Kids, seniors and wheelchairs on a whale boat

No age limits, but an adult on board

None of the six main tours sets a minimum age, and on every one of them children must travel with an adult. Babies ride on a parent's lap on both Alaska Tales trips and on the JWT and Dolphin boats. The Lighthouse tour goes further and lists infant seats. We found nothing specific about infants in Harv & Marv's listing, so ask before you book.

One extra outside our six follows the lap rule too. Juneau Tours & Whale Watch's 3-hour trip, from ~$156, seats infants on laps and has bathrooms on board, but its gratuities are not included and the fare does not show it. The prices on this site are the per-person "from" fares in the listings, so ask each operator how they charge for a child or a lap baby. What a whale tour costs works through a budget for a family of four.

The six tours side by side

Where a cell says "not stated", the listing is silent on the point, which is different from a yes. A quick message to the operator before you pay settles it.

Strollers and the walk to the boat

Nearly every trip begins on a bus north to the harbor and ends with a walk down the dock, so any stroller needs to fold. Strollers are fine on Alaska Tales, Dolphin, the Lighthouse tour and, if collapsible and someone handles it, Harv & Marv's. JWT turns away any stroller that does not fold. Alaska Tales describes boarding as a short walk onto the boat, but its bus has 4 steps on and off that guests manage without help. Dolphin's ramp can be steep at low tide, which makes pushing a stroller or a wheelchair hard work.

On deck, a stroller is mostly something to park. A baby carrier frees your hands when everyone shifts to the rail, and a toddler held in your arms is safer than one loose on a wet deck.

Wheelchairs and limited mobility

None of the six tours is wheelchair accessible, and the differences lie in what each one allows. Alaska Tales takes collapsible wheelchairs but no motorized chairs or scooters. Harv & Marv's has no ramps and takes a collapsible chair only when someone helps the passenger aboard. JWT accepts neither non-folding nor electric wheelchairs. Dolphin says its tour does not suit wheelchair users or anyone with a mobility impairment. The Lighthouse listing simply says it is not wheelchair accessible, and its island landing adds a short boardwalk on Sentinel Island.

One trip outside our six lists wheelchair access on Viator, the Juneau Whale Watching Adventure run by Alaska Travel Adventures. It carries two catches, since it cannot be refunded and bookings are confirmed only within 48 hours. Ask the operator exactly what access means on their boat before you pay. Among the six, a guest with a folding chair who can manage a few steps with help has the best chance on Alaska Tales or Harv & Marv's, after a call to check.

Back problems, knees and older travelers

Two listings say plainly that they are not recommended for anyone with back problems, Harv & Marv's and Dolphin. Dolphin's longer glacier and waterfall trip carries the same warning. The listings do not give a reason, so if a back or hip worries you, ask how the boat rides and how boarding works. Dolphin runs small jet boats, which are quick between spots, and a bigger hull tends to move less, though that is a general rule rather than a promise.

For grandparents, or anyone who tires quickly, the larger boats with heated cabins are the comfortable choice. You can sit inside between sightings and step out when a whale surfaces. A JWT guest reported that the benches on one of its boats sit about 3 ft above the deck, a hard climb for an older traveler with stiff knees. Small boat or big boat? goes deeper into cabins and seating, and will I get seasick? covers where to sit if the water turns choppy.

Keeping children interested for two hours

Two hours on the water is long for a five-year-old when the whales are slow to show, and no crew can promise they will. Give children a job. Binoculars of their own turn waiting into searching (Dolphin and the Lighthouse boats hand them out), and a running game of who spots the next blow keeps eyes on the water. Bald eagles and sea lions make good consolation prizes. Bring snacks even on the tours that include them, and on JWT bring all the food, since the boat supplies only bottled water.

A restroom on board takes away one big worry. Alaska Tales, JWT, Harv & Marv's and the Lighthouse boats all have one, while Dolphin's listing does not say. Dress children in one more layer than you think they need, because they chill on a windy deck faster than adults, and dressing for rain on the water has the packing list. Families on a cruise call should read whale watching on a port day before choosing a departure time.

Which tour for which group

• Babies and toddlers. Alaska Tales, with lap seating and toilets, or the Lighthouse tour with its infant seats, which cannot be refunded once booked;
• School-age children. JWT's small boat keeps everyone near the rail. Dolphin is the cheapest at ~$154 and hands out binoculars, though its listing names no restroom;
• Grandparents. Alaska Tales or Harv & Marv's for big heated cabins, but skip Harv & Marv's with a bad back;
• Folding wheelchair users. Alaska Tales or Harv & Marv's, after a call to the operator.