Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan
Description
A MUST DO TOUR IN ALASKA! One of the highest rated tours offered along Alaska's beautiful inside passage. Find out what life is like as a commercial fisherman from men who have worked in the rugged Bering Sea. These guys are the real deal! On board the Aleutian Ballad, a boat that was featured on the Discovery Channel’s popular TV show Deadliest Catch, you’ll cruise through the calm, protected waterways of the Inside Passage with an expert crew, watching as marine creatures of all kinds are caught and hauled up on deck. Catch is then held in a live tank for observation before being released back into the wild. You’ll see king crab, box crab, octopus, rockfish, prawns and more, plus you may catch sight of other local wildlife like sea lions and porpoise. This tour has also become world renowned for a spectacular encounter with eagles in the wild.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Once on board we will cast off and head towards the sovereign waters of Annette Bay, Alaska.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum age is 5 years, no exceptions due to coast guard regulations.
- You MUST BE ON BOARD THE ALEUTIAN BALLAD for check in 15 minutes before your departure time.
- If you are concerned about seasickness, please note that this tour stays in the calm, protected waters of the Inside Passage and does not go out into the open ocean; large waves and rough seas will not be encountered. You WILL NOT be in the Bering Sea.
- Wheelchair accessible, please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required.
- If your ship is docking at Ward Cove, take the free shuttle provided by the cruise lines into downtown which will drop you off at Berth 4. Our boat is located at Berth 3, just a short 5 minute walk from there. Please allow yourself 45 minutes to take the shuttle and walk to our boat with a few extra minutes to spare. The shuttles run every 3-5 minutes into town and back out to Ward Cove
Reviews(832)
You won't get to actually fish on this trip - those trips cost a lot more - but you will get to see what and how they catch - you'll also get to see bald eagles up close. Wheelchair accessible. All in all it was totally awesome. Crew is awesome.
Incredibly frustrating experience, we were so excited for this tour when booking but somehow ended up watching the boat sail away without us. We booked directly with the company and followed their arrival instructions for shuttle pickup at Ward Cove to the letter, arriving nearly an hour ahead of time for the ride to downtown. After searching everywhere for someone associated with our tour we jumped in line for the public shuttle and called the number provided to give notice of what was happening in hopes still making it there in time. No answer so we had to leave a voicemail instead. Once downtown we ran towards the pier until the point where we saw the ship already heading out of the harbor without us. A 2nd voicemail was left trying to get any response but still nothing. From other reviews this looks like a great tour but it seems minimal effort is given for their shuttles and communication. Buyer beware.
Good afternoon, as mentioned the meeting instructions were updated in February that stated the following: Greetings from the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour, We are excited to welcome you on board the Aleutian Ballad and spend the day together in Ketchikan. Your ship is docking at Ward Cove, which is located 7 miles north of town. Not to worry, we work with all ships to make sure there is more than enough time to take our excursion and make it back to your ship. All guests are directed to take the free shuttle into town provided by the cruise lines as of 2026. Please follow the meeting instructions below and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Our email address is cfishadventures@alaskacrabtour.com or you can call us at 888-239-3816 Meeting Instructions from Ward Cove: Take the free shuttle provided by the cruise lines into downtown which will drop you off at Berth 4. Our boat is located at Berth 3, just a short 5 minute walk from there. Please allow yourself 45 minutes to take the shuttle and walk to our boat with a few extra minutes to spare. The shuttles run every 3-5 minutes into town and back out to Ward Cove Directions: Ward Cove to Berth 3 If you are already downtown prior to the departure, please meet 30 minutes prior to departure time at Berth 3, where the Aleutian Ballad is docked.
A thoroughly entertaining and informative excursion for the whole family! Comfortable setting, lots of hands-on experience, wonderful views of the eagles!!!
This was the highlight of my cruise! The crew, the ship, their stories, the history and the scenery were amazing! To get to see the bald eagles feeding right up to the edge of the ship was incredible. The way they showed us how they crab fish and getting to hold the crabs was crazy cool. I would do this tour over and over again in a heartbeat!
Great tour! A nice mix of personal stories and crabbing information. It is a crabbing tour but one of the highlights was seeing the eagles swoop in for herring the crew threw out for them.
Wonderful time. Informative, the staff is interesting & entertaining. They have great stories for their many years fishing & crabbibg
We were excited for this tour as fans of the Deadliest Catch and boy— it did not even come close to disappointment!! We learned a lot and everyone working on the ship was fantastic and friendly and so much fun. Highly recommend it!!
On a cruise down the coast. Ketichican was our last stop. This was BY FAR the best shore excursion of the trip. Dazzling bald eagle encounter—close up! Crab fishing explained in detail, and demonstrated. Best of all, the entire crew showed unmatched enthusiasm for their work and customer satisfaction. Andy and Dave shared life stories reflecting the difficulty and danger associated with the work. All in all, A+ for education, experience and entertainment.
What a great experience! The stories were incredible, as well as being able to hold some of the little sea creatures!
This is a "do not miss" tour on a real Bering Sea fishing boat - used in Season 2 of "Deadliest Catch". Tour given by real fisherman who are absolutely delightful - they love what they do and it shows! This is an interactive tour - you will handle crabs and other sea creatures (if you want). The eagles are plentiful and plenty of whale sightings as well. There are snacks, drinks and even crab legs available on the boat. The 3 hours fly by. Highly recommend while in Ketchikan!
