Monday, April 22, 2024

Alaskas Best Whale Watching Spots

alaska whale watching cruise

Understanding the weather and sea conditions is key to making the most of this incredible experience. New small ship cruises, adventure trips, ships & the best deals at your fingertips. This  trip was incredible....definitely the trip of a lifetime for us. We ate both nights on the deck at the Dock Shack Restaurant, part of Shee Atika hotel we stayed at.

alaska whale watching cruise

When Is The Best Time Of Year For Whale Watching On An Alaska Cruise?

Bubble-net feeding is typically done in groups, when numerous whales blow bubbles around a school of fish to trap and later feast on them. Freddy is considered unique for accomplishing this activity on his own with a special spiral bubble pattern. The best whale watching ports of call are typically Juneau, Icy Strait Point, and Sitka in Alaska, and Victoria, British Columbia in Canada. Take a scenic cruise and kayak through gor­geous sur­round­ings as mag­nif­i­cent whales pierce the sur­face of the water on this six-hour expe­di­tion from Juneau.

alaska whale watching cruise

Will you see whales on an Alaskan cruise?

However, even without the dramatic jumps, the experience remains extraordinary. The mere sight of these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat teaches you humility and deepens your appreciation for nature’s wild, unpredictable beauty. With Love Travel WordPress Theme you will have everything you need to create a memorable online presence. Splurging on a room with a balcony is a savvy investment for travelers prone to motion-sickness.

Contact Us - Whale Watching in Alaska Aboard Small Ships

Regular visitors are humpback whales on their summer-long binge, and killer whales in pursuit of salmon. Both species work the rich coastline on the southern shore of the bay, from Halibut Cove to the Herring Islands area. Further out, where the bay opens into vast Cook Inlet with the storybook cone of Augustine Volcano shimmering on the horizon, chances increase for a rare encounter with one of the giant baleen whales. Fin whales occasionally enter the inlet, and tour operators have even reported seeing blue whales far offshore. Along with its whales, of course, Kachemak Bay and the surrounding region are simply teeming with all kinds of marine wildlife—birds, sea otters, seals, dolphins and porpoises, sea lions.

Best Time To See Orcas (Killer Whales)

Photos show why taking an Alaska cruise is worth it - Royal Caribbean Blog

Photos show why taking an Alaska cruise is worth it.

Posted: Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan are each small cities with their own personalities. Anchorage is the state's largest city and a gateway to the rest of the state. Denali National Park takes you out of the city altogether, into a wilderness full of spruce forests and snow-capped mountain peaks. Wherever you step on, will be the best wildlife experience of your life.

Every year in summer, more than 500 humpback whales glide into Alaska’s Inside Passage, like the wildlife version of spring break. Humpback whales are commonly spotted in June and July and are a joy to watch, especially if they’re bubble-net feeding. These dramatic performers like to leap out of the water and breach … just because they can! Of course, it’s your responsibility to make sure to book a time slot that matches your time in port! The time you need to be back on the cruise ship “back-on-board time” is usually 30 minutes before departure. To be safe, you can make sure your selected whale watching tour will end 1-2 hours before the cruise ship’s departure time.

Keep your ears open for announcements on the ship’s loudspeakers, as they’ll often alert passengers if a whale has been spotted and will even let you know what side of the ship you’ll be able to see it. However, there are certain months when you’re more likely to see certain species of whales than others. Humpback whales tend to be more visible in the months of June and July. Visit independently, or look for Ketchikan on your cruise itinerary. The meals on each leg of our trip were amazing first class dining experiences. Our favorites were the Safari Explorer and the Kenai Backcountry Lodge.

The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style 2024 - Forbes

The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style 2024.

Posted: Tue, 08 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

These smaller whales, about the size of a car, have beautiful white skin that helps you to see them when they’re further offshore. It’s not uncommon for waterfront diners in downtown Anchorage to spot them in the distance. They’re noted for being especially playful, particularly the jaunty babies. Also known as canaries of the sea, belugas love to sing and lucky tourists who take a boat excursion out into their territory might just hear them. Discover all our Alaska whale watching shore excursions on an unforgettable trip to the Great Land. You can identify these cunning carnivores by their black-and-white markings.

Alaska Saltwater Small Group Tours

Find out ahead of time if the Alaska whale watching tour provides a meal and plan to bring lunch if not. Each of these locations in Alaska offers a unique perspective on whale watching, with varying landscapes and wildlife. Whether you’re cruising near glaciers, exploring fjords, or venturing to remote islands, Alaska’s top whale-watching spots promise an unforgettable experience filled with natural wonders and wildlife encounters. Located on the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is a gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park. This area is renowned for its diverse marine life, including orcas, gray whales, and humpbacks.

The best way to ensure you’ll see whale wildlife in action while on a cruise to Alaska is to visit ports of call that are near whale migration paths and feeding zones in the region. Luckily, whales can often be spotted in the area during those months. AdventureSmith, and specifically Taylor, was so thorough and meticulous in planning our trip. She had first hand experience and knowledge of each location and planned our trip with the perfect amount of time in each location. We would absolutely recommend AdventureSmith and specifically Taylor to anyone contemplating traveling to Alaska. We had many different trip leaders and guides throughout our trip and all of them were excellent.

The fjords themselves, with their steep cliffs and glacial valleys, offer a spectacular setting for whale watching. For all the reasons described above, this area is home to humpback whales, orcas in Alaska and minke whales in great numbers. It is also home to a plethora of other marine mammals including harbor seals, Stellar sea lions, harbor porpoise, Dall’s Porpoise and sea otters. It’s a humbling experience, especially when it comes to whales, one of the more entertaining Alaska creatures to spot. When you go whale watching on an Alaska cruise, you could see a humpback breach, an orca pod on a hunt, or even a gargantuan blue whale zooming through the water. Alaska waters are known to host eight different species of whales inhabiting or migrating through its seas and fjords.

The variety of activities and the length of stay in each location was ideal. We felt like for our first trip to Alaska we saw a great variety of landscapes and wildlife. She really knew a lot about the wildlife and plants, the geology, the geography and the history of the area. She was also a great photographer who made a wonderful slide show to send home with us.

The sun barely sets, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink for hours. This is the peak season for whale watching, with humpback whales stealing the show. Their acrobatic breaches and tail slaps are a spectacle not to be missed. Orcas, with their striking black and white patterns, also frequent these waters, adding to the summer’s marine marvels. During your day trip, you’re likely to encounter large groups of sea otters, horned and tufted puffins, cormorants, humpback whales, and possibly even bald eagles.

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