Juneau, HAL in June: Whale Watching & Wildlife Quest Vs. Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Ex

Hello,

Which excursion do you recommend? First time in Juneau, husband, me and 8yo son. We've eliminated flight-seeing.

The whale watching & wildlife quest is 4h one and would leave us time to explore on foot on our own. The Tracy Arm one is 7h and would use up the whole day (ship is there from 8-6, excursion starts at 9:15). I don't think it's the version that leaves closer to Tracy Arm before the ship actually docks. Our cruise is southbound.

It's hard for me to compare the 2 based on individual reviews, so if anyone has done both, I'd like to hear your thoughts especially! Thanks!

Dev'sMom, although the Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer is one of my all-time favorite cruise excursions, and I'm going to repeat it in June, I think your son would be bored to tears after the first couple of hours. Your other option sounds way better for an active 8-year-old boy. And, as you said, at the conclusion, you can check out other things to do, like going out to Mendenhall Glacier and walking the Nugget Falls Trail.

Dev'sMom, although the Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer is one of my all-time favorite cruise excursions, and I'm going to repeat it in June, I think your son would be bored to tears after the first couple of hours. Your other option sounds way better for an active 8-year-old boy. And, as you said, at the conclusion, you can check out other things to do, like going out to Mendenhall Glacier and walking the Nugget Falls Trail.

I agree that your son would probably find the Whale Watch more interesting/fun/engaging. I haven't done the Tracy Arm Excursion but have been on the Whale Watch multiple times. Your son will see an eagle's next, and a Sea lion haul-out where there will likely be sea lions. Some things to catch his attention in addition to looking for whales.

Thanks! We'll skip Tracy Arm this time and instead do the shorter whale watch. Do you recommend us visiting Mendenhall and Nugget Trail on our own? There is a Gastineau small boat tour that includes these with a guide. Or will we feel rushed? The 1 mile walk won't be a problem. Allen Marine offers a boat/Mendenhall combination.

Even if we should go on our own to Mendenhall/Nugget, do you recommend the smaller Gastineau boat or the larger Allen Marine boat tours?

Smaller Gastineau boat, but it has a "marine head", not a real bathroom that you can walk into.... not sure if that's a concern or not. If you do the "Discovering Alaska Whales" tour ( I think that is what it is called) there will be an opportunity for your son to maybe hear whales on the underwater microphone, and they had (the time I was there) a photo album of whale tails....

edited to add: the Gastineau boat will give a shorter-stature person much better viewing imho. So when the guide says "Use the porta potty if there is any chance you need to before we board" pay attention to that ;)

Haha! My husband and I both have lots of experience in the military with less-than-ideal toilet facilities LOL! My son would be fine if he had to go in a small potty, if he can get to it easily and there's privacy!--I have no idea how boats are laid out. Yes, Gastineau is the "Discover Alaska's Whales" 3.75h tour; they include Mendenhall and Nugget Trail in their "Alaska's Whales, Glaciers, and Rainforest Trails" 5h tour (with bathroom breaks in between each segment). We are a short family, so sounds like the small boat will suit us in that respect! I hope they still do the microphone.

Yes it is private (y) :D The boat of theirs that I was on had a hatch towards the front of the boat near the captain, and down a VERY steep few stairs. Whilst holding the hatch to keep from concussing oneself until down the steps.

This will likely be the last year my knees will let me even consider such an arrangement ;)

Sometimes the vendors stop at mendenhall is very short. If this is the case, the easy remedy is to call a cab to take you back to the pier. Its about a 20 minute ride, $35 so take the cab company number with you. (Maybe someone else on the whale watch tour will share the ride/cost.)

Thanks all, we're definitely doing whale-watching only, and cab/shuttle to Mendenhall. Thinking Mendenhall before lunch (before it gets crowded, per the port schedule), and whale watching in the afternoon, unless the seas are usually rougher in the afternoon vs morning.