Guide · Operators

Juneau whale watching companies and how to choose

Several Juneau whale watching companies run boats out of Auke Bay. Here is who runs the tours listed on this site, how they differ and what to check before you hand over your day.

Check availabilityfrom $108 · free to cancel

Editorial team, juneauwhalewatchingtours.comUpdated October 16, 20266 minutes to read5 sources

On this topic: the tour Juneau: Whale watching cruise with snacks 4.8 (579 reviews) 3 hoursSnack bag and waterBinoculars on board from$108per person Check availabilityFree to cancel until 24 hours before you sail

Quick answer

01Most reviewed: Dolphin Jet Boat Tours runs this site's tour, rated 4.79 from 579 reviews.
02Small groups: Juneau Whale Tours caps its listed trip at 9 people.
03Another option: Alaska Tales runs a whale and glacier day trip with guides rated 4.9.
04Responsible operators: Look for Whale SENSE, a voluntary program in Juneau since 2015.¹
05The rules: No boat may approach a humpback within 100 yards.²

What separates one company from another

Every company leaving Auke Bay is looking for the same whales in the same water, so the real differences between Juneau whale watching companies lie elsewhere. The size of the boat and the group, the way the transfer from downtown works, whether the cabin is enclosed and heated, how the crew handles a crowded sighting and how flexible the booking terms are: those are what shape your experience.

Reviews help, but read them for patterns rather than single scores. A company with hundreds of reviews and a steady rating has proven itself over many trips; a new listing with a perfect score from a handful of guests could well be good, yet there is far less evidence behind that score. Look at what reviewers praise: the guide, the driver, the comfort of the boat, the snacks, or simply the whales on their day.

It also helps to remember that companies on the same water share information. Captains talk to each other by radio about where the whales are feeding, so the boats often end up in similar places. A smaller boat or a quieter deck can make the experience better, but no company has private whales.

Dolphin Jet Boat Tours

Dolphin Jet Boat Tours runs the tour sold on this site, and it is the most reviewed whale listing in this comparison, rated 4.79 from 579 reviews. Guests score its guides at 4.9, its transportation at 4.9 and value for money at 4.7. The trip takes 3 hours in total and starts from $108.

The format is straightforward: you meet a representative outside the Mt. Roberts Tramway building downtown, ride a bus for about 25 minutes to Auke Bay and spend about 2 hours on a small, enclosed, climate-controlled boat. Water, a snack bag and binoculars are included. Hotel pickup and tips are not.

The same company also runs two whale and glacier combos. The 4-hour version is rated 4.71 from 155 reviews. The 5-hour waterfall version is rated 4.72 from 276 reviews and offers a full refund if you see no whale. If you like how this company works but want the glacier too, those are the natural upgrades.

Ratings

Guide scores by company

points

Guide sub-scores on each company's listed tour; Juneau Whale Tours from 14 reviews only.

Comparison

Companies behind the listed tours

Company	Tour	Duration	Rating	Price
Dolphin Jet Boat Tours	Whale cruise with snacks	3 hrs	4.79	from $108
Dolphin Jet Boat Tours	Whales and glacier	4 hrs	4.71	from $152
Dolphin Jet Boat Tours	Waterfall and whales	5 hrs	4.72	from $199
Juneau Whale Tours	Small-group whale tour	3.5 hrs	5.00	from $189
Alaska Tales	Whales and glacier day trip	4.5 hrs	4.76	from $230

Operators and figures as listed on GetYourGuide.

Three companies

Pick the operator for your day

From Juneau: Whale Watching Cruise with Snacks

Most reviewed

Dolphin Jet Boat Tours

Enclosed jet boats

Price: from $108
Duration: 3 hrs
Rating: 4.79

See the tour

Juneau: 3.5-Hour Small Group Whale Watching Tour

Smallest group

Juneau Whale Tours

Catamaran, small group

Price: from $189
Group: Max 9
Rating: 5.00

See the tour

Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip

Longest day

Alaska Tales

Whales and glacier

Price: from $230
Duration: 4.5 hrs
Rating: 4.76

See the tour

Decision helper

Which company fits you?

Tap what matters most to you

A proven, well-reviewed trip The smallest group Whales and the glacier with another operator A boat for just six guests A refund if no whale appears

Dolphin Jet Boat Tours

Rated 4.79 from 579 reviews.

Juneau Whale Tours

Limited to 9 participants.

Alaska Tales

4.5 hours, guides rated 4.9.

Harv and Marv's

The company describes vessels for 6 guests.³

Dolphin Jet Boat combo

Full refund offered on the waterfall tour.

Developed in collaboration with the whale watching industry, Whale SENSE recognizes whale watching companies committed to responsible practices.

NOAA FisheriesSource 4

Juneau Whale Tours and Alaska Tales

Juneau Whale Tours runs the small-group trip in this comparison. It is limited to 9 participants, takes 3.5 hours and starts from $189. Its rating is a perfect 5.00, though from only 14 reviews, with every sub-score at 5. The trip includes a narrated bus ride and a smooth catamaran ride, according to the listing.

Alaska Tales Whale Watching runs the whale and glacier day trip. It takes 4.5 hours, starts from $230 and is rated 4.76 from 135 reviews. Its guides score 4.9, transportation 4.6 and value for money 4.5. Its meeting point is at the main cruise ship terminal, on the water side of the tram building.

Both are good alternatives when your first choice is sold out, and both run their transfers from downtown, so you do not need a car. The main question is whether you want whales only, on a smaller boat, or whales plus the glacier in a single longer day.

Checklist

Ask any company before you book

The trip

Total time and time on the water
Group size and boat type
Exact meeting point downtown

The terms

Cancellation window
Sighting or weather promise
Ramp and accessibility
Whale SENSE participation

Cost calculator

Compare company prices for your group

Compare the companies on cost: choose one, add your headcount, read the group from-price.

Dolphin Jet Boat3 hoursfrom $108 Juneau Whale Toursmax 9 peoplefrom $189 Alaska Tales4.5 hoursfrom $230

People 2

Total from$216

per participant from $108

Check availabilityfree cancellation

The calculator multiplies each listing's lowest GetYourGuide price by your party size, converting with the ECB rate where needed; the booking step has the binding figure.

Video

Juneau Whale Watching w/ Harv & Marv’s (July 16, 2025)

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Harv and Marv's whale watching in Juneau

Some Juneau companies do not sell through the listings shown on this site, and Harv and Marv's whale watching in Juneau is one of them. The company describes smaller vessels for 6 guests and larger vessels for 18 to 40 guests.³

That range makes it worth a look if you want a private feel or a very small group, and you can compare its direct booking terms with the listings on this page. Check what is included, where it meets you and how its cancellation rules work, because these vary between companies and booking channels.

The other companies here sell through GetYourGuide, so the terms match across them: a seat held without upfront payment and a full refund if you cancel 24 hours or more ahead. If flexibility matters to you on a cruise day, that consistency is a real advantage.

Whale SENSE and responsible operators

Whale SENSE Alaska is a voluntary education and recognition program that has been in effect since 2015 for the Juneau area whale watch community.¹ It was developed together with the whale watching industry and recognizes companies committed to responsible practices.⁴ Asking a company whether it takes part is a fair and simple question.

On top of that, federal law sets a floor for everyone. In Alaska it is unlawful to approach a humpback whale within 100 yards (91.4 m), with some exceptions, and boats must run at a slow, safe speed near humpbacks.² ⁵ A responsible crew will explain these rules on board and will not chase a whale to get a better photo.

You can see responsible practice in small things: engines cut when whales are near, a boat that waits rather than closes in, a crew that keeps the deck calm. Those habits rarely appear in a star rating, but they make the encounter better for you and for the whales.

Comfort, transfers and the feel of the day

The transfer is part of the experience, and it differs more between companies than most people expect. On some tours the driver narrates the road out of town, pointing out landmarks, the airport flats and the first views of the mountains, so the ride becomes a short tour in its own right. On others it is simply a quiet shuttle. Reviews of the tour on this site often mention the drivers by name, which tells you the company treats that part of the day as more than logistics.

On the water, the type of boat sets the mood. An enclosed cabin with heating lets you stay warm and dry between sightings and step outside only when a whale appears, which makes a damp Juneau day far more pleasant. An open catamaran or a smaller hull puts you nearer the surface, where you hear every blow, but it asks more of your rain gear. Decide which matters more to you, comfort or closeness, before you compare prices.

Finally, think about the guide. A good naturalist turns a sighting into a story: why the whales are here, what that tail pattern means, how to read the birds. When reviews keep praising the guides of a company, that is usually a sign the time between sightings will be as rewarding as the sightings themselves.

Questions to ask before you book

Start with the basics: how long is the whole trip from downtown and back, how long is spent on the water, and how many people will be on the boat. Then ask where exactly you meet, because several companies use the area around the tram building and it is easy to join the wrong group on a busy morning.

Ask what is included: snacks, drinks, binoculars, an enclosed cabin, a naturalist guide. Ask what happens if the weather turns or the boat cannot go out, and whether there is any promise about sightings. One combo listing offers a full refund if you see no whale, which is unusual and worth knowing.

Finally, check accessibility if it matters to you. The listing for this site's tour says it is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments, and that boarding involves a ramp that can be steep at certain tides. Other companies may differ, so ask before you book rather than at the dock.

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