alaskawhalesanddrones.com

What It Is

Alaska Whales And Drones is a locally focused tour company based in Hoonah, Alaska, USA. Unlike traditional whale-watching tours, it offers an innovative experience that combines a small-boat wildlife excursion with drone aerial filming. The service mainly caters to cruise passengers arriving at the Icy Strait / Hoonah port, aiming to deliver a more personalized and visually striking wildlife-viewing experience than large cruise-line shore excursions.

Core Features

The core appeal of this service is the combination of “drone + whale watching.” Captain Josh is a certified drone pilot with extensive maritime experience. During the whale-watching trip, the drone is launched from a legal and safe distance. It can capture not only surface footage but also views through the water, showing whale activity below the surface—such as humpback whales’ “bubble net” feeding or pods of orcas—and stream the footage live back to the boat for guests to watch. After the tour, each group receives a complimentary USB video keepsake containing drone footage, with additional videos available for purchase. Group size is capped at 14 people, ensuring good viewing angles and an interactive experience.

Pricing

The website’s main content does not directly list specific tour prices. It only notes that one USB video keepsake per group is included, while extra videos require an additional purchase. Price-sensitive users will need to contact customer support or check the booking page for an accurate quote.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Unique perspective: Drone footage provides underwater and overhead angles that traditional deck photography cannot achieve, greatly enhancing the experience.
2. Small-group format: The limit of 14 guests ensures comfortable viewing space and more personalized service.
3. Exclusive keepsake: Aerial video is provided right after the trip, saving guests the trouble of trying to capture everything themselves.
4. Cruise-friendly protection: Offers delay or itinerary-change refund guarantees comparable to those provided by cruise companies.

Cons:

1. Limited location: Operates only in Hoonah, Alaska, so its audience is relatively narrow.
2. Incomplete information: Pricing is not displayed directly on the official website, adding friction to the decision-making process.
3. Environment-dependent: Both whale sightings and drone flights are affected by weather and wildlife activity.

Who It’s For

This is best suited for cruise passengers stopping at Icy Strait/Hoonah who want to avoid crowded large-group tours and are looking for a deeper, more immersive experience. It is also a strong fit for nature lovers with a keen interest in wildlife photography and aerial filming.

Access from China

This is a standard U.S. commercial website. It is directly accessible from China, with average loading speeds. There is no Chinese-language interface, so some English reading ability is required.