Alaska Jewel: Icy Strait Point

By Saint Greg

December 29, 2023

Good morning! We’re on our way to Icy Strait Point today. I’m taking a walk around the exterior of the ship where the sports courts are since I haven’t been able to do much of that yet. This is something I haven’t seen on Carnival. they have an area where you can practice hitting golf balls on both sides of the ship.

Full court basketball/soccer area.

Down there is where I watched sail away. On Carnival there wound be a small pool and two hot tubs down there. Here they have two large pools in the middle instead. It works for me since I’m not a big pool person.

This is the port side golf net.

Shuffleboard court.

Let’s check out the views from the Spinnaker Lounge.

I did pick up a Starbuck this morning.

This is something you won’t see on Carnival. They have an area where you can observe the bridge.

You aren’t able to see when we are docking so I’m going to need to try to come back on a sea day. We don’t have many of those on this cruise.

I finished my coffee so it’s time for some screwdrivers to take to breakfast.

This pretzel roll sandwich is very good. I might put it above the Carnival broken egg sandwich because I like that pretzel roll so much.

Pancakes are also in my opinion better than Carnival.

After breakfast I stepped outside to check on our progress.

And we are docking.

I recognize that boat. That’s one of the whale watching tour boats.

The gangway is on deck 4 despite all of the signs saying 6 and 7. This was very confusing.

It’s going to be interesting with two ships here. We only had one ship when I was here last year.

I will definitely be by here later.

I need to take the transporter over to the side of the property Bliss is on so I can take the Sky Glider up the mountain for my tour.

I don’t remember that wilderness ropes course last year but I could be mistaken.

What a mess. All of those Bliss people. They got the bad spot because they have to take the transporter for everything except the tram and zip line.

The departure den is where you go for your zip line or sky glider tickets.

They have lockers you can rent.

The guy giving out the wrist bands is a Saints fan from Mississippi.

I heard about this taco stand last time. They told me it was at the top of the mountain but it wasn’t open that early in the summer.

The transporter they packed us in 8 people in each. On the sky glider they let you have your own gondola.

That was slightly more terrifying than I expeceted.

That’s where you go for the zip line.

They have a snack bar and another gift shop up here.

They also have portable restrooms and a sink.

For full coverage of the forest tram excursion, please check out Icy Strait Point: Mountaintop Forest Tram. I’m going to skip ahead to after the tram.

I had my eye on this walking trail. Since I don’t know if I’m ever going to be up here again, I’m going to do it now.

There are definitely plenty of warnings.

I was alone but tried to stay close to other groups. All I need is to be faster than one person in the group.

It wasn’t really a loop. You get to a point where you can’t go any further and have to turn around.

It’s uphill going back.

After that I took the tram back down.

They do have a gift shop on this side of the property.

Instead of taking the transporter back you can take a nature trail.

Let’s get a closer look at the Bliss.

I took the transporter back.

These tents are new since last year.

That’s the whale watching tour.

This restaurant was closed last year.

It’s open today.

I covered the cannery museum last year.

They’re going out on an excursion of some kind.

Last year the bartender at the Crab House was from New Orleans. I peeked in but don’t see her today.

The donut place has a long line. Last year their internet went down and they had to close.

I hadn’t seen any signs about the “free tribal show.” I missed it last year. This year I timed it perfect. But it’s no longer free. I think it’s part of an excursion. They charged me $20 at the door.

They didn’t allow videos or photos during the skit but did allow it for their dance afterward.

My forest tram driver said in town there’s a place where they’re carving a totem pole. I decided to buy the $5 bus ticket to/from town.

This school is K-12. They have 110 students.

This shop owner is talking about how he killed that moose.

It was a short walk to where they are working on the totem pole.

I was trying to get video of them just working but was struggling because the girl and her family are Saints fans. So they kept stopping to talk about the Saints.