Whale Watching/Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau

[staceycs]

We are traveling on the NCL Pearl and arrive in Juneau at 2:00 p.m. and depart at 10:00 p.m. At this time I have booked a combination Whale Watching Mendenhall Glacier tour through the cruise that departs at 3:00 p.m. It is scheduled to last for 5 hours and 15 minutes. We would also like to walk around the town and see some of Juneau. I am considering changing it to a Evening whale watch that departs at 6:00 and returns at 9:00. Then we could do the town and the glacier/nugget falls on our own. I hear that you only have about 45 minutes when you do a combination tour. I have called the 2 independent tours in town and they say that the buses stop running at 6:00 so we would not have a way back and they can't guarantee that they can pick me up from the glacier. Suggestions? or should we just stay with what we have?

[Budget Queen]

The problems with the evening whale watches, are that they are shortened, which isn't a good choice for whale watching. Longer is always better, longer you are "watching" the more you see. Instead, what I suggest, is you go with the 3pm whale watch, get a Mendenhall glacier drop off, if possible from the whale watch, then have phone numbers of the cab companies. About 30 minutes prior to wanting to leave, call for a cab. Alternative- would be to take a cab from the whale watch DIRECT to Mendenhall (if whale watch vendor transportation not available), then another return cab.

 

Final, possibility, get yourself in line at 1pm for exiting the ship. Once clear, bear left on the dock and get on the shuttle to the tram. Walk to the Goldbelt Hotel and pick up a prereserved AVIS rental car, and drive yourself to your whale watch, then to Mendenhall. You will need to verify specifically WHAT marina you leave from to meet your boat tour. With the specific details not difficult.

 

Alternative- would be to book the combo tour, then take a cab back to the ship- this is assuming you go to Mendenhall last?

[lynninsc]

We have the same dilemma. We will not be in Juneau until September 2 nd, but I can tell you this: I called Allen Marine, which operates the 3pm whale watch/Mendenhall combo and the evening whale watch for NCL. The rep I spoke with was very helpful and strongly suggested that we take the 3pm, but be sure and tell the rep at the dock that we wanted to do the whale watch portion first, then go to the glacier. He said that would enable us to stay longer if we wanted and call a taxi for the return. He also told me that in September, as well as in May that quite often the evening whale watch gets cancelled due to lack of interest. He said that for the 3pm combo tour there will be at least 2 and possibly more buses and boats and they will split up, some do whale watch first, some do glacier first. We are debating between doing this, or just renting a car and skipping the whale watch all together. Whatever you do, I hope you have a great time!

[staceycs]

Thank you for the advice. I will leave it as it is and hope for a Glacier drop off and take a cab back. I really would like enough time to walk to nugget falls. I will make sure that I have cab numbers available. 37 days!