Planning an Alaskan cruise is an incredible milestone, especially when you are traveling with family and coordinating a multi-generational group of kids, parents, and grandparents. You want every moment in port to be smooth, stress-free, and deeply memorable. As your ship prepares to dock in Alaska’s beautiful capital, one shore excursion is undoubtedly at the top of your list: seeing the magnificent humpback whales of the Pacific Northwest.
But with so many options available, how do you choose a tour that keeps everyone comfortable, guarantees breathtaking sightings, and ensures you make it back to your ship on time?
At Juneau Whale Watch, we believe a premier wildlife excursion should be defined by comfort, local expertise, and a passion for the environment. We sat down with our co-owner, Serene Hutchinson, to share the insider details of what separates a world-class whale watching experience from the rest.
Calm Waters and Guaranteed Sightings in the Inside Passage
For many family travelers, a major worry is whether a smaller excursion boat will trigger motion sickness, particularly for younger grandkids or older relatives.
The good news? Juneau Whale Watch operates in the scenic, highly protected waters of the Inside Passage.
“We’re sailing in the Inside Passage, which is a really narrow part of the ocean where you’re never more than a mile from land,” Serene, the owner of Juneau Tours & Whale Watch, explains. “It’s kind of like sailing through islands and fjords”. Because we are sheltered from the open ocean, you won’t encounter heavy ocean swells. This calm environment makes motion sickness incredibly rare, allowing your family to relax and focus entirely on the scenery.
Furthermore, this unique geography is the secret behind our *100% whale sighting guarantee* from May 15th through September 15th. Humpback whales migrate to these nutrient-rich glacial waters every single summer to feed for up to 20 hours a day. Because they are so active and reliable, we are completely confident we will find them.
However, Serene always likes to keep expectations grounded in real nature: “We guarantee whale sightings, but we won’t guarantee what the whales will be doing when you see them”. Whether you witness a spectacular tail fluke, a quiet blow, or a rare cooperative bubble-net feeding pod, you are watching straight-up whales in their natural, wild habitat.
The Craftsmanship of Comfort: Custom Catamarans Built for Families
If you’ve ever been on a crowded tour where you had to fight for a view, you know how frustrating it can be. Our custom-designed vessels solve this problem completely.
In 2011 and 2012, our team started with standard 24-passenger boats (which we still operate and love for private family charters). But we quickly realized that navigating Southeast Alaska’s unpredictable weather required a new class of vessel. We partnered with expert boat builders in Port Angeles, Washington, to pioneer a custom style of small catamaran.
Our catamarans are highly seaworthy, remarkably stable, and specifically engineered to handle any weather Southeast Alaska throws our way. In fact, if regional helicopter or floatplane tours cancel due to low visibility, our boats are almost always still able to go whale watching safely.
Our vessels are a photographer’s dream. They feature:
360-Degree Visibility: If people start crowding one window, you can easily move to another because our boats are wrapped in massive viewing windows with generous indoor and outdoor space.
Climate-Controlled Cabins: Enjoy large, heated indoor seating areas to escape the wind. (note: the doors open and close with passengers going in and out, so dress accordingly)
Onboard Restrooms: Essential for families traveling with children—every single boat in our fleet has a clean, accessible restroom on board.
Ready to secure the ultimate stress-free shore excursion for your family? Skip the third-party booking platforms and book directly with the local experts.
We Sail as “One Fleet” to Protect Alaska’s Wildlife
While we are officially competitors with other local operators on paper, the dynamic changes the moment our captains hit the water.
“Once we’re out on the water, we work as one fleet,” says Serene. Our captains stay in constant radio contact, sharing real-time wildlife sightings so that no matter which of our boats you are on, you get the absolute best chance of a spectacular viewing experience.
But this cooperation isn’t just about finding whales—it’s about protecting them. As proud participants in the voluntary Whale SENSE sustainability program, we hold our captains to guidelines that go far beyond federal law or the Marine Mammal Protection Act. We voluntarily limit our viewing times, maintain respectful distance limits, and power off our engines when whales are nearby.
“We really see ourselves kind of as the sentinels and the protectors of the whales as well as, obviously, whale watchers,” Serene notes. Our crew undergoes annual training with NOAA and participates in regular educational symposia to ensure we preserve this fragile ecosystem for future generations of travelers.
Total Peace of Mind: Our Ironclad Ship Guarantee
We know that a major source of anxiety for cruise passengers is the fear of their ship sailing away without them if an excursion runs late.
At Juneau Whale Watch, our entire schedule revolves around the cruise docks. “We come alive when the cruise ships come and we take a nap when the cruise ships are done,” Serene laughs. Over a quarter of Juneau’s entire economy relies on cruise guests, so we treat your schedule with the utmost respect.
In over 20 years of local business, we have never had a single guest miss their ship. Our team monitors maritime timetables meticulously. However, to give your family complete peace of mind, we offer a rock-solid guarantee that we’ve never had to use: If you miss your ship due to our tour, we will fly you via floatplane to your next port of call and pay for your hotel accommodations.
In Serene’s 15 years of local tourism experience, the only travelers who actually miss their cruise ships in Juneau are those who lose track of time shopping in our beautiful historic downtown or enjoying a drink at the famous Red Dog Saloon.
