Alaska Whale Watching with bonus Drone viewing of Whales

The clever idea here is simple: you watch whales from the water, then see the same animals from above through live drone footage. A humpback’s full body, a calf beside its mother, or an orca pod moving through Icy Strait can look very different from that higher view.

I like the 14-passenger boat, which gives you a much better chance at an open view than a large cruise-ship excursion. I also like the practical souvenir: drone video of the wildlife you saw, supplied on a USB drive or sent to your phone. The main caution is weather. Fog can limit both whale sightings and drone use, so this is a better fit if you can accept some uncertainty.

Key points

• A small boat with a 14-person maximum gives you room to move between indoor and outdoor viewing areas.
• Captain Josh leads the tour, with commentary about the wildlife and the waters around Hoonah.
• The drone adds a rare second viewpoint, showing whales and other animals in their surroundings from above.
• Humpback whales are the main target, with possible sightings of orcas, otters, seals, sea lions, porpoises, bears, and eagles.
• Snacks, soda, and a USB drive of drone footage are included in the advertised price.
• Port timing matters, since the boat leaves on schedule and the walk to the meeting point can take from 6 to 25 minutes depending on your ship dock.

Why the drone changes a whale watch

Most whale watches ask you to follow a fin, a spout, or a patch of white water. That can be thrilling, but the view is often partial. You may see a humpback’s back break the surface without knowing how the rest of the animal is moving below.

This tour adds a second camera angle. While you watch from the boat, the crew can send up a professional filmography drone and record the whales from above. You might see the full outline of a humpback, a mother and calf traveling together, or an orca pod moving as a group.

That footage is not meant to replace the live experience. It gives you something you cannot see from the boat alone. The supplied video also takes some pressure off getting the perfect photograph. You can watch the water instead of staring at your phone every second.

The footage is provided after the tour on one USB drive per group, and it may also be sent directly to iPhones. The exact amount of footage can vary, and this is not advertised as a full professional film of every sighting. Still, it is a useful extra at a price point where many whale watches give you only the memories you make yourself.

Setting out from Hoonah into Icy Strait

The tour begins at Icy Strait Point, the cruise port near Hoonah. Captain Josh takes you out into Icy Strait in a custom boat designed for wildlife viewing, with both enclosed and open areas.

That layout matters in Alaska. The weather can shift quickly, and a three-hour ride in cold wind is not pleasant for everyone. You can step outside when the action begins, then move indoors to warm up without losing the entire outing.

The small size also changes the feel of the trip. With no more than 14 people, you are not looking over rows of heads or waiting for a crowd to clear from the rail. Reviews repeatedly praise the ability to stand at the front or back of the boat, with useful sightlines in both directions.

The tradeoff is that a small boat can feel the motion of the water more than a large excursion vessel. The tour details do not promise a smooth ride, so anyone prone to seasickness should plan accordingly. That is a sensible precaution for any boat trip in Alaska.

The search for humpback whales

Humpback whales are the central reason to book this excursion. The company states that it has a 100 percent success rate finding humpbacks on its tours, though no wildlife sighting can ever be fully guaranteed in nature.

Captain Josh uses his experience in the area to search for active whales. Your first sight may be a distant spout, followed by a back, a tail, or a longer sequence of surfacing. Some trips have produced bubble-net feeding, one of the most dramatic behaviors you can see in these waters. A group of whales circles beneath a school of fish, blows bubbles to concentrate them, then rises together with open mouths.

You might also see a mother and calf traveling side by side. The drone is especially useful here, since it can show the pair in relation to the surrounding water rather than just the part visible from the boat.

The captain’s commentary is part of the value. Josh is described as both guide and host, explaining what you are seeing and answering questions before and during the trip. First mate Jamie also receives high marks for helping run the outing and caring for the group.

This is not a silent wildlife photography charter. You get active guiding, boat positioning, and explanations of the animals. If you prefer to sit alone with a long camera lens, the commentary and small-group format may feel more social than private. For most people, that is a fair exchange.

More than whales: orcas, otters, and coastal wildlife

Humpbacks are the focus, but Icy Strait can offer a broad mix of wildlife. Possible sightings include orcas, coastal brown bears, sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, porpoises, and bald eagles.

The reports from individual trips include impressive combinations: humpbacks and orcas on the same outing, large numbers of sea otters, bubble-feeding whales, bears, bear cubs, seals, sea lions, and eagles. You should not treat that list as a promise for your departure. Wildlife changes by day, season, weather, and location.

Still, the variety makes the outing more than a single-species chase. A quiet raft of sea otters or a sea lion near the boat can become the memorable moment, especially if the whales are slow to appear.

The drone can record more than whales, too. It may show animals from above as they move through the water, though poor weather can prevent a launch. One foggy outing produced seals, otters, and some whales, but the drone could not be used fully. That is an important limitation to understand before booking.

A three-hour schedule with room for surprises

The advertised duration is about three hours. That gives the crew time to leave port, search for wildlife, position the boat, and return to Icy Strait Point without turning the day into an all-day expedition.

There is no fixed list of stops. This is a search-based wildlife trip, so the route depends on where Captain Josh finds activity. Some outings may focus on a pod of humpbacks. Others may move between several sightings, looking for orcas, otters, seals, or land animals along the shore.

The lack of a rigid itinerary is part of the appeal and part of the risk. You get a captain responding to the conditions rather than following a sightseeing script. But fog, rain, wind, and animal behavior can all affect the result.

The crew leaves on time. You must arrive 15 minutes before departure, not at the listed departure minute. Cruise passengers should allow extra time for walking from the ship, finding the excursion hub, and checking in.

If your ship uses the Adventure Dock, walk ashore to the Icy Strait Point Adventure Center. Go through the building, exit through door number 2, and follow the signs on the gravel path to the Excursion Hub. The walk takes about 6 to 8 minutes.

From the Wilderness Dock, the walk is about 25 minutes. You can also take the Transporter Gondola, which takes about three minutes to the Adventure Center, then follow the signs to the Excursion Hub. At the hub, look for the driver holding an orange Alaska Whale and Drone Tours sign. The driver brings you into town for the boat departure.

This is one place where a little planning pays off. If your cruise ship has a tight port schedule, check the meeting instructions before leaving the ship. A late arrival could hold up the entire group, and the boat does not wait.

What the small boat means for your day

The 14-passenger limit is the tour’s strongest practical feature. A small group gives you room to move, ask questions, and get a clear view without competing with hundreds of people.

Several accounts describe groups of about 10 people, leaving space at both the front and back of the vessel. That matters when a whale appears on the opposite side from where you are standing. You can move rather than accept a blocked view.

The boat has indoor and outdoor viewing areas, so you are not forced to stay outside for the entire three hours. Dress in layers, as conditions can feel very different in the cabin and on deck. Warm clothing also makes it easier to stay outside when the action is good.

Snacks and soda are listed as included. Because food service can be simple on a small boat, I would still bring any personal drink or snack you know you need, especially if you have dietary requirements. The supplied details do not promise a full meal.

The experience is offered in English, and most people can participate. Pickup is offered, but the exact port instructions still require you to walk to the designated excursion hub before the local transfer.

Is $249 a fair price?

At $249 per person, this is not the cheapest whale watch in Alaska. The real question is what you get for the extra cost.

You are paying for a three-hour trip, a boat limited to 14 people, a captain who actively searches for wildlife, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, and drone footage to take home. A large ship-sponsored excursion may cost less or use a larger boat, but it will not provide the same small-group access and may not offer the overhead video.

The drone footage gives the price a clear point of difference. Even if you take good photos, the video can show behavior and movement that still images miss. It also means you can put your phone down and enjoy the encounter.

Value depends on your priorities. If the cheapest possible wildlife outing is your goal, this may feel expensive. If you care about space, direct guiding, and a memorable recording of the trip, the price is easier to justify.

The tour is also attractive for cruise passengers who have already spent money on several Alaska excursions. Some people choose this port for whale watching instead of booking another outing in Juneau, especially because there is not a long list of major activities at Icy Strait Point. Your own ship schedule and excursion options should guide that decision.

Weather is the important wildcard

The tour requires good weather. If conditions force a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. That protection helps, but it does not solve the problem of a trip that operates in poor visibility.

Fog is the clearest concern. In thick fog, the boat may still find whales, seals, or otters, but sightings can be brief and hard to follow. The drone may not be safe or useful to operate. One poor-weather outing included some wildlife but left the passenger wishing the trip had been canceled instead.

That is not a criticism of the crew. Captain Josh has been described as making a strong effort to find more animals when visibility was bad. It is simply the reality of a nature trip in coastal Alaska.

You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations inside that window are not refunded, and changes are not accepted. The tour also requires a minimum number of participants, so a cancellation for that reason comes with the choice of another date or experience, or a full refund.

Who will enjoy this Hoonah whale watch most?

I would choose this tour if you want the best chance of a personal, small-group outing from Icy Strait Point. It suits families, couples, and friends who want more space than a large excursion boat provides.

It is also a strong choice for anyone who values the memory after the trip. The drone footage gives you a record of the whales and other animals, rather than leaving you with only a few hurried phone photos.

You should be comfortable with a little uncertainty. Even with an excellent captain and a strong record of finding humpbacks, no operator controls fog, wind, or animal behavior. The experience is strongest when you view the drone as a bonus, not as the only reason to go.

This is less suitable if you need a guaranteed indoor-only activity, a full meal, or a tightly fixed schedule with no room for delays. It is also worth considering your port time carefully, especially if you are docked at the Wilderness Dock.

Should you book it?

Yes, if you want a small boat, direct guiding from Captain Josh, and a video souvenir that adds something genuinely different. The combination of open viewing areas, a 14-person maximum, and overhead footage makes this more personal than a standard large-boat whale watch.

Book it with realistic expectations about weather. Bring layers, arrive 15 minutes early, and allow time to reach the Excursion Hub from your ship. If you can handle the chance of fog and changing wildlife activity, this is one of the stronger ways to spend a port call in Hoonah.

FAQ

How long is the Alaska Whale Watching with bonus Drone viewing tour?

The tour lasts approximately three hours and returns to the original meeting point at Icy Strait Point.

Where does the tour meet?

The meeting point is Icy Strait Point at 108 Cannery Road in Hoonah, Alaska. Check in at the Excursion Hub, where you will look for a driver holding an orange Alaska Whale and Drone Tours sign.

How early should I arrive?

You should arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled departure. The boat leaves on time for the courtesy of everyone in the group.

How many people can join the tour?

The vessel has a maximum capacity of 14 passengers.

What wildlife might I see?

Possible sightings include humpback whales, orcas, coastal brown bears, sea lions, seals, sea otters, porpoises, and eagles. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed, though the company states that it has found humpback whales on every tour.

Is drone footage included?

Yes. The tour includes a USB drive with drone footage of the whales, with one drive provided per group. The footage may also be sent directly to phones.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If the operator cancels because of poor conditions, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. You can also cancel your booking for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time.