up in their natural setting. The boat is 45' long and holds a maximum of 22 passengers comfortably.
A forty-minute cruise brings us to Point Adolphus, near the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park and one of the most populated feeding grounds in Alaska for Humpback Whales. Here, the protected inside passage waters are being constantly refilled by the northern Pacific Ocean with a supply of herring and krill, the major staples of a Humpback's diet.
Although some humpbacks spend all year here, most migrate here in the summer months to the gorge of the endless supply of food, before wintering in Hawaii or Mexico where they mate or give birth. A baby Humpback at birth is around 4000 pounds (1.8 metric tons) and measures between 11 to 13 feet (3.3 to 3.9 meters)
The whales in the Point Adolphus area can weigh up to 42 tons (38 metric tons) and length of 40 feet (12 meters) The females are the larger of the two genders.
During your approximately 90 minutes near Point Adolphus, you may witness whales' tail lobbing (slapping their tail or fin on the water's surface), and bubble net feeding, where they surround their meal with a curtain of air bubbles and scoop it up at the surface, or the amazing power of a breach, where this massive mammal shoots out of the water as if it weighs nothing, corkscrews in the air like a ballerina, before canon-balling back into the water, creating a thundering sound as it hits the water. Scientists don't really know why the humpback does most of these behaviors - whether it is an attempt to shed barnacles or parasites on their skin, show off, and have fun, but no matter, you will never forget seeing any of them. As Mother Nature is in charge, you never know what you will see. The Whale spotting is guaranteed and if you don't spot a whale, we'll refund 50% of your whale-watching shore excursion cost.
A tasty Alaskan snack will be served as you motor your way back to Hoonah and your nearby Icy Strait Cruise Pier.
Where we meet
For this Icy Strait Whale Watching Excursion, you will meet your local shore excursion guide just outside your Icy Strait cruise pier shoreside. All necessary details will be printed on your Electronic Shore Excursion Ticket.
Cancellation
Cancellations within 14 to 3 days prior to excursion are subject to a cancellation fee of 50% of total price. Cancellations within 3 days prior to excursion are non-refundable.
For the Icy Strait Whale Watching Excursion, we issue full refund for your deposit or full payment to us if: Canceled by client prior to excursion date with a minimum of 15 days prior notice by email to reservations@shoreexcursioneer.com.
For cancellation reasons below, you must contact us via email within 14 days after your excursion:
- Your ship arrives into port late and you cannot make it in time to the meeting location (we will verify with the tour operator).
- Your ship skips/misses the port.
- Weather conditions or equipment failure prevents the operator from running the excursion.
- A medical problem prevents you from safely participating in the excursion (we will verify with the excursion operator and the guest may send doctor's note). This applies to individuals only and not the remainder of the group.
- Cancellations/deposit refund requests that do not comply with the above may not be subject to refund.
- Refunds may be subject to a service charge fee as determined by the payment processor, please refer to Terms and Conditions for more information.
