Prince William Sound cruise vs. Juneau whale watching cruise

[UF G8R]

Can someone tell me what the differences are between the PWS cruise that I was thinking of taking pre-cruise and the Juneau whale watching cruise that I was thinking of taking with Orca/Captain Larry? If they are farily similar I may do only one.

 

Thanks

[Coral]

They are night and day. The PWS tour will take you to glaciers up close and personal. Whale watching will take you to see whales and a few other wildlife . You will see Mendenhall in the background but you are very far away from it.

[stired]

We did both last summer and, as Coral says, they are totally different. PWS is all about getting up close and personal with glaciers and the Juneau trip is all about seeing whales/orcas. We totally enjoyed both trips and I would encourage you to do both if you can.

[gazingm42]

We been Alaska a few times.

 

We have done Orca enterprise whale watching with Capitan Larry and have

enjoyed it.

 

We looking at doing the PWS tour this year.

 

But our questions we have with PWS. Is what types of wild life can we expect to see on the 6 hour tour. We really would like to see puffins?

 

How close to you get to the face of the glacier.

[Chenega]

First of all, I went with Captain Larry and Orca Enterprises last year. Wonderful trip with the emphasis on whale sightings.

 

If you want to see puffins, you need to take a Kenai Fjords 6 hour cruise from Seward. In addition to Resurrection Bay and Aialik or Holgate Glacier, these also go to the wildlife-filled Chiswell Islands where you can see sea lions, puffins, and a variety of other birds.

 

The Prince William Sound cruises from Whittier focus on the glaciers but you do see wildlife (just not as abundant as the Chiswells). Both are very different from any tour you get in SE Alaska. Rare to see puffins on the Prince William Sound cruises.

[wolfie11]

We been Alaska a few times.

 

We have done Orca enterprise whale watching with Capitan Larry and have

enjoyed it.

 

We looking at doing the PWS tour this year.

 

But our questions we have with PWS. Is what types of wild life can we expect to see on the 6 hour tour. We really would like to see puffins?

 

How close to you get to the face of the glacier.

 

PWS tours are not wildlife tours, they're glacier tours. You will go to a kittiwake colony and probably see lots of seals and sea otters in Harriman Fjord. If you are really lucky you might see a whale or a black bear on the shore.

 

Tours out of Whittier generally see both wildlife and glaciers. Orcas, humpbacks, and puffins as well as other seabirds are often spotted.

[Budget Queen]

I have never seen puffins on any PWS boat tour and last week Chenega confirmed, this isn't the area. I also have not seen a lot of wildlife on any of these tours I have taken- about 8. The views here is the glaciers, if you want wildlife, Kenai Fjords is a must do, which is always for me, every trip. :)

 

 

A Whale watch out of Juneau is completely different, with the priority of humpbacks. You will most always, have extensive viewing time and great commentary by Orca Enterprise's naturalist.

 

I have been a customer, since 1999, sailing with them usually twice/year. One year I went out 4 times!!! They are consistantly well run and customer priority.

[Budget Queen]

 

Tours out of Whittier generally see both wildlife and glaciers. Orcas, humpbacks, and puffins as well as other seabirds are often spotted.

 

I think Wolfie means Seward??

 

My whale sightings of Kenai Fjords have only run about 50% of my trips. Puffins- always- IF you are in season. They are gone by the second week of Sept.

[Coral]

 

But our questions we have with PWS. Is what types of wild life can we expect to see on the 6 hour tour. We really would like to see puffins?

 

How close to you get to the face of the glacier.

 

Except for some birds and salmon at a hatchery, we didn't see any wildlife.

 

Here are some pics of my PWS excursion:

http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/alaska2005/PhotoAlbum69.html

 

http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/alaska2005/PhotoAlbum68.html

 

We did get very close to the face of glaciers.

[gazingm42]

So for those who been on the PWS wilderness cruise for the glaciers. Is the

tour worth the $$? Or is the Kenai Fjord tours more worth the $$ if you had to

pick one.

 

How long does it take to travel from Anchorage to Seward?

 

When is Puffin season?

 

Will one see bears, or chance of better on Kenai?

 

Whats the name of the tour companies for the Kenai tours?

[Budget Queen]

So for those who been on the PWS wilderness cruise for the glaciers. Is the

tour worth the $$? Or is the Kenai Fjord tours more worth the $$ if you had to

pick one.

 

How long does it take to travel from Anchorage to Seward?

 

When is Puffin season?

 

Will one see bears, or chance of better on Kenai?

 

Whats the name of the tour companies for the Kenai tours?

 

 

Yes, they are absolutely worth the money. :) Only you can decide the area, as I can not pick one over the other for "best". I'd go on both if possible.

 

Allow at least 3 hours by road Anchorage/Seward, I never recommend it as a day trip. It works out perfectly with a cruise in/out of Seward and taking the Alaska RR.

If short on time, and cruising Whittier, I only recommend going direct Whittier/Seward, it is not worth your valuable short time backtracking Anchorage. It is costly, with either a shuttle service or one way car rental.

Puffins are gone by second week of Sept. with limited sightings the weeks prior. No do not count on bears on either tour, pure chance and a slim one at that at either location.

 

There is Alaska Heritage and Renown , the major operators for Kenai Fjords out of Seward.

[gazingm42]

Thanks BQ....

 

We will be arriving into Whitter the last week in June. We will be staying another 9 days after the cruise. We been looking at taking the 9 hour

Northwestern Fjord Tour with Kenai Fjords Tours from Steward or the Fjords National Park Cruise by renown tours.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks BQ....

 

We will be arriving into Whitter the last week in June. We will be staying another 9 days after the cruise. We been looking at taking the 9 hour

Northwestern Fjord Tour with Kenai Fjords Tours from Steward or the Fjords National Park Cruise by renown tours.

 

The Northwestern fjords trip is always my first choice. :)

[gazingm42]

BQ thanks

 

It looks like you in the Fjords most the time, thus the waters are normally

pretty calm. Is that a safe assumption?

 

Thanks again.

[Budget Queen]

BQ thanks

 

It looks like you in the Fjords most the time, thus the waters are normally

pretty calm. Is that a safe assumption?

 

Thanks again.

 

Nope- you can expect rough sailing part of this trip, just like the 6 hour tours. If your reference to an overall percentage of the trip being more calm- then yes that is a good assumption.

[Chenega]

Budget Queen is so right on whether or not the trip is rough. I've gone on overcast and rainy days when the seas have been like glass whereas a sunny clear day has produced "rollers" from the North Pacific that produce lots of motion. Weather and sea conditions can change dramatically on these trips and there's simply no way of telling. Always take motion sickness medication at least one hour before you depart. Odds are you'll have a fantastic trip but play it on the safe side. If it is too rough, they simply don't go since the safety and welfare of the passengers always comes first (in this case, they refund your ticket).

 

If you are concerned about the weather and sea conditions, stick to a Prince William Sound trip. The waters out of Whittier are much more protected than those out of Whittier and the focus is on the glaciers.

 

I always find the Kenai Fjords vs. Prince William Sound question an "apple and oranges" issue since both are among the best experiences in Alaska.

If you want to see marine wildlife in their natural habitat, go with Kenai Fjords. If you are into calving glaciers, you'll see more in Prince William Sound.

 

I strongly recommend both.

[gazingm42]

Thanks for the info.

 

I just concern as I have a child that gets motion sick. On the cruise we have never had a single issue. But he can get sick in the car often. So we give him Dramamine and he normal have no issues.

 

So if I understand your updates that the North western tour is focus more on

wild life vs glaciers.

 

If taking the Whitter tour on PWS how close do the boats normally get to

glaciers?

[Chenega]

Oh, if conditions permit, the boats usually get within a half-mile if not a little closer. This is particularly true with the Surprise Glacier in Harriman Fjord and the Barry, Cox, and Cascade Glaciers in the same area. The shorter trips into Blackstone Bay also get very close to Blackstone and Northland glaciers.

 

You'll get some great shots and, most likely, see some good calving.