Planning an Alaskan cruise is an exciting journey of a lifetime. Whether you are traveling with a multi-generational family group looking for a comfortable and reliable adventure, or celebrating a romantic honeymoon on a quest for thrilling wildlife experiences, Juneau is undoubtedly the crown jewel of your itinerary. But as you search for shore excursions, you might find yourself asking: with so many tour companies out there, what actually separates one whale watching tour from another?
At Juneau Tours, we believe a great excursion shouldn’t feel like a cookie-cutter tourist trap. To help you decode your options, we sat down with our co-owner, Serene Hutchinson, to share the insider secrets of what makes our experience completely unique.
The Story Behind the Fleet: Built on Family and Grit
Our story didn’t start in a corporate boardroom. It began over 30 years ago when Serene’s brother, Sky, bought his very first bus and started driving passengers.
“A funny anecdote is that we are hippie kids who grew up in a school bus in Hawaii,” Serene laughs, “and now we own 20 buses and trolleys and don’t live in any of them!”
Today, Juneau Tours has grown into the largest independent, Alaskan-owned tour provider in Southeast Alaska. We remain a close-knit sibling group, and all of our brothers and sisters have worked in the business at some point. Because we are locally owned and operated, we don’t just pocket our earnings. Every single year, we pour our profits right back into maintaining excellent equipment, safety standards, improving employee housing and caring for our team.
We enjoy an incredible 65% to 75% employee retention rate year-over-year. When you step on board, you aren’t getting a temporary guide; you are getting an experienced captain who knows these waters like the back of their hand.
Custom-Designed Boats Built for Comfort and Visibility
If you’ve never been on a whale watch, you might worry about feeling seasick on a smaller vessel compared to a massive cruise ship. The secret to a smooth, comfortable ride lies in how our vessels were built.
Engineered for Stability and Comfort
In 2011 and 2012, we operated standard 24-passenger boats (which we still use and love for private charters). But Skye envisioned a new concept: a custom catamaran that could effortlessly cut through any rough water Southeast Alaska might throw our way. He partnered with expert boat builders in Port Angeles, Washington, to bring these small, highly stable catamarans to life. Today, that catamaran style has set the standard for the entire industry.
Because of this superior design, if regional helicopter or floatplane tours get canceled due to low visibility, we are almost always still able to go whale watching safely.
Unrivaled 360-Degree Views
Our catamarans are also a photographer’s absolute dream. Instead of fighting a crowd to peer out of a single window, you can move around freely. Our boats feature:
- Large heated indoor cabins with massive viewing windows
- Spacious front and back outdoor viewing decks
- A clean, accessible restroom on every single vessel
Planning your perfect Alaskan cruise excursion? Skip the third-party booking fees and secure your direct spot on our custom catamaran today! Book Your Juneau Whale Watching Adventure Directly with Juneau Tours
One Fleet on the Water: How Our Captains Work Together
Our captains stay in constant radio communication to share sightings and keep guests in the action.But our collaboration goes far deeper than finding wildlife. As proud local operators, we take our role as protectors of these marine mammals seriously. We voluntarily hold ourselves to strict guidelines that go well beyond federal regulations or the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Through agreements like the Whale SENSE sustainability program, we voluntarily limit our viewing times, maintain extra distance, and power off our engines in the presence of whales.
“We really see ourselves as the sentinels and protectors of the whales,” says Serene. Our captains undergo rigorous annual training with NOAA and participate in educational symposia to ensure we protect the ecosystem while letting you witness its magic.
Why We Confidently Offer a 100% Whale Sighting Guarantee
Many travelers ask us: Is it really guaranteed that we’ll see whales?
Yes! From May 15th through September 15th, Juneau Tours offers a rock-solid whale sighting guarantee. Our confidence comes down to geography. We sail inside the scenic Inside Passage—a protected, narrow waterway where you are never more than a mile from land.
Every summer, hundreds of humpback whales migrate from Hawaii and Mexico to these nutrient-rich glacier waters to feed. Because they feed up to 20 hours a day, they are incredibly active and reliable. Sailing the calm waters of the Inside Passage also means you don’t have to worry about open-ocean swells. Motion sickness is incredibly rare on our tours because you can always orient yourself with the nearby shoreline.
While we guarantee you will see these majestic giants, Serene likes to keep expectations grounded in nature: “We guarantee whale sightings, but we won’t guarantee what the whales will be doing when you see them!” Whether you catch a quiet hump or blow, a magnificent tail fluke, or even a rare bubble-net feeding spectacle, you are witnessing wild animals in their untouched, natural habitat.
Letting Alaska Shine: This is the Real Deal
At the end of the day, our philosophy is simple. We don’t try to dress up the experience with artificial gimmicks.
“One of the things I talk about with my team during training is just don’t do anything that’s going to get in the way of letting Alaska shine,” says Serene. “We just need to get our people out there and let Alaska do the rest.”
When you tour with us, you are experiencing the untamed, authentic Pacific Northwest. “This is not Disneyland,” Serene adds. “This is the real Alaska.” On any given day, we might spot bald eagles soaring past, sea lions resting on buoys, or salmon leaping in the channel right outside our office windows.
Ready to experience the true spirit of Alaska with a team that treats you like family? Don’t leave your shore excursion to chance. Read our guide on what to bring on your Juneau whale watching tour to prepare for our famous “liquid sunshine,” or check out our Mendenhall Glacier combo tours to combine the best of Juneau’s natural wonders in one seamless, worry-free day.
