Cruise line guide · Norwegian at Icy Strait Point
Norwegian ships dock at Icy Strait Point's Wilderness Landing pier — a berth Norwegian itself helped build so ships can walk straight off instead of tendering. Here's what that means for your port day: how you get ashore, how many hours you'll actually have, and how to spend them.
In practice, that means no waiting on a tender boat to get ashore: once the ship is docked, you walk straight off the pier. Icy Strait Point's original pier, Ocean Landing, is used by other lines and smaller ships closer to the historic cannery buildings.
Norwegian ships at a glance
Norwegian sends more ships to Icy Strait Point than any other line we cover. Here is the fleet side by side, from the port's published 2026 schedule.
| Ship | Max guests | Where it lands | How often in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Bliss | 4,981 | Wilderness Landing | Weekly on Wednesdays, late Apr to mid-Sept 2026 |
| Norwegian Jade | 2,402 | Wilderness Landing | 19 calls, May to Sept 2026 |
| Norwegian Joy | 3,804 | Wilderness Landing (most calls) | 13 calls, late May to late Sept 2026 |
| Norwegian Spirit | 2,000 to 2,400 (approx.) | Wilderness Landing (3 of 4 calls) | 4 calls, late July to early Sept 2026 |
Bliss is the biggest ship at the port and leaves mid-afternoon, so it has the shortest day (about 8.5 to 9 hours). Jade, Joy and Spirit stay into the evening for roughly 12 hours or more. Know which ship you are on before you book a tour.
Plan your hours ashore
Norwegian's published 2026 Icy Strait Point schedule shows a range of call lengths depending on the ship and sailing — some as short as 9 hours, others closer to 13. A sample from the September 2026 schedule:
| Ship | Typical arrival | Typical departure | Time ashore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Bliss | 6:00 am | 2:30–3:00 pm | ~8.5–9 hours |
| Norwegian Jade | 7:00 am | 7:00 pm | ~12 hours |
| Norwegian Joy | 7:00 am | 7:00–8:00 pm | ~12–13 hours |
| Norwegian Spirit | 7:00 am | 7:00 pm | ~12 hours |
These are representative times from published 2026 sailings, not a guarantee for your specific date — always confirm your ship's actual arrival and all-aboard time from the daily navigator once you're on board.
Getting into town
A flat, roughly 1.5-mile shoreline path connects the Icy Strait Point piers to downtown Hoonah, typically covered in 25–45 minutes each way. Full terrain, landmark, and accessibility details are on our walking + shuttle guide.
A shuttle runs whenever a ship is in port, about a 5-minute ride, typically sold as a round-trip ticket at the Icy Strait Point ticket booth near the donut shack — not on board the shuttle itself.
Because Wilderness Landing is a direct walk-off berth, Norwegian passengers skip the tender-boat queue that some other ports require — you can start walking or catch the shuttle as soon as you're cleared to disembark.
What fits your port day
Quick answers
Wilderness Landing, the newer of Icy Strait Point's two piers, completed in 2021 with Norwegian Cruise Line as a construction partner. Norwegian holds a preferential berthing agreement for this pier.
No. Wilderness Landing was built in deeper water specifically so larger ships like Norwegian's can dock directly and passengers can walk straight off, without a tender boat.
It varies by ship and sailing, but Norwegian's 2026 Icy Strait Point calls typically run 9 to 13 hours based on published schedules. Always confirm your specific ship's times on board.
Yes. Independent operators like Wild Bear Safari and Whales of Xunaa run their own tours out of Hoonah, separate from any cruise line's excursion desk, and pick up near the dock.
About 1.5 miles by a flat shoreline path, roughly 25–45 minutes on foot, or about 5 minutes by the on-demand shuttle.
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See the full guide to bears, whales, food, and free things to do once you're off the ship.