cross sound express whale watching

When a combination of nature and humans is treated with respect, you receive an amazing compensation. The captain and his collaborator were part of this magic moment. The whales, the light, the calm, the sound of the whales communication... only one small problem...when you enjoy so much time goes by so quick! Thank you so so much., if you have the opportunity do not miss this dream. Sure that we will be back from Barcelona.

Great experience! Couldn't have enjoyed it more. We were able to take some awesome photos of breaching whales on the four days that we went out on the TAZ, Capt. Todd is very knowledgeable about whales and takes the time to explain to first timers how to spot and what kind of whale they are looking at. The boat is clean and well cared for. We have gone whale watching in many places and with different kinds of boats and I can say we enjoyed the TAZ very much. You cannot go wrong going out with Capt. Todd. Even on the one trip where there were few whales to be found we enjoyed the fresh air and looking for the next one. Wildlife can't be programed and some days are not as good as others, so you have to be prepared to enjoy the area around you if the whales don't cooperate and swim in the area.

We enjoyed our whale watching expedition. Tod, the captain, is very knowledgeable and friendly. We saw many whales and treasured the experience of being so close to such huge creatures.

We took an afternoon trip and definitely saw whales, although not in profusion or proximity as the photos on tripadvisor exhibit. Also did not hear much hydrophone chatter among the whales, and we were told that happens more when there are more whales. We got some good photos and learned a lot. Free granola bars and coffee were a nice touch. Captain and his companion were friendly and we felt comfortable with them handling the boat safely. There were 12 on board and there was plenty of room. If the boat had been full (23 max) it might have been a bit crowded. I like that we didn't chase the whales as aggressively as some of the other boats we saw. Definitely worth the price.

Captain Todd took good care of us on this half day whale watching excursion. The Taz is a comfortable clean boat and it is deftly skippered and narrated by Todd and assistant. They know how to find the whale pods and maneuver around to best view them. Hear whale sounds on the underwater microphone and walk right into the pilot house to talk with Todd and view schools of fish on the sonar scope. A really pleasant and educational experience!

Cross Sound Express was absolutely the best whale watching I have had! Everywhere we turned on this trip we seemed to find pods of humpback whales feeding and spouting and breaching, sometimes multiple pods in the same location. The owner, Tod, the owner, and his staff are incredibly knowledgeable about both the whales, their behavior and their ecology and seem to have a second sense of where the whales will be. They have wonderful extra touches as well - an aquatic microphone so you can hear the whales calling and free hot coffee and tea. I would recommend this trip for anyone who yearns to see whales up close and personal!

The Taz is a comfortable boat. The Captain allows people into the wheelhouse to view whales and with permission allows you onto the bow. We spotted Sitka Black Tail Deer but no Bears. Early in season, so not many whales, but we did see whales. Lots of sea life. Plenty of hot drinks and snacks on board. Glad we took the trip.

We recently celebrated a wonderful event on The Taz, a whale-watching boat operated by Cross Sound Express. My fiancé and I got married during a tour on The Taz on July 18, 2013, and we could not have asked for a more memorable wedding. An afternoon on The Taz surrounded by numerous humpback whales was the highlight of a trip that we took to Alaska in the summer of 2011. So when we started making plans for a 2013 trip, we made sure to include another whale-watching trip with Captain Tod Sebens and his crew. After our 2013 Alaska trip was planned, we started talking about getting married while we were there and wondered about The Taz. We saw on the Cross Sound Express website that Tod had hosted weddings on The Taz before, so we gave him a call. Previous weddings had been chartered trips, but we were just interested in a short ceremony during our scheduled tour. After checking with other guests already scheduled for the same tour, Tod eagerly agreed to our request. Since we do not have any family or friends in Alaska, we asked Tod if he would be willing to actually perform our ceremony by obtaining a marriage commissioner’s license. Alaskan law allows anyone to obtain a license to perform a ceremony for a specific couple on a specific day. Again, Tod readily accepted and filled out all the legal paperwork required to officiate. Our wedding on The Taz was incredible. Tod was so accommodating, and he and his crew went out of his way to make our day extra special. We highly recommend The Taz for whale-watching even without a wedding! Tod takes you to where the whales are, and then he turns off the boat and lets you enjoy watching and hearing the whales all around you. Between our two trips, we have seen breaches and bubble-net feeding, and we have had whales right next to the boat. The many sea lions and otters are a bonus!

We really enjoyed the experience of watching whales with Captain Tod and Jenty. It was a very fun and imformative tour. We saw lots of whales, of course, but also porpoises, sea otters, sea lions, sea birds, etc. Our 6-year-old was really excited to see whales and porpoises playing in the ocean. The water was really calm, and the scenery surrounding the bay was spectacular. We'd love to go back someday. Thank you, Tod, and Jenty!

By time our travels brought us to Gustavus and Glacier Bay we had already had a few impressive encounters with whales, and we strongly considered canceling our trip on the Taz. Good thing we didn't. I don't know how Captain Tod does it but he has become amazingly in tune to where the whales are. Got close enough that we all felt the spray when the whales spouted as they dropped below our ship. It becomes a group event to call out when you spot a whale, but we came to a point in the bay where we all fell silent, whales surrounding us for 360 degrees and breaking surface every five or ten seconds. There was no reason to point anything out - we were in their world and we all took it in.

We had a great day out with Captain Todd on the Taz. His knowledge of the whales and wildlife and love of the area made the day exceptional. We had fabulous views of humpbacks enjoying a 'massage' in the kelp beds, feeding in synchronised groups and sounding all around us. He was also able to tell us so much about the sea otters rafting up with their babies, the large numbers of bald eagles and all the wildlife.A truly memorable day with a great character.

This is a small boat, holds about 25 passengers, so you can move all around the boat as the whales swim on all sides of you. When we found a pod of whales, the captain would turn off the motor. There we were in the beautiful bay, with the mountains around us, listening to the whales blow and whistle like trains, and slap their pectorals or breach. Our captain had a sharp eye and spotted birds and wildlife on the beach. He was as enthusiastic as if it was his first trip. It was glorious.

An incredible whale watching experience! We were surrounded by whales. I can see why the locals refer to Capt. Todd as the "whale whisperer" He was able to put our boat in the perfect position to be approached by the whales. The small boat makes the experience extra special. Don't miss this trip.

Four of us (2 couples) spent 4 delightful hours with Captain Todd and Amy whale watching from The Taz one afternoon in the third week of Aug. '12. Even though we have taken other whale watching tours elsewhere, this surpassed them all. After a quick traverse of the Icy Strait to PointAdolphus spotting the occasional sea otter, we arrived to find scores of humpbacks. Unlike the other times we've seen these magnificent creatures, the shear numbers and variety of behavior made the whole experience qualitatively different. The whales variously came as loners, synchronized swimming pods of about 10, breachers, tail bangers, or vociferous belchers. It was a continuous show, all in set in the sun drenched quiet of Icy Bay surrounded by a ring of snow capped mountains. The Taz is equipped with hydrophones, so guests can listen to a whale concert accompaniment to their virtuoso water ballet. The Taz graciously offers free drinks and snacks, though most of us were too engrossed by Nature to take time to try them. Our trip was complicated by The Taz having to go assist the Baranoff Wind, which runs the Glacier Bay tours. Baranoff Wind had struck a rock earlier that day and was taking on water. We sincerely appreciate Captain Todd for giving us such a tour under these unusual circumstances. The boat was always operated in a safe manner, yet the tour was very relaxed. Bookings can either be made directly or through your lodge (we stayed at the Glacier Bay N.P.Lodge).

What a wonderful trip................... We whale watched on Taz yesterday & just loved it.Small numbers so plenty of room for viewing & photo's. 40 + humpbacks, mums & calves playing,lots of breaching & splashing & the 'whale talking' was amazing. Best value for money in Alaska.We would do this tour again in a heartbeat Thank you Taz for a great trip