Juneau excursion advice needed

We just booked an excursion with Harv & Marv for Juneau - Whale Watching.

The reason we booked this was based on the excellent reviews everywhere and the fact that they have a small boat.

Now I'm having Buyer's remorse. The excursion is only 2.5 hours (compared to the cruise line's 5.25 hours) and is only about $20 less per person than the cruise line's excursion.

Plus, we are promised wild life but the tour will not go to Mendenhall Glacier......

Please give me any advice if I should cancel Harv & Marv or not. Thank you in advance!

What is the breakdown of the cruiseline trip .....time on the water, transfer time, etc. Is it on a 150 pax boat?

Not many whale watch tours stop at mendenhall anymore because of fees they havev to pay the Forest Service.

There are 4 or 5 other well reviewed vendors. Check them out and compare.

Harv and Marv are the best. I have gone with them twice. While a big barge lumbered out jammed with 200 cruise passengers, all lining the rails elbow to elbow, h & m took us in their small boats - 8-12 passengers, think they have a boat with a few more. but it was small and the guide was excellent and they know the whales. plus we stopped at Mendenhall on the way back for a few quick pics.

I don't think you'll regret H & M at all. stay with'em!

2.5 hour Harv and Marv? you might check that. that'd be one fast trip... I don't think they do 2.5 hour trips.

We’ve done two trips with Harv and Marv and won’t use them again. If you’re choosing the smaller boats you need to remember they cancel due to weather more often than the larger boats.

Our trips with them were about 3 hours on the water plus the transportation time between the ship and Auke Bay.

As of last season, Harv and Marv doesn’t go to Mendenhall as they would have been required to pay a $2 permit fee per passenger plus collect the $5 fee per person to access certain areas and pass that along to the park service.

It's not just about expense. It's about the return on your expense.

If you want to visit Mendenhall...do you want to be beholden to a tour schedule? Most of the time, I read that people wish they had more time there. They wish they had done it on their own so they could spend a more leisurely time on the trails...and in the visitor center. Taking pictures and otherwise enjoying the area. Mendenhall is a big recreation area...there is a bit to do there. Many trails...some wildlife viewing, etc. It doesn't just have to be about the glacier.

If you break down that 5.5 hours into travel time, time at Mendenhall, and then whale watching time...I'm betting that the actual time for whale watching is similar, except that you will have a different experience in that allotted time with the size of the boat and the number of fellow passengers.

IDK how much time you have in port, but my itinerary has over 12 hours in port...plenty of time to be leisurely about what you do there and really enjoying whatever it is you do. I have booked a small boat excursion for whale watching (I opted for ISP for that) and I'm so excited for it! I'm thrilled to be on the smaller boat and just have a time where I break down the big passenger vessel into a small group experience.

IDK what day of the week or when you are in Juneau. We are there on June 26, which is the last Tuesday with only 5 cruise ships in port. Every Tuesday after that has 6 ships in port...if you are there on a Tuesday, you might be especially happy that you have that opportunity to get away from the crowds.

I booked with Juneau Whale Watch for our cruise next June. The tour is 5 hours which includes a stop at Mendenhall Glacier.

You can get a 4 hour private tour with Rum Runners for $700.

Thank you for the responses!

Harv & Marv does have a 2.5 tour at a 10% discounted rate.

 

IDK how much time you have in port

 

IDK what day of the week or when you are in Juneau.

We will be there on a Saturday from 7 am - 13.00 pm. So not much time :(

You can get a 4 hour private tour with Rum Runners for $700.

Thank you. But if I tell my husband we need to pay $700 for 1 excursion, he will throw me overboard to the whales....

 

 

 

Thank you. But if I tell my husband we need to pay $700 for 1 excursion, he will throw me overboard to the whales....

Then we can organize a Cruisesfun65 Watching Tour - LOL!!!.

I have not done either of the tours that you are looking at but the fact that Harv has been in business for years and gets great reviews would mean something to me. When you take a cruise ship tour, you have no idea to whom they have subcontracted the tour to. The cruise company will just go with the cheapest tour that will give them the greatest kickback.

DON

The cruise company will just go with the cheapest tour that will give them the greatest kickback.

 

DON

Very true. We decided to stick with Harv & Marv for the small boat and personal attention everyone is raving about.

Thanks again, everybody!

Aren't you in juneau until 3pm? Not 13:00.

If 3pm, you might be able to visit Mendenhall, depending on the timing of your whale watch tour. Your boat tour is out of Auke Bay which is only 10 minutes from Mendenhall. Reserve a cab to pick you up Auke Bay and take you to Mendenhall. Have another cab reserved to be pick you up 1 hr later (or whatever time you have). Then its about a 20 minute drive from mendenhall to the ship.

If this is an option, you can find another couple on your roll call to share the cost, maybe $50 for the cab.

Then we can organize a Cruisesfun65 Watching Tour - LOL!!!.

 

I have not done either of the tours that you are looking at but the fact that Harv has been in business for years and gets great reviews would mean something to me. When you take a cruise ship tour, you have no idea to whom they have subcontracted the tour to. The cruise company will just go with the cheapest tour that will give them the greatest kickback.

 

DON

Actually - ship tours are mostly with Allen Marine Tours (and have been for years). While they do have larger boats, they are highly thought of in Alaska. Cruise ships go with this company as they have boats to accommodate the large numbers of those who book directly on the ship. Not bad - just a different experience with the larger boats.

Some of the smaller speciality tours (Photo Safari, Rain Forest trails at Mendenhall with whale watching) in Juneau through the ship are often with Gastineau Guiding. Also highly thought of.