We at the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour have been working hard in the off-season to get ready for the 2023 season. One of the things we wanted to improve on is to let our guests who have been onboard the Aleutian Ballad know what we are currently doing! We also get a lot of people searching about the tour and have a ton of questions about what to expect. For our first post, we wanted to share some of the most frequently asked questions and our responses so there is no question that we are the BEST tour in Ketchikan and the must-do tour in Alaska!
Most people say that you must book from the cruise ship to make sure you make it back to the ship on time. Is this correct?
We partner with cruise lines to offer our tours; however, we do sell our tours directly from our website at alaskacrabtour.com. The tour you book on the ship and the tour you book directly from us is the same exact departure. Since everyone is together on the same tour means you will get back to your cruise ship on time with the rest of the passengers!
What if our cruise ship is late getting to the port, or the port ends up being canceled? What happens next?
If your ship is late to the port for any unforeseen reason, we will do our best to make sure that each person is rescheduled for a later departure. If the tour is unable to be rescheduled due to the ship not being able to port in Ketchikan, a refund will be issued for each ticket sold.
Will I get seasick?
Ketchikan is located within Alaska’s inside passage. The water here is normally very calm. Even when the winds pick up during the winter months and the weather gets bad, the islands create a break for us, and we hardly see a wave.
The F/V Aleutian Ballad is over 100 feet long and made of solid steel, the boat was specifically created to handle the roughest seas in the world. Also, as the seating area is outside (covered and heated, of course) there is always a lovely cool breeze that refreshes the senses.
If you are extremely sensitive to motion, you are welcome to take typical motion sickness medicine before coming. However, it’s highly unlikely that you will need it.
Are we going Fishing? Will I need a fishing license?
The commercial fishermen will be doing the catching. Since this isn’t a sport fishing tour, we use 100% real commercial-grade equipment that must be operated by experienced professionals.
Once the catch is on board, that’s when you get to participate! Guests are encouraged to touch the sea creatures, photograph them and in most cases, hold them.
For this reason, no fishing license is needed.
Is there a benefit to booking directly with us?
First off, regardless of If you book with the cruise line or with us, you will get the exact same tour! As we said before, we have been working hard to improve for the 2023 season! We are excited to announce that we will be offering a VIP experience that can only be booked directly with us. The VIP Experience will include:
- Ticket for the tour
- VIP Seating with the best views
- King Crab meal
- A soft drink or water
- A special VIP Exclusive memorabilia to take home with you!
Check back soon to book your VIP Experience in early 2023!
To learn more about the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour and to book directly, go check out our website at alaskacrabtour.com
