Whale watching best in Juneau or Icy Strait Point?

[Moonstruck1115]

I'm trying to decide which port to schedule our whale watching excursion, either Juneau or Icy Strait Point.  Of course, I've heard good things about both.  We are traveling the end of May 2020 via Princess (Coral Princess).  Any input would be appreciated!  TIA 😊

[AKStafford]

Both are good choices for whale watching. By doing it in Icy Strait Point, it lets you not do it in Juneau, where there's lots of other options. So I would say Icy Strait Point. But either way is a winner.

Here's the local vendors in Hoonah (where Icy Strait Point is located): http://visithoonah.com/tours.html

[Crew News]

Ny experience is the whales in Icy Strait Point are much more active and tend to feed in groups whereas the whales in Auke Bay, Juneau are more solitary.

 

ISP whales feeding:

 

[hawk1972]

Glacier Wind Charters in ISP are awesome!

 

[Italy52]

43 minutes ago, hawk1972 said:

Glacier Wind Charters in ISP are awesome!

 

 

Another big fan of Glacier Wind.  Have gone with them 7 times and always had a great experience.

[skrufy]

Id choose ISP. The excursions go to an area around the entrance to Glacier Bay where it’s a prime feeding ground for whales. Last cruise we had a fantastic whale watch experience there.

[Ashland]

ISP is the one port that we've seen whales very up close from (walking) the shoreline and from the tender (when they used to have one)...easy whale sightings and a great choice to do it in this port.

[Moonstruck1115]

Thanks for all the info!  It looks like ISP it is.  I"ll definitely check into Glacier Wind.  

[rick160158]

On 4/16/2019 at 9:15 AM, Moonstruck1115 said:

I'm trying to decide which port to schedule our whale watching excursion, either Juneau or Icy Strait Point.  Of course, I've heard good things about both.  We are traveling the end of May 2020 via Princess (Coral Princess).  Any input would be appreciated!  TIA 😊

Save your money and stay on the ship in Icy Straight. The whales are around the ship. I made the mistake of buying an excursion. Wasted money. We simply circled the ship.

[NEWLKAT]

We did Whale Watching in Icy Strait Point with Hoonah Whale Tours, they were fabulous. That freed up Juneau for other things like Mendenhall Glacier and the Tram.

[Budget Queen]

On 4/18/2019 at 2:20 PM, rick160158 said:

Save your money and stay on the ship in Icy Straight. The whales are around the ship. I made the mistake of buying an excursion. Wasted money. We simply circled the ship.

How many times have you been there and when?    In my  experience,  this is NOT in any way a predictable event.    You got lucky and likely were there during the herring bloom,  which covers only a short time.   Most of my trips,  have required out of cruise ship dock range distances for viewing.  At least 20 visits  and 5 whale watches there,  last 2 years.  

[Budget Queen]

On 4/17/2019 at 3:56 AM, Crew News said:

Ny experience is the whales in Icy Strait Point are much more active and tend to feed in groups whereas the whales in Auke Bay, Juneau are more solitary.

 

ISP whales feeding:

 

Pure  coincidence.   I've stayed out on 3 whale watches with a long port day in Juneau and saw endless bubble netting in Auke Bay.   I've seen plenty of activity along with great looks at the resident orca pods.   Auke Bay is a consistent long time feeding area with 100% sightings of humpbacks over the 25 years I've been visiting.    Hoonah is not some special "activity"  area.    Same behaviors-   feeding.  

 

 

[roscar]

On 4/21/2019 at 12:38 AM, Budget Queen said:

Pure  coincidence.   I've stayed out on 3 whale watches with a long port day in Juneau and saw endless bubble netting in Auke Bay.   I've seen plenty of activity along with great looks at the resident orca pods.   Auke Bay is a consistent long time feeding area with 100% sightings of humpbacks over the 25 years I've been visiting.    Hoonah is not some special "activity"  area.    Same behaviors-   feeding.  

 

 

We've seen bubble netting in Auke Bay last time we were in Alaska.  Would taking a whale watching tour at 3pm from Hoonah a bit risky of missing the ship which departs at 7pm? 

[Crew News]

23 hours ago, roscar said:

We've seen bubble netting in Auke Bay last time we were in Alaska.  Would taking a whale watching tour at 3pm from Hoonah a bit risky of missing the ship which departs at 7pm? 

 

Whale watching in ISP only goes out a few miles from the port with some whale sightings within sight of the cruise ship pier.  Even if you excursion boat needed to be towed back to port, there is no chance you will miss departure.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Crew News