pook Posted June 4, 2009 #1 Share Posted June 4, 2009 We will be arriving in Juneau on July 9th and will be in port 7AM - 3 PM (we have been told that the on-board time for the ship is 2:30). We would like to do both the whale watching and the Mendenhall Glacier tour. We have been told that a private excursion (particularly for the Whale Watching) is better than the one through the ship. We have read on this board that many people recommend doing the Whale Watching tour with Orca Tours. The problem that we are having is that the Orca Tour leaves at 9 AM. We have been told by Orca that we will not have time to do both the Whale watching tour and go to the glacier. Just wondering if anyone has any great suggestions. We are travelling as a group of 9 people (4 adults and 5 childres) so Harv and Marv (with a 6 person limit is not an option for us). Please share your recommendations. We would like to finalize our plans fairly soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djett Posted June 4, 2009 #2 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Just returned from a whale watching trip with Harv & Marv. It was excellent! Call them and see what arrangements can be made. You won't be disappointed with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterpeake Posted June 4, 2009 #3 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I will be in Juneau on July 8th. I was going to book with Marv and Harv, but my travel companion was afraid for his bad back on a six passenger boat. Instead, we did our research and will be going with Captain Larry of Orca Enterprises. Both have very good reviews in these forums. They seem to be the two best of multiple operators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottieMeister Posted June 4, 2009 #4 Share Posted June 4, 2009 We will be arriving in Juneau on July 9th and will be in port 7AM - 3 PM (we have been told that the on-board time for the ship is 2:30). We would like to do both the whale watching and the Mendenhall Glacier tour. We have been told that a private excursion (particularly for the Whale Watching) is better than the one through the ship. We have read on this board that many people recommend doing the Whale Watching tour with Orca Tours. The problem that we are having is that the Orca Tour leaves at 9 AM. We have been told by Orca that we will not have time to do both the Whale watching tour and go to the glacier. Just wondering if anyone has any great suggestions. We are travelling as a group of 9 people (4 adults and 5 childres) so Harv and Marv (with a 6 person limit is not an option for us). Please share your recommendations. We would like to finalize our plans fairly soon. Hi, We just got back on the 31st. We did the 9AM combination Whale Watch and Mendenhall Glacier tour through Dolphin Enterprises. It was great. We were back about 2:15. They had two newer boats which hold 20 people each which is much better than Princess' company that have 50-60 people on board. We got to the dock and there were only 20 people total, so they sent both boats out with 10 people each. Everyone had their own window seat. How nice of them! You have access to get on the bow or stern to take pictures. The cost was $130 for the trip which included 1hour & 45 mins at Mendenhall. We saw lots of whales. Contact Lawrence at Dolphin Tours for reservations 1-800-719-3422. Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theresef Posted June 4, 2009 #5 Share Posted June 4, 2009 We did the Orca tour with Capt Larry. While we did see whales - the boat was at capacity - we crowded onto the seats and had to take turns viewing from the upperdeck. Being short - I rarely was able to see from the back deck. We were a party of 9 and that may have been the reason the boat was really crowded - I was not able to get Harv etc because of our 9. The whale excursion due to the crowding, distance from the whales (often 300 yards plus and that was "close") and the length of time it took to get everyone on board buses, coordinated (Orca - not our party:)) etc... was the least fav excursion we did. If I had to do it agian (and hopefully we will!) I would try a smaller boat/operation and identify that you would have a seat (several of us sat on the floor of the boat) and there would be adequite viewing when you spotted whales. The glimpses are fleeting and it is only a couple of seconds - so when someone spots one you want to be able to "see" from where you are at. Trying to get though a crowd of people or waiting your turn for the viewing means you may not be able to see what others are even on the same boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathynorth Posted June 4, 2009 #6 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Hi, We just got back on the 31st. We did the 9AM combination Whale Watch and Mendenhall Glacier tour through Dolphin Enterprises. It was great. We were back about 2:15. They had two newer boats which hold 20 people each which is much better than Princess' company that have 50-60 people on board. We got to the dock and there were only 20 people total, so they sent both boats out with 10 people each. Everyone had their own window seat. How nice of them! You have access to get on the bow or stern to take pictures. The cost was $130 for the trip which included 1hour & 45 mins at Mendenhall. We saw lots of whales. Contact Lawrence at Dolphin Tours for reservations 1-800-719-3422. Dwayne Do you recall how much time you had on the water for the whale watch part of your trip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pook Posted June 5, 2009 Author #7 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Thank you for the inforamation. I will contact Dolphin Enterprises to see if they will guarantee that we will be back at the ship in time for boarding. Orca refused to book the combination for us because they said that we would not be back on time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catsaways Posted June 5, 2009 #8 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Hi, A quick note re Harv and Marv as we took their tour in mid May. Yes they are only 6 passenger boats but Harv and Marv have one each so can take 12 between them. Also mentioned that they were getting a relative to join them when the new boat arrives so they'll be able to accommodate 18 people at once! In a larger group you could add to your photo fun by taking pictures of each other across the water! Also their shuttle bus driver (he offered this) dropped us at Mendenhall Glacier for a look around and then came back after 40 minutes to drop us back in town for a warming drink at the Red Dog Saloon. Cheers T&C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACL Posted June 5, 2009 #9 Share Posted June 5, 2009 How many people does the Orca boats carry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterpeake Posted June 5, 2009 #10 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I am taking Orca on July 8th. Everything I have read says 20 to 25. We thought the smaller boats would not be good for our bad backs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judyf Posted June 6, 2009 #11 Share Posted June 6, 2009 We took Orca's last week and had a great time, great tour did both the glacier and the WW and we had seats. I think the boats hold about 20-25. We didn't have Larry we had Tony as a guide and it was great. They gave us snacks too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixiechick Posted June 6, 2009 #12 Share Posted June 6, 2009 We took Capt. Greg with Weather Permitting, weatherpermittingalaska.com. He also has a 6 passenger boat. This whale watching/scenic excursion was one of the highlights of our cruise to Alaska.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarTrkGeek Posted June 6, 2009 #13 Share Posted June 6, 2009 We will be arriving in Juneau on July 9th and will be in port 7AM - 3 PM (we have been told that the on-board time for the ship is 2:30). We would like to do both the whale watching and the Mendenhall Glacier tour. We have been told that a private excursion (particularly for the Whale Watching) is better than the one through the ship. We have read on this board that many people recommend doing the Whale Watching tour with Orca Tours. The problem that we are having is that the Orca Tour leaves at 9 AM. We have been told by Orca that we will not have time to do both the Whale watching tour and go to the glacier. Just wondering if anyone has any great suggestions. We are travelling as a group of 9 people (4 adults and 5 childres) so Harv and Marv (with a 6 person limit is not an option for us). Please share your recommendations. We would like to finalize our plans fairly soon. Another option is the cruise line Photo Safari by Land & Sea excursion (by Gastineau Guiding). This is one of the few cruise line excursions that get rave reviews. They use boats that hold up to 14 people. The tour begins with a easy hike of some of the trails at Mendenhall Glacier, and then does a whale watching tour (in the same location as Harv & Marv and Orca Enterprises). The tour is led by a professional photographer who is also a naturalist. The guide provides lots of tips on how to get that perfect photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathynorth Posted June 9, 2009 #14 Share Posted June 9, 2009 We took Orca's last week and had a great time, great tour did both the glacier and the WW and we had seats. I think the boats hold about 20-25. We didn't have Larry we had Tony as a guide and it was great. They gave us snacks too. Could you explain how they worked the WW and glacier tour? Were they back to back or were they run like separate tours with separate pick ups? Was there an option to be dropped off or picked up from Mendenhall? How long was the drive from the pier to the boat or heliport? Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judyf Posted June 9, 2009 #15 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Could you explain how they worked the WW and glacier tour? Were they back to back or were they run like separate tours with separate pick ups? Was there an option to be dropped off or picked up from Mendenhall? How long was the drive from the pier to the boat or heliport? Thanks for your help! We took the free shuttle from the pier the Pearl was at to Orca's office. You get dropped off right across the street. We were first there. We checked in there with others from our ship. This bus took about 3 minutes. We waited a few minutes 10 or so while other checked in, there's a gift shop we looked around the gift shop while waiting for the others as we were first. Then when the entire group was checked in we go to the Ocra bus, I don't remember for sure but it wasn't that long a bus ride to the Glacier. I was looking at everything so lost track of the time, maybe 10-15 minutes. The driver gave us a tour and explained things on the way there. We got dropped off and had about an hour at the Glacier. More time would have been nice but at least we got to do both the Glacier and WW in a short port visit. The driver sets a time and showed us right where to meet her. Then the same driver takes you on another short ride to the boat not long at all. Then the fun on the whale watch. After the WW the same driver is there to bring you back, she dropped us anywhere we wanted, in town, my the Ovra office or back to the ship. We got dropped off at the Red Dog and did a quick 1 hour speed shopping on the way back to the free shuttle buses. We felt it was well planned out and worth every penny. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRBlizz Posted June 9, 2009 #16 Share Posted June 9, 2009 We took Capt. Greg with Weather Permitting, weatherpermittingalaska.com. He also has a 6 passenger boat. This whale watching/scenic excursion was one of the highlights of our cruise to Alaska.. Ooh, that's who we have booked with for our June 19 Infinity cruise. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed him. Any advice about what you particularly liked or would do a little differently? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmis2001 Posted June 11, 2009 #17 Share Posted June 11, 2009 We took Capt. Greg with Weather Permitting, weatherpermittingalaska.com. He also has a 6 passenger boat. This whale watching/scenic excursion was one of the highlights of our cruise to Alaska.. Do you think that the tour in a 6 person boat is worth the extra $60 per couple or so that you would pay with 20 person boat. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Fig Posted June 12, 2009 #18 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I'd like to get the answer to that too, I have an email to Harv&Marv but I'm not hopeful since it's less than a month til we get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modeen Posted June 12, 2009 #19 Share Posted June 12, 2009 We've booked a tour with Weather Permitting, and I hope it is worth the extra money. I spoke with Captain Greg, and he sounds like a great guy. And he claims the food he serves is wonderful. He said to show up hungry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixiechick Posted June 12, 2009 #20 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Capt. Greg served us shrimp that he caught himself, cheese and crackers, fruit, mixed nuts and yummy brownies his wife made. He is a super nice guy, knows the sea life and land extremely well. His boat is practically brand new. He is willing to customize your trip any way you want. We really enjoyed the marina where his boat his, a beautiful area. To me he was worth every penny. It was so much fun only having 4 people on our boat. As far as advice as to what to do, it depends on what you like. If you want to go somewhere and do a little hiking, get off the boat, he sounded like he would be happy to accomodate. He knows where the bear hang out as well as the harbor seals. We had a particularly active humpback mother and calf, so we watched them for quite a while. We also did some sightseeing while on the boat. Have a great time, I'm sure you will not regret it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugaltravel Posted June 12, 2009 #21 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Do you think that the tour in a 6 person boat is worth the extra $60 per couple or so that you would pay with 20 person boat. Thanks If the time on the water is the same, absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickam Posted June 12, 2009 #22 Share Posted June 12, 2009 is it possible to pick up any of these tours at the dock without booking them in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dallas52 Posted June 13, 2009 #23 Share Posted June 13, 2009 how much does he charge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podie Posted June 13, 2009 #24 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Having just returned from a Harv & Marv tour, I cannot recommend them more highly, particularly Jay, who we were lucky enough to have as a guide. His boat is by far the smoothest I have ever been on even though it's only a six-pack. He explained it was custom built and it must be, as I was able to shoot pictures from the aft section no matter how fast we were going. We also saw lots of whales and Jay immediately makes you feel like he's just a buddy taking you out for a few hours. He's an incredible photographer and his knowledge makes the experience unforgettable. I'd love to return to Juneau as 14 hours there just wasn't enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted June 13, 2009 #25 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Another option is the cruise line Photo Safari by Land & Sea excursion (by Gastineau Guiding). This is one of the few cruise line excursions that get rave reviews. They use boats that hold up to 14 people. The tour begins with a easy hike of some of the trails at Mendenhall Glacier, and then does a whale watching tour (in the same location as Harv & Marv and Orca Enterprises). The tour is led by a professional photographer who is also a naturalist. The guide provides lots of tips on how to get that perfect photo. I second this one! It was a terrific tour, and I learned lots of neat tips/ideas for the rest of the trip (Juneau was our second port). This was one of the best excursions ever - and I usually book independantly, so that is really saying alot! Dave was our guide and he is very knowledgeable and helpful. Started at Mendenhall Glacier with lots of stops along the trail. Then we spent at least 2 hours on the water - probably more, it was so much fun, I lost track of time. We spent most of our time watching a pod of orca, including a baby. I cannot say enough good things about this one! Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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