We just had the trip of a lifetime using this company! They've taken a yacht and divided it into 4…read morestaterooms, plus rooms for captain. They have more bathroom than bedrooms! With their wealth of experience, we traveled from Juneau to Sitka, Alaska filled with one of a kind experiences. We were taken to areas filled with lots of sea lions and puffins, a different area with mountain goats and their babies, and hiking areas. Probably the most spectacular was watching whales! Orca whales breeching out of the water. One whale got his entire body out of the water three times! Another day we were among humpback whales hunting together by bubble net feeding. The whales work together in a closing circle blowing bubbles forcing schools of fish together before the whales then swim up through the fish catching them in their mouths. To see groups of over a dozen doing this is fantastic! On a par with those two was coming up close to a glacier watching for calving while being served hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps. While at that spot, we pulled in with nets very small pieces of floating glacier that was chipped up into smaller pieces to put in our drinks!! Lots of otters and bald eagles everyday. On a few days we got tandem kayaks out which was so relaxing especially in the glorious surrounding such as when we got close to some waterfalls. Everyday we saw lots of cute sea otters and bald eagles. One day we fished off the boat and on two days we put out crab pots, caught dungeness crab and had them for two sumptuous meals. Speaking of meals, all of them we magnificent! The chef, Debbie, seemed to be in the kitchen most of the day preparing these masterpieces. Fresh flowers were abundant on board, as well as snack baskets filled with different chocolate, candy, chips and snacks. Everyday was a new thrill. This was an unforgettable experience!

From the owner: Alaska Yacht Chartersread more

Absolutely the BEST fishing experience in Icy Strait Point/Hoonah. Chris and his wife are an…read moreabsolute pleasure to be around, and they sure do know their way around the waters. As soon as we dropped anchor at a location Chris scoped out for us, I caught a HUUUGE halibut and the excursion only got better from there. For the remainder of the trip, every passenger continue to hook fish one after another and that continued until everyone was exhausted. I know catching fish is not guaranteed on any trip, but based on my own personal experience, combined with my research of other customers reviews; I would venture to guess your chances of catching a fish with him at the helm is as close to 100% as humanly possible. I can not give a higher recommendation for Chris at Tok River, and highly suggest you check them out as well.

From the owner: Offering saltwater fishing charters for halibut, salmon, sea bass and rockfish. Whale watching and…read moreocean nature tours.

I had the absolute pleasure and life changing experience of getting to work for these guys. As a…read moreyacht chef of over 20 years, it is not common to step into a crew and have a captain like Jonathan who is as calm, kind, and passionate about the experience. It was effective with crew dynamic which in turn made us want to give that same love and care to our guests. Not only are the surroundings stunning and well thought out both in safety and guest desire but the experience of fresh caught fish, crab, and spot prawns a dream for any chef to work with. Unforgettable experience and I wasn't even a guest!

To say this was an incredible trip and experience would be the understatement of the century. We…read morehad the trip of a lifetime with Jonathon and Brittany on the Gypsy Wind. My only regret is that we didn't have another 8 days to spend there. We spent 8 days, 7 nights sailing from Juneau to Sitka--every day just as special and exciting as the previous. We hiked A TON, saw incredible wildilfe (eagles, bears, seals, sea lions, whales, and more!), kayaked, fished, relaxed, and became fully immersed in the "off-the-grid-no-taking-work-calls" experience. Jonathon was an amazing Captain, Brittany's food is out of this world, and we left the trip already counting down the days until we could come back to do it again. Can't say enough amazing things about this trip or these hosts! WE WILL BE BACK!

Capt. John and deckhand Dylan were sensational. They truly made our time together memorable. Both…read morelive and grew up in the area. John knew how to find the fish and Dylan was quick and dexterous with the gear

We had a crew of 4 and were taken out by Captain John and deckhand Dylan for a half day salmon…read moretrip. Captain John was there to greet us at the dock and was very friendly and welcoming. We went out on the Hi Time boat a 30' which had plenty of room for fishing and warmth inside. We made it out to the fishing area within 15 minutes and had 4 rods in the water right away. The fishing was a little slow as we saw other boats not bringing in fish either and whales had entered the fishing area. While it was amazing to see whales, they do not help fishing. About halfway through the day my son hooked into a nice fish that was a great fight! He ended up landing a 30" King salmon, the biggest fish of his life! I caught a smaller chum salmon but was still fun to catch! My mother and father in law didn't get a chance to fish as we had no other bites. Dylan was working hard and being helpful to make the trip enjoyable and fun for everyone. He's a good kid and his family should be proud. He even let my son try fresh salmon eggs and salmon heart which he loved! Overall it was a great fishing trip and an experience that my son will never forget! If we're ever back in the area, I'll definitely book another trip! Thank you Captain John and Dylan!

Disappointing and Overpriced Halibut Charter Experience Our…read moreexperience was poor to average. We are a family of four with two girls, ages 11 and 14, and this charter was not a good fit for us this past August, 2025. We were surprised to learn that guides were not allowed to help reel in the fish until they could actually see it at the water line. When fishing for halibut, the line is dropped over 300 feet with a two-pound weight to reach the bottom. Between the weight, the depth, and the rocky waves, it was nearly impossible for our daughters--and admittedly myself--to reel in a fish without assistance. For the price we paid, and after several conversations with the owner before booking, we were disappointed this was never explained upfront. It would have been helpful to know this charter was not ideal for families with kids or teens. We were also frustrated by the lack of basic amenities. The toilet on board was broken, leaving only a bucket with no toilet paper as the option. For almost $2,000, this felt unacceptable. No bottled water or beverages were provided, and the only snack was a single granola bar for a five-hour trip. For a premium charter, this fell far short of expectations. Another disappointment was with the fish processing. We paid the owner in advance for our three fish to be filleted and shipped home, only to be asked again for our credit card later to cover separate shipping charges. This was never made clear and felt misleading. Lastly, we did not catch our limit, and both the guide and captain repeatedly mentioned that a large fishing competition had just taken place in the area over the previous three days. Their exact words were: "It's not good fishing today, it's been way overfished the last few days and it will take about two weeks to get the halibut back to this area." It left us questioning why guests were still being booked at full price when conditions were known to be poor. In the end, we spent a lot of money for what turned out to be an average experience, with limited access to fish and very little in the way of customer service.

Great customer service - Adam and Andrew are true professionals that will guide you in the best…read morepossible direction for fishing and whale watching. Adam is responsive, trustworthy and despite it not being the best time for fishing we came away with a great experience and memories to last a lifetime.

August 24, 2021 Sailing SE Alaska with John was by far the…read morehighlight or our summer adventures; my only regret was reserving only 3 days aboard S/V Shamrock with John at the helm. I wish we had 3 weeks. For anyone looking for a custom-built, authentic adventure, and lovers of off-the-beaten-path travel, I highly recommend contacting John (sailingalaska.com, facebook @alaskasailingcharter) and letting your imagination run with the endless possibilities his services provide. Not only did John cater to our saltwater and river fishing desires (not to mention our four young children), evenings in the cockpit (kids asleep in the main salon) were an adventure in and of themself; sharing stories of passages, family, open waters, foreign land. To our kids, John quickly became part of the family. When we arrived home in NE Oregon, my 6-year-old daughter said "mommy, I miss John!" Sailing with 6 people in our group (including ages 5, 6, 8, 9) is an intimate experience and John's patience and demeaner made it a trip that will endure in our hearts always. I particularly encourage people who craft their own DIY adventure travel to explore opportunities off S/V Shamrock. Upon anchor, we loaded our crew up in the skiff, motored to small islands, explored coastline geology, fished streams chalk full of salmon, set and pulled crab pots and, at every turn, chose our own adventure. The opportunity to build the adventure that you are after abound. Quiet coves, secret bays, paddling, wildlife viewing, photography, fishing, excellent meals, and forgetting that you have any other purpose save to explore and enjoy the wilds of Alaska await. For us, it was the perfect floating base camp and means of SE Alaska travel. Sarah Brandy La Grande, Oregon

How about waking up snuggled under a warm sheepskin blanket with the smell of coffee brewing and…read morethe sound of eagles calling? Get up to see a bear on the beach. Follow that with a great day of sightseeing, visiting unspoiled wilderness, glaciers, ice filled bays, small islands, unspoiled anchorages, and seeing towering, snow-covered mountains, waterfalls everywhere, and lots of wildlife - breaching and spouting whales, bears, eagles, seals, porpoises, and much more. And end it all with a delicious, custom dinner in the cockpit with ice from the glacier in our drinks and lots of great, fun conversation. My husband and I, along with our adult daughter, just spent 10 wonderful days aboard Shamrock with Captain John, who catered not only to our every need but to our every want. We appreciated the flexibility to change plans on the fly and John's willingness to meet our group's special dietary requirements. We visited Taku Harbor, both parts of Tracy Arm to see glaciers, Windfall Harbor, Snug Harbor, Endicott Arm, and both arms of the incomparable Fords Terror, rated by some as one of the top three anchorages in the world. Except for a few brief moments, we were without cell coverage from the time we left Juneau until we returned. However John has a satellite communicator in case of emergencies. Shamrock is well equipped and comfortable for cruising this area, and John's boat handling skills are impeccable. If you want to truly experience Alaska up close and personal, rather than from the deck of a cruise ship, I highly recommend Shamrock and Captain John.

I recently completed my 4th trip on the Nothern Dream Alaska charter. I feel a true connection to…read morethe ship and its crew, they go out of their way to make the trip enjoyable and comfortable. I have done Alaska twice, the Columbia River and most recently, the San Juan Islands. The boat is comfortable, well-appointed and homey. The food, served family style, is home cooked and nicely presented. All the comforts of home are provided and enhanced by the views and experiences along the way. It feels more like you're visiting someone's floating home rather than on a cruising yacht, yet there's no doubt you're on a very beautiful boat. Thanks Jim, once again, for the opportunity to share your hospitality and sea going experience.

From the owner: The best way to travel SouthEast Alaska.read more

Julia and Kendall were amazing! Our boat driver did an amazing job finding the whales and giving…read moreus a close, but safe experience! We love kayaking and this experience was out of this world! Just incredible. We saw humpbacks and orcas! Highly recommend this company!

Great place definitely a must do when your in the area . Or just make a point yo go to Alaska and…read moreexperience it first gand

Look up Shelter on the web. Shelter Lodge at Auke Bay ( there are two Shelters run by different…read moregroups. Everythinhg first class Actually you need only show up with acchsnge of underwear and sundries as everything else is provided. They do just about everything except cstch your fish. Clean , fillet , package in boxes and freeze your catch. You don't touch your 2 boxes until you pick them up at your home airport. 5 stars !

We have been going to Shelter Lodge every other year for 20 years. This is an update of a review…read morethat I wrote in 2010. I cannot believe it but since writing my review, it has gotten even mo betta. They have totally rebuilt their lodge and nearly all of their cabins. They have a beautiful dining area and decking all around. They have a new utility/changing room where they check you in and outfit you with your rain gear. The dining experience continues to be truly outstanding with Chef Kenny designing, preparing and presenting incredible meals that rival dining experiences of five-star restaurants. Fishing continues to be outstanding with expert guides who put you on the fish. The best and most noteworthy attribute continues to be their wonderful hospitality.