Whale watching and mendenhall glacier

[Mickey's favorite]

We are looking to maximize whale watching in Juneau and are thinking about Harv and Marvs but want to see mendenhall glacier as well. We are in port from 8 am to 9 pm. Can you get from one to the other on your own?  Any suggestions would be great!  Thank you 

[Coral]

1 hour ago, Mickey's favorite said:

We are looking to maximize whale watching in Juneau and are thinking about Harv and Marvs but want to see mendenhall glacier as well. We are in port from 8 am to 9 pm. Can you get from one to the other on your own?  Any suggestions would be great!  Thank you 

I believe they used to be able to drop people off but I don't think this is allowed anymore. You can inquire about having them call you a cab to go from Auke Bay to Mendenhall glacier. You don't want to go all the way back to downtown and then back out to Mendenhall as you will lose a lot of travel time in there. The two places are near each other.

[Glaciers]

Look at Juneau Whale Watch. They can drop you at the glacier after the whale watch and then back to the ship.

 

[Mickey's favorite]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I believe they used to be able to drop people off but I don't think this is allowed anymore. You can inquire about having them call you a cab to go from Auke Bay to Mendenhall glacier. You don't want to go all the way back to downtown and then back out to Mendenhall as you will lose a lot of travel time in there. The two places are near each other.

Thank you 

[peety3]

Consider the Photo Safari tour from Gastineau Guiding. Small boat that's a lot more stable than H&M, opportunity to learn some photography, and a short trail hike to learn about the recession of Mendenhall Glacier.

[LeeW]

We have been out on these boats 4 times, last time in September.  A bit bigger than Harv and Marv and more comfortable.  You can book with or without Mendenhall dropoff.  Same company runs the blue shuttle bus from the Roberts Tram location.

 

https://alaskashoretours.com/excursions/juneau/whale-watching-mendenhall-glacier-tour/

Edited January 19, 2023 by LeeW
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[Dolphin Doug]

You’ve got a dilemma.

Afaik, Jayleen’s and H&M offer longer water time but don’t have glacier permits (I think 3 hours). All the operators with permits offer 2 hours on the water, unless they have slower boats, which isn’t what you want.
The taxi companies treat glacier permits like gold. They don’t want a short trip.

Uber would be perfect, (no permit needed) but they aren’t real. Not in Juneau, not in Summer.
The exception is Allen Marine with their big cats (140 pax), only sold on board, good outfit but not intimate.

But also, operators only spend so much time with any group of whales.

You could find a smaller charter operator and try to book back to back trips if you can’t afford the boat.

Or book your boat and a Glacier express. You’ll waste an hour running downtown.

 

I live here. You can only squeeze so many potatoes in a bag. Book whatever tour makes the most sense and promise yourself to go whale watching elsewhere, or come back and do it every year. Once you get whales in your blood, you’ll make it happen.

[mathed101]

We had a fabulous tour with Jayleen! After the tour she dropped us off at Mendenhall about a half mile from the visitor's center due to her lack of permitting at the Mendenhall glacier. She gave us taxi information and even called one for us to schedule a pick up time to take us back to our ship. 

[Coral]

I have not heard of any issues with whale watching companies calling for taxi's to Mendenhall glacier. 

[pbinn]

WE have Juneau whale watching booked for the end of June. They do a combo tour and you can catch their shuttle back to the pier from the glacier every half hour it says.