First off, I need that hot chocolate recipe. That was divine, like it really competed with the whales for my attention. Wow! We saw orcas and bubble netting humpbacks and gorgeous mountain views. Even though it was a huge boat, due to the diligence of the crew and a bit of teamwork from everyone on board, there was always something to see. And Captain Greg was phenomenal at bringing us closer to the action, that was some impressive maneuvering. read more

Perfect family excursion! Justin, Carly and Connor were all excellent tour guides. I loved hearing all the cool facts about Alaska. They also made homemade salmon dip and it was delicious. I'd come back just for that! 5 stars! read more

Amazing tour of the Sitka sound. We saw plenty of wildlife and the crew was great. The weather was perfect.... Totally enjoyed the tour read more

Allen Marine Tours - Gorgeous views! - Boating Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

We just had a 2 hour sound cruise. The crew was awesome. Slowed to watch some sea otters and a couple Grey whales. read more

Had an amazing tour with Allen marine tours in Sitka AK. Crew was knowledgeable, safe, respectful, and professional. We saw great wildlife and the scenery was unreal. 10/10 recommend. read more

We booked them through our cruise line for a glacier excursion. We went on four excursions on this trip. We were so disappointed by our first three but was pleasantly relieved to finally have a great one. And this went far beyond and exceeded all the others by miles. Amazing female crew. The captain was a beast. She guided our boat like a canoe through the icebergs to the glacier. And kept us in the best position for pics. Great narration that was very informative. Highly recommended, you won't be disappointed. read more

Allen Marine Tours - Sun trying to get through - Boating Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

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We had a great boat tour and meal at the Fin Island Lodge! The staff, both boat and at the lodge, were very friendly and accommodating. We had our meal first and it was really good. The salmon chowder was the best I've ever had as was the roasted salmon. I had to ask for the recipe and left my email and hope they send it my way. The island was full of wildlife including bald eagles with fledglings in the nest. The boat tour was great and we saw whales, otters, and salmon. Water was a perfect and the weather couldn't have been better. Our naturalist guide was highly knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend this trip! read more

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Waste of time and money. You will see more wildlife just walking along the shoreline. They rushed us out and back We saw a couple of seals, otters about 500 yards away, and a couple of whale blows even further away. So they can say we saw it all. But I've seen WAY better sightings of all these species just walking around. read more

We had a blast on this boat ride! We did the raptors and Bears first as part of our cruise Excursion but honestly the highlight was the sea life boat ride ! We saw sea otters, seals and although not guaranteed gray whales which was the highlight of our cruise so far! Such a friendly and fun crew had a blast ! read more

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Giving credit where credit is due always makes me a smile. From the spotless boat to the informed narrative, this is a first-class outfit. The fact that we saw Orcas and Humpbacks and a Sea Otter may have been by chance, but I think it had a lot to do with the crew's expertise. Denali and his whole team were exceptionally knowledgeable and they worked together in a very collegial manner. The scale only calls for five stars, but I could go six quite easily! read more

Aurora and the captain was AMAZING. Super fun jokes and amazing views. Amazing staff definitely worth it!

Having a relatively short stop in Sitka, we had to decide which excursion to do and with which tour company to do it with. We did the Wildlife Quest and Fin Island tour with Allen Marine tours, and it exceeded our expectations- friendly and professional from beginning to end- we had Astrid as our captain and Liam as our deckhand and storyteller. They were absolutely fantastic- we saw whales, eagles, otters, sea lions. The trip was super informative-our guides were genuinely friendly and you can tell they really enjoy their jobs- Highly recommend if you're planning a trip to Sitka! read more

I had a great and pleasantly surprising marine tour here. We got extra lucky when we went and saw TONS of whales and jellyfish. Our host was knowledgeable and entertaining. Wanna make a special shout out to the guy in the back running the gift stand and his advertising pitches -- they were so funny! read more

Allen Marine Tours - The jelly fish - Boating Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

We took the "Sea Otter And Wildlife Quest" excursion, that was part of our cruise package, and had a good time. The tour boat was the St. Tatiana. This is about a three-hour tour through the bay, with sightings of whatever wildlife happens to be there. The captain and the crew were always keeping a lookout for wildlife, and whenever they spotted something we would motor over and get a closer look. The humpback whales were migrating while we were there and we got good views of many of these. The sea otters and Steller's sea lions are year-round residents and we got to see these too. We also visited the site of the salmon hatchery. We saw one or two bald eagles; sometimes there are bears, but we didn't see any. read more

Wonderful tour!! Aurora was delightful and very entertaining. Saw lots of marine life.

Nyah, Rylee, and Carter were amazing! We had a wonderful time on our excursion with them and would highly recommend doing the Fin Island Lodge and Wildlife Tour to anyone visiting Sitka! read more

On May 23, 2023, we took the Alaska Zodiac Adventure Tour and Fin Island Lodge. Absolutely fantastic, the zodiac accommodations were adventurous and we were prepped with appropriate safety equipment and precautions. Absolutely stunning. Our guide and captain were well versed, friendly and professional. We saw a lot of natural wonders and islands and many sea animals. We took in a lot when we toured the various islands. When we stopped for brunch at the fin Island Lodge, what a feast we had. I've never had such amazing snow, crab, fresh, salmon, and amazing chowder. The staff at the lodge were equally friendly, helpful and courteous. Again, what a wonderful and amazing time we had, we would recommend this to anybody coming to Fin Island. read more

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My Wife and I recently did a tour with Allen Marine tours on July 2nd as an excursion from our Alaskan Cruise through Royal Caribbean. I normally don't follow up with reviews but my Wife and I had such a great time and it was all thanks to Captain Chad Shaw. The rest of the crew that day were also fantastic. We got to see a couple humpback whales and I got to see Sea Otters in the wild for the first time. We really appreciated the hospitality and will definitely book your tour again on our next trip to Sitka. Kudos to Captain Chad Shaw for making Sitka the best part of our Alaskan cruise! read more

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Had a tour with NCL and had Rylee, Carter and Captain Nia. All 3 were very humorous and definitely kept us safe. We got a Sitka Grand Slam of viewing. Would do this again! Definitely gets wet so bring some rain boots and a rain jacket to keep dry. Very good experience. read more

This was a really nice experience. We took the Sea Otters, Raptors, and bears...Oh my tour. The captain was very knowledgeable and took to spots where we could see animals in the wild. The on deck naturalist was amazing and had collected some samples of sea stars, sea urchins and different types of kelp for us to look at feel and experience. Although we didn't see any sea otters we did see tons of eagles, grey whales and star sea lions. The fortress of bear and raptor center was amazing! It was great to see the conservation effort and to see the animals up close and personal. read more

Knew their stuff and we saw so much marine life! We went in a really sunny day and saw otters, eagles, and two types of whales!

While sailing with Royal Caribbean, we booked a marine wild life tour. The tour was thru Allen Marine Tours. We took our tour on Aug 14th. Robin was pur Captain, and Astrid was our Nature expert. We saw some salmon, a bald eagle, and then the tour took an exciting turn! Robin had spotted something exciting for us to see she alerted Astrid as to what she saw, and they assured us we would all like what she spotted. As we were on our way to what Robin saw out of the blue, a humpback surfaced near our boat! We immediately stopped and let this beautiful creature swim by us. You could hear the humpback breathing it was so close! After a bit, we continued on our way. Robin and Astrid were telling us about a mom and a baby that were also in the area. Then they emerged from the water! We talked about their fluke and how the baby was still in the process of getting it down. We watched them go down and disappear for a bit. They surfaced again, and after a bit, the baby got the perfect fluke! We had other humpbacks appear in their area as well. After a bit, it was time to start moving on. As we were traveling to the next area it happened mamma and baby started to breach! It was spectacular watching this beautiful whales jump out of the water. You could hear their big splash as they came back down. The excitement on the boat was contagious! We all stared in awe and couldn't believe what we were seeing! Unfortunately, our time was coming near that we had to be back on the ship. Robin and Astrid were hoping to show us an otter on the way back. They thought they spotted one, but nope, it was a rock. Then, as we came around one last corner heading to the ship there he was floating on his back, enjoying the beautiful day! I wasn't sure what to expect on this excursion, but it was by far one of the best we have been on! Robin and Astrid made it fun as well. Would definitely go on another tour! read more

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The crew was very good at spotting sea creatures. They have a lot of knowledge about sea life and the islands. Very polite

Had an amazing time with the best guides Captain Kirk and Ayla! Saw tons of whales, bald eagles, otters and sea lions along with incredible views. Highly recommend read more

Allen Marine Tours - Bald eagle - Boating Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

On Quantum of the Seas sailing to Sitka on June 21st. We did the Alaska Zodiac Adventure and Fin Island Lodge tour with Allen marine tours. Our naturalist onboard was amazing and our captain positioned us to see otters, seals, bald eagles and eagle nests and a humpback whale. The feast at the lodge had delicious crab legs and salmon and s'mores over a campfire on the shore. Would highly recommend this tour. read more

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Had an amazing experience with this company today. A pod of gray whales, sea lions, harbor seal, multiple eagles and a whole otter clan! Great guides with Otis, Andy and I'm sorry Captain but I can't remember your name. Really just a magical few hours, it's going to be the highlight of this cruise. read more

's does not feel high enough for this tour. We did this tour on Saturday August 17 and wildlife we saw!!!! 4 orcas, at least 20 humpbacks, sea otters, bald eagles, sea lions. Captain Andy with Pearls commentary was amazing would 100% do this again. One of the highlights of our Alaskan holiday. read more

If you're in Sitka for the day and can only do one excursion, I highly recommend the Allen Marine Tours excursion. I participated in this as part of a package when I visited recently, and it combines the best of everything for viewing wildlife while in Sitka. The boat for the excursion is open on top, allowing those who are brave to experience the elements. On the day that I visited, despite the nice weather, I appreciated the enclosed lower portion, which still afforded excellent viewing. The tour promises a guaranteed wildlife sighting, and we saw more than our fair share of Alaskan wildlife that day. The staff will yell out where to see the animal, and slow down the boat if necessary for everyone to catch a glimpse. On the day that I visited, we saw a bear, otters, seals, a sea lion, and several whales during the several hours long tour. Hot chocolate, coffee, and snacks are complimentary, which was greatly appreciated as we kept a lookout for the best of Alaskan wildlife. Do yourself a favor and make sure to take a tour with Allen Marine Tours while you're in Sitka. Like it was for me, I'm sure it will be a highlight of your time there! read more

Allen Marine Tours - Oh buoy! This sea lion is ready for his close up - Boating Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

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What a wonderful day seeing wildlife with the fun group from Allen Marine Tours out of Sitka. We sailed with Captain Carl, Aurora, Ash, and Navarro, They provided loads of information that educated and entertained, They couldn't have been nicer or more engaging! We had beautiful weather and saw gray and humback whales, eagles, sea otters, and steller sea lions. Most of which had young! It was an amazing and most memorable. We highly recommend Allen Marine Tours, plus it's nice to support a local company. Thanks for a great trip! read more

Great RIB boat tour. Awesome being surrounded by grey whales spouting and surfacing. Captain Robin did a great job. The two naturalists, Delaney and Ayla were very knowledgeable. read more

We had an amazing zodiac tour. Got to see all kinds of wild life up close. Paul and Mo made sure our entire group had a great time. The lunch at Fin island was incredible. Absolutely worth the money to have such a phenomenal experience. read more

Allen Marine Tours - Sea lions sunbathing - Boating Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

I truly enjoyed this tour . Saw a few Wales and see otters . The tour guides were very nice and informative . The boat is nice and spacious . Warm and you are able to see out of the windows . They have binoculars available if you need and want to use them . We got served a bit of smoked salmon , it was very good Our tour guide Michael was excellent . The best part is at the end of the tour , they being you right to the ship . read more

Allen Marine Tours - Ready to see w whale - Boating Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

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We had a wonderful tour. Saw two kinds of whales, sea otters, Bald Eagles (and active nest), a mink, and some great sea critters. Lunch at Fin Island Lodge was excellent. Wildlife Quest and Fin Island Lodge. Couldn't recommend this tour any more highly. read more

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We had a wonderful tour today. Saw sooo many whales, but the star of the tour was Elena! I learned so much from her, and she was so knowledgeable! The Captain did a great job of spotting whales for us! Ask for Elena as your guide! read more

This tour was fantastic! The employees were so friendly and kind, and the boat tour was informative and entertaining. We went on a short boating tour then to Finn Island Lodge, where the food was delicious and the view was amazing. Rachel was our guide and she was seriously an angel!! So kind and friendly. Thank you guys so much for a great time! :) read more

I went on two Allen Marine boats this weekend and they were both fantastic! Aurora made the boat ride today for the brunch especially wonderful. She has a great presence and was very welcoming! read more

As far as sitting in a boat and experience wildlife and the beauty of Alaska from afar, this tour company gave us a great tour. I'd personally prefer to immerse myself in it via backpacking, or camping, or hiking, but when you're travelling in a large group, with a 90 year old grandmother, such activities just can't be managed. Allen Marine is a tour company that is based in Alaska and gives boat tours in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. Our family booked with them through the cruise line (which, after some research, was pretty much inline with the price we'd get if we booked it independently - my guess is that other tour companies do it for a little cheaper), and a good time was had by all. First off, the company is locally owned, which is always a plus in my book. Second, their fleet is manufactured in their own dock in Sitka, AK, some of which uses "jet" propulsion as opposed to propellors. The advantage is that this type of propulsion is less harmful to the local aquatic life; again, a big plus in my book. The boats are big, clean, and well maintained. There's plenty of viewing space, on both the lower deck for thsoe averse to the wind, and the upper deck for us hardier folk. The guides are top notch. They're all super friendly, very knowledgable, and very approachable for any and all questions. When we saw wildlife or anything else that was notable, the captain would slow the boat down, and move it around in circles so everyone had a good viewing angle, and the guides would talk about whatever it was we just saw. You know, I'm not a big sit on a boat tour kind of guy, but I'll admit, I had fun on their tours. We used them in Sitka for a wildlife tour, and in Ketchikan for the Misty Fjords tour. For both, the tour and the staff was top notch. I don't have any experience to compare them with other Alaskan tour companies, but I'd definitely use them again if I was to tour. As an added bonus, they feed you on the boat with snacks. Food is always appreciated. read more

We bought the 'Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest' as a part of the cruise line bundle that included two other attractions - the Alaska Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear. All three were top notch, but this review is about Allen Marine. As it turned out, the Allen Marine experience was the perfect way to start the day. The ship is clean and eco-conscious. The captain and guides are friendly and genuinely respectful of both their environment and their customers. The catamaran was fast and stable, with perfect viewing from the enclosed lower deck and open upper deck. Wildlife spotting is pretty much catch-as-catch can, but the captain was familiar with the favorite hangouts of various otters, eagles, and whales, and approached each location without disturbing the residents. As another reviewer noted, the captain would then slowly rotate the catamaran so that every passenger could get a clear view. Other notes: * Each passenger gets a large fold-out map to track the day's journey - a handy way to 'tag' the locations of your photos. * The captain and the guide compliment each other's running comments during the trip. Yay! For first-time-to-Alaska folks like us, it turned a "look at the pretty scenery" trip into an interactive understanding of the Sitka Sound ecosystem. The guide circulated among the passengers, answering questions and offering tips of where wildlife might be spotted. * Our trip was not on a particularly chilly day, but the endless supply of hot chocolate and snacks certainly made the adventure that much more fun! read more

Took a tour with them as part of a package though Holland America. The boat was very nice, it was had an open air top floor and an enclosed bottom floor which had a clean restroom, and a little gift shop. The tour guide was very informative, funny, and friendly. We were able to see numerous humpbacks, otters, and eagles. It was an amazing fun boat ride. read more

Our second "Allen Marine" excursion was to see/Sea Otters and whales, while in Sitka. This excursion was just as excellent, in every way, as the first. To my chagrin, I don't recall with clarity, the crew. I think the pilot was Kevin, but not sure; he too, was very respectful of the wildlife while moving the boat so everyone got to see plenty of whales, sea otters and other wildlife along this area. Our naturalist, ?? Elizabeth, was a great narrator and the other crew were also just wonderful. We would highly recommend any tour under the auspices of Allen Marine. This was expertly arranged by Princess Cruises. sdm read more