Whale Watching Tour Co. change

[punkinlr]

I just found out - by pure accident - that Orca Enterprises is no more - at least not as an independent company. When I put in OE to remind myself how long the tour would be, the new website/company popped up, No notice whatsoever from OE.

 

They have now become a part of Dolphin Jet Boat Tours.

 

DJBTs' website states they will be honoring all previously booked tours.

 

I'll be contacting the company ASAP - and suggest if you have booked a tour thru OE to do the same.

 

Oh, and BTW - no Mendenhall glacier tours unless you book their Great Alaskan Tour which includes the glacier, the whale watching and a stop at Alaskan Brewing Co.

 

Good Luck!

[mamabash]

Our TA just notified us of this last week. Dolphin got really good reviews. Captain Larry is still with them. I was disappointed about Mendenhall not being included, but we are just going to do it on our own afterward, I guess.

[punkinlr]

Our TA just notified us of this last week. Dolphin got really good reviews. Captain Larry is still with them. I was disappointed about Mendenhall not being included, but we are just going to do it on our own afterward, I guess.

 

Thanks for letting me know about Capt Larry. We've taken WW tours with OE on our previous Alaskan cruises, and he's part of the charm! I hope we're lucky enough to get him again.

 

Did your TA tell you how they found out? Just curious if Sheila or Larry are contacting folks.

 

Would you mind sharing who you'll be using for your Mendenhall tour? One of our group had their heart set on this amazing experience.

 

Thanks again Mamabash - and happy sailing!

[lmkucala]

Thanks for letting me know about Capt Larry. We've taken WW tours with OE on our previous Alaskan cruises, and he's part of the charm! I hope we're lucky enough to get him again.

 

Did your TA tell you how they found out? Just curious if Sheila or Larry are contacting folks.

 

Would you mind sharing who you'll be using for your Mendenhall tour? One of our group had their heart set on this amazing experience.

 

Thanks again Mamabash - and happy sailing!

 

We were originally going to go with Orca as well and then right about the time we were going to book we heard about the change and booked with Dolphin. We are actually renting a car (it was about $95 if I recall) and going to Mendenhall first thing in the morning when we get the car, and then meeting Dolphin at Auke Bay instead of at the cruise ship terminal for a noon whale watch. We found that renting the car was just as cheap if not cheaper than adding on to a whale watch or taking the bus transfers and it allows us flexibility to go see other things on our own after the whale watch!

[punkinlr]

We were originally going to go with Orca as well and then right about the time we were going to book we heard about the change and booked with Dolphin. We are actually renting a car (it was about $95 if I recall) and going to Mendenhall first thing in the morning when we get the car, and then meeting Dolphin at Auke Bay instead of at the cruise ship terminal for a noon whale watch. We found that renting the car was just as cheap if not cheaper than adding on to a whale watch or taking the bus transfers and it allows us flexibility to go see other things on our own after the whale watch!

 

That's a great idea! I'll share that with our other couple. Might be something we'd like to do - seeing more of the city AND get in the glacier!

 

Thanks!

[mamabash]

Thanks for letting me know about Capt Larry. We've taken WW tours with OE on our previous Alaskan cruises, and he's part of the charm! I hope we're lucky enough to get him again.

 

Did your TA tell you how they found out? Just curious if Sheila or Larry are contacting folks.

 

Would you mind sharing who you'll be using for your Mendenhall tour? One of our group had their heart set on this amazing experience.

 

Thanks again Mamabash - and happy sailing!

 

Our TA had NO IDEA. She always used OE and couldn't figure out why her contacts weren't working. Then she discovered what was going on and contacted Dolphin. You would think they would at least contact the usual people that used them?

 

After reading on here for a LONG time, I think when we get done with our whale excursion, we are going to get a taxi from Auke Bay to Mendenhall Glacier. It isn't far, so shouldn't be nearly as expensive. Then, after we spend as much time there as we want, grab a bus back to the dock.

 

Of course this may change, but it will save time not going back to the dock only to ride back to Mendenhall.

[punkinlr]

Our TA had NO IDEA. She always used OE and couldn't figure out why her contacts weren't working. Then she discovered what was going on and contacted Dolphin. You would think they would at least contact the usual people that used them?

 

After reading on here for a LONG time, I think when we get done with our whale excursion, we are going to get a taxi from Auke Bay to Mendenhall Glacier. It isn't far, so shouldn't be nearly as expensive. Then, after we spend as much time there as we want, grab a bus back to the dock.

 

Of course this may change, but it will save time not going back to the dock only to ride back to Mendenhall.

 

Yeah, I was really shocked to see the change! We booked right before the new year to get in on the price reduction. I had correspondence with Larry in late March about glacier time. One would have thought that if this was in the works (and how could it not have been??) he would have said something.

 

I like the taxi idea too. I suppose there is some type of ticket booth at Mendenhall? I've never been myself. DH and I did a fly trip out of Talkeetna and landed on a glacier so haven't felt the need to do Mendenhall.

[lmkucala]

That's a great idea! I'll share that with our other couple. Might be something we'd like to do - seeing more of the city AND get in the glacier!

 

Thanks!

 

I think for sure it is less expensive that way if you have more than 2 people! There are 3 of us and it was cheaper this way then taking the bus. For 4 of you it would be for sure - and definitely more flexibility!

[FloridaMimi]

I just found out - by pure accident - that Orca Enterprises is no more - at least not as an independent company. When I put in OE to remind myself how long the tour would be, the new website/company popped up, No notice whatsoever from OE.

 

They have now become a part of Dolphin Jet Boat Tours.

 

DJBTs' website states they will be honoring all previously booked tours.

 

I'll be contacting the company ASAP - and suggest if you have booked a tour thru OE to do the same.

 

Oh, and BTW - no Mendenhall glacier tours unless you book their Great Alaskan Tour which includes the glacier, the whale watching and a stop at Alaskan Brewing Co.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

We booked with Orca Enterprises as well back in December to get the early discount. We booked both the whale watching and Mendenhall glacier package. Last month I just happened out of the blue to decide to reconfirm all my confirmations and that is when I found out about the change.

I immediately called the new company who bought them. Dolphin Jet Boat Tours and spoke to them. I reconfirmed our original reservations and she e-mailed me our new conformation forms through them. What we were told was because we had originally paid for both whale watching and Mendenhall we would still do both, but they weren't offering that any longer now. So, I would still give them a call to get your conformation from them, and if you scheduled and paid for both through Orca you should still be going to both. Can't wait till next month :D:D

Edited June 4, 2016 by FloridaMimi

[FloridaMimi]

That's a great idea! I'll share that with our other couple. Might be something we'd like to do - seeing more of the city AND get in the glacier!

 

Thanks!

 

 

If you haven't already reserved a car by now you will probably have a hard time finding any available. It might be different in Juneau, but when we reserved a van to drive to Emerald Lake in Skagway we almost didn't find one and that was 6 months ago. And our cruise is next month. Good luck and have fun.:)

Edited June 4, 2016 by FloridaMimi

[flatlander321]

We had Orca paid reservations and Dolphin converted it into their system with no issues. We've done the trip and they do what they advertise. The price seems reasonable and the crew was good.

 

We'd planned to get a car from Avis for the day in Juneau, but that didn't work out. Arrived by the 8am opening, was 3rd in line, and the Avis agent was not there. They were supposedly out picking up a car from somewhere. That didn't do us much good and I left at 8:30am (needed to get to the 9am Dolphin transport bus since Avis failed). There was a lobby full of people waiting to get cars when I had to leave to walk back to the docks and search for the Dolphin transport bus.

 

I really hope Avis Juneau has a new agent now. We missed Mendenhall and driving the coastal highway because of them. Avis Skagway, the next port stop on our trip, did just fine and I recommend them; for Juneau, have a good backup plan.

[Djaye]

We learned about the change at OE by reading Cruise Critic a couple of months ago. I called Dolphin immediately and they handled our change quickly and efficiently. We had booked the combo tour originally and were told it would be honored.

[FloridaMimi]

We learned about the change at OE by reading Cruise Critic a couple of months ago. I called Dolphin immediately and they handled our change quickly and efficiently. We had booked the combo tour originally and were told it would be honored.[/quote

 

We were told the same when we contacted them. Looking forward to it. When is your cruise? We cruise July 12th so our whale watching and Mendenhall adventure will be the 16th. :)

Edited June 4, 2016 by FloridaMimi