Whale Watching Tours--Petersburg

We were all psyched to take the highly recommended whale watching tour by Kaleidoscope Cruises, only to learn they weren%26#39;t available the day we needed. Can anyone recommend another tour operater based in Petersburg that does an equally great job?

Thanks much,

alison98

Whale Watching Tours--Petersburg

Try captainron389@yahoo.com or viking1@gci.net

Whale Watching Tours--Petersburg

Alison98, I would like to know where you got all recommendations on whale watching tour with Kaleidoscope Cruises. I took this tour with this company last July and on my list of all three whale watching cruises I took in Alaska the one with Kaleidoscope is #3. There were many whales but a few other things just didn%26#39;t work so I can%26#39;t consider this tour anything more than #3. Personally, I don%26#39;t regret going on this cruise since there were many whales but the next time while in Petersburg I%26#39;m planning to go with another captain.

Places,

I read about Kaleidoscope here on Trip Advisor, as well as in Frommer%26#39;s Alaska. The readers at TA ranked it #1 with lots of good recommendations, which is why we tried them first. I%26#39;m curious though--what made this company #3 for you?

I%26#39;ll try the other companies suggested listed above.

Thanks for the comments

alison98

Alison, thank you for explaining. I read these reviews too but I looked them a little differently since all three reviewers did not contribute to TA at any other way. The boat can accommodate 4 people not 6. It was cold and drizzling in the morning

so it wasn%26#39;t any fun standing outside. It was 2 hours before we saw first whales. I don%26#39;t complaint about whales. I know how wildlife viewing works but it was a bad day for the captain who probably wanted to be somewhere else that day. He didn%26#39;t talk much, ignored some of our questions, scolded one person for putting a camera lens on a counter, stayed in his seat all day long except getting up one time to use a head. Once whales were there he didn%26#39;t position boat to accommodate those who were taking pictures. I%26#39;m familiar with Frommer%26#39;s description about hydrophones on board and when one person asked about it, he only said he couldn%26#39;t do it. No explanation, nothing. The captain definitely had a bad day and we all knew it.

I really liked Petersburg and this is why I%26#39;m returning there next July.

In another post I wrote

We stayed there [Petersburg] for 4 days and wished we had a little more time. We loved hiking, saw many whales on a day whale watching trip but were disappointed with someone who suppose to be the best in this business. Maybe he just had a bad night or some problems at home or whatever. But I wish there was more excitement on his part about whales we saw.

Alison,

We have had whale watching excursions with many captains in Alaska over the years. Aside from the normal scheduling issues that may arise there are always other things to consider, most of which are not directly controllable by the captain. Whales are always on the move within their comfort zone on any given day. The weather in SE Alaska can be iffy, all things can affect your experience. But, I will tell you that, regardless of who you go out with, when you do see the whales it it will be something you%26#39;ll not soon forget.

We have gone out with Kaleidoscope Cruises and had awesome experiences. The captain is an expert about whales and their habits and habitat. He is very personable and pleasant to be with. Running the boat, safely to the right spots, is his number one priority. The boat is smallish, with a heated inside cabin (very important!) which makes it appealing tous. No fighting for space along the railing to get a fleeting glimpse of a whale, like on the big boats.

I hope you find a boat that suits your timing and have a wonderful trip!

Like I said, we concluded the captain of Kaleidoscope Cruises had a bad day and unfortunately that was a day we took a whale watching cruise with him. If this was his every day approach he wouldn%26#39;t be in business any longer. Regardless, I won%26#39;t be whale watching with him.