the best luxury whale watching trip in juneau alaska

If you’re taking a cruise, or otherwise planning to be in Juneau, Alaska, we highly recommend taking a luxury whale watching trip while you’re there. We did recently as part of a 7-day voyage on Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Bliss. (Full disclosure – the author is a board member of the ship’s parent company). Now we’re sharing our report on the best luxury whale watching trip in Juneau, Alaska.

For many travelers, whether they’re arriving by air or by sea, touching down in Juneau is often the first time they’re setting foot in Alaska.

That was the case for us, and we were giddy with excitement just to be there. Alaska, at last!

two important things to know about Juneau Alaska and whale watching

First things first: there are two key facts to know in advance of your trip, while you’re still in the planning stages.

1. it rains in Juneau – a lot

You may not know – ’cause we certainly didn’t until we made this trip – that Juneau is located in a temperate rain forest. Therefore, the climate is unusually cloudy and wet.

How wet, you say? On average, there is measurable precipitation for 222 days a year. Some put that number as high as 250. While June is the driest month (which happens to be when we were there), it still averages 15 days of rain.

So here’s what you’re likely to find if you venture out on deck as your ship pulls into Juneau harbor:

So, plan on rain. And low clouds, and fog and a damp cool atmosphere. As long as that’s what you’re expecting, you’ll stave off disappointment. And who knows? You might be pleasantly surprised. There might actually be sun the day you’re there.

2. whale watches are slightly less subject to the whims of the weather

The great thing about a whale watch is that it’s more immune to poor weather than some of the other leisure options in Juneau.

For example, the day we visited, several helicopter tours to Mendenhall Glacier had to be cancelled due to low clouds and fog (it’s too dangerous to walk on the glacier when the visibility is poor). It takes truly foul weather to keep people from being able to get out on the water.

And dear reader, we should just say this up front. For us, the whole point of the whale watch is to get out on the water. If we see a whale or two, it’s frosting on the cake. We’re there for the wind, the waves, the smell of the sea and the wild freedom of it all. 

the best luxury whale watching trip in juneau, alaska

So if you decide on a whale watch, which company is the best? We’ve only done this once in Juneau, so our sample size is admittedly small. But based on our experience we can highly recommend Alaska Luxury Tours. (And just to be clear, we paid for this excursion just like everyone else, so we wouldn’t recommend them if we didn’t think it was a great experience). 

We took a 4-hour trip on their vessel Forge, which holds a maximum of 8 guests (that day, we were 7). On board every trip is both a captain and an experienced naturalist. So you can learn as much about whales and the local biosphere as you like. More on that later.

A Mercedes vehicle will meet you at either your cruise ship or your hotel. On the way, the guide who’s driving will point out some of the noteworthy sights in Juneau.

The company’s yachts are berthed in Auke Bay. That’s where the adventure really begins.

Auke Bay

When we arrived, Auke Bay – like the rest of Juneau – was wreathed in low clouds. The color palette up to that point was fifty shades of green and another fifty shades of grey. Dreamy, mysterious, and romantic.

The surface of the water around the docks that day was glassy and reflected back the deep green of the firs on the surrounding hills. It was exactly what we thought Alaska would be. And it was absolutely gorgeous.

The Vessel

The day of our adventure, the company had twin yachts in service for two simultaneous luxury whale watching excursions. Our sister ship was named the Opus.

the crew

Our naturalist, Emma, was filled with infectious enthusiasm about her work. Once on board, she began to explain the basics of humpback whale migration, the various parts of their bodies that we might see from the boat, and how the naturalists in the area name and keep track of the whales that return to these waters every year.

She shared a book with photos and data about each whale spotted in the area in recent years – each has a name, and she spoke of them as if they were her old and dear friends.

For those concerned that the boats on a whale watch are disturbing or stressing the whales and other wildlife, Emma shared the rules and restrictions about how close we could get to the animals, and how great care is taken not to interfere with their feeding activities.

Meanwhile, the captain gave us a safety orientation. And then we were off!

the refreshments

The fare for the tour includes food and drink. The boat is stocked with as much Alaskan beer, wine, champagne, coffee and soft drinks as you can manage while keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. It also includes a charcuterie board. And there’s a full bedroom and a head on the vessel.

The Mendenhall glacier

The show-stopping natural element of the landscape in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier. Despite the fog that day, we got a spectacular view of it from the water as our boat left Auke Bay. 

Of course, we were primarily there to try to see the local humpback whales, who migrate north from Hawaii to Alaska when it’s time to feed. As we learned on this trip, “Hawaii is for breeding, and Alaska is for feeding.” We were also told to expect harbor seals and sea lions. But probably not Orcas (which we learned are not a type of whale, but a species of dolphin). And probably not bears or bald eagles. 

The Whales

So here’s the thing about whale watching. We did it once in Maui and then again in Juneau, and in both cases, we were reminded of the same thing. Unless you have binoculars and/or a camera with a really good zoom lens, you’re not going to actually see all that much. So bring one or both if you really want to engage.

Even if you don’t have that equipment, though, you’ll be able to see some signs of life with your naked eyes. A small pillar of sea spray coming from a whale’s blow hole, a fin, or a tail. We were pleasantly surprised by how much activity we were able to spy on our excursion.

And it’s pretty thrilling when you see the stream of spray that indicates that a whale is near the surface. It’s fun to see if you can get a glimpse of a dorsal fin or even better, their tails as they surface and then submerge.

We got to see an adolescent humpback whale’s fin several times. It happened so often that it began to feel that he was waving to us.

Be forewarned: since humpback whales only need oxygen every 5 to 20 minutes, blink and miss it, and you’ll have to wait that long before they resurface.

We were lucky enough to see not one but two pairs of whale mothers and children frolicking in the sea on our luxury whale watching trip. We even got to see them breech the water at the same time! So. Cool.

Sea lions

Whales were not all we saw on our trip. Comic relief was provided by the local sea lions, which are far larger than we realized. Here, they’re hanging out on a buoy. Our naturalist Emma said that sometimes she sees them squabbling over who gets to stay on the buoy. It’s like Survivor: Alakska out there.

other sights to see while in Juneau

If you have time after your whale watch, there are several other cool experiences awaiting you in Juneau. Here are just a few.

the mendenhall glacier

There are several ways to experience the majestic Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. You can take a helicopter to its surface, then hike or ice-climb under the tutelage of expert guides. Or canoe or kayak on Mendenhall Lake, which provides another stunning way to see the glacier up close.

Another option? Hike to Nugget Falls, or hang out and learn about the history of the region at the Visitor Center, staffed by US Forest Rangers. Or explore an ice cave.

the cable cars

The Mount Roberts tramway is another way to see the wonders of Juneau – this time from an eagle’s eye view. Departing from the center of town, it whisks you up to the top of the mountain. There, you’ll find a Nature Center, stunning views, and a restaurant. It’s open from May through September, and the fare for an all-day pass is $35 for adults; $18 for kids ages 3-18; and free for kids under the age of 3. It’s in operation every day from 8:00A – 9:00P (except Mondays, when it opens at 11:00A).

The fish tacos

Our naturalist highly recommended dinner at Deckhand Dave’s, a casual local seafood restaurant right in town that’s run by an ex-commercial fisherman. They’re famous for their sockeye salmon tacos, made with panko-crusted wild Alaskan salmon in a soft corn tortilla topped with red cabbage slaw, cherry tomato pico de gallo, avocado cream and fresh cilantro.

#Goals

We stumbled across a board of goals, aspirations and dreams as we wandered through Juneau. The responses were remarkably civilized. Sadly, the chalk had gone missing so we couldn’t add ours to the collection. If you want to play, bring your own.

Tahku, the Alaska whale sculpture

There’s a marvelous bronze sculpture of a whale breaching the surface tucked away near the water in Juneau. Sculpted by former Juneau resident R.T. Wallen, it was commissioned for the celebration of 50 years of Alaska statehood in 2009. You can reach it via a long wooden walkway and bridge that runs from the downtown area. And it’s definitely worth the trip.

Depending upon the angle from which you view it, the weather, the time of day and your mood, this whale can appear menacing, happy, vulnerable or incredibly strong. It’s astonishing how life-life it looks. And yes, it makes for an extremely cool Instagram photo if you stand in front of it.

Back to the ship

We also have to give a shout-out to the people we met in Juneau. Everyone was friendly, excited about their work, and happy to share tips and suggestions. As an African-American family, sometimes we worry about what kind of reception we’ll get in a new place. We are all in with Juneau! They made us feel really welcome.

That’s our report on a great day, and on the best luxury whale watching trip in Juneau, Alaska. What say you? Are you in?

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