Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Juneau, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
When your cruise stops at Juneau, see whales in their natural habitat on this whale-watching boat trip, all without the fuss of organizing shore transport. Prebook to secure your place, board a comfortable boat with outdoor decks and heated cabins, and cruise Alaska’s waters to see marine life in the wild. Then, enjoy guaranteed sightings of humpback whales, with a naturalist providing commentary on their behaviors as you cruise.
- View whales in the wild from a modern boat on a Juneau shore excursion
- Prebook to ensure you don’t miss out, and save vacation time and hassle
- Be sure to see humpbacks and hear about their lives from a naturalist
- Return port transfers and various departures to suit your cruise schedule
What's Included
- 100% Guarantee to see Whales
- Roundtrip Transportation from Cruise Terminal
- Complimentary Snack and Bottled Water
- A Great Time!
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- None
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
Goldbelt Tram (Pass By)
1
Mendenhall Glacier
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Auke Bay Harbor
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Goldbelt Tram (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Collapsable Wheelchairs Only
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- No Motorized Scooters
- No Motorized Wheelchairs
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 9,284 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Kelly_H, Sep 2026
We loved being on the boat, but the boat didn't get close to the only 4 whales we say. Also while waiting in line people booked same day and paid 1/2 what we paid. Everyone was great , captain didn't get close enough and felt we paid way too much
William_B, Sep 2026
Amazing, must experience adventure. Huge shout out to our unbelievable crew Krichelle, Monica, and Claire
Susan_H, Sep 2026
We took this whale watching tour with Alaska Tales. Our crew was great - Justin, Nate and Kacie.
Kacie provided excellent information about humpbacks and showed the size of baleen in humpbacks.
The crew were great about pointing out spouts and humpback fins/tails.
My only disappointment was that I never saw a whale breaching, although one whale did poke its head out of the water!
Jermaine_J, Sep 2026
Everything was organized and they where very friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend them.
Tricia_B, Sep 2026
The travel times were long. Couldn't hear the boat presenter as people behind us talked through her presentation. Too many on the boat. We would prefer a smaller group tour
Christina_S, Sep 2026
Amazing experience! Captain Larry, Enesyia, and Claire were fantastic. Their love and enthusiasm were infectious and had so much knowledge to share! They explained everything and gave us an unforgettable day!
Lorraine_H, Sep 2026
Sorry to say, but this excursion was disappointing. We did a drive by of Mendenhall Glacier, but you couldn’t get off the bus for even 10 min. You were only lucky if you sat on the right side of the bus and took a pic through the window. More importantly, I should have lowered my expectations of this whale-watching. I picked this based on the total number of reviews, but I felt like it was over-hyped by the crew, as if we would see a lot of whales. Our boat was always last to the other group of nearby whale-watching boats and also the furthest. So seeing a bump here and there barely showing above the ocean was underwhelming. I saw other boats that had closer and better viewings. During periods of waiting, I thought, are we just searching for one whale? Because they named a few of the whales such a baby calf named Goose, I was wondering how many whales there were and the chances we would see a tale come up out of the water. Don’t pick this one. Pick other whale cruises. This one was more concerned with getting good reviews and staying in business. Also, the boat was smaller than I thought so people crowded around the front of the boat. Lower your expectations if you pick this one.
Cindy_H, Sep 2026
Can’t say enough about this tour! Our captain, Krishelle, knew right where to take us to see whales. And boy did we!! We saw three humpbacks immediately. They were very social and playing! We saw a bubble net feed in action quite a few times and then even saw a whale breaching that was fantastic!! Our guide Claire was so positive and happy and friendly. It was great!! I don’t hesitate to recommend this one at all! Great job! A+++++!
Nicholas_S, Sep 2026
Mostly traveling to get to the whales. And then about 15min of actual whale watching. Overcrowded boat. Spend most of the time inside of the boat. Would rather spend more for the smaller group tours.
All that aside, our captain, naturalists, and bus driver were phenomenal. Wish we would have had more 1:1 time with them all.
wacalverley, Sep 2026
Wonderful experience! Kasi, Monica, and Michelle did a great job giving us inform about the whales and locating them for us to see.
Christopher_C, Sep 2026
Great trip, awesome crew and sweet boat..
We seen Orcas, humpbacks and sealing.
Great trip for any age. Crew was awesome. Boat is very nice, seats are conformable, when whales are spotted you can go out on decks. Good for all ages.
John_O, Sep 2026
Tour organizers were very communicative and helpful as we were running late to the bus. Bus driver was informative and funny. The boat ride was fantastic. Guides were friendly, passionate and knowledgeable. Memorable day of great weather and seeing whales!
Timothy_R, Sep 2026
All the crew did an excellent job on entertaining and education of the area and the wildlife. Recommended.
Scott_B, Sep 2026
We saw whales!!! Lots of them. The boat was just the right size. Very comfortable and we got out on deck. Griffin and Hailey were very fun. They knew a lot about the whales. The ride on the bus was fun too. Fun driver from Tennessee. He knew a lot about the area. Great experience
Janine_M, Sep 2026
It was a wonderful sunny day and a short boat ride to the whales. We saw 7 humpback whales bubble feeding over and over again. It was awesome. Then 2 of them breached right after each other. I would highly recommend!
Diana_B, Sep 2026
Very well informed, smooth and knowledgeable and cordial people running the excursion. They were energetic and had a great disposition
Tracey_R, Sep 2026
Great experience/ excellent crew/ very knowledgeable, courteous & professional. Would highly recommend
Tess_R, Sep 2026
lovely whale watch tour with captain james and naturalists sophie and nate. everyone was very knowledgeable and fun!
Deborah_L, Sep 2026
Great day! Saw orcas and a few hump back pods! Justin, Monica, and Kacie were great! Very knowledgeable on whales and the area. We would go again.
TONY_A, Sep 2026
Great boat with a great crew. One of the nicest boats I've taken on a cruise ship excursion. We saw several Humpback whales and also saw Orcas Whales.
Trish_C, Sep 2026
This is a great whale watching tour. Beginning with the bus driver who was energetic and funny, patient as people were arriving just a little bit behind. Everyone was in a good mood, even on a rainy morning. Then when we got to the dock, we were greeted by the naturalist, who, again, was very upbeat and well informed. She led us onto the boat where we met the captain and the other naturalist, all of whom were professional, experienced, friendly, and accommodating. We saw many different whales, even though it was a rainy day. And the naturalist accompanied our viewing with a book that documents all of the whales that are seen in the bay, so that we had an intimate view of the whales we were seeing, how they could be identified, where they had been, how long they had been there, and lots of other interesting facts. I highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to watch whales in the Juneau area.
Lacy_S, Sep 2026
My favorite excursion of my whole Alaska trip! All the women working were clearly so passionate about their job and the whales. We were lucky enough to see a group of 4 to 5 whales bubble feeding. I wish I could remember all the names of the lovely ladies working on our boat, but Ash was a wonderful naturalist. I would absolutely book with this company again on future trips.
Inga_E, Sep 2026
This whale-watching tour is misleading and disingenuous. You spend a long time on the bus and then another half hour or so on the boat one way , only to see whales from a very far distance—around 200 yards away, if not more.
The boat was also extremely crowded, so even if someone spotted a whale, there was a good chance you couldn’t see it because of all the people standing in front of you.
Overall, I feel this tour was a rip-off and a waste of money. You may have a better chance of seeing whales up close from a cruise ship or even from the beach. Kayaking is another option worth considering.
I would not recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that your whale-watching experience did not meet your expectations.
We understand how disappointing it can be to spend a significant portion of a three-hour excursion traveling to and from the viewing area, only to have the whales remain at a distance. Our tours take place in the natural habitat of wild whales, so their location and behavior can never be guaranteed, and there are days when they may be more distant or less active than we would like. That said, we understand that this does not make the experience any less frustrating for you.
We’re also sorry that the number of guests on board made it difficult for you to get a clear view when whales were spotted. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention, as guest comfort and the ability to enjoy the wildlife are both important parts of the experience.
We certainly never want a guest to feel that their time or money was wasted. Your comments are valuable to us, and we will share them with our team as we continue looking for ways to improve the experience and better communicate what guests can expect.
Thank you again for your honest feedback, and we’re sorry we weren’t able to provide the memorable Alaska experience you were hoping for.
Carrie_T, Sep 2026
Krishell, Taylor and Griffin did an amazing job making sure we had a great time on our excursion. We saw humpback whales bubble feeding and bald eagles. Awesome whale watching experience and well worth the money.
Cynthia_M, Sep 2026
It was great. Cold and windy but we saw so much! Humpback whales bubble netting. Must have been 12 of them. Delightful!!
Joanne_S, Sep 2026
Although it's a 3 hour trip, over an hour is spent driving to and from the marina, then another hour spent getting to and from the open water. Only actually watched the whales for under an hour. We did see some but they were very far away.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We’re glad you were able to see some whales during your excursion, but we’re sorry the experience did not meet your expectations.
We understand that the time spent traveling to and from the marina, as well as reaching the whale-viewing areas, can feel lengthy when you’re eager to spend as much time as possible watching wildlife. Whale watching in Alaska is, of course, dependent on the movements of wild animals, and sometimes the whales can be farther away or less active than we hope. While we cannot control where the whales choose to surface, we always do our best to locate them and provide the best viewing opportunities possible within the time available.
We truly appreciate your feedback and will keep it in mind as we continue working to improve the experience for our guests. Thank you for joining us, and we hope you enjoyed your time exploring Alaska.
Joan_M, Sep 2026
This was one of the best experiences ever! Our crew was so knowledgeable and fun. We saw lots of whales bubble feeding and even got to know when and where it would happen next. Will definitely book with them again next time in Juneau.
Wendy_P, Aug 2026
It was a covered boat that was great for a rainy cold day. Saw two pods of whales and one was actively breaching for fish. This excusion was a five star adventure.
Tyler_W, Aug 2026
Whales Tales is a local tour group that is absolutely THE BEST. We saw so many whales and the rare bubble feeding! (Look it up!) Our crew of Ash, Gwen, and James were extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and hilarious. Have to give extra props to Ash as she has so much energy and keeps the entire tour fun and lively. It’s a great experience you won’t forget. Whale Tales is the best! A++
Manesha_C, Aug 2026
Captain Justin. Naturalist Ash and Monica were Amazing. I would 100% recommend this to anyone. This is my second time booking this. once in 2024. It was great then I knew I had to book again. I learned so much about whales both time, so many different facts. And getting to see whales up close was so cool. They take your Safety and the safety of the whales very seriously and I appreciate that as it made the experience even better. They also passed out snacks!
From $177.45
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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