My family and I had an extraordinary whale watching experience with Hoonah Whale Tours at the end of August, 2026. Captain Jordan was awesome! Friendly, knowledgeable, a thoughtful gentleman. His aluminum cattarmaran is a beautiful boat that is extremely comfortable and designed specifically for whale watching. The boat design and features are especially important to note since we went out on a "4 sea day": with wavy waters but our trip was still smooth enough that no one got sea sick. Jordan got us to see humpback whales up close, being very playful. Attached are a few photos from that morning. My camera captured some beautiful images. But, to be there, in the presence of these majestic mammals, is a feeling that for us was "life changing", and truly unforgettable. Thank you Jordan and Hoonah Whale Tours for making our trip to Alaska truly amazing!!! We are now home with stories to tell and photos and video to relive them : )
Hoonah Whale Tours in Icy Strait
At a glance
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Price from
- $314 / person
- Location
- Hoonah
- Rating
- 5.0 / 5 · 193 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 14
- Cancellation
- See policy below
- Hotel pickup
- Available
- Confirmation
- Within 24h
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Hoonah Whale Tours
Description
Hoonah Whale Tours is a family owned whale watching company that operates out of Hoonah, AK. When taking this tour you will be on a small group, up to 14 passengers, boat tour that goes out into Icy Strait. During the tour will you get the chance to see all sorts of Southeast Alaska wildlife, including bald eagles, sea lions, sea otters, sometimes brown bear and orcas and of course humpback whales! Our tours last between 3 and 3.5 hours and we guarantee you'll see whales or you money back. The boat is a 14 passenger catamaran, with a walk around deck, heated cabin, and a bathroom on board. We also provide snacks and beverages.
Tour Options
Itinerary
When out on our whale watching tour you will be in Icy Strait (body of water) You will get to see humpback whales (guaranteed!), sea lion, sea otter, and bald eagles. You even have the chance of seeing brown bear along the beaches, orcas and puffins flying by.
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We can pick up all cruise ship passengers at Icy Strait Point port. We can also pick up any guests not coming to Hoonah, AK through cruise ship anywhere in town.
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given a full refund
Cancellation
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Hoonah Whale Tours in Icy Strait take?
Hoonah Whale Tours in Icy Strait lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Hoonah Whale Tours in Icy Strait cost?
Prices start at $314 per person for this Hoonah experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Hoonah Whale Tours in Icy Strait for free?
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. We can pick up all cruise ship passengers at Icy Strait Point port. We can also pick up any guests not coming to Hoonah, AK through cruise ship anywhere in town.
What languages is Hoonah Whale Tours in Icy Strait offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 14 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Specialized infant seats are available Children must be accompanied by an adult
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Is Hoonah Whale Tours in Icy Strait worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 193 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Hoonah Whale Tours.
Reviews(193)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
This was our favorite tour. Jordan was amazing getting us on the whales. We saw humpbacks & Orcas! The tour was relaxed the boat was comfortable, the ride was smooth. You could walk all the way around the boat for the perfect view. This small group tour was everything we hoped for & more. We will use Jordan & his crew again!
We loved this tour. We didn't follow the pack of other boats but found different whales and had lovely quiet experiences observing them. We also spent time watching sea lions and sea otters and saw some bald eagles too. Pick up from near our cruise ship was helpful too, and directions were clear. Perhaps a bit more explanation about the things we saw and their behaviour would have made it even better.
Absolutely perfect! Captain delivered, saw so many whales. Even saw two bears!! Coffee cocoa and snacks were included. Booked this tour after reading other reviews.
What an incredible experience! From the moment of pick up to the moment of drop off, we had a great time. We saw orcas, humpbacks, purposes, and sea otters. Do not hesitate to book with this tour operator. They are wonderful! The cruise excursions had so many people, and we were lucky to only have 9.
This was the absolute highlight of our Alaskan vacation! We saw whales bubble feeding and they were so incredibly close. The boat was so nice and clean. The captain was personable and safe. Just an all around amazing time.
Thanks so much for your kind review!
We had a great time! Their new boat is amazing! We were told Captain Jordan spent hours on the boat design to get exactly what he wanted so it would be the best client focused whale watch boat on the water. So why only 4 stars? I mean this in a positive way to suggest 1 improvement. It's obvious Captain Jordan has years of experiences on the water along with being a son of a commercial fisherman I have to believe he has so many stories he could pass on. I'm not saying tell a tall tale. What I am saying is that during the time we spend motoring to and from the whale watch areas I think passengers would enjoy hearing him speak about his time on the water and to also hear more about what the whales and other marine life habits are.
Thank you for your review!
The Hoonah Whale Tours trip was the highlight of our Alaskan cruise for our group of 6. The family owned business was top notch and the touring boat was comfortable and state of the art. Pick up and drop off was seamless. The smaller group allowed us to interact with the Captain more and move closer to the fascinating whale and orca activity. Would take this tour again. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your kind review! Glad it was a good time
It was amazing, once in a lifetime experience. Great people and great hosts
Thank you for the review!
Hoonah Whale Tours was amazing. We seen bubble feeding and whale breaches. Simply the best experience we had on our cruise.
I’m so glad you had a good time! Thank you for the review!
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