We did Alaska on another line last year so haven’t looked at
DCL’s offerings but our itinerary had both of those ports. So if the difference in options is that single port I can add a comparison.
Icy Straight Point - it is a complex made by the cruise lines just down the road from the real town of Hoonah. The old cannery area was repurposed for the cruise lines. The whole are is really just a shopping and dining spot specific to the cruises and a start point for the excursions. There is a little history and the excursions are pretty similar to other ports. Scenery is on par with other stops also. The key difference is the zip line. This port offers one of the longest zip lines out there. There is a weight restriction and our (at that time) 11 y.o. Was still too light to ride so we passed and did the rib boat excursion.
Skagway - it was a real gold rush town and most of that plays into to excursions. The train is the most popular attraction but there are lots of trails and history to explore. The ships port near downtown with most by the railway terminus. The Main Street is full of shops and buildings with some having been built in the early days of the town. We were lucky enough to do zip lines in the morning and train in the afternoon and still had some time to walk the downtown.
Both were nice but I have to give the edge to Skagway. The history is pretty real, unlike the slight fabrications of the cannery. The train and the ability to make the trip into Canada adds to the options. They both have plenty of activities on the water and land. The only bonus Icy Straight Point has is only one ship is docked at a time, while Skagway can have multiple in port at once.
