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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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All reviews captain neil harbor seals whale song whale watching see whales wildlife photography visit sitka cruise ship personal experience three hours marine life small group animals otters tours murres overcast
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Reviewed 20 August 2020

I was hoping to see at least 1 humpback whale and we ending up seeing over 10 in multiple areas. Everything else was an added bonus. We saw lots of birds (cormorants, puffins, seagulls, bald eagles, murres, etc.) and sea otters. Neil was a wonderful guide and gave us lots of information on animals we saw and about the city of Sitka.

Date of experience: August 2020
Thank Nomemade
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.
Reviewed 25 September 2019

Captain Neil and Miss Lione, naturalist and photographer we're amazing! Very friendly, and knowledgeable about the area, animals, and the environment. We saw everything from harbor seals, otters, packs of whales, and eagles. The "Catdaddy" boat is perfect for smaller groups. If you're looking to get away from the overcrowded tour boats this is PERFECT! Equipped with a bathroom and plenty of sitting areas inside and out. Warm coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were available, as well as binoculars to use for everyone. We all had such an amazing time and would love to do the tour again the next time we are in Sitka.

Date of experience: September 2019
Thank Kimberly W
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 25 September 2019

Thanks Kim. It was wonderful to meet you and your family. I hope you had a fantastic rest of your cruise. Hope to see you in beautiful Sitka again soon!

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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
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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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