Vendors at the pier-Juneau

[Italy52]

If you have used a vendor at the Juneau pier for a whale watching excursion please let me know as I have a couple of questions for you. Thanks.

[Budget Queen]

Some of the booking agents at the dock, simply book who has space and aren't with specific whale watch bookings. I only recall, one actual whale watch vendor who has a kiosk this year.

[jeansaussie1]

Found this interesting link. At first thought they were rationing booths. But looking further it seems like the same vendors most days. Maybe just rotating them through booth location since some were closer to pier???

 

Haven't boiled it down to what tours they sell yet - is there more than one whale watch vendor listed?

 

http://www.juneau.org/harbors/documents/2015VendorBoothRotationCalendar_000.pdf

[Budget Queen]

Found this interesting link. At first thought they were rationing booths. But looking further it seems like the same vendors most days. Maybe just rotating them through booth location since some were closer to pier???

 

Haven't boiled it down to what tours they sell yet - is there more than one whale watch vendor listed?

 

http://www.juneau.org/harbors/documents/2015VendorBoothRotationCalendar_000.pdf

 

These booths contracts, are for the season, with most selling whale watches, BUT not operating them. They are booking agents, like I already stated above.

[Keith1010]

I highly recommend making your arrangements in advance.

 

Keith

[Italy52]

Thanks to all those that replied to my post. I would like to provide a little clarification as to why I am asking for specific information from those that have first-hand experience with vendors at the dock.

 

We have been to Alaska 16 times and each and every time that we have gone to Juneau we have book our whale watching tours with specific vendors (Harv & Marv, Orca and Weather Permitting) a year in advance. During our cruise this past June, my husband asked me if I have ever read anything about experiences cruisers had with whale watching tours that were booked at the dock --- I told him "no" but I would post a question and see what I could find out. I think he is looking to see what options would be available if we did not book our trips in advance.

[gillybean1974]

We booked a whale watching tour with an agent at the dock this June. It seemed all the agents were booking with the same tours, same prices etc. Our tour was with Dolphin jet boat. Although we were just whale watching, others on our tour went to the glacier afterwards as part of their tour.

 

Just wanted to add, there were several options and times available for us. There were 20 people on the boat, so everyone got a good view of the humpbacks. The captain and naturalist were excellent

Edited July 18, 2015 by gillybean1974
added info

[Italy52]

We booked a whale watching tour with an agent at the dock this June. It seemed all the agents were booking with the same tours, same prices etc. Our tour was with Dolphin jet boat. Although we were just whale watching, others on our tour went to the glacier afterwards as part of their tour.

 

Just wanted to add, there were several options and times available for us. There were 20 people on the boat, so everyone got a good view of the humpbacks. The captain and naturalist were excellent

 

Thank you very much for your post --- this information is exactly what I was looking for.

 

If I might ask, how much was your tour? Also, you mentioned there were 20 ppl on your boat --- was that the limit? Or, could your boat hold more?

[mek]

The only time I've booked anything in advance in Juneau was several years ago for a glacier flight seeing tour. I would never book a ships' tour in this port.

 

Last month we booked a whale watching tour at the pier, paid $115 pp, and we hit the jackpot with two pods of whales, breeching, bubble feeding, swimming closely to our boat. I can't imagine it ever getting any better, so IMO, price doesn't always guarantee you will have a better experience. If the whales are there you will have a great show.

Edited July 19, 2015 by mek

[gillybean1974]

There were a few seats left on the boat, so probably max 24? There was lots of room though, and of course when stopped looking at whales we could go out on from and back deck areas.

 

We paid $100 for the tour. It was a short tour though, 3 hours total (2 on water) but that is what we wanted. There was a longer tour available at pier also.

 

I guess it all depends on luck though with whales.... We spend a lot of time with one pod of humpbacks, but no orcas

[Italy52]

There were a few seats left on the boat, so probably max 24? There was lots of room though, and of course when stopped looking at whales we could go out on from and back deck areas.

 

We paid $100 for the tour. It was a short tour though, 3 hours total (2 on water) but that is what we wanted. There was a longer tour available at pier also.

 

I guess it all depends on luck though with whales.... We spend a lot of time with one pod of humpbacks, but no orcas

 

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

[laughing husky]

while this has nothing to do with whale tours in Juneau.....dog sledding on the Herbert Glacier is there, and they are never booked on the ship....Coastal can cut out the middle men that way, and it ends up being quite a bit cheaper....

[Cornishpastyman1]

If you have used a vendor at the Juneau pier for a whale watching excursion please let me know as I have a couple of questions for you. Thanks.

Hi Karen

 

Last year, for various reasons we could not commit to booking a tour ahead of the day so just walked over the Juneau Tours and Whale Watching - and had a great time. We took the whales and Mendenhall Glacier Combo, and I think it was $125 pp. But we could have just done the whales for I suppose about $20 less. Anyway it all looked like this. All the best, Tony

 

[YOUTUBE]KV1XSxkNCl4[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]GOMA2HeTGJw[/YOUTUBE]

[ScottishMaid]

I also bought a ticket from the booth agent. You can negotiate the price a bit as all the booths are selling the same tours and working on a commission. I paid around $125 for the whale watch and glacier with Juneau tours. The first tour leaves around 9:30 from below the tram. See their website and also Tripadvisor reviews. There were far less people on our boat than on the ship tour boats, which were viewing at the same place.

Biggest advantage to me is that you can see the weather before you buy. It wouldn't be much fun in heavy rain.

[Italy52]

Thank you all for your valuable vendor information, I appreciate it.

 

I do see the value in booking on shore if one is worried about the weather. My major concern is if we book on shore and we get a boat that has lots of people on it we might not be able to easily move about to capture the moments. Unfortunately for me, I am on the shorter side so I can't just stick my camera out there or over someone's head to get a picture --- I need to be able to freely move about the boat.

 

Maybe next time we are in Juneau I will stop by one of the vendor's booth and ask a few questions for future reference.

[Italy52]

Biggest advantage to me is that you can see the weather before you buy. It wouldn't be much fun in heavy rain.

 

Agree 100% Have taken whale and wildlife excursions in heavy rain and it definitely was not fun.

[cgdev1]

The only time I've booked anything in advance in Juneau was several years ago for a glacier flight seeing tour. I would never book a ships' tour in this port.

Interesting... why? Due to possible inclement weather? Or because of price? Would you book a non-ship excursion in advance?

 

Last month we booked a whale watching tour at the pier, paid $115 pp, and we hit the jackpot with two pods of whales, breeching, bubble feeding, swimming closely to our boat. I can't imagine it ever getting any better, so IMO, price doesn't always guarantee you will have a better experience. If the whales are there you will have a great show.

 

Do you remember the name of the company you used?

 

--

 

For those that want to wait and book a whale watch cruise on the dock, what time do you recommend getting off the ship?

[lag9122]

I would only book in advance with Harv and Marv we had a great tour with them very friendly and nice small boat.

[rong2789]

We will be on the Celebrity Solstice in Sept. which is arriving in Juneau at 130 pm and is tendering.

Is that too late, considering it may take more than an hour to get to the dock,

to pick up a whale watching tour at the dock?

Would it be better in this case to book ahead, either privately or through the cruise line?