Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Where do we meet for our tour?
A – Our Tours meet at the Northern Latitude Adventures tour office & gift shop in the Seward Small Boat Harbor. Our office is located at 1302 4th ave Bldg E. We are next to the Seward harbor master’s office. Look for the building with the lighthouse on top. Check out the Map
Q – Where can I park?
A – If your lodging is more than walking distance from the harbor and you are driving we suggest parking across the street from the South Launch Ramp in the Harbor’s south pay parking lot (behind Subway). The City charges a fee for parking and it can be paid at the electronic fee station which accepts credit cards.
Q – Will there be food on our tour?
A – We offer complimentary snacks, water, & soft drinks, on every tour. In addition there will be a Sandwich and chips for lunch on the 7.5 hr, & 9 hr Glacier Cruises, as well as coffee, tea and hot cocoa. All 8:00 am departures also include complimentary continental breakfast at check-in. Snacks vary but usually include various granola bars, chips, crackers etc. If booking a 7.5 hr or longer tour with us Please let us know in advance if you have any food allergies, or dietary restrictions so we can try to better accommodate you. Vegetarian and Gluten free options are also available with advanced notice. In order to reduce plastic waste we encourage all guest to bring their own refillable (non single use) water bottle. Drinking water will be available to refill your bottle and we also have paper cups to use if needed. Thank you for helping us to reduce single use plastic waste.
Q – Is there a place to store our luggage while on the tour?
A – Yes, we are happy to store your personal luggage in our office while you are out on any of our tours. Just bring your luggage into the office when you are checking in and we will keep it behing the counter until you return.
Q – Will there be restrooms?
A – We do have a marine toilet A.K.A. “The Head” onboard each of our boats.
Q – Is smoking allowed on the tours?
A – No. We do not allow smoking or vaping on any of our per person ticketed tours. We do sometimes make exceptions for private charters. Please note that even though marijuana or canibus is legal in the state of Alaska, it is not allowed on passenger boats like ours, which fall under the jurisdiction of the US Coast Guard.
Q – Are dogs or pets allowed on the tours?
A – Sorry No. We do not allow pets of any kind onboard our tours, Not even on Private Charters. ADA service animals are permitted. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA
Q – Are there any age restrictions?
A – Yes. We do NOT allow children under 2 years old on any of our tours.
Q – Is it Customary to tip our Guide/Captain after the tour?
A – Of course gratuities are always welcome. Although not required, a gratuity for your guide is a great way to show your appreciation for their outstanding service. Guiding is a hospitality industry comparable to that of a server at a restaurant. 10% – 20% gratuity is a good general rule, depending on how amazing your guide was.
Q – Which glacier do we typically go to on the 7.5 hour Kenai Fjords Glacier Odyssey?
A – Usually Aialik Glacier, but it is the captains choice between Holgate or Aialik Glacier. The captains will decide based on several factors including timing, conditions, and wildlife sightings for that day.
Q – Which glacier do we typically go to on the 6 hour Tidewater Glacier Express?
A – Usually Holgate Glacier, but it is the captains choice between Holgate or Aialik Glacier. The captains will decide based on several factors including timing, conditions, and wildlife sightings for that day.
Q – Would we see glaciers on the 3.5 hour tours?
A – Not really. While we would likely see some glaciers (like “Bear Glacier”) off in the distance if the visibility is good, we would NOT make it out to the “Tidewater” Glaciers that reach the ocean. You would need to book the 6 hour or longer tours to make it out that far.
Q – When is the best time of year to see Humpback whales in Alaska?
A – in our experience June and early July are the best months to view Humpback whales in our area, with sightings also somewhat likely in May and August.
Q – When is the best time of year to see Orca’s (Killer Whales) in Alaska?
A – Orca sightings are possible year round in Alaska, but in our experience Mid May to Early June has the highest likelyhood of sightings in our area.
Q – What time of the day is best for whale watching?
A – From our experience time of day does not matter for whale watching. Whales are mammals and have to come to the surface to breathe. Being wild animals with their own unique and individual personalities we cannot predict when they will be more active than usual.
Q – How close can we get to the whales?
A – Federal Law requires a distance of at least 100 yards be maintained when approaching protected marine mammals. We will not attempt to get closer than this. Some circumstances even require greater distances.
Q – Do you use sonar to help find the whales?
A – NO. It is actually pretty easy to find them most of the time by scanning the horizon for their spouts. Sonar would not be very practical as we are searching for whales way off in the distance, not right in front of, or under us.
Q – Will we see Puffins on the Whale Watch?
A – Most likely! We will also most likely see Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, and Sea Otters, as well a few other animals. Every trip is different so wildlife sighting can vary.
Q – What camera / lenses should I bring?
A – This is a harder question. While on board the boat, larger cameras with a zoom lens are great for getting wildlife shots. You may want to have more than one lens available to choose from. Remember, the bigger the zoom, the harder it is to steady on a boat. Keep in mind there is a lot of water present, and we sometimes take spray over the bow. Another thing to mention is the use of TRIPODS. They wont help you at all on the boat. For this reason, and because of how much room they take up on deck, we don’t allow the use of tripods on per seat ticketed tours. Mono-pods are fine.
Q – What will the weather be like?
A – Seward is located in a temperate rain forest with about a 66% chance of clouds and light rain, and about a 30% chance of moderate to heavy rain. Average summer day time temperature is about 55 F and it can be a little cooler on the water. We do get our share of beautiful sunny days. With the weather all we can do is hope for the sun and be prepared for the rain.
Q – What should we wear?
A – We suggest you dress in layers so that you can adjust for the weather of the moment. A waterproof outer layer is highly recommended. A light rain jacket and rain pants over a couple of inner layers that wick moister is what most people wear when enjoying the outdoors around here. The temperatures out on the water are often cooler than in town, and especially so in front of the tidewater glaciers, so please bring something warm if you are taking one of the glacier cruises.
Q – What will the waters be like?
A – Resurrection Bay was originally chosen as a shipbuilding site by the Russian’s for it’s extremely well protected waters in the northern half of the bay. As for whale watching we have very sturdy and stable boats, and can go out even farther to find whales. We always keep safety first and will keep to the calmer, protected waters when it starts to get rough outside the bay. We do however go fast and this combined with sometimes choppy waters can sometimes make for a bumpy ride, we don’t call it an adventure for nothing.
Q – Do people get sea sick on the boat?
A – Not very often, its pretty rare, however it is always possible. Unlike on the bigger tour boats, you are an active participant on our trips. If you dont feel well you can let the captain know. If you are prone to seasickness we recommend taking preventative measures before hand. There are “less drowsy” versions of sea sickness medications that seem to work very well when taken as directed. Prescription medications are also available from your doctor. Ginger seems to help settle stomaches too so we usually have ginger ale and ginger candy onboard.
Q – What if we sleep in or miss the tour?
A – Don’t do that. Please make every effort to be on time for your trip. If you are running a few minutes late give us a call, we will wait a few minutes if you are on the way. No shows, and last minute cancellations will not receive any refund. Please see our cancellation policy for more info.
Q – Is the boat handicap accessible?
A – No, unfortunately getting on and off our boats requires a few big steps. We are happy to assist anyone who needs a little extra help to get on and off the boats. Our friends over at Kenai Fjord Tours and Major Marine Tours do have handicap accessible boats.
Discounts
We offer 10% off the price of our regular PER SEAT ticketed tour prices to the folowing groups that we hold near and dear:
Alaska residents use code AKRES10
US Military Service (past or present) use code MILITARY10
Volunteer Fire or EMS personel use code VOLUNTEERFIRE10
School Teachers & Support Staff of elementary through high school use code TEACHER10
All discounts are valid only when booked directly with us via our online booking calendar. Discount is good for the whole party. Not valid with any other offer, or through third party booking. Please be prepared to provide ID or other proof of discount qualifnication.
To redeem discount code:
1 – From our booking calendar choose your desired date and tour then select the “Book Now” button.
2 – Enter number of passengers under “Qty” (discount good for the whole party)
3 – Click on the “Apply Promo or Voucher” link at the bottom left of the pop up window
4 – Enter the promo code (case sensitive) and make sure to hit the “Apply” button
5 – Continue with the rest of the booking as directed
Have a Question not listed here? Give us a call or email us…
info@northernlatitudeadventures.com