Best Whale Watch with Mendenhall Glacier

[JillM]

Can anyone help with a recommendation for this? Will be there the week of 8/17-on Star Princess. Any recommendations would be appreciated!

[jrbourdon]

We just got back from Alaska and it was beautiful. We used Harv & Marv's for our whale watching and mendenhall glacier excursion. It was wonderful and we saw lots of whales. It was even very early in the season and we had a great experience!! We love Captian Shawn

[frugaltravel]

There is no "best." You are going to find those who love Orca and those who love Harv & Marvs. Both offer a tour superior to the one the ship provides.

 

I like Harv & Marvs best for the following reasons: smaller boat (6 people max), plenty of room to go front and back for photos, longer on the water than any other tour I have found, free stop at Mendenhall. Have never seen a negative review for Harv & Marvs. All their captains seem to get rave reviews.

[CatgirlNC]

I like Harv & Marvs best for the following reasons: smaller boat (6 people max), plenty of room to go front and back for photos, longer on the water than any other tour I have found, free stop at Mendenhall. Have never seen a negative review for Harv & Marvs. All their captains seem to get rave reviews.

 

I just booked Harv & Marv's yesterday! I'm normally the type of person to stick with ship excursions, but after everything I've heard about H&M's here on CC, I figured I can't go wrong!

[mcat12]

We used Harv & Marv two weeks ago. We were supposed to be on a small 6 person boat but for some reason were combined with another group and were put on a 12 person boat. (Just saying that it could happen to you as we'll if thats a concern). We had Capt Shaun and Brian--they were great!! Shaun is a naturalist at heart and Brian was the one scurrying about looking for the whales. We were on the water for about 3 hours, but the last 45 minutes or so was driving--not whale watching. We were also the first boat of the day. If we make it out to Alaska again, we would use Harv & Marv again, but we would pick a tour later in the day. The reasoning for that is the first boat is like the guinea pig trying to find whales so they meet their promise of 'money back if you don't see a whale'...the later boats probably spend more time actual whale watching because their locations are already known. Just my thoughts!

 

 

October 2014 - Carnival Paradise - Western Caribbean

May 2013 - Carnival Miracle - Alaska

May 2012 - Carnival Sensation - Bahamas

March 2010 - Carnival Liberty - Eastern Caribbean

September 2009 - Carnival Glory - Western Caribbean

March 1988 - Disney Cruise as a child :)

[vermonter16]

I did Harv and Marv's with DH just a couple of weeks ago.....yep...loved it! I concur that probably most of the private operators get really good reviews so you really can't go wrong.

[JillM]

We used Harv & Marv two weeks ago. We were supposed to be on a small 6 person boat but for some reason were combined with another group and were put on a 12 person boat. (Just saying that it could happen to you as we'll if thats a concern). We had Capt Shaun and Brian--they were great!! Shaun is a naturalist at heart and Brian was the one scurrying about looking for the whales. We were on the water for about 3 hours, but the last 45 minutes or so was driving--not whale watching. We were also the first boat of the day. If we make it out to Alaska again, we would use Harv & Marv again, but we would pick a tour later in the day. The reasoning for that is the first boat is like the guinea pig trying to find whales so they meet their promise of 'money back if you don't see a whale'...the later boats probably spend more time actual whale watching because their locations are already known. Just my thoughts!

 

 

October 2014 - Carnival Paradise - Western Caribbean

May 2013 - Carnival Miracle - Alaska

May 2012 - Carnival Sensation - Bahamas

March 2010 - Carnival Liberty - Eastern Caribbean

September 2009 - Carnival Glory - Western Caribbean

March 1988 - Disney Cruise as a child :)

 

Thanks so much!

I had booked with the cruise line but based on your "review" will probably change. How long we're you at Mendenhall Glacier?

[scvgirl]

Harv & Marvs gets our vote!!! We had amazing whale watching last July - bubble net feeding - one of the highlights of my life. We are going back to Alaska late August. Can't get enough of the beauty that is Alaska.

[luvSClake]

We are on this cruise as well and based on the recommendations here we booked Harv and Marv for whale watching. We plan to spend the early part of the day in Juneau then take a shuttle out to Mendenhall on our own. I want to have enough time to walk out to the falls and explore a bit before our whale watching tour. H&M will pick us up at the glacier for our whale watching tour. I can't wait!

[mcat12]

The driver for harv & Marv takes you to Mendenhall. Had the weather been nice, we would have stayed and opted for a bus back to port. Since it was pouring and we were freezing, we took a few photos and headed back into town with our driver from Harv & Marv. If say we were there for about 30 minutes. Hope that helps!

 

 

October 2014 - Carnival Paradise - Western Caribbean

May 2013 - Carnival Miracle - Alaska

May 2012 - Carnival Sensation - Bahamas

March 2010 - Carnival Liberty - Eastern Caribbean

September 2009 - Carnival Glory - Western Caribbean

March 1988 - Disney Cruise as a child :)

[JillM]

The driver for harv & Marv takes you to Mendenhall. Had the weather been nice, we would have stayed and opted for a bus back to port. Since it was pouring and we were freezing, we took a few photos and headed back into town with our driver from Harv & Marv. If say we were there for about 30 minutes. Hope that helps!

 

 

October 2014 - Carnival Paradise - Western Caribbean

May 2013 - Carnival Miracle - Alaska

May 2012 - Carnival Sensation - Bahamas

March 2010 - Carnival Liberty - Eastern Caribbean

September 2009 - Carnival Glory - Western Caribbean

March 1988 - Disney Cruise as a child :)

 

Yes it does!!!

Might you know how to cancel what I already have? No payment made to Princess for it just re-reserved.

[eric813]

Just out of curiousity, how long do you need at Mendenhall Glacier and what is there to do besides from see it and take photos?

 

Eric813

 

Future Cruises - 1

14. Westerndam (HAL) – August 3-10, 2012 (Alaska, Seattle, WA)

 

Past Cruises – 13

13. Voyager of the Seas (RCI) – March 31 – April 7, 2012 (Western Caribbean, New Orleans, LA)

12. Disney Wonder (Disney) – February 6-13, 2011 (Mexican Rivera, Los Angeles, CA)

11. Pride of America (NCL) - November 7-14, 2009 (Hawaiian Islands, Honolulu, HI)

10. Carnival Pride (CCL) - June 6-13, 2009 (Bahamas / Caribbean, Baltimore, MD)

9. Holiday (CCL) - March 3-8, 2007 (Western Caribbean, Mobile, AL)

8. Jewel (NCL) - July 2-9, 2006 (Western Mediterranean, Barcelona, ESP)

7. Explorer of the Seas (RCI) - November 6-13, 2005 (Western Caribbean, Miami, FL)

6. Imagination (CCL) - June 12-17, 2000 (Western Caribbean, Miami, FL)

5. Inspiration (CCL) - July 14-21, 1996 (Southern Caribbean, San Juan, PR)

Scandanvian ???? – December 27, 1989 (Bahamas, Fort Lauderdale, FL ??)

4. Britanis (Chandris) - December 1985 (Western Caribbean, Montego Bay, JAM)

3. Rhapsody (Paquet) - December 1983 (Western Caribbean, Miami, FL)

2. Festival (CCL) - December 18-25, 1982 (Eastern Caribbean, Miami, FL)

1. Norway (NCL) - December 1980 (Eastern Caribbean, Miami, FL)

[DebInTN]

Another vote for Harv n Marv. Excellent operation. We used them on both our trips.

[mcat12]

Eric813--if the weather is nice, they have trails that you can walk to get closer to the glacier. There is also a visitor center that may be of interest. If neither of those are of interest, you'd honestly only need 5 minutes there! :)

 

 

October 2014 - Carnival Paradise - Western Caribbean

May 2013 - Carnival Miracle - Alaska

May 2012 - Carnival Sensation - Bahamas

March 2010 - Carnival Liberty - Eastern Caribbean

September 2009 - Carnival Glory - Western Caribbean

March 1988 - Disney Cruise as a child :)

[PlanoDebbie]

Mendenhall Glacier - A lot depends on the weather. When we went there 3 years ago, it rained hard all day long. It only costs money if you want to go inside the Visitor's Center. There are a few displays and a short video about glaciers. The charge is nominal, so if you want to see that stuff, I think it was around $5 or $7. We were really hoping to walk around on some of the trails to get closer to the glacier, but the weather was just too gross. Hopefully we will have better luck next month.

 

The visitor's center will take about 30-40 minutes if you want to watch the movie and look at all of the exhibits. If you want to hike any of the trails, that may take a while.