Difference Between Deadliest Catch & Crab Feast Tours

[fredmertz]

I've read a number of great descriptions of the Deadliest Catch tour and a few descriptions of the Crab Feast tour, but never a clear compare/contrast.

 

Obviously the former seems a little more theatrical and the latter has a crab feast (a huge plus!). I will be attending with my wife and three kids (13, 10, 10), the oldest of which can almost go crab leg for crab leg with me -- we have our own set of monogrammed crab zippers!

 

Can anyone who has done both give it a try?

[Crew News]

As one who has done both, the difference is huge with one demonstrating commercial fishing and the other just a peek at a live crab.

 

The Crab Fishing goes on a regular commercial crab fishing boat (Aleutian Ballad) and demonstrates catching various crab species with different commercial equipment. Crew members will discuss the making of the TV series "Deadliest Catch" aboard the ship and how much the TV crew suffered in the rough seas. The excursion also has a stop to feed the eagles for a great photo op.

 

The Crab Feast allows one hour to devour as much crab as possible (no crab on the Crab Fishing). It includes a ride on a small pontoon craft to pull up one tiny dungeness crab pot and is narrated by a local student with no commercial fishing experience.

 

Both excursions let passengers handle and photograph the creatures removed from the water before returning them to the water.

 

Many sea creatures are encountered on the Aleutian Ballad and a single dungeness crab on the Crab Feast excursion.

 

A real commercial fishing boat for the Crab Fishing and a tourist boat for the Crab Feast.

 

A feast on the Crab Feast and only free snacks on the Crab Fishing.

 

No eagle-feeding photo opportunities on the Crab Feast.

 

Eagles (most from Crab Fishing excursion) photos:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty/wildlife/eagles/

 

Crab Fishing photos:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/ketchikan/ketchikan-crab-fishing/

 

Hope the above helps.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Crew News

[fredmertz]

Thank you, that is helpful. Sounds like my best bet is to do the deadliest catch your and then find a spot to eat a lot of crab separately. Any recommendations for a big crab lunch?

[Budget Queen]

Thank you, that is helpful. Sounds like my best bet is to do the deadliest catch your and then find a spot to eat a lot of crab separately. Any recommendations for a big crab lunch?

 

Tracy's Crab Shack, in Juneau is very popular. :)

[martincath]

If your cruise includes time in Vancouver, you can eat king crab fresh rather than frozen... nowhere in Alaska does anything other than frozen king crab during cruise season, there's no overlap with the very short crabbing season.

 

If you're big eaters you might be able to do justice to a a full king crab feast here: 3-5 courses all using the one crab that gets plucked live from the tank at the start of the meal - smallest are usually 8-10lbs which provides for about 2 pounds of crab meat added to various different dishes.

 

Once you've had an actually-flavoured-during-cooking leg instead of just steamed, frozen and reheated it's really, really hard to go back though!

[Nhsaltshaker]

If your cruise includes time in Vancouver, you can eat king crab fresh rather than frozen... nowhere in Alaska does anything other than frozen king crab during cruise season, there's no overlap with the very short crabbing season.

 

If you're big eaters you might be able to do justice to a a full king crab feast here: 3-5 courses all using the one crab that gets plucked live from the tank at the start of the meal - smallest are usually 8-10lbs which provides for about 2 pounds of crab meat added to various different dishes.

 

Once you've had an actually-flavoured-during-cooking leg instead of just steamed, frozen and reheated it's really, really hard to go back though!

 

Frozen crab...does that include the cruise ship?

[fredmertz]

If your cruise includes time in Vancouver, you can eat king crab fresh rather than frozen... nowhere in Alaska does anything other than frozen king crab during cruise season, there's no overlap with the very short crabbing season.

 

If you're big eaters you might be able to do justice to a a full king crab feast here: 3-5 courses all using the one crab that gets plucked live from the tank at the start of the meal - smallest are usually 8-10lbs which provides for about 2 pounds of crab meat added to various different dishes.

 

Once you've had an actually-flavoured-during-cooking leg instead of just steamed, frozen and reheated it's really, really hard to go back though!

 

That's a great idea -- we will be in Vancouver for 2 nights before the trip starts. Any recommendations?

[martincath]

That's a great idea -- we will be in Vancouver for 2 nights before the trip starts. Any recommendations?

Sun Sui Wah is my preferred Crab Feast location - they originated the whole concept, so they've been doing it a long time and do it well. Their Vancouver restaurant is a little off the beaten track, though easily reached by transit from downtown. They also have a Richmond location in case you were planning to head there (generally speaking, much of the best Chinese food is in Richmond rather than Vancouver proper). Other places that get good reviews locally are Red Star and Dynasty - the latter is probably the most convenient to downtown hotels resto that gets great reviews on their crab feasts. You could roll downhill on foot to Granville Island after dining!

 

Price is a bit tricky - each year the basic price per lb of crab does vary plus how many courses, whether other premium items like squab or scallops are included etc. etc. and whether or not you're here in the height of 'crab feast season' when many restos compete for business (May).

 

I've paid as little as <$45 including tax & tip for a huge meal at SSW, splitting 3 different styles from a 10-12lb crab, squab, peking duck and (if memory serves) 3 other courses among a table of 10, but you can end up spending 50% more if crab is pricier and the sky's the limit if you want to include birds nest soup or other hardcore delicacies. Smaller groups will be pricier per person as crabs weigh a minimum of 8lbs, usually 10+, so less than 10 people are getting more crab and less cheap 'filler' veg & rice plates.

 

I'd ballpark $300-400 for a table of six people, including the crab done different ways and plenty of other food - but this is one of those situations where you really need to call the resto a week before to find out exactly what they're going to do for you at what price.

 

To other poster who asked - yes, definitely on ships too. Unless you literally see the crab being taken from the tank, you are 100% eating frozen and probably 99% pre-steamed crab. Even here there aren't many restos that keep the huge tanks with live crabs in - it's definitely part of the experience to watch a waiter carry it over to your table, usually with a leg or two scrabbling at the floor!

Edited February 13, 2016 by martincath

[Freehike]

The Deadliest Catch tour is great for eagle watching. Since we don't watch TV, we weren't impressed with the rest of it.

 

Very cheesy, scripted acting. All they do is ride you around and pull up pods that they have already pre-loaded with crabs and other stuff.

 

We are in the minority though as apparently everybody on the planet has watched that show except us! I could see where it may be more entertaining if you are a fan.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[poss]

How about if we're not big eaters? (E.g. when we dine out, we often split an entree.) Is there any way for us to get great fresh crab? (We'll be in Vancouver mid-May.)

[martincath]

How about if we're not big eaters? (E.g. when we dine out, we often split an entree.) Is there any way for us to get great fresh crab? (We'll be in Vancouver mid-May.)

For King Crab you're basically fudged - given how much cheaper it is to keep legs in a freezer I'm confident that even the restos with tanks of live ones would not 'waste' whole crabs on individual dishes. Dungeness though you'll find all over fresh, and a lot of folks prefer it to King anyway - they're the 'meatiest' crab available too.

[Budget Queen]

The Deadliest Catch tour is great for eagle watching. Since we don't watch TV, we weren't impressed with the rest of it.

 

Very cheesy, scripted acting. All they do is ride you around and pull up pods that they have already pre-loaded with crabs and other stuff.

 

We are in the minority though as apparently everybody on the planet has watched that show except us! I could see where it may be more entertaining if you are a fan.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

I'm not a fan of this scripted tour either. :) I think they "ruined" the boat with the "stage", etc. My highlight- is seeing the REAL Time Bandit, which I have twice, in Homer.

[poss]

ok, thanks for crab reply.