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Review Highlights
Great experience with a super captain

Had the pleasure of going out with Capt. Neill on his boat, Catdaddy. It was a four hour... read more

Reviewed 12 July 2024
photogmangentry
,
Canton, Michigan
Awesome wildlife tour that exceeded our expectations!!

Captain Neil was a great host on our afternoon wildlife tour. We were able to see multiple humpback... read more

Reviewed 27 June 2024
Camper67377068829
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Reviewed 3 September 2019

Ok, I admit, this company was not my first choice. EVERYONE said go with Gallant. My parents went with Gallant a few years ago. Gallant was full. This is not a knock against Gallant - this is a review to let you know that there are other options to consider. It was bad weather when we arrived in Sitka. Most other tours were cancelled. Neil (captain) was waiting for us on the pier- super easy to spot. He brought his bigger boat which could handle the weather. At first I was bummed bc I wanted the smaller boat to go into the caves. About 3 minutes into the trip I was so very thankful to be in the Catdaddy! The boat was super nice - bathroom and coffee/snacks. There were great outside areas for viewing wildlife. The company also provided awesome binoculars- best I’ve ever used. I really appreciated Neil’s concern for our safety. He made us come inside when it got too rough, but also put us into some great areas where we could go outside and see the wildlife. He also (after asking us if it was ok) altered our tour to go see whales (we signed up to see birds mainly-but honestly wanted to see any wildlife). After seeing puffins and a bunch of other birds we set out to see whales. Neil and his amazing wildlife expert found some and we got to see one breach. Sooo cool! We were delighted to hear stories and see photos of whales bubble feeding. Let’s face it - it was a rotten day weather-wise, but Neil and the Nature Expert (cannot remember her name) made our trip worth every penny. Coolest part was that they gave us a sheet with all the wildlife we saw and a map of where we saw it and the route we took. If you want to spend several hours with a great captain and crew - I highly recommend A Whales Song. Not sure why they do not turn up on more feeds - I’ll try to correct that. Also - Neil was great at contacting me and suggesting an earlier cruise time due to weather. I really appreciated this. If we had waited longer, the weather would have not allowed us to go. If you want a highly personalized adventure - this company is for you!

Date of experience: August 2019
1  Thank RCJH1997
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NeilM3452, Owner at A Whale's Song Expeditions, responded to this reviewResponded 19 December 2019

Wow Marnie what a great review. I'm sorry it took me so long to respond as I didn't see the TA In my inbox (it musta been buried in my e-mail). Lione was the naturalist that went aboard with us. You guys were so much fun. Thanks for the awesome pics as well!

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Reviewed 31 August 2019

Capt Neil and Leone we're a great team as they took us on a 3 hr whale and wildlife tour. We've been on several whale watching tours in Hawaii and on the California coast in the past and this was by far the best. We saw A LOT of whales as well as otters, sea lions, and a large variety of seabirds including a puffin! Neil and Leone were very knowledgeable as well as friendly and fun!

Date of experience: August 2019
Thank rickyjk
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NeilM3452, Owner at A Whale's Song Expeditions, responded to this reviewResponded 2 September 2019

Thanks for such kind words! We are humbled and hope to see ya'll again.

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Reviewed 29 August 2019

We could not have been happier with our tour with Neil and Lione a week ago. We saw all sorts of wildlife from otters to such fantastic birds on the island we visited. Whales evaded us for the most part, but we still got to see them hanging around us here and there with a spout and a tail dive.

The interior is perfect for warming up, and the outer deck is nice and spacious for those on board. Lione showed us all sorts of animal information and shared so much knowledge, incredible!

I would reccomend this tour and experience to anyone wanting to have a beautiful exploration of Sitka was an awesome crew. Thank you!

Date of experience: August 2019
Thank Kari Ann H
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil M, Owner at A Whale's Song Expeditions, responded to this reviewResponded 29 August 2019

Thanks Kari. It was wonderful having y’all onboard. Looking forward to seeing your photos.

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Reviewed 26 August 2019 via mobile

Went out with Captain Neil & Leon & had such an amazing time !! The scenery was gorgeous & the boat you ride on is big and comfortable. Neil & Leon are a WEALTH of knowledge & teach you so much about wildlife, Sitka, & the surrounding area. I loved hearing all the random facts about the wildlife we saw. St. Lazaria was magical & it’s an island unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much to Neil & Leon for going over & beyond to make sure we had an awesome time & for being such kind individuals. Would 100% recommend anyone for this tour 👍🏻.

1  Thank Britney L
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NeilM3452, Owner at A Whale's Song Expeditions, responded to this reviewResponded 26 August 2019

Thanks Britney. Your enthusiasm is contagious! It was great having you onboard and hope you make it back to Sitka soon!

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Reviewed 19 August 2019

This was our second time in Sitka touring with Neil and Lione. They are the perfect combination of informative, fun and caring guides for your sea adventures. Neil is respectful of the wildlife and caters to your interests whether it be whales, puffins, otters etc. He may go further and stay out longer to show you all the spectacular wildlife and scenery he can. If you want the personalized small boat (6 people) experience then this tour is perfect. He and Lione are so knowledgeable about each species they see and share in an interesting and fun way.
We are photographers and Lione is excellent at making sure the boat is positioned for the best photo lighting. You couldn't ask for a better or nicer captain and naturalist/photographer in Sitka. We've gotten some of the best whale pics we've ever taken so whether you're a pro, semi pro, phone photographer or just want to observe wildlife, this is the tour for you. We have so many unforgettable memories AND photos!!!! Thank you again Neil and Lione!! J&K

Date of experience: July 2019
3  Thank whoa3050
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NeilM3452, Owner at A Whale's Song Expeditions, responded to this reviewResponded 21 August 2019

You guys are wonderful! It was so great having you aboard again with us and thanks for the wonderful compliments!

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