Bear watching?

We are going on a southbound cruise on RCL in August. My mother wants to know where her best chance to see coastal bears would be. We are starting in Seward ending in Vancouver and stopping in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy strait point.

When in Vancouver.... sightings are nearly guaranteed if you go to Grouse Mountain. If you are early enough.... you can have breakfast with the bears.

https://www.grousemountain.com/products/breakfast-with-the-bears

Hoonah, for browns, Ketchikan for blacks. Tours essentially required. Don't plan on seeing any without them.

Do you have a recommendation for a tour in Hoonah? My mom wants to have the best chance of seeing brown bears and is even considering taking the Ferry to Haines from Skagway or flying from Ketchikan.

This web site has links to developed bear viewing sites around Ketchikan, with info on time frames, permits, etc.

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/bear-viewing-in-alaska.html

If viewing brown bears is a priority, do as much research as possible to learn about the 'developed' sites. The Alaska Fish and Game site is a good starting point.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.bearviewingsites

Do you have a recommendation for a tour in Hoonah? My mom wants to have the best chance of seeing brown bears and is even considering taking the Ferry to Haines from Skagway or flying from Ketchikan.

I highly recommend TEECK Outfitters.

If you are in Skagway last half of August, I would add a trip to Haines as well. With any priority wildlife in Alaska, you are way better off, stacking the decks. If you see them in both areas, all the better. For more diversity- ferry one way Haines/Skagway and fly the other direction, should get some nice scenic flying in as well. :) You would need a whole port day with a late departure and a rental car out of Haines. I use Avis, for easy walk to.

Hoonah, for browns, Ketchikan for blacks. Tours essentially required. Don't plan on seeing any without them.

I saw a couple of reviews (with photos) where bears can be sighted at Mendenhall Glacier...

Bears can be seen almost anywhere is Alaska and particularly around rivers when the salmon runs have begun. They are sometimes seen from ships at the mouths of rivers. I saw one in Glacier Bay dining on a carcass of a large seal or sea lion that had washed ashore. Now if you really want to see black bears come golfing with me after the middle of next month.;)

I saw a couple of reviews (with photos) where bears can be sighted at Mendenhall Glacier...

Yes, blacks. Pure chance and being in the right place at the right time. They can move in and out of view pretty completely.

We saw bears in Ketchikan today on a rainforest tour. They were just hanging out in the field near the salmon farm. It was a mother and a baby and they were going back and forth and even went into the water. They must have been there for over 15 min. I guess we're getting lucky...just first stop and we already saw whales, bears, and eagles.

Saw black bears in Ketchikan on a bear watching excursion near the fish hatchery:

We did as well. We went on the Neets Bay Bear Watch tour. The bears wade into the stream to feed on the salmon. You see them from across the little river. We must have seen 6 or 8 different ones. You're in a nice open air covered viewing cabana with bench seating. It's a short plane ride from Ketchikan.

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