I pre-booked this Whale & Wildlife Tour in December, 2023 for our Alasakan Cruise scheduled for…read moreJune 2024. My Hubby gets sea sick and we choose this specific boat perfect for small Groups. Hence the early booking. The day before our Tour, we were notified by Eagle One (EO) that our tour was leaving 30 minutes earlier. No problem, we were ready. Our ship docked at the Pier and I received a call from EO confirming where to meet and a reminder of the earlier time. We followed EO's directions to the meeting destination: Ketchikan's Visitor's Bureau right along the main Pier. Our Group quickly gathered and we were off for our Adventure! Less People equals less waiting! Captain Jesse and 1st Mate Kaylee, were our experienced Guides for the day. The tour began with a brief but informative introduction about the types of whales we might encounter and the conservation efforts to protect these magnificent creatures. As we ventured into the open sea, the anticipation grew, and we were not disappointed. The Tour boats communicate with one another to provide info on where the Whales are feeding for their morning breakfast. It took about 30 minutes to arrive at the site. Pretty thrilling to see Whales surface/breach, dive and spout water high into the air! The Tour lasted about 3 Hours and we were fortunate to not only see Whales but an Island with chillaxing Sea lions and a convocation of Bald Eagles. BONUS: This is the only authorized area, where the Crew can toss frozen herring to the Eagles. Super cool to see them swoop and dive and catch them in their beaks. Get your camera's ready, they are quick! On the way back, we saw a few deer on the coastline grazing. As we docked at the pier, another wildlife bonus: Otters swimming under the pier. Overall, I highly recommend Eagle One looking for a semi private Whale watching excursion. EO provided complimentary blankets, hot chocolate, water and snacks. Bring your own binoculars our borrow a pair, totally worth it! BTW, Bathroom on board, but steady yourself, male or female ;)

I wish I could give this company zero stars. The only reason I booked with this them, is that most…read moreexcursions available in Ketchikan, through the cruise line or direct, exclude kids under 5 or under 7. I wanted to find something fun to do with my 3-year-old son. I noticed that this company had no age limit for their whale watching, website stated that it was for "all ages" and "great for families". So, I naturally assumed that their boat was safe and comfortable for small children. It did not occur to me that the only difference between them and others was dishonesty and disregard for safety.  First of all, in my personal opinion, their vessel is not entirely safe for small kids. There is a net protecting kids from falling into the water that covers most of the guardrail. However, the net does not cover the entirety of the ship, and there are spots where a small child, in my opinion, could fall overboard.  The boat is small. Technically, there is seating for everyone (barely), but be prepared for your child to be confined to a small space, for long stretches of time.   The bathrooms are tiny and not large enough to safely and comfortably change a diaper.  The tour is stated to be 2-2.5 hours. But since they could not find any marine wildlife (only eagles that they attract by throwing frozen fish at them) , the captain decided to extend the tour for an hour. I told her that I did not have enough food, since I did not expect/agree to be on the water for so long with a small child. There are no facilities, and no food available on the boat except for absolute junk. But she didn't care. She told me that the website says the tour is up to 3 hours and can be extended (a lie and a lie). This felt like kidnapping (being held against one's will), to have to spend time confined in a tiny space, with a restless child, who had nothing to do and nothing to see.  I signed up for a quick excursion 2-2.5 hours, on a vessel that was "great for families". That is not what I got at all. The kicker was the aftermath, the response that I got from the owner, via company email. I asked for a refund and told her that the excursion did not match the advertisement, the ship was not safe for "all ages" and that the company had no right to hold me and my son on the vessel, arbitrarily for longer than I agreed to. What followed was a bunch of insults, false accusations and childish threats.  The owner told me I was "very lucky (she is) a calmer person than (she) used to be". I wonder what she used to do to customers before she became a "calmer person". She accused me of clogging their toilet (I never went, since I did not feel safe leaving my child alone on that ship). She accused me of not bringing diapers or food (I brought both, but I ran out of food for him as the trip was longer than expected). She further called me a " liberal piece of shit" (because I am from California?), a "lunatic", "dipshit" and an "idiot". All of this was done via company emails that I can produce if they ever try to deny it.  Anyways, if you want to deal with this company, it's your choice. Maybe you will be lucky and have a great time on the water. Personally, I would not recommend anyone dealing with them. Certainly never bringing a small child on their boat. And hey, if there is a problem, expect them to respond as stated above....

They cancelled our reservation of 8 but refunded only 4. They claim they refunded all 8 but we…read morenever got the credit for the 2nd 4. Do not use a debit card with them as you cannot get the bank to reverse/refund it. Also, they are quite rude in communications. We attempted to contact them multiple times and never got a response for weeks. Then they come back and say we are "harassing" them.

We had a fantastic time with Emily, our tour guide on the Wilderness zodiac Quest. We booked the…read morefirst trip of the morning and our group was very small, which made for a great time. The van picks you up and drops you off at the cruise docks, so no worries about transportation. They were very conscientious about getting us back to the boat on time. The cannery was a cool and unique venue, which included snacks and drinks after the zodiac ride. They have all the equipment needed to stay warm and dry. Emily was extremely knowledgeable and personable, which made for a great experience. We saw eagles, seals, deer, and of course, stunning scenery. 10/10 would recommend this, it was one of the highlights of our Alaska trip.

Addy and Brendan were not only the cutest couple on the water, they were great fun! we saw a…read morehumpback whale, seals, bald eagles and jumping fish! And multiple kinds of starfish, too. The tour was great, the information helpful, and we had a great day!

My wife and I were in a tandem kayak. Rusty and Summer led our tour and we did not drown! We were…read moreable to see eagles, a whale, a swimming deer and starfish. I was hoping for otters, but none today. Katie led us to where we had to go, And we were driven by boat by nice people I don't remember the name of. It didn't rain on us, but they do have jackets and everything for rain.

Great trip out to "Eagle Island"…read more I think I prefer single Kayaks but the trip was great.

My family and I just completed a fun kayaking tour with Eli & Maddie! We booked the Eagle Island…read moreexcursion through the Royal Princess on our Alaskan cruise. This was the perfect way to spend our time in Ketchikan. We saw sea stars, seals, a bald eagle and more! Eli & Maddie were patient and informative. Highly recommend!

We loved this excursion. We purchased it directly through our cruise ship and it was well worth it…read more The tour itself was informative and fun. The staff were beyond friendly and accommodating. Kelsey the captain was great. She provided a lot of really cool information. The hot chocolate was to die for. The snack plate was delicious. It was a great day in Ketchikan with the Lighthouse Excursion team.

We had a beautiful wildlife excursion on their boat this morning. We saw Bald Eagles and Harbor…read moreseals and sea birds. No whales were sighted, but they are in the area.

I really wanted to love this tour in Ketchikan Alaska, but the experience didn't quite match what…read morewas promised. The tour booked was called the best of Ketchikan and we were on NCL. For those crusing to know NCL docks hella far, so it takes 40 minutes to an hour (after you get through the queue to get on a shuttle, shuttle ride and construction downtown). From where you are dropped off in town it's another 10-15 minute walk to the visitors bureau (where the tour starts) so plan ahead! The itinerary listed stops like a waterfall, Rotary Beach, and watching a totem pole carving but those never happened. Instead, most stops felt rushed. We usually had about 10 to 13 minutes to hop out, snap a photo, and rush back, which made it hard to really enjoy or learn much about each spot. A little more time and storytelling at each stop would have gone a long way. My husband said he felt like we spent a majority of the time chasing salmon. That said, our guide Ken was fantastic. He's super personable, and clearly cares about what he does. If this review were based just on him, it would be five stars. The issue was more with how the tour was planned and executed. The start was a bit chaotic. We met at the Visitor Bureau and almost got on the wrong bus since there wasn't much guidance on where to go. We ended up on a smaller bus and did a quick drive by of Creek Street, where we barely had time to see the salmon run and ladder before moving on. The eagle education center stop had potential, but it was rushed. The presentation on totem poles and local wildlife was over in a flash, though the king salmon tasting was delicious. At Herring Cove, we were told bears are often spotted, but no luck that day. We did see some seals, which was neat. Right after that, we were whisked to a tent selling jams and spreads, a very obvious tourist trap stop. The tour wrapped up at the totem pole park. It was a beautiful site, but again, we had to choose between listening to Ken or walking around to take photos. We opted for the photos and ended up missing most of the context. The rainy weather didn't help and on a sunny day it might have felt different. Overall, Ken deserves all the credit in the world, but the tour itself felt disorganized and cut short on the experiences it advertised.

City tour,including stop at the totem pole park. Unfortunately it was pouring rain. The veteran…read moretour guide kept everyone outside with his elongated speech. Could have had everyone take pictures and tell his stories inside the motor coach.fun seeing everything, just not a great tour in my opinion.

We had a blast snorkeling at Ketchikan. The shuttle picked us up at berth 2 and brought us to their…read moreHQ to be fitted for gear such as a wetsuit flippers, gloves, boots, hood and snorkeling mask. My party was accompanied by 3 guides. Saw a ton of wild life out there. It is a u ique experience and would go again. I did not get cold because of all the gear.

Fred and Kurt were totally awesome. Such an incredible and unforgettable experience. They assisted…read moreus with getting our gear on and were super knowledgeable about all of the ocean life. The thick wetsuits were easier to put on than my surf wetsuit and kept me warm the entire time. We were all surprised at how much wildlife lived in those chilly waters. They also said we got super lucky with the weather and water conditions, but they try their best to time the tours with the tides so everyone can have an awesome experience. This was such a fantastic way to start our Alaskan adventure! The warm water shower and hot chocolate afterwards were the cherry on top. They also gave us an awesome recommendation of a spot to go after we finished our snorkeling. Thanks for an unforgettable experience! If you are on the fence about booking this tour, definitely do it!

Our tour with Bianca from Emerald Forest Tours was fantastic. She gave us a wonderful, personalized…read moretour of the Ketchikan area in a comfortable van. We saw bald eagles, harbor seals, and even a black bear! The visit to the totem pole park was very interesting, and Bianca's knowledge of the area's history and nature made the experience special. Highly recommended for a great overview of the area.

Bianca was Awesome! Look for that green Van and just do it. Very personable and authentic Alaskin…read moretouring experience.

Married Man's Trail is a nice little path in Ketchikan right off of the main Creek Street that is…read morefun to go up and check out for some nature vibes. It gets very muddy or icy so if it is rainy or snowy, tread with caution and wear proper shoes! This trail was a secret pathway into town right to the prostitution houses so they could discreetly be serviced without being caught (and escape afterwards!). Grab some sunglasses because they be shadddddy! Knowing the history makes this a funny little pit stop thinking of all the scandal that transpired in Ketchikan's old timey Red Light District. I love it! It isn't out of the way at all to stop here, plus you can see a different vantage point of the Salmon Ladder from a more aerial point. Now if you hike all the way up, it's 20 minutes one way. The entire walk is shaded but mind my cautions mentioned above about the weather. At the top of the hike, you can grab a bite to eat before heading back down. This isn't a difficult hike but is indeed uphill so keep that in mind if you are not in shape, you'll be breathing heavy. Photo ops all over including with the Married Man street style sign!

This short trail was amazing. You get to see the stream where the salmon swim to lay their eggs…read more During June we did not see any salmon but it was a lovely shaded walk with the surrounding trees and sounds of the water. I did wondered how this trail got its name but there was no info that I could see that explained it. At the end of the trail was Creek street. This street used to be the red light district and you can pay $10 to see the Dolly house museum. Overall, a lovely picturesque area and colorful houses. Definitely an iconic and must see place to visit when in Ketchikan.