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| Frequently Asked Questions |
Q. What if I have another tour scheduled behind your tour?
A. If you have another tour after our tour that is an hour or less from
when we arrive back to the harbor, you will need to let us know as soon as
possible. We do not want to compromise our tour because of scheduling
conflicts. This is not fair to the other passengers. We will call a taxi to
take you to where you need to go and payment is your responsibility. We
try to schedule our tours with at least two hours between tours to ensure
there is time to take passengers to the Mendenhall Glacier and to allow for
any unforeseen delays. Contact Eileen if you are considering multiple
tours, so we can help maximize your limited time.
Q. What type of whales are near Juneau, Alaska?
A. Humpback and Orca Whales. We have seen Humpback Whales on
100% of our trips since 2004. We see Orca Whales about 20% of the time.
Q. What is the best time of the year to see whales around Juneau?
A. The best months are May through September for Humpback Whales.
Q. Do you have a whale sighting guarantee?
A. N0/Yes after seeing whales on 100% of the trips, we decided not to use
this as a means to get customers. We promise to do the best we can to
locate whales on each and every trip. But if you do not see a whale on
your tour, you will receive a 50% refund. We have always had this policy.
Q. Can you see whales anytime of the day?
A. Yes. But during the evening (after 7:00 pm) the whales tend to be less
active. Humpback Whales surface + or - every 15 minutes to breathe.
Q. Is it better to go whale watching in the morning or in the afternoon?
A. History has taught us that it makes no difference. We have seen whales
on 100% of our tours for the last 6 years. Being the wild animals that they
are, you just cannot predict when they will be more active! They have no
set time for breaching, tail lobbing, peck slapping etc. If you happen to
witness this behavior, you know you are seeing something special. :)
Q. How close can we get to the whales?
A. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states
that boats may not approach Humpback Whales closer than 100 yards
(300 ft).
Q. Will you pick us up? How do we get to your boat?
A. Yes. We will pick you up in our courtesy van near your cruise ship or
hotel and drive you out to the boat and return you to your ship/hotel when
we are done with the tour.
Q. Is there a bathroom on board.
A. Yes, flush toilet and locking door.
Q. Are the boats covered and do they have heaters?
A. Yes. The boats have enclosed cabins with large windows and heaters
if the weather is cold.
Q. Is the water rough around Juneau?
A. Juneau is located in - (the inside passage) there is no open ocean water
near Juneau. You are within sight of land at all times.
Between May and the end of August the water is usually pretty calm. The wind is
usually 15 mph or less. Although an occasional storm can blow through.
In September expect it to be rainy windy and chilly on the water.
Chart of the Juneau area.
Q. What will the weather be like? Click here for the current weather in Juneau :)
A. 68% chance of clouds and rain. We are located in a rain forest and it is
usually cooler on the water.
In 2008, the average temperature on the water was around 50 degrees. A good
combination to wear is an outer layer that is wind/rainproof with a fleece coat
underneath, this will keep you warm and dry. If you are from a warmer climate,
you might want a hat and gloves. May and September can be windier and
colder. A comfortable passenger is a happy passenger!
Q. Do people get sea sick on your boats?
A. Almost never. 15 passengers in the last 6 years.
Q. If the water is too rough to go on the tour, can we get a refund?
A. Yes, full 100%* refund. * In the form of a check, 4% fee if charged back to credit card.
Q. What is your cancellation policy?
A. 100%* refundable. If you cancel with a minimum of 30 days before tour date.
*It cost us up to 4% each time we charge a credit card, so if you pay with a check and we
refund you with a check, 100% refund. If you pay with a credit card and want the refund
to be credit back to your credit card there will be a 8% fee. If you paid with a credit card
and want the refund in the form of a check there will be a 4% fee.
I
Q. What happens if we miss our cruise ship because the boat breaks down?
A. First, we have never had anybody miss their cruise ship.
We guarantee we will get you back to your cruise ship before it departs.
If we fail.
1. You will receive a full refund for the whale watching tour.
2. Each passenger on board will receive $100.00.
3. We will pay the boat or plane fair to get you to your next port of call.
4. If needed, we will provide food and lodging.
Q. What other things of interest might we see on the whale watching tour.
A. Eagles, Sea lions, seals, lighthouses, mountain glaciers, remote islands and
beautiful mountains.
Q. Can I smoke or drink alcohol while on the whale watching tour?
A. For the safety and enjoyment of all passengers, smoking and drinking are not allowed.
Q. If we would like to go to the Mendenhall Glacier, how do we get there?
A. After the whale watching tour, your van driver will take passengers to the Mendenhall
Glacier for a brief visit before heading back to the cruise ship area. If time allows, you
have the option to stay and catch the glacier shuttle bus back. The cost is $7.00 per
person for a one way fare. If the shuttles have quit for the evening (usually around 5:30
pm), we can call a taxi to pick you up at a certain time. If you have an exclusive tour,
there is a little more flexibility. We can meet you at the Mendenhall Glacier to take you to
the harbor for the whale watching tour. After the tour, we will take you directly back to
your ship.
.
Q. How many passengers can you take on a boat at one time?
A. 6 is the total number of passengers we can take on a boat at one time. Children are
included in the total. Six total, big or small. (see minimum age policy)
New for 2010 we will have a custom built 12 passenger whale watching boat for
exclusive groups from 7 to 12 people. All in one party, one reservation.
Q. What if we have more than 6 passengers in our group?
A. We have 4 boats, so its possible to book boats at the same time. The boats would
travel together making it even more of a fun adventure. You have an opportunity to take
pictures of the other group with a scenic background. New for 2010 we will have a
custom built 12 passenger whale watching boat for exclusive groups from 7 to 12 people.
All in one party, one reservation.
Q. Is there a discount for children? (see minimum age policy)
A. Sorry because of our limited seating capacity, we are unable to offer any discounts.
To help keep all of our customers as happy as possible, we will only take children under
the age of thirteen (13) if it is an exclusive tour or groups of five our six. New for 2010, we
are hoping to have a children's cruise......more info to come:)
Q. Why are you called Harv and Marv, when your names are Pete and Jay.
A. Pete and Jay have been friends since junior high school (1970's).
One day after Pete watched a movie which the only sane character was Harv. He started
calling Jay, Harv. Jay getting a little tired of this, replied by calling Pete, Harv or Marv.
They have called each other Harv and Marv for over thirty years now.
Q. We see all these photos of whales, how many can we really expect to see on a
trip?
A. We have seen as many as 25 in one day, but we are happy if we get to see 2 to 3
different Humpback Whales per trip.
Q. You have lots of photos of whales breaching and bubble feeding, what can we
really expect to see on the tour?
A. By far, most of the time we just watch the whales swimming through the water, coming
up to breath every 7 to 15 minutes. We always enjoy seeing the fluke or tail, but they
don't always show their tail when they dive. We see a whale breach on about 14% of our
trips. In 2008 we saw bubble feeding on 14% of the tours. Each trip and each day is
different.
Q. We have heard you will have a new 12 passenger boat next year (2010)?
A. YES!!!!! The M/V Alaskan, custom built, it will be ready for the 2010 season.
For exclusive groups of 7 to 12 people, all in one party. We will not combine groups from
different parties on this boat.
Q. We have heard you are hiring more captains for next year, don't you think this
will compromise the personalized tour Harv and Marv's is famous for?
A. No. We hired Captain Steve Olmstead for the 2009 season, he received 100%
satisfaction from his passengers on every tour. Steve also received the most thank you
email's and highest reviews of the three Captains.
Captain Shawn will be joining the Harv and Marv team for the 2010 season and beyond.
Because of Captain Shawn's outgoing, upbeat and fun personality along with his never
ending energy, we believe he will be another great asset to the H & M team.
Q. We have heard lots of good things about your company, so what are some of
the negatives?
A. We run smaller boats, so if the water is rough a larger boat will give you a
smoother ride.
A. If you have already gone on a Kenai Fjords Tour out of Seward, Alaska or a
whale watching tour out of Icy Straits (Hoonah, or Glacier Bay) , there probably
isn't much more we can show you that you haven't already seen. (Whales,
mountains and water) If you would like to see whales breaching, Hawaii in the
winter is one of the best places in the world to see this.
A. There are three big steps to get in and out of our boats
and the van parks about 300 yards away from our boat. If
you can not walk 1/2 mile or up and down stairs with ease,
you should consider booking with a different company.
A. If you have less than six (6) people in your group and do not pay for an
exclusive tour, you may end up with some people that are not so fun or enjoyable
to be around! We have no control over this.
If you are concerned about other people on the boat, the
exclusive tour may be the way to go!
Q. Why do children have to be over the age of 13 or on a exclusive tour to go a tour
with Harv and Marv's.
A. Click here.
Q. How soon do we need to make a reservation?
A. You can wait as long as you like, (we need about 1 hour notice if you are in town and
we have space), however, it is best to make the reservation as soon as you can to get the
dates and times you want, some dates are filling up already.
As an example: A person who has been e-mailing and asking questions for awhile may
lose the spot they were interested in because someone else called or emailed and
booked for that date and time.
Q. How do we make a reservation and what is your payment policy?
A. Go to our contact page and send off an email or call Eileen.
If you have general questions please email Kerry @ kerry@harvandmarvs.com
To confirm a reservation, we require payment in full 60 days prior to the tour.
100%* refundable if you cancel with a minimum of 30 days before tour date . *It costs us
up to 4% each time we charge a credit card, so if you pay with a check and we refund you
with a check, 100% refund. If you pay with a credit card and want the refund credited
back to your credit card, there will be a 8% fee. If you paid with a credit card and want the
refund in the form of a check, there will be a 4% fee.
If you cancel within 30 days of the tour there will be a 20% fee,
If you cancel within 1 day of the tour there will be a 50% fee, total,
regardless of how you paid.
Q. What happens if we sleep in (or something like that) and are late getting to the
Harv and Marv's courtesy van?
A Our tours are designed to help maximize passenger's limited time in port and because
of that limited time in port, it is important to be on time so we can leave on time.
Passengers often have other tours or plans for the day where we drop them off at their
next location. We feel this is not fair for the other passengers who are on time. WE WILL
WAIT 10 MINUTES and then leave for the tour. You will NOT receive a refund. Please
be on time. If there is space on a later tour, we will try to reschedule, but we cannot
guarantee that the later tours will have space.
Q. What does downtown Juneau look like? What does the tram look like?
Where will the van meet us?
A. Click on the link to find pictures of the meeting locations - hopefully this will be helpful
in locating our van. Click here to see pictures.
Q. What do your boats look like?
A. Click here to see pictures of the boats.
Q. What other whale watching companies do we recommend? And what other
activities are there to do in Juneau?
A. We recommend going to the official Juneau travel website: www.traveljuneau.com
Most of our competitors are listed here along with everything else there is to do in Juneau.
Look through them and pick the one that works best for you.
Q. Do you offer any specials?
A. Yes, click here to see current specials.
We hope this helps!
If you have other questions that are not answered here, please email us.
kerry@harvandmarvs.com
A. If you have another tour after our tour that is an hour or less from
when we arrive back to the harbor, you will need to let us know as soon as
possible. We do not want to compromise our tour because of scheduling
conflicts. This is not fair to the other passengers. We will call a taxi to
take you to where you need to go and payment is your responsibility. We
try to schedule our tours with at least two hours between tours to ensure
there is time to take passengers to the Mendenhall Glacier and to allow for
any unforeseen delays. Contact Eileen if you are considering multiple
tours, so we can help maximize your limited time.
Q. What type of whales are near Juneau, Alaska?
A. Humpback and Orca Whales. We have seen Humpback Whales on
100% of our trips since 2004. We see Orca Whales about 20% of the time.
Q. What is the best time of the year to see whales around Juneau?
A. The best months are May through September for Humpback Whales.
Q. Do you have a whale sighting guarantee?
A. N0/Yes after seeing whales on 100% of the trips, we decided not to use
this as a means to get customers. We promise to do the best we can to
locate whales on each and every trip. But if you do not see a whale on
your tour, you will receive a 50% refund. We have always had this policy.
Q. Can you see whales anytime of the day?
A. Yes. But during the evening (after 7:00 pm) the whales tend to be less
active. Humpback Whales surface + or - every 15 minutes to breathe.
Q. Is it better to go whale watching in the morning or in the afternoon?
A. History has taught us that it makes no difference. We have seen whales
on 100% of our tours for the last 6 years. Being the wild animals that they
are, you just cannot predict when they will be more active! They have no
set time for breaching, tail lobbing, peck slapping etc. If you happen to
witness this behavior, you know you are seeing something special. :)
Q. How close can we get to the whales?
A. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states
that boats may not approach Humpback Whales closer than 100 yards
(300 ft).
Q. Will you pick us up? How do we get to your boat?
A. Yes. We will pick you up in our courtesy van near your cruise ship or
hotel and drive you out to the boat and return you to your ship/hotel when
we are done with the tour.
Q. Is there a bathroom on board.
A. Yes, flush toilet and locking door.
Q. Are the boats covered and do they have heaters?
A. Yes. The boats have enclosed cabins with large windows and heaters
if the weather is cold.
Q. Is the water rough around Juneau?
A. Juneau is located in - (the inside passage) there is no open ocean water
near Juneau. You are within sight of land at all times.
Between May and the end of August the water is usually pretty calm. The wind is
usually 15 mph or less. Although an occasional storm can blow through.
In September expect it to be rainy windy and chilly on the water.
Chart of the Juneau area.
Q. What will the weather be like? Click here for the current weather in Juneau :)
A. 68% chance of clouds and rain. We are located in a rain forest and it is
usually cooler on the water.
In 2008, the average temperature on the water was around 50 degrees. A good
combination to wear is an outer layer that is wind/rainproof with a fleece coat
underneath, this will keep you warm and dry. If you are from a warmer climate,
you might want a hat and gloves. May and September can be windier and
colder. A comfortable passenger is a happy passenger!
Q. Do people get sea sick on your boats?
A. Almost never. 15 passengers in the last 6 years.
Q. If the water is too rough to go on the tour, can we get a refund?
A. Yes, full 100%* refund. * In the form of a check, 4% fee if charged back to credit card.
Q. What is your cancellation policy?
A. 100%* refundable. If you cancel with a minimum of 30 days before tour date.
*It cost us up to 4% each time we charge a credit card, so if you pay with a check and we
refund you with a check, 100% refund. If you pay with a credit card and want the refund
to be credit back to your credit card there will be a 8% fee. If you paid with a credit card
and want the refund in the form of a check there will be a 4% fee.
I
Q. What happens if we miss our cruise ship because the boat breaks down?
A. First, we have never had anybody miss their cruise ship.
We guarantee we will get you back to your cruise ship before it departs.
If we fail.
1. You will receive a full refund for the whale watching tour.
2. Each passenger on board will receive $100.00.
3. We will pay the boat or plane fair to get you to your next port of call.
4. If needed, we will provide food and lodging.
Q. What other things of interest might we see on the whale watching tour.
A. Eagles, Sea lions, seals, lighthouses, mountain glaciers, remote islands and
beautiful mountains.
Q. Can I smoke or drink alcohol while on the whale watching tour?
A. For the safety and enjoyment of all passengers, smoking and drinking are not allowed.
Q. If we would like to go to the Mendenhall Glacier, how do we get there?
A. After the whale watching tour, your van driver will take passengers to the Mendenhall
Glacier for a brief visit before heading back to the cruise ship area. If time allows, you
have the option to stay and catch the glacier shuttle bus back. The cost is $7.00 per
person for a one way fare. If the shuttles have quit for the evening (usually around 5:30
pm), we can call a taxi to pick you up at a certain time. If you have an exclusive tour,
there is a little more flexibility. We can meet you at the Mendenhall Glacier to take you to
the harbor for the whale watching tour. After the tour, we will take you directly back to
your ship.
.
Q. How many passengers can you take on a boat at one time?
A. 6 is the total number of passengers we can take on a boat at one time. Children are
included in the total. Six total, big or small. (see minimum age policy)
New for 2010 we will have a custom built 12 passenger whale watching boat for
exclusive groups from 7 to 12 people. All in one party, one reservation.
Q. What if we have more than 6 passengers in our group?
A. We have 4 boats, so its possible to book boats at the same time. The boats would
travel together making it even more of a fun adventure. You have an opportunity to take
pictures of the other group with a scenic background. New for 2010 we will have a
custom built 12 passenger whale watching boat for exclusive groups from 7 to 12 people.
All in one party, one reservation.
Q. Is there a discount for children? (see minimum age policy)
A. Sorry because of our limited seating capacity, we are unable to offer any discounts.
To help keep all of our customers as happy as possible, we will only take children under
the age of thirteen (13) if it is an exclusive tour or groups of five our six. New for 2010, we
are hoping to have a children's cruise......more info to come:)
Q. Why are you called Harv and Marv, when your names are Pete and Jay.
A. Pete and Jay have been friends since junior high school (1970's).
One day after Pete watched a movie which the only sane character was Harv. He started
calling Jay, Harv. Jay getting a little tired of this, replied by calling Pete, Harv or Marv.
They have called each other Harv and Marv for over thirty years now.
Q. We see all these photos of whales, how many can we really expect to see on a
trip?
A. We have seen as many as 25 in one day, but we are happy if we get to see 2 to 3
different Humpback Whales per trip.
Q. You have lots of photos of whales breaching and bubble feeding, what can we
really expect to see on the tour?
A. By far, most of the time we just watch the whales swimming through the water, coming
up to breath every 7 to 15 minutes. We always enjoy seeing the fluke or tail, but they
don't always show their tail when they dive. We see a whale breach on about 14% of our
trips. In 2008 we saw bubble feeding on 14% of the tours. Each trip and each day is
different.
Q. We have heard you will have a new 12 passenger boat next year (2010)?
A. YES!!!!! The M/V Alaskan, custom built, it will be ready for the 2010 season.
For exclusive groups of 7 to 12 people, all in one party. We will not combine groups from
different parties on this boat.
Q. We have heard you are hiring more captains for next year, don't you think this
will compromise the personalized tour Harv and Marv's is famous for?
A. No. We hired Captain Steve Olmstead for the 2009 season, he received 100%
satisfaction from his passengers on every tour. Steve also received the most thank you
email's and highest reviews of the three Captains.
Captain Shawn will be joining the Harv and Marv team for the 2010 season and beyond.
Because of Captain Shawn's outgoing, upbeat and fun personality along with his never
ending energy, we believe he will be another great asset to the H & M team.
Q. We have heard lots of good things about your company, so what are some of
the negatives?
A. We run smaller boats, so if the water is rough a larger boat will give you a
smoother ride.
A. If you have already gone on a Kenai Fjords Tour out of Seward, Alaska or a
whale watching tour out of Icy Straits (Hoonah, or Glacier Bay) , there probably
isn't much more we can show you that you haven't already seen. (Whales,
mountains and water) If you would like to see whales breaching, Hawaii in the
winter is one of the best places in the world to see this.
A. There are three big steps to get in and out of our boats
and the van parks about 300 yards away from our boat. If
you can not walk 1/2 mile or up and down stairs with ease,
you should consider booking with a different company.
A. If you have less than six (6) people in your group and do not pay for an
exclusive tour, you may end up with some people that are not so fun or enjoyable
to be around! We have no control over this.
If you are concerned about other people on the boat, the
exclusive tour may be the way to go!
Q. Why do children have to be over the age of 13 or on a exclusive tour to go a tour
with Harv and Marv's.
A. Click here.
Q. How soon do we need to make a reservation?
A. You can wait as long as you like, (we need about 1 hour notice if you are in town and
we have space), however, it is best to make the reservation as soon as you can to get the
dates and times you want, some dates are filling up already.
As an example: A person who has been e-mailing and asking questions for awhile may
lose the spot they were interested in because someone else called or emailed and
booked for that date and time.
Q. How do we make a reservation and what is your payment policy?
A. Go to our contact page and send off an email or call Eileen.
If you have general questions please email Kerry @ kerry@harvandmarvs.com
To confirm a reservation, we require payment in full 60 days prior to the tour.
100%* refundable if you cancel with a minimum of 30 days before tour date . *It costs us
up to 4% each time we charge a credit card, so if you pay with a check and we refund you
with a check, 100% refund. If you pay with a credit card and want the refund credited
back to your credit card, there will be a 8% fee. If you paid with a credit card and want the
refund in the form of a check, there will be a 4% fee.
If you cancel within 30 days of the tour there will be a 20% fee,
If you cancel within 1 day of the tour there will be a 50% fee, total,
regardless of how you paid.
Q. What happens if we sleep in (or something like that) and are late getting to the
Harv and Marv's courtesy van?
A Our tours are designed to help maximize passenger's limited time in port and because
of that limited time in port, it is important to be on time so we can leave on time.
Passengers often have other tours or plans for the day where we drop them off at their
next location. We feel this is not fair for the other passengers who are on time. WE WILL
WAIT 10 MINUTES and then leave for the tour. You will NOT receive a refund. Please
be on time. If there is space on a later tour, we will try to reschedule, but we cannot
guarantee that the later tours will have space.
Q. What does downtown Juneau look like? What does the tram look like?
Where will the van meet us?
A. Click on the link to find pictures of the meeting locations - hopefully this will be helpful
in locating our van. Click here to see pictures.
Q. What do your boats look like?
A. Click here to see pictures of the boats.
Q. What other whale watching companies do we recommend? And what other
activities are there to do in Juneau?
A. We recommend going to the official Juneau travel website: www.traveljuneau.com
Most of our competitors are listed here along with everything else there is to do in Juneau.
Look through them and pick the one that works best for you.
Q. Do you offer any specials?
A. Yes, click here to see current specials.
We hope this helps!
If you have other questions that are not answered here, please email us.
kerry@harvandmarvs.com
| Alaska Whale Watching with Harv and Marv's |