Princess Cruise whale tours, Juneau

[Duck Whisperer]

Okay, I've read through a lot of past threads on this great site, and have surfed the web. Just looking for some confirmation about the Princess whale watching excursions out of Juneau. Am I correct that all the Princess tours offered are through Allen Marine (with the bigger/50 or 60 person boats)? Comparing Princess's excursion info/packets against Allen Marine's website leads me to think this. And, Princess isn't the best about giving you enough information.

 

Doesn't look like any of Princess's tours are with Harv & Marv's (6 person boats). I'm kinda leaning toward H&M's basic $150 package and then being dropped of at Mendenhall, and footing Mendenhall as much as we can before hitting the ship.

 

Read great things about both outfits. I'm thinking boat-crowd size would be my deciding factor.

[bfree32]

Just back from Alaska. We took a ship sponsored whale watching trip with Allen. I too, had your concerns prior to leaving. However, you need not be worried. The Allen boat is larger and has more people, but also has more deck space than the others. Ultimately, I think you will get the same viewing of the same whales in the same place. Don't worry either way. If I were going back, I would book with Allen. (And again, I was second guessing my choice on the morning of the excursion)

[chipmaster]

Welcome to CC

 

Attached is a picture of the larger whale watching tour boat, taken from our smaller one. If the bigger boat is packed I think you will have a deck space problem, but if crowds are light you get some pretty good views. We went with Orca, nice small, maybe 14-15 people, but the upper observation deck held 6 and the rest of us were crowded on the aft, squeezed but one deep. :D

 

The nicest thing about the smaller boat is that they are small fast and really seem to be catering to get you the best experience as they live by word of mouth. Not saying Allen Marina is bad, they did the Tracy Arm Excursion I was on and the captain / guide were great, just a much bigger boat experience, but still nice.

 

 

 

Okay, I've read through a lot of past threads on this great site, and have surfed the web. Just looking for some confirmation about the Princess whale watching excursions out of Juneau. Am I correct that all the Princess tours offered are through Allen Marine (with the bigger/50 or 60 person boats)? Comparing Princess's excursion info/packets against Allen Marine's website leads me to think this. And, Princess isn't the best about giving you enough information.

 

Doesn't look like any of Princess's tours are with Harv & Marv's (6 person boats). I'm kinda leaning toward H&M's basic $150 package and then being dropped of at Mendenhall, and footing Mendenhall as much as we can before hitting the ship.

 

Read great things about both outfits. I'm thinking boat-crowd size would be my deciding factor.

[frugaltravel]

Allen Marine certainly has more than 50-60 on their boats (see the photo above). My guess is more like 100. Just depends on the number of cruise ships in town that day, etc.

 

I still prefer the smaller boats for the reasons mentioned and H&M because you are up close and personal with the captain. With max 6 people, you can imagine the personal attention you get.

[nanny4sure]

We have done both and I will never do the large boat again. Harv was fantastic. We not only got right up on them, they turned the engine off so we could hear the whales coming up. It was soooo much better than the allen marine thing. We did Harv and marv again the 3rd trip and they took us some other places. For the few extra dollars, Harv and marv beat the big boat by bazillions. THey talk with the other smaller companies and you positively get to see the whales - you can almost pet them if they come close enough - just kidding. They were great!!

[Suzanne123]

To each his own, but I've done both and agree with bfree32 -- wouldn't hesitate to book with Allen Marine again. :)

[Dancing Shoes]

Hi-I don't mean to hijack this topic. I am wanting suggestions on where to sit on their boat for the trip up Tracy Arm. I want to go on the one through the cruise ship.

[hojozcreations]

As long as everyone is giving feedback on these tours, maybe someone can address this?

 

How does boat size/stability factor if you have someone who is prone to seasickness? I was thinking the larger boat for less queasy (yes, he will take something for it, but I would like to make this as good an experience for him as I can).

 

Also, is it really difficult to get to H&M? Is it just a long walk or is it very steep/rough?

 

Thanks!

[Suzanne123]

H&M picked us up at a small parking lot just down the street from the ship. Easy walk.

The Allen Marine's bigger boat felt more stable to me, but to be fair, we had rougher seas the day we went with H&M.

I don't think the area where they look for whales in Juneau gets particularly bad waves generally. --Hope you have a great time. :)

[MercedMike]

We not only got right up on them, they turned the engine off so we could hear the whales coming up.

 

Just for clarity -- the law prohibits the boats going close to the whales. BUT -- it does not prohibit the whales coming close to the boats! That is one reason they turn off the engine ;) As a note, the Allen Marine boats are designed with special "stealth mode" engines to facilitate approaching wildlife.

 

They have a capacity of something over 100, I think. However there is room for everyone to be seated on the lower deck with the large picture windows. and a large top deck also. Normally when animals are sighted about half the pax go up topside, so neither deck is very crowded and visibility is good. It is just as easy for 15 people to get in your way on a small boat as it is for 50 people to get in your way on a large boat! :rolleyes:

 

For me it is just a matter of comfort. The ship's excursions offer the most comfortable and convenient way to do whale watching. I frequently take independent excursions when there is some reason to do so, but in this case I don't see any advantage for me in taking a smaller boat.

[Duck Whisperer]

Someone posted that (for them, which is great), "I don't see any advantage for me in taking a smaller boat."

 

A BIG plus for taking a smaller boat is that you may not be 100% at the whim of where the operators of that big boat go. On a small boat (4 to 6 people), there is a distinct chance that the entire group may be one family/friends/etc. In that case, if the group wanted to get close to "that lighthouse", or "stay in this spot a little longer", or whatever the reason, the captain will probably do what YOU want. On a boat full of 100 people, you can't please everybody, so the captains pretty much stick to their routines and do the best they can for everybody to enjoy.

 

That, and the fact that on a small boat, there is one captain to answer questions and talk with just 6 people. On a big boat, even one that has several naturalists or other captain's helpers, you just won't get the same personal attention.

[Budget Queen]

As long as everyone is giving feedback on these tours, maybe someone can address this?

 

How does boat size/stability factor if you have someone who is prone to seasickness? I was thinking the larger boat for less queasy (yes, he will take something for it, but I would like to make this as good an experience for him as I can).

 

Also, is it really difficult to get to H&M? Is it just a long walk or is it very steep/rough?

 

Thanks!

 

Frankly, anyone prone to motion sickness, needs to consider precautions NO MATTER how they go on water. There is no way to predict, what is going to affect that individule, and getting all the "positive" comments one way or another, on past experiences, isn't a crystal ball for what that person is going to experience.

 

IF you are docking at low tide, then you do have a climb up/down ramps.

[Budget Queen]

Allen Marine is a well run vendor offering great tour options. As for "seating" sorry, but no where is going to be "ideal". IF you want your most opportunity for viewing, then you are going to be moving around, and using any seat, as a "home base".

 

I have gone on Allen Marine boats and they are very comfortable. Any boat can get "crowded", just a fact of tour bookings.

 

I am always one, however on whale watches to always go with the smaller boats, just my preferences, as an avid whale watcher (just did 8 whale watches over 5 days, getting home yesterday, out of Gloucester- so I AM serious (and crazy :) )