3.5 Hour Crowd-Skipping Whale Tour in Juneau, Alaska
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Juneau, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get away from the crowds and experience Alaska’s grandest marine life from an intimate, 20-person vessel. Less disruptive to wildlife, you’ll get a front-row seat to the 49th State’s most beloved creatures—including whales, sea lions, eagles, and more. You’ll also get to scope out ice-blue glaciers, rocky shorelines, and hidden inlets from the comfort of the heated cabin or right from the catamaran's bow.
- View Alaska's best wildlife from a 40' catamaran with wrap-around deck
- Follow a local naturalist's narration to deepen your Alaska education
- Hassle-free pickup from the Juneau Cruise Ship Terminal Area
- Limited to 20 travelers, you'll get a more intimate whale-watching experience
What's Included
- Restroom on board
- Bottled waterBring your own water and snacks. Complimentary water available upon request.
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup point
- Goldbelt Tram490 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
Pickup details
1. YOU MUST GET TO THE TRAM; WE DO NOT PICK UP FROM INDIVIDUAL SHIPS! 2. Please have your phones on..we cannot reach phones in airplane mode. 3. Tours start promptly on time. NO TOURS WILL BE HELD FOR LATE ARRIVALS. Downtown Juneau-Mount Roberts Goldbelt Tram Instructions: Check-in/Bus details - Watch for the bus to pull into the lot directly underneath the gondola cable lines, 15-20 minutes, before the start time of the tour. We drive a white Thomas bus. Juneau Whale Tours and our cartoon whale logo is visible on each side. Our driver will be wearing a BRIGHT YELLOW HI-VIS VEST. Check-in begins when the driver is safely on the sidewalk. Individual Dock Instructions: AJ dock - This dock is 1 MILE AWAY from the Mount Roberts Goldbelt Tram. Use the dedicated bus outside the ship for transportation to the Tram parking lot. PLEASE PLAN FOR THIS ADDITIONAL STEP!!! ***WE DO NOT PICK UP FROM AJ.*** Franklin Dock - 10 minute walk. Once off ship, walk on the Seawalk/Boardwalk towards town until you reach the Tram. Follow instructions above for check-in/bus details. CT Dock - 2 minute walk. You will be behind the Tram. Walk around the building to the front. Follow instructions above for bus/check-in details. AS Dock - 5 minute walk. Once off the ship you will turn right on the Seawalk/Boardwalk walk until you reach the Tram. Follow instructions above for check-in/bus details. Ships at anchor - 2 minute walk. You will be behind the Tram. Walk around the building to the front. Follow instructions above for bus/check-in details. Auke Bay at Statter Harbor Instructions: 11497 Auke Bay Harbor Road Juneau, AK 99801. The meeting time on this end of town is 15 minutes after your tour's start time. Watch for the JWT bus pulling into Statter Harbor at approximately the same time. We arrive and exit on the side of the marina with the grey building that has a "V" shaped roof. (Not the Harbor Office building.) *If you are planning on meeting at Statter Harbor please text your name, date and tour time; otherwise there might be a search party looking for you at the downtown pick up location.
Itinerary
1
Auke Bay
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Most travelers can participate.
- This tour will have a maximum of 20 travelers.
- We operate in all weather conditions. Please consider warm layers of clothing with an outer layer that is waterproof. Comfortable, non-slip shoes are recommended.
- Your safety is our top priority. If we should need to cancel you will be offered a different date or a full refund.
- TripAdvisor/Viator communications are limited please contact us prior to your cruise for clear meeting instructions. Thank you.
- We here at JWT are always aiming to reduce our impact on the environment. It's important for all of us to keep our beloved whales and water safe and happy. Therefore, if any of our tours have 5 or less participants on it, we will unfortunately be canceling. We will do our best to reschedule your party or, if that is not feasible, we will issue a full refund.
- Arrive at the Goldbelt Tram (downtown) NO LATER THAN YOUR TOUR'S START TIME.
- JWT is not responsible for lost or damaged personal items.
- We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to Anyone.
- "BOOK NOW/PAY LATER" WARNING!!! If, for ANY reason, your card is rejected you (and JWT) will not know until it is too late to be corrected. Your seat will become available for others to book without warning. PROCEED WITH CAUTION IF YOU CHOOSE THIS OPTION!! We have seen this in action and it is heartbreaking.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Allen_B
TJ and Daisy were a great crew! Very knowledgeable and informative and provided us with great opportunities to see humpbacks. It was an awesome experience. Nice intimate group of guests so you felt like you were part of the crew and not just another warm body. Definitely recommend going with JWT. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
Reviews
4.9
based on 1,417 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Tiffany_R, Jul 2026
TJ and Andrew took us to a great spot for whale watching! We saw several up close and personal. They were knowledgeable about the area and whales. They stopped by a seal sighting spot and also the Mendenhall glacier for photos! Overall great tour!
Kathleen_D, Jul 2026
TJ the Captain and Andrew the Whale Naturalist did an excellent job. The boat ride was great and we did see Whales. And the bus driver did a great job getting us to and from our excursion safely.
Michelle_B, Jul 2026
This was a great experience! We loved the smaller tour, it felt more personal and we were able to talk to both the captain and the naturalist on board. 100% would book again
Dawn_S, Jul 2026
Great staff, good views. Enjoyed the commentary from the naturalist. Very educational. Saw multiple whales. Worthwhile tour.
Karen_F, Jul 2026
TJ and Tamara were great guides. The boat is for smaller groups of people allowing all the passengers to see the whale.
Lynne, Jul 2026
Tour arrival and return was on time. Guides were friendly and knowledgeable. Many whales spotted on this tour. Teenager with us has such a good experience.
Carol_D, Jul 2026
We had a wonderful trip. It was very foggy and worried that we wouldn’t see any and we saw quite a few. TJ and Tamara are wonderful guides.
Alexandra_B, Jul 2026
Loved this tour! Very knowledgeable tour guides! Book this excursion you won’t regret it! Was able to see MULTIPLE whales.
Pamela_S, Jul 2026
This is the way to whale watch in Juneau! Our group was about 20 people and the small boat allowed us to get in and out of the seating area quickly. Both our captain and guide were friendly, knowledgeable, and accessible and they clearly loved what they were doing. TJ and Daisy (?Dezi?)
Lyn_B, Jul 2026
we had a great time. The crew was awesome. The size of the group was just perfect not too large. They were very informative and personable.
Lyn_B, Jul 2026
The entire crew went over and above to make everyone comfortable. They were all very informative and approachable. Would highly recommend this tour!
Christi_H, Jul 2026
Small crowd of 20. Captain and crew knew where the hot spots for whale activity were.
Very interesting information shared by the crew on our way to the whale activity.
Dana_K, Jul 2026
Small company not the huge whale watching boats so smaller groups and not crowded. TJ great captain!!
Joan_Q, Jul 2026
From the first contact, everything was wonderful. I booked the wrong day initially and they easily changed my reservation and reach out to make sure all was well. Alan, TJ and Andrew were fun, friendly and knowledgeable. The fact that they keep the tour size small made it feel more peaceful. And, they found us some whales to watch as well as other wildlife great excursion. Highly recommend.
theodora_m, Jul 2026
Great experience for our group of seven. Pickup instructions near our cruise ship dock were clear and easy, and the ride to and from the marina was fun and informative thanks to the great shuttle drivers. Captain TJ and naturalist Tamara knocked it out of the park, and we were lucky to have experienced it all on one of the few "sunny" days Juneau sees throughout the year. From multiple whale sightings to Mendenhall Glacier views to seals on a buoy to celebrity yachts in the harbor to dinner recommendations, we had a taste of everything this tour could offer. We love supporting small, locally owned businesses, and you won't go wrong supporting this one. Highly recommended, and hopefully we will have the chance to see these great people again!
Melissa_C, Jul 2026
Only boat with 360 degree views. Everyone was able to go outside. TJ and Tamara were amazing host. Would use JWT again
Stan_P, Jul 2026
If you have seen other glaciers you probably won’t be impressed by this experience. Just a very expensive bus ride to see a glacier with a very small moraine at a long distance
Response from Host, Jul 2026
This is not our tour. We don't guide anyone into the glacier park.
Robert_W, Jul 2026
Fantastic tour! Loved that we had a smaller boat. Warm area inside and great views outside to see the whales! Would definitely use them again! TJ and Daisy did a great job!!!
Donna_M, Jul 2026
Fabulous experience. Our family loved seeing the whales and the quick visit to see the glacier! We chose this locally owned tour for the small group experience. Our family was given the attention we desired as all of our questions were answered and we could easily see all of the action! Thank you so much for taking good care of us!
James_K, Jul 2026
Very professional with a splash oh humor. Very cognizant of filling your time on board with meaningful experiences. Confident in seeing whales each time out. Overall fulfilling trip at reasonable price.
Kona_J, Jul 2026
Overall, this was a good tour. Tour guides were a 10/10, awesome, as was the bus driver. Personality and humor for days, and loved the sing-along on the ship! We appreciated the limited number of people on the tour, and the boat itself was amazing, as you could walk all the way around (so 360 views).
Brooks_B, Jul 2026
Crew was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They explained everything about the humpback whales and took us directly to a group of about 8 or 10 whales.
Shawn_G, Jul 2026
It was fantastic!! Family business with amazing personal attention. We saw orcas, humpback and a seal!
Edward_S, Jul 2026
We had a fantastic time. We saw quite a few humpback whales and sea lions. The team was well organized and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this tour.
Samuel_T, Jul 2026
TJ and Andrew were both very hospitable and knowledgeable as our guides. They made the excursion fun, safe and interesting. They knew exactly where to take us ( only 20 customers on the boat) to see the most whales!! It was an excellent experience!
Jane_R, Jul 2026
It was fun and amazing to see the whales!
Our navigator and naturalist were informative and highly entertaining.
Size of our boat was perfect---small and not so many people.
Jane_G, Jul 2026
There was only about 16 people with us and we got to sit inside with his windows until the whales came and our captain was so nice and knowledgeable and then everyone got to go outside where there was plenty of room , we saw orcas, humpbacks and sea lions so close not to mention breathtaking views of Alaska and Mendenhall glacier!
Stacye_A, Jul 2026
Top notch whale-watching! TJ and Allen knew exactly where to go to let us see the best whales. The boat was extremely comfortable and very easy to see out of. I loved the small size.
Linda_N, Jul 2026
Just 22 lucky whale watchers enjoy a modern clean boat with very comfortable elevated seats. When the whales appear, every guest can walk around the perimeter of the boat so everyone gets great camera shots! Captain TJ and naturalist Andrew on board share lots of interesting information about the whales and even know their names! They seem to enjoy the whale watching just as much as the guests. A friendly bus driver transports the guests from downtown Juneau and shares interesting local information along the way. Highly recommend!!
Deborah_R, Jul 2026
Everything they promise in the tour description is 100% true plus more! We met our driver Cedar under the cable cars just as described. He was very friendly, laid back and answered all of our questions on the 30 minute drive from Juneau to the marina.
Getting to the boat requires you to walk down a long steep ramp. (Something to note if you have issues with type of thing.) There were clean public restrooms at the marina if you need to use one before or after the tour.
It was easy to get on the catamaran but TJ and Andrew were right there if you needed help. There are 20 seats inside a heated cabin with a very clean restroom in the back. Two padded chairs, the height of a barstool, were on each side of the aisle. There is an armrest on the side of the seat that faces the aisle. That made it a little tricky to get in and out, especially when you are so excited to see the whales! There isn't a "bad" seat on the boat! You sit up high enough to see everything on the way out to look for whales.
Tj and Andrew were very funny and knowledgable and took turns talking to us and offered us bottled water on the way out to the feeding grounds. Once we got to the area TJ was telling us about, we immediately started spotting whale spouts so everyone dashed outside. There was plenty of room for all of us and we did not feel crowded at all.
TJ would tell us where to look when he spotted a whale and Andrew was taking photos of them when possible. It wasn't long before I told my husband it felt like we were watching a tennis match. Our heads were constantly swinging from left to right looking at all the whales!! We never saw one breach the water but we were close enough to smell them exhale (think rotten broccoli) when they came to the service and we saw a lot of tails!
After leaving the whales we came upon a bunch of sea lions all jockeying for position on a large buoy. They were very vocal and fun to watch so TJ made sure to circle the buoy several times (at a very safe distance) so we could take videos and photos while watching them.
Next, we headed over to a bay where we could see Mendenhall Glacier in the distance. We took some beautiful photos and Andrew was using everyone's phones to take their photo with the glacier in the background.
On the way back to the marina, Andrew was able to airdrop the photos he took while we were on the tour. Cedar was waiting in the bus to take us back to port and once again answered all of our questions and told us stories about living in Juneau.
We were on a cruise and I never once felt like we were not in good hands or there was a chance we would not make it back to the ship in time. TJ even spoke about that when we were on the tour. This is how they make their living......they are not going to screw it up by getting tourists back to the ship late!
This was BY FAR the best excursion we have ever done! You are not going to get this kind of personalized, up close experience on the larger whale watching tours.
From $189.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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3.5 Hour Crowd-Skipping Whale Tour in Juneau, Alaska
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