Best time for Whale Watching?

[mynyddisamrs]

We're thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise 2011 and would like to know what's the best time for Whale watching?

What route/cruise line's best?

Looking possibly at late August/early September - schedules don't seem to be out yet. Maybe with RCL on Radiance of the Seas? or with Holland & America?

Any thoughts to help our choice would be appreciated.

 

Cheers all

[frugaltravel]

To guarantee seeing whales, you need a whale watch tour, probably from Juneau or Icy Strait Point. No "best" time for whale watching. Whales are always there.

 

From the cruise ship, figure on hours of viewing on deck for a couple of minutes or less of seeing a whale.

[Budget Queen]

Humpbacks are seen on 100% of the tours out of Juneau and Hoonah. Orcas, are seen about 75% or less out of Victoria. Averages. Orcas are resident Vancouver Island pods. Humpbacks are migrated the entire Alaska cruise season.

 

Think about it- they are in the water 24/7, viewable any time.

[bmcc]

the whole cruise season is when the humpback whales are in Alaska water. So you won't miss them especially if you join one of the whale watching tour

[TemeculaFirstTimer]

Did an Alaska cruise with the Ryndam June 2009. Took the photo safari tour out of Juneau and saw plenty of Orca in Auke Bay. Saw humpbacks from the ship almost daily but especially heading down from Ketchikan tback to Vancouver.

[pspercy]

Humpbacks are present for pretty much all of the Alaskan summer season.

 

From about late November to April +/- they go to Hawaii on vacation (like many Alaskans) and to give birth and let their young grow before returning to Alaska for the summer.

[bluehorizonlover123]

We saw tons and tons of whales on a ships tour in Juneau. The cruise was in July. Tour was maybe $35pp. Not expensive at all.

[Budget Queen]

We saw tons and tons of whales on a ships tour in Juneau. The cruise was in July. Tour was maybe $35pp. Not expensive at all.

 

Sorry, there are no whale watches in that price range. All are over $100, especially a ship tour.

[bluehorizonlover123]

Well it has also been awhile since we went to Alaska.We went in 2005. Probably all the prices have gone up. :(