Mendenhall Glacier ToursAlaska Tales Double-Decker Whale Watching + Mendenhall Glacier: The Boat That Stands Out in the Marina
This Juneau whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier day trip is Alaska Tales' 4.5-hour combo on GetYourGuide: a 2-hour whale watching cruise on their double-decker vessel — open decks on the front, back, and upper level — plus a 45-minute self-guided stop at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area. It carries a 4.8 rating from 139 verified GetYourGuide bookings and a Top rated badge, with the guide sub-score at 4.9. Naturalists Griffin, Krichelle, Taylor, Steph, and Genevieve are praised by name across reviews; humpbacks, orcas, and sea lions are consistently sighted, with bubble-net feeding reported more than once. Snacks and beverages are included, from $230 per person with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
About This Activity
4.5 hours — 2-hour whale watch + 45 minutes at the glacier + transit
From $230 per person; reserve now, pay later
4.8 from 139 reviews on GetYourGuide — Top rated
Double-decker with open decks front, back, and upper — not glass-enclosed
Humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, bald eagles; bubble-net feeding sightings reported
Complimentary snacks and bottled water; naturalist guide throughout
Listing at a Glance
The same fields on every tour page here, read from the operator's GetYourGuide listing in August 2026. Prices and availability are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
- Tour name Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip
- Operator Alaska Tales Whale Watching
- Booking platform GetYourGuide
- Product ID 417136
- Starting price $230 USD per person
- Price last checked August 2026
- Rating 4.8 out of 5 — Top rated badge
- Review count 139 reviews
- Review source GetYourGuide verified bookings
- Review sub-scores Guide 4.9, transportation 4.7, value for money 4.6
- Duration 4.5 hours
- Time at the glacier 45 minutes, self-guided
- Whale watch 2 hours on the double-decker vessel
- Meeting point Water side of the red Gold Belt Tramway building, green canopy tent, 'Alaska Tales' signs
- AJ dock passengers Shuttle to Mt. Roberts Tram available, about $5 all-day pass through your cruise line
- Transport Air-conditioned bus + double-decker whale-watching vessel
- Guide language English — live naturalist guide
- Snacks and drinks Included on the boat
- Hotel pickup Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Cancellation deadline Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, full refund
- Reserve now, pay later Yes — no payment today
- Weather policy Operates rain or shine — dress in layers
- Safety Captain and deckhands certified with the United States Coast Guard
- Wildlife guarantee None stated on this listing
- Ethical notes Naturalists follow federal marine-mammal viewing distances
- Alternative tour Same operator's most-reviewed Viator listing: see /alaska-tales-juneau-glacier-whale-watching-6433-reviews/
- Ethical note Naturalists follow federal marine-mammal viewing distances
- Weather note Top deck is open — bring a wind layer even in July
- Currency USD
Check Dates and Availability
Pick a date and check the current price on GetYourGuide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and this listing is flagged as likely to sell out.
Quick answer Why the open-deck boat matters for photos, and what 45 minutes at the glacier really buys
Book this one for the boat: it is the double-decker in the Juneau marina with open decks on three levels, while most competitors run single-deck, glass-enclosed vessels — a real difference for photography. The $230 combo is rated 4.8 from 139 GetYourGuide bookings, with 2 full hours on the water and snacks included. The trade-off is the glacier stop: 45 minutes is the fastest pace possible for Photo Point, the Visitor Center, and Nugget Falls. If glacier time matters more than the vessel, the 5-hour combo with 2 full hours at Mendenhall is the better fit among the Mendenhall tours we compare.
Key takeaways
- Open decks on 3 levels — no glass glare, and the upper deck adds elevation for distant whales
- 8-10 whales bubble-net feeding reported in July 2025; one August 2026 reviewer counted 20 whales at the boat
- 45 minutes at the glacier is tight: go straight to Nugget Falls or pick the shorter Steep Creek boardwalk for bears
- Meeting point is the water side of the Gold Belt Tramway building — green canopy tent, 'Alaska Tales' signs
- Free cancellation to 24 hours, reserve now pay later, runs rain or shine
What Makes This Boat Different
The only double-decker in the marina
William (September 2025) specifically compared the Alaska Tales vessel to every other boat in the Juneau marina: "This one was a double decker with open deck on the front and back of the boat as well as on the upper one too, and most of the other boats were all just one deck and they were completely glass enclosed. Our crew, made up of three awesome young women including the captain, were so professional and made sure everyone was safe and comfortable. Could not have asked for a better experience."
The open deck configuration matters for whale watching because glass windows reduce photographic quality and create glare. With open rails on three levels, passengers can position themselves without fighting glass reflections or crowding to open windows. The upper deck provides elevation — useful when whales are at a distance and a higher vantage point improves sightlines. The captain and deckhands are certified with the United States Coast Guard.
The naturalist team
The crew is the most consistent thread in the reviews — the guide sub-score sits at 4.9 out of 5. Griffin and Krichelle earned this from Ozelin (May 2026): "We got lucky and very excited by the visit of three different whales. Everything was organised to perfection." Javier (July 2025) saw 8-10 whales bubble-net feeding from close range with Taylor, Krichelle, and Morgan on deck, and Sue Anne (August 2025) names Steph, Genevieve, and Captain James. In the newest reviews Ash and Sophie appear (July 2026), and Scott (August 2026) watched about 20 whales bubble up next to the boat.
Sightings run humpbacks first, with orcas occasionally travelling in pods, sea lions basking on Benjamin Island or napping on ocean buoys, and bald eagles overhead. Whales are wild animals and this listing states no sighting guarantee — if a contractual guarantee matters to you, the Dolphin Jet Boat tour with a money-back whale guarantee is the one to compare.
The 45-Minute Glacier Stop
What fits in 45 minutes
The Mendenhall Glacier stop is 45 minutes of self-guided free time at the Recreation Area. Ashley (September 2025) confirms it can work: "We did have enough time to check out the lookout point, the visitor center and Nugget Falls." That is the fastest pace possible for all three — most reviewers who see all three move directly from drop-off to Nugget Falls without lingering. A July 2026 reviewer walked to the falls and stood right beside it: "You can stand right by the waterfall and take great photos and videos."
Be honest with yourself about the clock, though. One German reviewer in July 2026 started with Nugget Falls, moved fast, and still did not quite fit everything in — her advice was simply that more time at the glacier would help. If Nugget Falls plus a relaxed pace is the priority, this is not the right combo: the 5-hour Juneau Tours combo schedules 2 full hours at the glacier, and the Blue Bus glacier express drops the whales entirely for 2 hours at the Recreation Area.
Trail options during the window
Available trails during the 45-minute window: the Photo Point Outlook (a short walk from parking), the boardwalk over the Steep Creek salmon stream (bears in season), and the East Glacier Loop Trail for those who prefer a forest walk over the Nugget Falls route. The Visitor Center has exhibits and a gift shop, and black bears are sometimes spotted fishing for salmon in the streams that traverse the area.
If bears, salmon, and glacial views matter as much as the waterfall, consider the Steep Creek boardwalk — it offers bear viewing during spawning season without the 45-minute roundtrip commitment of the Nugget Falls trail. Bears are frequently spotted on this shorter route.
How the Tour Unfolds
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Gold Belt Tramway building — water side, green canopy tent
Look for 'Alaska Tales' signs at the main Cruise Ship Terminal. AJ dock passengers: a shuttle to the Mt. Roberts Tram is available, generally $5 for an all-day pass through your cruise line.
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Bus to Mendenhall Glacier — scenic city drive
Air-conditioned bus through downtown Juneau and the countryside.
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Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area — 45 minutes self-guided
Photo Point, the Nugget Falls trail (possible if you move quickly), East Glacier Loop, Steep Creek boardwalk (bear viewing in season), and the Visitor Center.
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Bus transfer to the boat harbor
Back on the bus for the ride to the marina, then straight onto the vessel.
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Whale watching — 2 hours on the double-decker vessel
Open decks on 3 levels, naturalist throughout. Humpbacks, orcas, sea lions on Benjamin Island, and bald eagles.
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Return to starting point
Head back to the dock — the crew points out the photo of Mendenhall Glacier in the background on the way in. End of tour.
Things to Know Before You Book
Logistics and small print
The tour operates rain or shine, so dress in layers — the boat deck and the glacier area are significantly colder than downtown Juneau, and Javier's review adds waterproof clothing to the list. Free cancellation runs to 24 hours before the start with a full refund, and the reserve-now-pay-later option means no payment today. Overnight guests staying in the Mendenhall Valley with their own transportation may meet the tour directly at the harbor instead of downtown — contact the supplier for instructions.
Hotel pickup and drop-off is included, which the cheaper glacier-only shuttles do not offer. The listing is flagged as likely to sell out, and departures are timed to cruise schedules.
How it compares
At $230 this sits at the top of the price range for a Juneau whale-and-glacier combo, and one reviewer said so directly: Ashley called it "a tad overpriced" while still rating it five stars for the convenience of transportation that had her back in time for the ship — the value-for-money sub-score of 4.6 (against 4.9 for the guides) tells the same story. What the extra money buys is the vessel and the crew.
The same operator also runs the most-reviewed Juneau glacier and whale tour on Viator — 7,378 reviews and a whale guarantee — worth a look if review volume reassures you more than deck architecture. For the full field, compare glacier and whale combos side by side on the homepage catalog.
Where This Tour Goes
From the Gold Belt Tramway building downtown, the bus runs to the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, then back to the harbor for the 2-hour cruise toward Benjamin Island waters.
The whale watch and the glacier stop are connected by short bus transfers — total tour time 4.5 hours.
Questions About This Tour
Is 45 minutes enough time at Mendenhall Glacier?
It is enough for the lookout point, the Visitor Center, and Nugget Falls only if you move directly from drop-off to the falls without lingering — one September 2025 reviewer did all three, another in July 2026 moved fast and still missed a stop. If you want an unhurried Nugget Falls walk, book the 5-hour combo with 2 full hours at the glacier instead.
What whales will I see on this Juneau day trip?
Humpbacks are the mainstay, with orcas occasionally sighted travelling in pods, sea lions on Benjamin Island, and bald eagles overhead. Reviews report 8-10 whales bubble-net feeding in July 2025 and about 20 whales beside the boat in August 2026 — but sightings are not contractually guaranteed on this listing. For a money-back guarantee, compare the Dolphin Jet Boat combo, or start from this tour's card in the catalog.
Where does the Alaska Tales tour meet?
On the water side of the large red Gold Belt Tramway building at the main Cruise Ship Terminal — the team is under a green canopy tent with 'Alaska Tales' signs. If your ship docks at the AJ dock, a shuttle to the Mt. Roberts Tram is available, generally $5 all day through your cruise line. Overnight guests in the Mendenhall Valley with their own car can arrange to meet at the harbor.
What is included in the $230 price?
The bus tour to Mendenhall Glacier, the 2-hour whale watching cruise, a naturalist guide and captain, snacks and beverages on board, and hotel pickup and drop-off. Free cancellation to 24 hours before and reserve-now-pay-later are both on the listing. Park entry to the Recreation Area is handled within the tour.
What should I wear?
Layers, always — the tour runs rain or shine, and both the open boat decks and the glacier area are significantly colder than downtown Juneau. Reviewers who caught the best whale action add waterproof outer layers to the list; the open rails put you close to the spray.
What Travelers Said
I know we had a rare experience! This was by far the best whale watching experience. The staff was very helpful and full of enthusiasm. Getting to see 20 whales bubble up right next to the boat was once in a lifetime.
Definitely the nicest boat in the entire marina for whale watching. This one was a double decker with open deck on the front and back of the boat as well as on the upper one too, and most of the other boats were all just one deck and they were completely glass enclosed. Saw so many whales and captured some of the best pictures ever.
The trails around Mendenhall Glacier were very easily accessible, great views. The whale watching portion was amazing! Had fantastic guides/crew (Taylor, Krichelle, and Morgan). We got very lucky and saw 8-10 whales bubble feed from close by! Make sure to wear many layers, waterproof clothing!
Our bus driver was so full of facts, enthusiastic and funny. Our whale watching guides Steph, Genevieve and Captain James were friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic too. We saw Orca and Humpbacks and the weather held off. Great experience, quality of boat and snacks to top it off too!
Verified GetYourGuide bookings for this tour — 4.8 from 139 reviews.
Page last reviewed August 2026. Price, rating and review count read from the listing on August 2026. Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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