Cruise Talk: Alaska Excursions

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Topic: Alaska Excursions

RuthPerk
First Class Passenger
Member # 1609

posted 05-30-2006 12:09 PM

We have just about 3 months left until our Alaskan Adventure!

Does anyone know how likely we are to see whales from the ship, without taking a whale watching excursion? One of my SILs really wants to see the whales, but my other SIL is concerned she will get sick on the small boat (she has had mostion-sickness problems in the past).

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Posts: 329 | From: Victor, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 05-30-2006 01:05 PM

There is always a chance off seeing whales on your cruise from the cruise ship. Alaska is incredible when it comes to natural beauty and wildlife. Dolphins, eagles and yes whales can be seen at times from the ship without going on an excursion. It does depend on the time of season for some whales. If you want a close-up view, then an excursion is a must. Take some binoculars to get an even better view!

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-30-2006 01:12 PM

It's funny but I saw virtually no wildlife from my ship, on an Alaskan cruise - but I did go in May, which is very early season.

I figure that most wildlife is too sensible to stay around when a 90,000 ton giant approaches.

It's avery long way to the sea from the top deck of a mega-ship, so do take binoculars.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 05-30-2006 01:34 PM

By the time the captain broadcasts whales near the ship they are gone. I remember everyone ran over to the windows in the dining room to get a look see.Only to be disappointed
We did go on an excursion in Haines(not sure whether cruise lines go there any more (they have a nice dock there). We saw eagles,moose,bear,dolphins( which were jumping all around our tour boat),and a small humpback whale that was also pretty close. Even passed by a glacier. This was a great tour. Went to the nature museum there after the boat trip.
I guess we where lucky. This was a late afternoon tour as the ship left at 10PM.
Good Luck.
Frosty 4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005 | IP: Logged

Charles 3
First Class Passenger
Member # 6511

posted 06-01-2006 01:26 PM

We saw otters and eagles from the ship, no whales. On an excursion, you will definitely see whales. We were fortunate enough to see a mother and calf "playing" together on an excursion out of Juneau, I believe.

Charles

Posts: 22 | From: North Georgia | Registered: May 2006 | IP: Logged

jff1
First Class Passenger
Member # 5530

posted 06-01-2006 02:14 PM

It has been 6 years but I really enjoyed the Alaska cruise on HAL. We saw a lot whales from the ship at a distance and on a couple of occasions while cruising the Inside Passage the whales were very close to the ship. I took some great shots of an Orca and calf that could not have been more than 100 feet from the ship. The announcements by the Captain on our cruise first announced upcoming areas that whales had recently been spotted. That allowed all of us to be prepared once we did spot them. Getting to the glaciers is a real experience and I recommend it (since they are shrinking so rapidly). The fish hatchery tour in Ketchikan was rather boring but they all can't be the best, right?

Posts: 30 | From: DFW - Texas | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

Tim Agg
First Class Passenger
Member # 3185

posted 06-02-2006 11:01 PM

We just returned from 14 days on the Veendam, Vancouver - Seward - Vancouver, and saw humpback whales from the ship almost every day and orcas several times. Some sightings were close enough to be more than a glimpse of "blow," including a breaching humpback calf at the entrance to Johns Hopkins Inlet in Glacier Bay... The trick is to be aware of the prime areas and to plan to be either on deck or in the Crow's Nest for good periods of time...None of these sightings were as close as on the three whalewatch excursions we took, which were spectacular...This was our fifth Alaska cruise and we thought we'd become a bit jaded about the scenery and wildlife, but this cruise was the best yet!

Posts: 365 | From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

curious cruisor
Just Boarded
Member # 7078

posted 08-10-2006 01:10 AM

Just returned three days ago. Yes we saw whales from the ship. The small boats are fine to travel in and the water was very calm. We saw the sweet sea otters, whales, eagles, seals and salmon. I missed the bears but some people saw them. The best offshore excursions involve the helicopters but are expensive.

Posts: 9 | From: Ontario Canada | Registered: Aug 2006 | IP: Logged

6263866
First Class Passenger
Member # 5115

posted 08-10-2006 05:57 PM

Curious, where did you takw your whale watching excursion?? I will be in ALaska in a few days, but I am wondering if I hsould go in either Juneau, or in Icy Strait Point? Any suggestions

Posts: 580 | From: San Francisco | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

Tim Agg
First Class Passenger
Member # 3185

posted 08-14-2006 11:25 PM

Either - or both! Icy Strait and the Lynn Canal (from Juneau) both host large numbers of humpbacks, itinerant orca pods and sea lions and seals.

Posts: 365 | From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

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