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Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan

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Ketchikan, United States
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Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan
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Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan
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From $225.00

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon3 hours  (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English

Overview

If you’re a fan of the Discovery Channel’s hit TV show 'Deadliest Catch,' you saw the Aleutian Ballad, a commercial fishing boat, escape a rogue wave in the Bering Sea. On this fisherman’s tour from Ketchikan, hop aboard the Aleutian Ballad and navigate through the tranquil, protected waterways of the Inside Passage with a seasoned fishing crew, and marvel at the variety of marine creatures caught in barrel pots and hauled up on deck. Touch some of the catch, take photos, and listen to entertaining sea lore.
  • Alaskan fishing cruise from Ketchikan
  • Travel through the beautiful Inside Passage aboard the Aleutian Ballad
  • Watch the crew prepare long-line barrel pots and 700-pound king crab pots
  • See king crab, box crab, prawns, rockfish, eel, octopus and more as they’re hauled on deck
  • Look for other wildlife like whales, sea lions and eagles
  • Listen to amazing stories about life as a commercial fisherman in the wild waters of Alaska
  • Choose one of several departure times, from early morning to mid-afternoon
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From $225.00

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Coffee, tea and hot chocolate
Raincoats and ponchos provided, as needed
Food and drinks, unless specified (snacks, such as chips and chocolate bars, are available for purchase on board)
Hotel pickup and drop-off
This operator has two meet-up options available. You can either meet at the departure point below or select a location for pick-up.
Berth 3 , 509 Water St, Ketchikan, AK 99901, USA
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Kindly make your way down the gangway to the Berth3 tender float where the Aleutian Ballad is parked. Our staff will be wearing a bright yellow jacket for your reference and a sign that reads "Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour"

Port of Ketchikan
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This activity will end right where it started.All guests are met adjacent to their ships gangway. All guests walk to berth 3 tender float. 1-8 minute walk depending on the location of your ship. ANY GUEST TRAVELING WITH NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE AND OVATION OF THE SEAS/QUAMTUM OF THE SEAS WILL NEED TO MEET AN HOUR BEFORE DEPARTURE TIME BECAUSE THOSE SHIPS ARE DOCKING OUTSIDE THE DOWNTOWN LOCATION. WE WILL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION.
Find out what life is like as a commercial fisherman in Alaska on this Bering Sea fisherman's tour from Ketchikan. Step aboard the Aleutian Ballad, the 107-foot (33-meter) ocean-going vessel. Soak up the views from the open-air upper deck, or take a seat in the heated, enclosed amphitheater on the lower deck.

Your crew ‘ties loose,’ push away from the dock and cruise through the waterways of the Inside Passage. Stay warm with a cup of provided hot chocolate, coffee, or tea, and hear about the Aleutian Ballad’s history as a commercial fishing boat, including how it became famous on season two of 'Deadliest Catch,' when the boat was struck by a 60-foot (18-meter) swell and survived to tell the tale. Ask them questions—the crew loves to share stories about life at sea!

En route, keep your eyes peeled for eagles, sea lions, whales, and porpoises. Upon arrival at the fishing grounds, see firsthand how the crew bait the fishing gear with salmon and squid and toss the long-line barrel pots overboard. Then, watch in wonder as Bering Sea king crab is hauled up in 700-pound (320-kg) crab pots. Other sea creatures hauled on board include Dungeness crab, rockfish, ratfish, wolf eel, box crab, octopus, gray cod, prawn and more. 

The crew sorts through the catch, and places the fish and other marine life in a tank on the deck for your observation. Feel free to snap pictures and touch some of the catch before it is released back into the sea. Set voyage back to the dock after the crew has stowed all the fishing equipment.
Itinerary
Stop At:  
Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour
Once on board we will cast off and head towards the sovereign waters of Annette Bay, Alaska.
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Duration: 3 hours 
Admission Ticket Free
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • 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.
  • Please note: additional transportation is not required, as it is a short, easy walk to get to the fishing boat from any downtown Ketchikan hotel or cruise ship.
  • Wheelchair accessible, please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required.
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Guests traveling with Norwegian Cruise Line needs to meet an hour early to get into town. we will provide bus transportation for you but if it ver important you know to meen AN HOUR EARLY to account for travel time into Ketchikan. NCL is docking at Ward Cove which is outside the city
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 136 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Bering Sea Crab Fishermens Tour
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan?
A:The policy on face masks and attendee health is:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
See all safety measures taken by Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan?
A:The policies on sanitization are:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
  • Gear/equipment sanitized between use
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
See all safety measures taken by Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan?
A:The policy on staff health & safety is:

  • Regular temperature checks for staff
See all safety measures taken by Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

  • "Get to learn about what life is like as a crab fisherman - hint, it is hard and dangerous." See review

Reviews

5.0
star-5
276 Reviews
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254
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Reviews by Viator travelers

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Showing 1-10 of 276 reviews
star-5
Best all round tour
Ernie_F
, Jun 2022
Enjoyed Captain Ron his life story was great showing strength and over coming obstacles along life's journey
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HelpfulHelpful1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Just do it!
Wendy_S
, Jun 2022
Yes it's pricey. And yes, it's probably cold and it's going to rain. But do it anyway. Unless you frequent Alaska on the regular, then splurge and do this excursion. The hubs is a big fan of the show...the 12yo girl, not so much. We all enjoyed the many facets of the trip: holding sea animals (even our 15yo!), seeing bald eagles like seagulls, all the corny jokes, the fishing stories, hot chocolate, and chatting with the ladies who work on the boat (some of whom are the daughters of the fishermen). A great way to spend the day in Ketchikan.
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star-5
Best Tour Ever
Carol_H
, Jun 2022
Best tour ever and I have been traveling 20 years. It will change your life. Felt like part of the fishing family by the time we left. The crew really have the stories to tell as this boat has had so many brushes with death, but always survived impossible odds.
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star-5
Best Tour in Alaska!
Ursula_A
, Jun 2022
I booked this tour for my husband who has watched Deadliest Catch tv show since it’s first season. But I really wish I had gone too. Thought it would not be of interest to me, but hubby was so thrilled with the tour and all the great stories both sea captains shared. And the fresh catch they were a part of and they saw so many bald eagles, too. This is a pricier tour than most I’ve booked, but worth every penney - only wish I would have gone on it also because hubs still talks about how great that tour was!
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star-4
Safest catch
Guy_C
, May 2022
Very interesting. The boat has a story just like the crew which, like the captain said, is made of fishermen not tour guide. Very secure ship with handrail everywhere. The fishing excursion takes place in very calm water. The boat is in mint condition without the smallest rust spot. On the down side, the pot they recovered full of plastic crabs ... that was so, so ... That’s what I went to see, a full pot of king crabs coming up from the bottom ... just like in the Deadliest catch show ... On the up side we saw a lot of American bald eagles which are fed by the crew ... amazing
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star-5
Excellent experience!
Angela_B
, May 2022
Cpt. David, Andy & Dave were fantastic! This is a tour I would highly recommend. They were very informative and personable.
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icon Response from Host , May 2022
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We hope to see you in Alaska again. Please share any photos you have on our Facebook Page to enter into the photo contest:)
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star-5
Brilliant
russelln07
, Sep 2019
Is a must for any travelers to this region... brilliant commentary....be like Nike....just do it. Spoil your self.
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HelpfulHelpful2 travelers found this review helpful
star-5
A must do.
Russell_N
, Sep 2019
A brilliant way to learn the life of a Bearing sea fisherman. Great commentary from all of the very captivating staff... outstanding couple of hours.
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HelpfulHelpful1 traveler found this review helpful
star-4
Great information, lousy results
James_W
, Aug 2019
Overall I feel the excursion was really good, the whole boat crew was excellent very informative, I think Andy was his name and he was awesome the same with the boat captain. Feeding the bald eagles was probably the highlight. Bad news now I feel the traps were staged, one was for certain when they brought up fake crabs, the others I feel were staged too, was hoping to see real fishing. Overall was really good but don't get your hopes up about the surprise of what are they going to catch when they already know what's in the traps.
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star-5
Amazing!
Glammagogo
, Aug 2019
This was an incredible trip. The men were caring, informative, funny, professional and kept all of us entertained as we understood the hardships of the fishing and crabbing industry. They were passionate about what they did and stood for. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. We did not have to sit and be still the whole time either. It was interactive. I cannot say enough good things about this.
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star-5
GREAT shore excursion
Gary_S
, Jul 2019
This is the second time we have taken this excursion. And would probably do it again. The crew is excellent, informative, and entertaining. Seeing the bald eagles is like no other experience. Except seeing whale, which we didn't this time, but would have been icing on the cake! Fun, fun trip!
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star-5
Wonderful experience.
Betty G
, Jun 2019
This tour was so full of knowledge It was recommended by a family member. The crew were great and always made sure everyone had pictures with the crabs. Their stories made it exciting. This is a fun trip for children and adults.
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star-5
Travis Yarie graduation gift. Alaska cruise
Laurie_Y
, Sep 2018
WOW, where do I begin. This was by far the best excursion on our trip. Our tour guides were very knowledgeable, very personable, very considerate and absolutely wonderful. Enjoyed everything about this excursion and would definitely go again.
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star-5
Patty’s opinion
Navigator578345
, Sep 2018
We loved every minute of it. The tour guides Andy, Dave and the captain were all very interesting and animated. Thank you for showing us another way of life!
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star-5
best tour I had during my Alaskan cruisde
cathie_m
, Sep 2018
highly exceeded expectations. Since I tend to get seasick I was hesitant, but should not have been.Calm waters, great onboard accommodations Will definitely do it again if I have the opportunity. host were very knowledgeable and personable.
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HelpfulHelpful1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Outstanding!
Rob_T
, Aug 2018
Great trip, entertaining stories, interesting vessel. They took you to 4 or 5 different "fishing" spots where they pulled up the crab traps, and explained what it would look like if this were a commercial crabbing vessel instead of just tours.They were open and honest that most of the crabs & traps had been pre-arranged (meaning the crabs inside were not caught, but placed in). We were able to hold the crabs and take pictures with them.They stopped by an Eagle's nest and fed bald eagles for about 20 min -- and there were 8 or 9 that would fly around and dive bomb and eat the fish. This was incredible!In addition to the Box crabs and other crabs you could hold, they had caught an Octopus, and caught prawns & shrimp. They do not actively try to catch King crabs, but have an aquarium on the deck that had 8-9 King crabs that you could look at but not hold.Overall, really cool and interesting trip. But note: the crabs they are catching are not caught live.
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star-5
Bering Sea Crab Tour was AWESOME!!
WorldTravelerMiko
, Aug 2018
This was an AMAZING tour! We saw crabs, prawns, an octopus, and about 15 Bald Eagles that came swooping in to feed on some fish they threw out. Great tour and fun stories about the history of the Aleutian Ballad!!!!
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star-5
Well worth it
Arthur_L
, Aug 2018
Very informative and fun. Smart hard working crew. Get to learn about what life is like as a crab fisherman - hint, it is hard and dangerous.
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star-5
Surprisingly Fun-filled Excursion!
Teresa G
, Aug 2018
I was skeptical when my husband first suggested this excursion, but it turned out to be A+! The crew was clearly experienced, knowledgeable and super entertaining! There was a lot to see, the scenery was spectacular and the stories and explanations were very interesting. My husband and 14 year old son loved it, and so did I!!! Don’t miss this trip!
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star-5
Well worth the trip! Loved this excursion!
Mistie_P
, Jul 2018
We had a wonderful experience on the Fisherman's tour. Well worth the money! By far our favorite excursion on our Alaskan cruise. The staff shared great stories and had great knowledge of the industry. Very much enjoyed. Plus there's an extra perk on this boat ride that most won't get to see!
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Product code: 6347SEACRAB

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