Icy Strait Sea Mammal Excursion Necessary?

[Dachshund Dad]

Thanks to all you experienced Alaska cruisers for answering...

Can't you just see the animals from the ship and save $120??

[JohnQ]

You might be able to see whales from ship or from shore and you might not. Seeing a whale from a cruise ship and getting close and personal from a whale tour are much different. If it is important to you, take the whalewatching tour.

[Budget Queen]

Sorry, but the whale watching tours are grossly superior to anything you will see from your cruiseship. First off, your cruise ship viewings will be brief and distant, PLUS- you have to be within viewing, meaning spending a great deal of time out on the front deck, proper attire with a good pair of wide angle binoculars. I can tell you from EXTENSIVE experience- very very few people are willing to do this. If you plan on viewing from your balcony, you have cut your chances by over 50%, and finally, you need to know the areas.

 

So- plenty of people are not all that interested in whale watching and are fine with a chance view. But if a priority- go with a tour.

[flashdog_1]

I had read BQ's suggestions for where to be on deck at early hours, in which ports etc. and took my chances. We'd already spent about $1K each for excursions and were trying to save money. Woe is me! The only animal we saw from the ship or on an excursion was a brown rabbit in the Yukon! So I agree, take the excursions. I wanted to see a puffin and it was only after I returned that I realized that probably the only place I could have done so was out of Seward on the Kenai Fjords excursion pre-cruise.

 

I'm sure that seeing an orca at Sea World and in the open sea are two different things!

[Dachshund Dad]

This was exactly the info I was wondering about!:)

We'll cave in and do the excursion!:D

Thanks again,

[JohnQ]

Some people on here have reported seeing whales close up from ISP, but that is not the norm. When we were there, we saw tons of them from tour but none from shore. Private charter is another way to go if you have four or more people. There are several fishing boats that also do whalewatching. A year ago, they were actually cheaper, but I hear the prices have been going up.

[MR_BUTCHIE]

if we only do one whale watching tour which is better capt. larry in Juneau or the one in icy straights are they the same type of tour thanks

[Budget Queen]

if we only do one whale watching tour which is better capt. larry in Juneau or the one in icy straights are they the same type of tour thanks

 

 

Go with the location that fits your time best. Both great locations for humpbacks.