Alaska Juneau Excursion Question

[FaithPlus1]

Haven't booked the cruise yet so I cannot see the times that the excursions are offered through the cruise. 

 

I'm most likely going to sail on the Jewel leaving from Vancouver on July 29. On August 1 the port is Juneau from 11-9. I would like to do kayaking or canoeing at Mendenhall (not booked through NCL so I can save $$$$), but to also do a whale watching trip to see some whales (aside from the one I see when I look in the mirror each day). The kayaking and canoeing trips are roughly 3.5-4hrs from start to finish of getting you to/from the port. 

 

Can someone who can view the excursions with the set the times please tell me what time any of the whale watching trips out of Juneau are offered? I know some include a stop to Mendenhall or to get food. This would be straight for the whales. I also emailed Allen Marie about their evening whale watching cruise since they don't list it on their website. They wouldn't tell me the times that it will be offered on that day. I explained that I have not booked the cruise yet. They said that they aren't supposed to tell the public the times since NCL contracted out trips with them so it was no help. All they said was to always book trips with the cruise company direct due to weather being unpredictable....

 

 

The latest I could find offered is a 3:30. I'm hoping for one that starts at or after 4. 

 

 

It's between whale watching in Alaska or in Victoria (hoping I can fit whales in somehow....I've seen humpbacks before in Maui...really just want to see Orcas...yeah I know wildlife isn't guaranteed). 

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by FaithPlus1

[don't-use-real-name]

Normally arriving by 7am departing at 1pm (6 hours) or so doesn't allow much time for booking two or more excursions.

But your schedule is arriving 11am departing 9pm (a whopping 10 hours) and with Mid-Night Sun hours it would be

more than possible to get two excursions in and a third i.e. Mt. Roberts Tram.

Booking Shore Excursions thru NCL will make sure that there is no conflict and arriving back to ship for sailing.

Independent ones are not to be disregarded in this respect - no vendor operator wants the reputation of not getting

his clients back to the ship timely - but you will have to read the print and scan the schedule to see if your plans

can mesh together. Weather will be a major factor in any aviation excursions. It would be possible to have a NCL

excursion and a private independent one - best coordinate these with the vendors to pull it off.  

[jmh3791]

2 hours ago, FaithPlus1 said:

Haven't booked the cruise yet so I cannot see the times that the excursions are offered through the cruise. 

 

I'm most likely going to sail on the Jewel leaving from Vancouver on July 29. On August 1 the port is Juneau from 11-9. I would like to do kayaking or canoeing at Mendenhall (not booked through NCL so I can save $$$$), but to also do a whale watching trip to see some whales (aside from the one I see when I look in the mirror each day). The kayaking and canoeing trips are roughly 3.5-4hrs from start to finish of getting you to/from the port. 

 

Can someone who can view the excursions with the set the times please tell me what time any of the whale watching trips out of Juneau are offered? I know some include a stop to Mendenhall or to get food. This would be straight for the whales. I also emailed Allen Marie about their evening whale watching cruise since they don't list it on their website. They wouldn't tell me the times that it will be offered on that day. I explained that I have not booked the cruise yet. They said that they aren't supposed to tell the public the times since NCL contracted out trips with them so it was no help. All they said was to always book trips with the cruise company direct due to weather being unpredictable....

 

 

The latest I could find offered is a 3:30. I'm hoping for one that starts at or after 4. 

 

 

It's between whale watching in Alaska or in Victoria (hoping I can fit whales in somehow....I've seen humpbacks before in Maui...really just want to see Orcas...yeah I know wildlife isn't guaranteed). 

 

We did our whale watching with Kenai Fjord Tours in Seward and saw a ton of Orcas last month. 

[FaithPlus1]

25 minutes ago, jmh3791 said:

We did our whale watching with Kenai Fjord Tours in Seward and saw a ton of Orcas last month. 

 

Thank you! I was planning on doing that. You may have just saved me money. I have this fear of missing out if I don't do it in Juneau, but I'm okay now. Did you see Humpbacks too? How about bears?

[jmh3791]

1 minute ago, FaithPlus1 said:

 

Thank you! I was planning on doing that. You may have just saved me money. I have this fear of missing out if I don't do it in Juneau, but I'm okay now. Did you see Humpbacks too? How about bears?

 

On the Kenai Fjords tour we did the 8 hour tour with the Fox Island dinner (highly recommend the crab legs!) We saw 1 humpback with a baby, several pods of Orcas with a baby, otters, seals with babies, sea lions, mountain goats with babies, puffins, bald eagles, and tons of other birds.   We were there early in the season, so I can't imagine that you wouldn't see whales in July.   We saw whales in port in Icy Strait, so that could be another option for whale watching.   If you follow them on facebook, they'll post what they're seeing on which tours.  They've been seeing breaching humpbacks this week.  

 

I had talked with a few people who were seeing whales from their balconies as we were cruising.  I spent a lot of time whale watching from the Spinnaker and saw a few spouts.   The Captain said we should see whales and possibly bears while going through the Inside passage.  I didn't in may, but you might in July.   The only time we saw bears was when we went to https://www.alaskawildlife.org/ near Anchorage.  I did talk to several who saw bears on the Train excursion in Skagway.  

[FaithPlus1]

I  cruised Alaska before 2 years ago in June. I went to AWCC like you and enjoyed it. Didn't see any sadly from the train in Skagway. I did see 1 bear really far away in Ketchikan. 

 

I figure on the day that I get off the ship I will do a Kenai Fjords tour, and then take the train that takes you to the airport. It will be late at night but there should still be daylight. I regret not doing these things 2 years ago!

 

My cabin was an oceanview (no balcony). Didn't see whales from my cabin but I did see them on occasion when eating dinner in the dining room :) Dolphins too. The whales look like sea serpents to me. 

[jmh3791]

We did the Southbound cruise so took the train from Anchorage to Seward, we loved it!!  It will be daylight until at least 10:30, so plenty of time to see moose, bears, eagles, swans and more glaciers.  Possibly beluga whales at Beluga Point (will be on the left side of the train.)  Our train slowed down a little when we came up on wildlife.

 

Enjoy your trip!  I loved the Jewel so much I may go back in October.  Tell Jesus (Cruise director team) and bartender John in the Spinnaker that Jill from Colorado said Hi!

[FaithPlus1]

I would do the Southbound cruises (they are often cheaper!) but the flight times into Anchorage just don't seem to work out for me unless I spend the night which I don't want to do. I also want to see Glacier Bay again!

 

Will tell them hi :)