Which port best for whale watching

[2009cruise]

I'm planning for Royal May/2016 cruise and have been reading lots of posts and was wondering which of these 3 ports would be best to do a private tour for whale watching keeping in mind the time of year (someone mentioned that May does not have many whales) and $$$:

1. Icy Straight Point-seems to be the popular port for this but $$$

2. Juneau - can't find a tour operator that does just whale watching

3. Skagway - cheaper but are there any whales?

4. Seward - anybody seen whales here?

 

Please provide your experience including tour operator names.

Thank you.

[newbie_mke]

I am going to Alaska in the next 4 days...Icy Straight Point is not in my itenary so did not do any research. Seward - I dont think so. For me its Juneau - Harv and Marv, Orca are the leading tour operators

[sh2738]

I'm planning for Royal May/2016 cruise and have been reading lots of posts and was wondering which of these 3 ports would be best to do a private tour for whale watching keeping in mind the time of year (someone mentioned that May does not have many whales) and $$$:

 

1. Icy Straight Point-seems to be the popular port for this but $$$

 

2. Juneau - can't find a tour operator that does just whale watching

 

3. Skagway - cheaper but are there any whales?

 

4. Seward - anybody seen whales here?

 

 

 

Please provide your experience including tour operator names.

 

Thank you.

 

 

I am going to Alaska in a few weeks and we are doing whale watching in Juneau. From what I have read that is the place to do it. And remember it is going to always be expensive cause it's Alaska.

[barbeyg]

Juneau and Icy Strait are the two best for whale watching. We are signed up with Glacier Wind charter for next May, out of Icy Strait. We decided there were other things we wanted to do in Juneau.

[AKStafford]

Whales out of Seward are hit and miss. Juneau or Icy Strait Point are your two best bets. Its usually recommended to do it at Icy Strait Point since there are so many other activities that can be done in Juneau.

[Deeliteful]

just returned from Alaska and did two whale watching trips - Icy Straight Point and Juneau with Misty Bay Lodge and Harv & Marvs respectively. I would rate them both very highly. Saw hump backs breaching and fluking at ISP and saw lots of Orcas in Juneau not so many humpbacks.

 

Would recommend both companies highly. I thought they were great value for money too.

[Budget Queen]

I'm planning for Royal May/2016 cruise and have been reading lots of posts and was wondering which of these 3 ports would be best to do a private tour for whale watching keeping in mind the time of year (someone mentioned that May does not have many whales) and $$$:

1. Icy Straight Point-seems to be the popular port for this but $$$

2. Juneau - can't find a tour operator that does just whale watching

3. Skagway - cheaper but are there any whales?

4. Seward - anybody seen whales here?

 

Please provide your experience including tour operator names.

Thank you.

 

There are loads of whale watching vendors out of Juneau. Both Juneau and Hoonah are 100% sightings of Humpbacks. Orcas are seen out of Juneau about average of 2 days/week.

 

Seward - the reason to go on boat tours there is for varied wildlife, of which I never miss, and I consider it a jackpot area. :) My whale sightings are only about 50% out of that area, over multiple trips (over 25 probably).

 

It can really come down to your entire touring selections and making the best use of your limited port times. So I always suggest, figure out your entire itinerary and keep reworking the schedule for a while until it comes together for you.

[niklynn1]

We did whale watching in Juneau with Allen Marine Tours arranged through the ship and we LOVED it. Saw a mother humpback and calf breeching over and over again! It was magnificent!

 

We also did whale watching in Victoria and saw orcas from a distance, but after our incredible show in Juneau it was somewhat less impressive, even though I was happy to get a glimpse of the orcas.

[clc6p]

We did whale watching in Juneau with Allen Marine Tours arranged through the ship and we LOVED it. Saw a mother humpback and calf breeching over and over again! It was magnificent!

 

We also did whale watching in Victoria and saw orcas from a distance, but after our incredible show in Juneau it was somewhat less impressive, even though I was happy to get a glimpse of the orcas.

 

 

I have done both Hoonah and Juneau. Auke Bay in Juneau was the best experience for me, but they also vary day by day and you can't predict how the whales will be acting. Either is a good choice!

[CruisingSince2012]

I will fly on a floatplane to go from Vancouver to Victoria. Is it likely I will see at least one orca?

[quack2]

Personally, I've never had much luck in Juneau on five cruises. Nonetheless, I'm giving Harv and Marv a chance to change that in August.

 

My best success has been out of Sitka. Great whale performance on first cruise and good frequency since then. Also otters and other wildlife. Some of the tours head into some coves where very colorful starfish cling to the rocks.

 

The Kenai Fjords tour out of Seward also yielded lots of wildlife sightings. Humpbacks, orcas, otters, puffins, seals. I was there on a beautiful day and the tour was fantastic. Glaciers too.

 

I did a whale watching tour in Hoonah. The tour was okay. However, when we were docking in Icy Strait Point, a group of whales were bubble feeding just off the shore. It was a misty day and the windows were fogged up on the boat so I didn't get much of a look. The people on shore got a real treat.

 

The one thing I don't like about ship organized whale watching tours is that sometimes the larger boat is packed. I'm out there to get photos and it's tough to maneuver around people all trying to get a look. Big advantage of Harv and Marv's small boats.

Edited June 17, 2015 by quack2

[quack2]

"Saw hump backs breaching and fluking at ISP."

 

Careful, this is a family message board. :)

[clc6p]

Personally, I've never had much luck in Juneau on five cruises. Nonetheless, I'm giving Harv and Marv a chance to change that in August.

 

My best success has been out of Sitka. Great whale performance on first cruise and good frequency since then. Also otters and other wildlife. Some of the tours head into some coves where very colorful starfish cling to the rocks.

 

The Kenai Fjords tour out of Seward also yielded lots of wildlife sightings. Humpbacks, orcas, otters, puffins, seals. I was there on a beautiful day and the tour was fantastic. Glaciers too.

 

I did a whale watching tour in Hoonah. The tour was okay. However, when we were docking in Icy Strait Point, a group of whales were bubble feeding just off the shore. It was a misty day and the windows were fogged up on the boat so I didn't get much of a look. The people on shore got a real treat.

 

The one thing I don't like about ship organized whale watching tours is that sometimes the larger boat is packed. I'm out there to get photos and it's tough to maneuver around people all trying to get a look. Big advantage of Harv and Marv's small boats.

 

 

I loved the kenai trip too! I guess we just got lucky that we saw them doing flips and everything in Juneau. It was actually on a photo tour vs a whale watching tour-- GO figure!!!

[Budget Queen]

Personally, I've never had much luck in Juneau on five cruises. Nonetheless, I'm giving Harv and Marv a chance to change that in August.

 

My best success has been out of Sitka. Great whale performance on first cruise and good frequency since then. Also otters and other wildlife. Some of the tours head into some coves where very colorful starfish cling to the rocks.

 

The Kenai Fjords tour out of Seward also yielded lots of wildlife sightings. Humpbacks, orcas, otters, puffins, seals. I was there on a beautiful day and the tour was fantastic. Glaciers too.

 

I did a whale watching tour in Hoonah. The tour was okay. However, when we were docking in Icy Strait Point, a group of whales were bubble feeding just off the shore. It was a misty day and the windows were fogged up on the boat so I didn't get much of a look. The people on shore got a real treat.

 

The one thing I don't like about ship organized whale watching tours is that sometimes the larger boat is packed. I'm out there to get photos and it's tough to maneuver around people all trying to get a look. Big advantage of Harv and Marv's small boats.

 

Did you go out on whale watches every one of your 5 times in Juneau? This area offers excellent whale watch tours- for people with realistic expectations. ;)

 

What people fail to realize- "normal" sightings of humpbacks- IS, blows, backs and tails. NOTHING more.

[Missing Linc]

We did Harv and Marvs last month. With only six on the boat there was easy viewing not having to climb over the crowd to see. Also because it was a smaller boat it was easier for the boat to get in position for good viewing

[Putterdude]

I will fly on a floatplane to go from Vancouver to Victoria. Is it likely I will see at least one orca?

 

If you see one you are very likely going to see a pod of a dozen of more. Having said that, anything is possible but you are not likely going to see any from a float plane. I used to fly from harbour to harbour on a regular basis and at 1,000 + feet I have never seen any. Fishing in the area I have seen many.

[trenz]

In Juneau did Harv and Marv on June 11th. The humpbacks were being very shy and hardly saw them, just a few times aching their backs out of the water and some blows, but got to follow around a few orcas for a while which was cool. This is of course no reflection on Harv and Marvs. Liz was great trying to keep up with the orcas.

 

In Seward on the 15th did the 4.5 tour with kenai fjords tours and saw much more. A half dozen backs arching with one nice tail out of the water, along with puffins, sea otters, and lots of sea lions. Both tour operators were great and would recommend both

[JanDom]

We did whale watching in May two times.

Two years ago we started from Seward and saw lots of Orcas swimming with us and jumping out of the water.

This year we went whale watching in Juneau. Did not see any Orcas but lots of humback whales also very near to our small boat and also jumping [emoji4]

 

This year