Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching
5
Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching
By Alaska Tales
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About
Hundreds of humpback whales can be spotted along the coast of Juneau during their annual migration. On this tour, set sail around Auke Bay, look out for humpback whales and other wildlife in their natural habitats; and learn more about the magnificent sea creatures from your guide. Best of all, whale sightings are guaranteed so there’s no worry about missing out.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 38 per group
Duration: 3h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Magnificent views and wildlife sightings from the water
- Spot humpback whales in their natural environment
- Live on-board commentary from a naturalist guide
- Seasonal tour available from May to September only
Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024
- 100% Guarantee to see Whales
- Roundtrip Transportation from Cruise Terminal
- Complimentary Snack and Bottled Water
- A Great Time!
- Snacks
- Bottled water
What's not included- None
- Start:Traveler pickup offered.
- Mount Roberts Tramway, 490 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801, USAMeet 15 minutes before tour time underneath the tent on the wooden dock on the water-side of the large red Mt Robert's Tramway building (the gondola building) at the main Cruise Terminal. They will hold a sign, "Alaska Tales". If you have any trouble finding this person, please call us.
Pickup details- Please meet your tour representative 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time underneath the tent on the wooden dock that is on the water-side of the large red Mt Robert's Tramway building (building that houses the gondola that goes up the mountain) at the main Cruise Ship Terminal. The address is 490 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801 and the pickup location is on the ocean-side of the building. Your Alaska Tales Tour Representative will be holding a sign that will read, "Alaska Tales". If you have any trouble finding this person, please call us.
Port pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included ports.- Juneau
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 74349P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Collapsable Wheelchairs Only
- No Motorized Scooters
- No Motorized Wheelchairs
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 38 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 74349P1
From
₱10,609.10
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- Pass byGoldbelt TramMendenhall Glacier
- 1Transport arrival to the Whale Watching HarborPass byGoldbelt Tram
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- seema600 contributionsExcellent tour and cheaper than from the cruiseWe enjoyed our tour of the Mendenhall glacier and whale watching on the small boat. The driver dropped us at Mendenhall glacier and then we were on our own for an hour. It was not guided. He was a bit abrupt. However the glacier itself was amazing. Then we went for whale watching on the small boat. The youn girl was very friendly and gave lots of information. Unfortunately we didn’t see too many whales but we did get to see a whale breaching which was fantastic. It was a great trip.Written November 19, 2024
- Freedom684633870090 contributionsWonderful!Justin, Sophie and Nate did a wonderful job! Our tour was so much fun and we saw one whale. I would highly recommend this tour.Written November 18, 2024
- 91sethu0 contributionsMust do excursion!This is a must do excursion! Beautiful sights and scenery. Lots of whales! Awesome staff. No complaints here at all! Such an amazing time.Written November 13, 2024
- ZombieMommers0 contributionsMust do-bucket list trip and tourMulti-generational group and everyone loved this tour. Knowledgeable and helpful staff and amazing scenery. Tour made adjustments-which were needed to see other animals. Magical for the grandkids and adults. Thank you!Written October 27, 2024
- SaltLife700 contributionsCreation at it's Best!Get closer to a place where you can witness such magnificent creations moving; living and in harmony with their divine purpose.Written October 18, 2024
- iwannabeabeachbum0 contributionsTour May 2023Great experience looking around on water tour. Didn't see any whales, but it did not disappoint! Saw seals, eagles, otters and just beautiful sceneryWritten October 2, 2024
- marvindE5392FZ0 contributionsWhale watchingHad a great time. Got to see some whales and the beautiful glacier. Our driver Tom did a great job showing us around and adding a bit of “color commicating ” to our experience .Written September 27, 2024
- 497krystlew0 contributionsGuarantee indeedThis tour was so great! We got to do both things in our short time here. It was a very brisk walk to make sure we got to the glacier and back before the bus came back for us, but so glad we got to see it! The whale watch was so much fun and did not disappoint as the "guarantee" is appropriate. We saw some whales sleeping and some great fin shots! The views were incredible too and there weren't too many people on the boat, didn't feel crowded at all. The staff were wonderful gave us a snack and a brief lesson about humpbacks!Written September 27, 2024
- chesneesouthcarolina0 contributionsLots of whale knowledgeVery professional staff. We’ve taken this excursion before. We highly recommend. Taylor knew great whale facts. Thanks, Randy, for not pumping up the heat! Your local knowledge made the bus transport interesting.Written September 25, 2024
- ztudioasia0 contributionsHighlight of our Shore stop at JuneauSo many cruises we have gone on, and there is none which comes close in majesty and awe than an Alaskan cruise. Juneau is incredible and a day tour with this outfit was the highlight of our shore visit. They gave us a glimpse of what we would like to come back to and see more of. Great choice!Written September 24, 2024
- Ross G0 contributionsWe were with a Royal caribbean cruise.Great experience, we'll organized. Great value! Saw a lot of whales!! They have beer and snacks on the boat, they know how to make memoriesWritten September 23, 2024
- F3793WAhaleyr0 contributionsWhale watching and glacier tourWe had an amazing time! We saw a ton whales, James, Kristen and Kacie were our crew and I would absolutely recommend their tour!Written September 22, 2024
- lauriehX8143TM0 contributionsLots of whales, lots of eagles, a glacier and a bear. Great day!We really enjoyed our day with Larry, Steph, and Sophie with Alaska Tales. It was easy to find them. The glacier visit was great. We had time to hike to Nugget Falls. We saw SO many whales. All the boats talk to each other so if there are whales anywhere around, you won’t miss them. Our guides were knowledgeable and friendly. On the drive, they showed us where to look for eagles and bears, and we saw both. Highly recommend!Written September 22, 2024
- Ronda S0 contributionsWhales, whales, whales!Absolutely loved this excursion! It was a rainy day but still great. Our tour operators were Ben and Charlie. They were both great. We saw so many whales, humpbacks and orcas. They said this trip had the most whales they had ever seen. It was amazing. I highly recommend!Written September 22, 2024
- Cosmopolitan7660100 contributionsWhale watchingAn awesome experience well worth the money. We got to see you six to eight whales. The staff was very informative and very friendlyWritten September 22, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
5,196 reviews
Excellent
5,077
Very good
90
Average
12
Poor
7
Terrible
10
Manchi P
2 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
1000000/10
We booked this at the dock when our original excursion was cancelled for weather. We didn’t know what to expect but the whole trip “blew” us away!! Captain Mike knew exactly where to go. Monica spotted 3 whales right away and Olive was so knowledgeable about each whale and their personalities. The entire crew was so kind to my kids and patiently answered ALLLLL their questions.
This adventure was our favorite part of our Alaska vacation!!
We booked this at the dock when our original excursion was cancelled for weather. We didn’t know what to expect but the whole trip “blew” us away!! Captain Mike knew exactly where to go. Monica spotted 3 whales right away and Olive was so knowledgeable about each whale and their personalities. The entire crew was so kind to my kids and patiently answered ALLLLL their questions.
This adventure was our favorite part of our Alaska vacation!!
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Savannah M
2 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
Nick was our salesman and he was smart enough to convince us to go on the whale watching boat. I’m so glad he convinced us and glad that we bought directly with them instead of the cruise line. Because we went through Alaska Tales, it was less crowded, we had a more personal experience, and it was less expensive. We brought drinks and dinner on board. We saw more whales than we thought possible, we got a ton of great pictures yand videos. The crew and captain were friendly and natural conversationalists, and they enjoyed the whales as much as we did. Our first day in Alaska was great.
Written August 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah J
Wakefield, RI119 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Wonderful trip! The bus driver told good stories on the ride out, and the boat crew was funny and helpful. We saw multiple whales, multiple times, even one that was feeding so we could get photos of it with its mouth open. We also saw Mendenhall Glacier while cruising from one whale sighting location to another. I had originally booked the whale watching + glacier tour. About a month before my trip, the tour office called and told me they didn't think they could actually take my money for that in good conscience because, in October, it would be dark by the time we finished whale watching and wouldn't really be able to see the glacier. I know other people on our cruise were taken to do both, and I can only imagine their disappointment. But not with Alaska Tales. They are nice *and* ethical. I truly appreciated their honesty in what we could and could not do in a short visit in the later afternoon in October (cruise docked at 2:30 pm).
Written October 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JudyK
Summerland11 contributions
We booked a morning tour with Alaska Whale Tales in Juneau Alaska. We were greeted and told that only 4 had booked, that normally they would not take less than 10, but made an exception for us. So we felt special from the beginning! The bus driver was very jolly and drove us out to Auke Bay where we met the crew William, Sarah and Monica. The catamaran boat normally seats about 40 , rides smooth, has outdoor decks . The crew was outstanding in their knowledge of the whales and area around us. They were just as excited as we were to be surrounded by so many whales in their “bubble feeding”, as we actually spotted 17 whales that morning!!! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to witness such a sight and so close to the boat . To make our day even more perfect, we viewed the gorgeous Chilcoot mountains, a glacier and a rainbow as background🌈. Upon our return we felt like royalty as 38 people waited for the next tour….hee hee. We shared a morning of whale magic with an amazing crew…THANK YOU WHALE TALES
Written September 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danny W
Three Way, TN2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
We booked the whale trip independently due to it being less expensive than the cruise ship excursion. Plus they offered a 100% refund if whales were not sighted. William, Kyle, Isabel and Kyle were great, knowledgeable and very friendly. Bus driver Brandon was great and had some funny tales as we made our trek to the dock. We saw probably six or seven sightings that spouted and surface multiple times. Even saw 2 or 3 moms with calves playing. We saw a couple of seals on a buoy and the captain stirred the boat 360 degrees around it so everyone got good views of both. Since this is the only whale trip I’ve been on, I can’t say they are better than the others but i can vouch that we got our money’s worth with a lower price and the added guarantee to see whales.
Written September 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tracy S
7 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
What a great tour. We booked this midday trip the same day and couldn’t have been more pleased with the boat, knowledgeable crew, price and WHALES! Higher quality and less expensive than those tour operators who contract with the cruise lines. Such a great experience, one that I will book again on our next trip. Highly recommended.
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katwatts0022
Columbia, SC19 contributions
May 2022 • Friends
We had the most amazing experience with captain Josh and Taz! Taz shared so much passion for the whales and we loved hearing about who the whales are and how they live! They were a great team. We saw several whales and even one sleeping. Josh was great at identifying where they were and being patient as we waited for them to surface. Alaska Tales also accommodated our cruise ship’s change in itinerary and made a change in their plan for us. Would use this company again!
Written May 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter T
3 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
When I bought my ticket the guy told me to come back at 2.45pm near two white tents. He did not clearly mention where they were and it turned out that there were white tents in several places causing me to go back in the pouring rain to the sales booth and arrive late at the assembly location. I did see some whales from the boat. One got quite close and I got some good pictures including a tail but the whales disappear under the water every few seconds so you have to be looking all the time. Mark, Kristen and Taylor did a good job in the rainy weather. The boat had comfortable seats and you could walk on deck at times. The worst part of the trip for me was the bus ride which lasted about 20 minutes each way. The bus resembled an old school bus with smallish seats meant to accommodate two normal size people with short legs. However, I had to contend with a number of large size passengers, some of whom thought they should fit in the two seats by themselves. My legs were in the bus corridor as I squeezed onto the edge of a seat occupied by a large man with a large coat. There were seat belts but I did not notice any being used. For $150 plus $7.50 tax, I think Alaska Tales should provide a comfortable modern coach with legroom and the ability to buckle the seat belts. The bus rides and the vague directions for where to assemble substantially reduced my rating for this trip.
Written September 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eva M
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Family
Saw a lot more whales than I expected! Olive was a great and friendly guide, and captain Mike got us close to the whales while keeping them safe. We even saw a sea lion which was a welcome surprise. Only downside was the weather, but it’s Alaska, so what else can you expect? The boat had an inside seating area with lots of windows to open and close. The bow deck area was a bit small for everyone so I recommend watching from the stern deck. Overall it was a fantastic experience!
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Theresa M
Chandler, OK8 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
After missing our original tour due to a late ship, Alaska Tales was nice enough to rebook us on this trip and I am so thrilled that they did! The crew was knowledgeable and very nice. They were careful to be polite to other boaters when in high traffic areas and careful not to crowd the wildlife. We encountered several whales, first a humpback with almost a full breach right in front of us and then several lifted flukes. We then went out and the crew took us to “something special,” as we passed by another large humpback with a fully lifted fluke to see it. They had found 3 orcas, a cow, calf and juvenile which put on an amazing show with multiple breaches and tail slaps. A quick trip to see the sea lions and one more lifted fluke from a humpback on the way back to the harbor. Sarah, Steph, and Kristen were wonderful and thanks to them and Alaska Tales a busted trip turned into amazing memories for my family!
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, we are in Juneau port on 22 July 2024. We are doing a ‘Tracey Arm Inlet’ 6 hr tour commencing at 9am. Would pick-up at the ship be possible to make the 4pm tour?
Written April 29, 2024
I believe it is 3.5 hours total from the cruise dock and back. That includes 30 minutes one way from your cruise to the dock for the whale watching boat, and 2.5 hours of time on the water.
Written July 8, 2022
While not a medical professional (recommend you check with your doctor), I see no reason why you could not make this very interesting trip. You do get to see whales in the wild, a first for me at 71 years.
Written July 7, 2022
Our cruise ship is scheduled to dock at 3:00 PM, will we be able to get onboard the 3:00 PM excursion?
Written June 28, 2022
Doubt it, as it can take a minimum of 30-40 minutes to dock! You’re best bet is to contact whoever is organising the trip and ask them what time is reasonable, as the journey from the dock to the marina is bout 30 mins or so.
I hope you will get to do this trip as I would do it again in a heartbeat!!
It is breathtaking
Written June 29, 2022
Is it easy to step onto the boat from the dock or do you have to be agile to do it. i have a bad knee but I can use the leg as long as its not a high step.
Written February 28, 2022
We will be coming via Holland America Cruise Line May 28th. Do you meet us at port and do you offer military or senior citizens discount?
Written February 1, 2020
Met at the pier and bussed to the docks. Not sure about discounts. This was scheduled through Holland America.
Written March 12, 2020
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