Sitka: Sea Otter, quest; Juneau: Whale quest

Are these tours similar? We did the Sitka excursion last time around and enjoyed it very much. Wondering if the whale watch kinds of tours are similar or significantly different. E.g. is the scenery very different? Chances of sea-sickness higher on one than the other? (Obviously, some of that depends on conditions of the day.)

Thank you.

These are ship tours? The sea sickness potential is similar. Scenery is different.

Sitka is varied wildlife. Juneau has the humpback 100%, along with usually seeing a few sea lions and eagles.

I am picky out of Sitka- as this is the only accessible puffin rookery on the inside passage for cruise passengers. I want to make sure my vendor includes it. :) (St Lazaria)

This is a tender port, so the ship tours usually pick up at the ship, but, you can not request where they go. As I mentioned, it is a varied wildlife tour, plenty of sea birds, and sea otters. Usually also humpbacks.

Thank you for responding. Yes, these are excursions made through the ship (we've virtually always been very pleased with Regent excursions). By the way, Sitka does not show as a tender port on our 14-day itinerary; Icy Straight is the only one that indicates tender.

We're less interested in animal kinds of viewing than in the scenery in the other sense, i.e. handsome and unique surroundings. Can you tell me, please, whether Sitka or Juneau where the boat tours go is likely to please more in that particular sense?

Speaking of Icy Straight-- I sure wish I could get more enthusiastic about that port (and also Prince Rupert and Wrangell). None of those seems to hold a candle in interest compared to, say, Juneau, where there are seemingly endless things to do, places to visit.

Thank you for responding. Yes, these are excursions made through the ship (we've virtually always been very pleased with Regent excursions). By the way, Sitka does not show as a tender port on our 14-day itinerary; Icy Straight is the only one that indicates tender.

 

We're less interested in animal kinds of viewing than in the scenery in the other sense, i.e. handsome and unique surroundings. Can you tell me, please, whether Sitka or Juneau where the boat tours go is likely to please more in that particular sense?

 

Speaking of Icy Straight-- I sure wish I could get more enthusiastic about that port (and also Prince Rupert and Wrangell). None of those seems to hold a candle in interest compared to, say, Juneau, where there are seemingly endless things to do, places to visit.

yes there is a dock, but it is outside of town. A lot of ships tender. I neglected to consider it. Last several trips I've tendered. :)

I find Sitka overall more scenic with the boat tours.

But- IF you just want scenery- why aren't you just chartering for this? Both the tours you ask about are wildlife priority.

Hi BQ, I didn't say that I just wanted scenery. I said that I'm less interested (not not-interested) in fauna. On our last trip, e.g., we did the float plane to Misty Fjords and the helicopter glacier viewing and landing. We loved those two excursions best of all the rest. We much enjoyed the Sea Otter in Sitka and many, many other fine tours, but our all-out favorites were the spectacular scenery ones.

I'm trying to decide on the right excursion for Juneau. There's the combined Mendenhall and whale-watching which I'd been thinking of, but maybe it makes more sense just to do Mendenhall and some trail walking. In fact, if we decide to do Tracy Arm again (wonderful last time!), we'll not have time to do both whale and Mendenhall. Thing is: My sense is that Mendenhall isn't all that spectacular, I mean compared to other glaciers. I get the sense that its main attraction is that it's a "drive-up" glacier, no?

I wish we could do one of the flight excursions from Juneau, but I've gotten too nervous abut such things; just not worth it (though I'm mighty glad that we saw those wonders).

Thanks again.

I would really recommend the whale watching tour in Juneau. I am recently back from my cruise and that was an amazing tour. The scenery was lovely (despite a rainy day) and the wildlife was awesome. I saw so many whales, including lots of tails and even two breeching. We also saw seals, tons of sea lions (maybe 50 in one spot), and bald eagles.

I have often heard people speaking negatively about Icy Strait Point. My experience was much more positive. I found the stores (right in the complex where you tender to) had items of much higher quality and more unique than in any of the other ports. There were sea lions right off shore that we watched and took photos of. There was also a nice fire pit with the fire going to warm us up. I took the halibut fishing excursion, which was so much fun and I caught (proudly) two halibut. One of my favourite stops!

Thank you, CC. I'm still considering whether to do the whale watching. As I indicated in an earlier post, our druthers are for the scenery to be awesome; seeing wildlife not so important We've seen lots and lots of seals, sea lions and bald eagles. Wouldn't mind seeing more, but definitely not a priority. We've seen whales several times as well, though never up close and personal. Would for sure be very cool.

If we enjoyed fishing, I imagine that Icy Point would be very enjoyable. I get sea-sick on that kind of boat, and we're not fisherfolk in any case. Shopping-- of any sort-- is the very last thing we're interested in doing. I don't enjoy it at all, not at home, and definitely not on vacation. There's absolutely nothing that we need or want (except more vacations!), and our gifts to friends and family are always books.

Glad that you enjoyed both excursions and thanks again for ringing in.

These are ship tours? The sea sickness potential is similar. Scenery is different.

 

Sitka is varied wildlife. Juneau has the humpback 100%, along with usually seeing a few sea lions and eagles.

 

I am picky out of Sitka- as this is the only accessible puffin rookery on the inside passage for cruise passengers. I want to make sure my vendor includes it. :) (St Lazaria)

 

This is a tender port, so the ship tours usually pick up at the ship, but, you can not request where they go. As I mentioned, it is a varied wildlife tour, plenty of sea birds, and sea otters. Usually also humpbacks.

Do you have a preferred vendor for a St Lazaria puffin rookery experience? Under what circumstances might a vendor decide to cancel that part of a planned tour? Is there a best time to visit?

Hi BQ, I didn't say that I just wanted scenery. I said that I'm less interested (not not-interested) in fauna. On our last trip, e.g., we did the float plane to Misty Fjords and the helicopter glacier viewing and landing. We loved those two excursions best of all the rest. We much enjoyed the Sea Otter in Sitka and many, many other fine tours, but our all-out favorites were the spectacular scenery ones.

 

I'm trying to decide on the right excursion for Juneau. There's the combined Mendenhall and whale-watching which I'd been thinking of, but maybe it makes more sense just to do Mendenhall and some trail walking. In fact, if we decide to do Tracy Arm again (wonderful last time!), we'll not have time to do both whale and Mendenhall. Thing is: My sense is that Mendenhall isn't all that spectacular, I mean compared to other glaciers. I get the sense that its main attraction is that it's a "drive-up" glacier, no?

 

I wish we could do one of the flight excursions from Juneau, but I've gotten too nervous abut such things; just not worth it (though I'm mighty glad that we saw those wonders).

 

Thanks again.

It appears you have been to all these places before. You want nice scenery- which all of Alaska is. I mentioned a charter- which would be spectacular scenery out of Sitka, but you have already been there?

You mention Tracy Arm, Mendenahll and whale watching. All certainly are worthwhile. But, I'm puzzled- you mention Mendenhall not being as "spectacular" yet you are considering going there and trail walking?

My "sense" is that Mendenhall is not as spectacular as some of the other sights. I am not sure whether this is true or not. (That's why I asked the question.) I have not been to Mendenhall, except seeing it from above on that copter excursion out of Juneau that I mentioned previously (which was TERRIFIC).

Do you have a preferred vendor for a St Lazaria puffin rookery experience? Under what circumstances might a vendor decide to cancel that part of a planned tour? Is there a best time to visit?

If you chartered- it likely wouldn't be "canceled". You have no input where a vendor goes otherwise. There are numerous places they can go out of Sitka. Puffins are gone by about the second week of Sept- with Sept being a poor month to make any plans to see them.

I highly recommend Davy Lubin

If you chartered- it likely wouldn't be "canceled". You have no input where a vendor goes otherwise. There are numerous places they can go out of Sitka. Puffins are gone by about the second week of Sept- with Sept being a poor month to make any plans to see them.

 

I highly recommend Davy Lubin

Thanks. We'll be in Sitka again next season and we're always looking for new experiences. Thanks also for being so generous about sharing your wealth of information about Alaska.