Can you see whales from the cruise ship in Alaska?

An Alaska whale-watching cruise is one of the best ways to see the world's largest mammals in their natural habitat. During an Alaskan vacation, you'll spot feeding humpback whales, orcas swimming with their offspring, and gray and blue whales splashing in the water from a front-row seat.



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You'll find whale-watching excursions on offer in every port, but you'll also, with luck, see marine mammals from the ship. The bridge officers keeping extra watch will make an announcement if there's a particularly impressive pod in the vicinity.

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Land Mammals Along Alaskan Shores Many land mammals can be seen right from the deck of your cruise ship. Bears, moose, wolves, deer, and many other creatures are known to walk right up to the water's edge, even strolling along the beach or venturing into the water.

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YES! There are few experiences in life comparable to the extraordinary feeling of seeing gregarious dolphins as they approach from every angle, excited to see our passengers aboard the safety of each of our vessels within our sea-worthy fleet. When asked if whale watching is worth it, our answer is an assured YES!

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Gray whales are the first to arrive, typically in April when they're often spotted off of Seward. By May, we start to see more orcas, then humpback whales come June. Alaska's peak whale season is considered to be May through September, and it's during this time that the boat tours operate.

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Alaska Cruises Can Be Bumpy in the Gulf of Alaska Rough Waters: The majority of sailing on an Alaska cruise is done in the protected waters of the Inside Passage, but ships sailing to Seward, Whittier or Anchorage must cross the Gulf of Alaska, which is much rougher.

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At any time during the cruise season you'll certainly see some of Alaska's most amazing animal inhabitants, including whales, dolphins, bears and bald eagles. However, many migratory species are sighted more often during certain times.

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It uses data from its specialized high-tech buoys, satellites and entries on a whale-watching app to predict the presence of whales in shipping lanes — warning the companies in near-real time so they can voluntarily slow down to 10 knots, a speed set by a federal agency shown to significantly reduce the risk of fatal ...

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Black bears, brown bears, and polar bears call Alaska home. While polar bears do not migrate far enough south to see while on a cruise, passengers may have the opportunity to spot black or brown bears. The best time to see bears in Southeast Alaska is from July through early September.

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Juneau is the best port for whale watching, because seeing whales is 100% guaranteed. Icy Strait is also a good choice for whale watching, because whales are abundant (though not guaranteed).

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To fully immerse yourself in the Alaska whale watching season, set sail on your Alaska cruise between early May to early June for the best chances to watch orcas, who like to hang out near Juneau, Ketchikan, and Seward.

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It is easy to get wet while whale-watching, especially if you're on a boat where ocean water often sprays up onto passengers.

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Collisions with vessels can be fatal. When a whale or sea turtle is hit by a ship or another vessel, these gentle creatures are likely to die or suffer a horrific injury. Ship collisions have been identified as a significant human cause of baleen whales (mysticete) mortality [1].

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Juneau is a very walkable city. Most cruise ships dock right in downtown, and visitors can leave the ship and walk all throughout downtown, shopping and exploring. There are some attractions that are outside of downtown area. To reach those, a tour or taxi are a great option.

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DON'T be disappointed if it's raining and misty, but DO bring your rain gear! At the very least bring a rain jacket but I would suggest rain pants too. Luckily the humpback whales don't care if it's raining or sunny. It's always wet and cold where they are!

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