Whale Watching

This was an excellent excursion. The boat as small enough to not be overwhelmed with lots of people. The crew worked hard to find whales, and we saw several. The crew was very friendly and informative. A great trip.

Josh and Steve took 14 Princess Cruise passengers whale watching and knew just where to look. We were so fortunate to see a mother humpback trying to teach her baby to breach! It was amazing. Both men were very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife so they were able to answer the many questions their passengers asked. Great job!!!

Brief bus journey to the boat, where we glimpsed town of Hoonah. Sloped walkway to a very comfortable, roomy boat. Took us out to the whale-watching spot, we saw two large brown bears on the shore and an eagle desperately trying to lift his prey from the water, and giving up. Soon saw an orca very close and starting jumping in and out. Coming back we saw humpback whale and an island full of birds. Scenery was extraordinary everywhere. Staff were very polite and helpful. Very worthwhile trip.

We went on this tour in the early summer and were not too happy with the weather...feared the worst. But once we were on the boat, we had the most phenomenal tour, seeing not only several humpbacks but also killer whales leaping in formation really close by, some of the most endearing otter families imaginable, and even a grumpy-looking bear on the shore that reared up at us. We also spent some time by a rookery with a number of migratory birds, including puffins. Most dramatic: a bald eagle fighting with a giant fish right by the ship. Believe it or not, the bald eagle had to give up, so as not to drown. While you never can be sure what animals you'll see, in the right season this tour can be amazing, and the captain knows all the best places. Bring your binocs and the action will be even closer!

We went the last week of September. The Whales weren't as active because of the time frame. We did get to see a few humps and tails. No jumping whales at this time of year. We got to see other animal cuteness. The boat was small but the tour size was perfect for the boat because there were views all around.

Words really can not express how amazing this tour was. Josh and Keith were just great and full of information about whales and the area in general. We headed out from the docks looking for some time with little luck. Josh got on the radio looking for other sightings. We found a group of hump backs bubble feeding! We were there for a while (too busy taking video to know how long) just watching and recording. They had told us to watch the birds for a sign of where and when the whales would emerge. The flock took off in one direction south east of us and suddenly the whales emerged about 50 feet off the starboard side of the boat. To our amazement they began swimming directly towards us! They were so close we could almost touch them! At least 3 of the whales swam under the boat and emerged on the other side. To top it off several of them breached as if to say goodbye as we were turning to leave! Overall these guys are great. I would sail with either of them any day.

Our trip was delayed by thick heavy fog, but because we were the only excursion booked on this day...No problem! We got to tour the little town and talk to the totem pole carvers. Once the 11 of us got aboard the 15 passenger boat, it was really obvious that our captain knew exactly what he was doing. Headed us out and gently let us know not to get upset as we passed by lone whales in the distance. He drove us near an island where we could see the seagulls circling in the distance and we caught the tail end of group of whales surfacing simultaneously. The excited nature interpreter on board explained the whales were feeding. Our captain then took us further up where he had seen the gulls circling and we hit the jackpot! A group of 14 humpback whales bubble net feeding. Even our captain was excited after the whales surfaced the third time, and he put the speaker in the water so we could hear them. The whales surface 8 times! It was an experience of a lifetime!

This was truly an amazing experience. The day was sunny and clear and there were wales in abundance. We had the opportunity to observe a group of whales bubble feeding at least 5 times. It was magnificent and an unforgettable sight! Kudos to the captain and crew!

Excellent excursion. Lived up to its description. Skipper of the boat and the naturalist on board were very approachable, extremely knowledgeable and informative. The boat whilst relatively small gave everyone the opportunity to take great photographs.

Our guides were very kind and courteous from the beginning to the end. We started in one spot looking for whales and when there wasn’t much action we moved to another and got the show of a lifetime. I would definitely use this group again!

Started out thinking the day was going to be a washout because of very heavy fog. Captain delayed our departure by 1 1/2 hours for safety but we were finally able to set out. A little slow to start but well worth it. We saw sea lions and then the whale show started. Tail slaps and full breaching. Got some fantastic video.

This excursion was great! The boat was great for watching whales both inside and out and the captain and his son were wonderful. They were very personable and knew where to find the whales. The only negative at first was that the excursion stated there would be another max number of people and our excursion was over that but the boat was able to accompany all of us very well so that was not a problem at all.

We took an excellent and easy trip. The van picked us up outside the visitor area. We transferred to the dock and found that by picking an early time we only had 6 of us on board! We received lots of extra attention. We saw whales, puffin and more!

Excellent value for the money!!!! The Captain and the crew were very professional. They even had a sonar on board and we were able to listen to the whales!!! We were able to see the whales up close bubble-net feeding!

Our guides on the boat were fantastic. We saw sea otters and humpback whales. While the double breaching whales was not controlled by the guides, they got us as close as legally possible. But, for me, was the sonar they used so we could hear their organizing before feeding. It was unbelievable!

We had a great time. It was a smaller group than other boats so everybody was able to watch comfortably. The captain and the naturalist were very friendly and eager to answer every question. Highly recommended

The whale watching experience was wonderful! We had a full 3 hours with an experienced captain and naturalist. We were lucky in that we followed a group of 7 humpback whales for some time and had close views of them on several occasions. Then we followed a group of 8 Orcas for some time and had close views of them also. The boat was very comfortable and this was one of the highlights of our Alaskan adventure.

We really enjoyed our morning whale watching. We learned so much about whales and spotted many. Thanks you for a great excursion!

Friendly knowledgeable Captain and naturalist, smooth boat. We saw hump back whales bubble feeding and orcas, viewing them up close and so awesome. The highlight of the trip!

We witnessed whales feed via “bubble net”. Of course it’s all about timing, but our guides had us in the perfect location and we’re informative.

Very nice. The Captain & guide were knowlegable and friendly.

Loved this excursion, the small group was great; the tour guides were fantastic! The signts were a 10+.

Excellent!! Dwayne, the captain of the boat, and his son Andrew were very knowledgeable and we had a wonderful 3 hours. It was a small boat with only 16 people which was nice and the boat was built especially for whale watching. The windows could all be latched up to the ceiling so we had a clear unobstructed view, plus we could go out the front and back of the boat. Dwayne found a pod of about 12 humpback whales and we were able to watch them bubble feeding for an hour or two. Fascinating. I would highly recommend this trip.

This trip was awesome! The small boat allowed us to get close. we saw breaching wales several times! It was the highlight of our trip.

The Crew were so great! We got to see Orca's and Humpback whales. The great thing about this was it was a small group of people so we were not fighting to see anything. I would do this excursion again in a heartbeat.

Guide was entertaining. We did see one whale. Watched him play for an extended period of time. Saw other water animals. Overall a fun outing.

Great excursion Whale Watching in Icy Straits. It was like the whales put on a show for us.

While our boat hand was not that much of a tour guide (he was kind and helpful but a high school kid who was new to the role), the whale watching was unbelievable. Our captain clearly new how to find the right spots and what a sight to see! The orca pod and sea lions were also a big hit. Icy Strait is the place to see whales - much better viewing than Juneau.

We cruise a lot but this was our first experience using an excursion that was not offered through the cruise line. It was excellent! Excellent, comfortable whale watching boat, extremely knowledgeable guide. We saw lots of whales. We would recommend this excursion to everyone.

Captain. Dan was wonderful as he narrated and educated us on whales. We constantly saw whales eating, swimming, and breaching throughout the day. The boat was comfortable and the group was small. This trip surpassed our expectations.

Captain Dan was great! He took us to a whale pod and followed them at a safe distance but still close enough to allow us to appreciate and feel in awe of these magestic creatures. It was a spectacular event. He also pointed out the puffin birds, eagles and sea otters throughout the ride. It was unforgettable.

Excellent experience! The best excursion out of all nine ports. Only 6 passangers aboard so we got up close to bubble net feeding. I understand it's rarely seen.. The whales communicate (under water microphone) with one another and blow bubbles to confuse the fish. The whales emerge in a circle at the same time to eat. Unbelievable sight of huge whale mouths open, squawking birds feeding on leftovers..a feeding frenzy! We witnessed this not once but numerous times as a herring run was in. Our Captain owned the Misty Lodge and operates this same vessel for "The Bush People" Alaska reality show. Through Costco this was more expensive then the crowded cruise ship's excursion..but so worth it. We were up close, SAW whales and no jockeying for the best viewing spot. My husband and I both agree this is a memory that will last a lifetime and money well spent.

Absolutely breathtaking, the guide for this excursion was very knowledgeable about the whales, and the area we travelled in. Well worth the time and money.

I certainly enjoyed this excursion and would take it again if ever a possibility. I think there were eight of us on this small boat, a capacity group. Our local captain steered us through the dense fog until we finally found ourselves surrounded by twenty or so humpback whales. From there we sped on forward and found a couple orcas. I especially liked the small boat,the friendliness of the captain, and his knowledge of the area so that he kept searching until we found the whales and orcas.

We saw lots of whales and orcas. The captain worked very hard to take us to make sure we had the best possible experience.

Saw 4 humpback whales, sea otters, seals, and tons of bird wildlife. Small boat, small group (14) meant we could go closer to shore than the big boat excursions. Whales were feeding in the coves and this experience was amazing. Don't book the cruise ship Whale watching excursion...smaller is better for whale watching!

Our boat Captain knew where the whales were feeding and did not disappoint anyone on the boat. It had about 20 people total including the Captain and crew member. Windows that would lift up to allow direct visualization plus open forward and aft areas for pictures without window sheen. We saw the same group of whales feeding to maximize their catch about 6 times in the 3 hour period of our excursion! Actually saw 3 separate whales breach completely! Too fast for pictures! I highly recommend this excursion as does my son(32), granddaughter (16) and husband(62). The only limitation is getting on and off the boat, but the crew will help those less agile. Great Excursion in Icy Strait Point!

This excursion was the highlight of our trip. The boat only accommodated 16 guests so we were able to see everything and took some great photos. We found a pod of 5 Humpbacks and followed them, getting within 30 yards at times. The captain lowered a sonar unit over the side which allowed us to hear the whales communicating with each other, too. The first mate had a great sense of humor and reminded us of Jack Black. The only disappointment was that there were no Orcas to be seen, but that's not the fault of the crew. Definitely recommend this tour.

My family and I found the Whale Watching experience to be extraordinary. The boat was small holding just sixteen passengers. The captain was able to locate several areas where we had groups of Humpbacks travel very close to the boat. We also had the rare fortune of seeing a Humpback breach out the water. I would highly recommend the Whale Watching tour. It truly made our trip to Alaska memorable.

A smaller boat with only 14 passengers - holds up to 18 (the cruise line's excursion had over 120). Roomy inside cabin/outside deck sufficient enough for everyone on board. The captain and mate were friendly, courteous, knowledgeable, knew the local waters, made every effort to find whales for us. We saw many. The excursion company emailed/called the week before to advise of a change in our ship's itinerary. The cruise line never notified us, couldn't confirm it when I called, until we got on the ship. We were prepared, already knew, while other cruise passengers were scrambling to shift excursions around. The gentleman who called was the one who picked us up (even gave me his cell #) drove us to the boat, then later served us lunch at the Misty Bay Lodge in Hoona (a local restaurant often featured in Discovery channel's, ""Alaskan Bush People""). It made it feel like a real ""locals"" experience. I highly recommend it.

This excursion was amazing. As anticipated, we saw many whales & as a bonus we saw many, many sea lions that entertained us for quite some time.

Pretty good day, saw lots of whales, otters & sea lions & even one bear. Sadly, didn't see an orca or any moose. Also was overcast---wish we'd had some sun. It was fun & comfortable & not too many people.

Whales, sea lions, and eagles! I love Alaska.

What I loved most about this group is that we had a much smaller boat than the cruise ship tours so not only did we all stay dry, but we could stand next to the captain and have a conversation. We saw several humpbacks right off and followed a breaching whale around. He must have breached 20 times. Then we chased after a pod of orcas. I loved how all the boat captains work together to share sightings. Just had a tremendous experience.

Our guides were great and knew where to take us to see whales, seals and more. I would recommend this tour highly.

Very nice excursion. Comfortable boat and knowledgeable tour guide. Very happy as we saw many humpbacks and even an orca and baby.

loved the whale watching only 4 on the boat

our instructions to find our tour did not include the name of the company providing it so we weren't sure who we were looking for. The area in which we were supposed to meet is not well marked although once you see the sign, it is obvious. Our guide, Captain Dan was fantastic and found us whales, bears, eagles, sea lions and orcas. It was very exciting to watch for the whales and then Dan would put the boat in high gear and try to get us as close as possible.

The trip was wonderful. We saw quite a few whales and some were very close to the boat. There were so many whales in the bay near the marina that we didn't have to spend very much travel time on the water.

Lots of fun and we got to see a lot of whales

I've been whale watching before. This was really nice. We were right there with them. wow. Could have been longer.

I felt we were fortunate to have such a capable and knowledgeable captain who really found the whales. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Captain and crew work vary well with other whale watchers and knew how to wait on the whales.

Their smaller boat had mechanical problems and we were booked on it. When we got to,port we were offered a full refund or to go on an excursion with a larger amount of people. The original excursion was for 6 people and the one we went on had 17 people. We had just as much fun and saw the exact same whales we would have seen on the smaller boat. The ladies that ran the excursion went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing experience whale watching.

Goal was accomplished! We saw whales & it was worth the ""whale waiting!""