ISP - Whale watching thru NCL vs private ?

I'm looking into booking the Whale watching excursion at ISP. So far I've researched both private tours like Glacier Winds, Teckk, Misty bay and Hoonah Travel and also looked into booking the excursion directly thru NCL.

Booking thru private excursions the tour seems to be 3 - 3.5 hrs long as opposed to NCL that is 2.5 hrs long.

Except for the BOGO coupon for Misty Bay almost all private tours cost $160 per person irrespective of age. So for a family of 4 it comes to $640

NCL is $160 for adults and $100 for kids so it comes to $520

My questions - Does 2.5 hrs long vs 3 hrs long excursion make a difference ?

Are private tours better than the one NCL offers ? I think they all go to the same point where whales are being spotted so what would be different ?. Size of the boats, taking us closer to see the whales ?

Thanks

I'm looking into booking the Whale watching excursion at ISP. So far I've researched both private tours like Glacier Winds, Teckk, Misty bay and Hoonah Travel and also looked into booking the excursion directly thru NCL.

 

Booking thru private excursions the tour seems to be 3 - 3.5 hrs long as opposed to NCL that is 2.5 hrs long.

Except for the BOGO coupon for Misty Bay almost all private tours cost $160 per person irrespective of age. So for a family of 4 it comes to $640

NCL is $160 for adults and $100 for kids so it comes to $520

 

My questions - Does 2.5 hrs long vs 3 hrs long excursion make a difference ?

Are private tours better than the one NCL offers ? I think they all go to the same point where whales are being spotted so what would be different ?. Size of the boats, taking us closer to see the whales ?

 

Thanks

I did basically the same research, though only for one adult. My impression is yes - the size of the boat, closer proximity and/or more flexibility to get to sightings faster.

I've also read about more personalized experiences - i.e. ability to linger over the odd bear sightings, or closer to sea otters, or even staying out longer if there isn't another tour scheduled after.

For me, it came down to boat size. With there being no cost differential, the thought of being on a 6-person boat with Glacier Winds vs. a 100-person boat through NCL seemed like a far superior experience.

I love Harv and Marv, they had either a 6 person boat or 12. We most likely just had good luck but we were only on the boat 5 mins before seeing our first whale. There excursion I think was 4 hours. They then shuttle you to mendenhall glacier for 15 mins before returning you to the ship. I would recommend finding a taxi to get a ride back to the ship and enjoy the glacier and trails. Depending on how much time you have in port. My first cruise we booked thru the ship and we didn't get near as close as a private boat. And they will listen to your requests and go where you want and stay if the group chooses to.

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I love Harv and Marv, they had either a 6 person boat or 12. We most likely just had good luck but we were only on the boat 5 mins before seeing our first whale.......

All the whale watching companies named by the OP are highly recommended ones at ISP.

We personally prefer the smaller boats used by the independent operators to the larger boat used for the cruise ship's own tours, but the larger boat can be more comfortable, providing a lot more room to move around for people with mobility problems or those traveling with small children.

The larger boat does give a more stable ride in rough water, if that is something that matters to you.

Both I and my husband are in our 40s and my boys will be 9 and 11 at the time of cruise. We don't have mobility problems and I think I'll prefer a closer look at the whales and other marine life over a steady boat. Looks like the smaller private tours take you closer to the whales and are more personal in nature. It might be worth it to put that extra money in it then.

Both I and my husband are in our 40s and my boys will be 9 and 11 at the time of cruise. We don't have mobility problems and I think I'll prefer a closer look at the whales and other marine life over a steady boat. Looks like the smaller private tours take you closer to the whales and are more personal in nature. It might be worth it to put that extra money in it then.

No boats are allowed to approach whales closer than 100 yards. Sometimes the whales will come closer, and some vendors will move to a place where they expect the whales to come closer, but they cannot move the boat to a place closer than 100 yards.

But it sounds like the smaller private boats get much closer than the larger ones. Am I wrong in assuming that ?

But it sounds like the smaller private boats get much closer than the larger ones. Am I wrong in assuming that ?

So it is not that any boats get closer to the whales, but rather that the whales will come closer to some boats than others.

There are usually many small boats out there, but only the one large boat.

Therefore the odds are greater that the whales will be seen closer to a small boat just because there are many more of them.

What typically happens is that people see the whales close to a boat from another company and start saying they wish they had gone with that company, not realizing that the next time it will likely be different.

It is not even unusual for the whales to come in close to the cruise ship itself at ISP and you may see them right below your balcony or from your dining room window, but you can't count on that because it doesn't always happen.

So then the larger boat is as good as the small ones ? Is it worth spending the extra $100 for a smaller boat ?

We enjoy the small boat experience for our whale watching tours. For me, I am short and being on a small boat means that I don't have to maneuver around people to get a good view of the whales (6 people vs. 100). We have also formed personal relationships with a couple of the vendors (F.I.S.H.E.S. and Glacier Wind) and it's nice to chat with old friends while making our way out to see the whales.)

We have 4 whale watching tours booked for next June and all reservations are with small boat operators. Crazy as it sounds --- we do love whale watching.

So then the larger boat is as good as the small ones ? Is it worth spending the extra $100 for a smaller boat ?

Most of the smaller boats stay out longer than the large one, but check the times for any tour you are considering.

We prefer the smaller boats because they are limited to a maximum of 6 passengers, while the large boat can take over 100.

Also you get a more personalized experience on a small boat as you chat with the boat driver and they can customize the tour somewhat to your wishes.

Typically on the first excursion of the day the large boat fills up and can be very crowded. When wildlife is spotted, everyone rushes to that side of the boat and the railing is packed with people shoulder to shoulder.

We hate needing to jostle with other passengers for space at the railing or needing to take turns.

That doesn't happen on the small boats with a maximum of 6 passengers as everyone can always get a nice view.

Although we have also seen the larger boat go out later in the day half empty, so if we were booking it we would try to get one of the later excursions in hopes that it would not be crowded, but you can't count on that always happening.

The odds of all the excursions throughout the day filling up are greater if you are on a large cruise ship than on a smaller one simply because there are a lot more passengers contending for the available spaces that day.

The large boat gives a smoother ride plus choice of decks, and has upper decks that are higher than those on the small boats.

Some of the small boats have a small upper deck, but not all of them do. At times the water may be too choppy to use the upper deck on a small boat.

For me the large boat would be a great choice if I could be assured in advance that they would not book it more than half full, but there is no way that is going to happen.

Thank you @fleckle for putting it in perspective. Gives me a better idea between the two.

While we were on the boat with captain of Misty Bay lodge- we saw 3-4 cruise tour boats come and go. We had an awesome time. I highly recommend Misty Bay Lodge.

Have a great time.

In 2008 we used FISHES. Floyds and had a great time. He only took 6 out and had lots of room to move around.

Dave

We had a fantastic time with Shawn on our Whale Watching tour in July. Teresa met us near the dock and drove us to downtown. She was so warm and welcoming and told us about the interests in the area. Their boat holds 6 or so, so it was intimate and comfortable. Teresa provided snacks and beverages as part of the sail. Shawn is very knowledgeable about the area and sensitive to the safety of the whales and balances the viewing with the safety concerns. Teresa made sure we arrived back at the ship in time to board before the deadline. They were great hosts to us and we felt like family to them. I highly recommend their charter.

We had a fantastic time with Shawn on our Whale Watching tour in July. Teresa met us near the dock and drove us to downtown. She was so warm and welcoming and told us about the interests in the area. Their boat holds 6 or so, so it was intimate and comfortable. Teresa provided snacks and beverages as part of the sail. Shawn is very knowledgeable about the area and sensitive to the safety of the whales and balances the viewing with the safety concerns. Teresa made sure we arrived back at the ship in time to board before the deadline. They were great hosts to us and we felt like family to them. I highly recommend their charter.

I've been communicating with Teresa today. She's been awesome. We booked for May. Thank you for the info.

Misty Bay was amazing when we were there in 2012! I would highly recommend them. Their boat was very stable, comfortable, and quick to get to the whale watching grounds. Not to mention, they were extremely friendly!

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