26 Glacier Cruise Review: The Best Way to See Glaciers Valerie & Valise

26 glacier cruise

The boat comes within a 1/4 mile, close enough to hear the glaciers move as well as see the brilliant blues in the ice. Because the glaciers are so huge—some go 18 miles back and a mile across—however, it will seem like you're even closer. Another option for experienced and intrepid explorers is the versatile and increasingly popular packrafting. For the uninitiated, packrafts are highly portable personal inflatables designed to compress into a backpack, enabling you to flex your backpacking skills while accessing more remote, wild water. Alaska Packraft School guides an overnight packraft trip through fabled Crow Pass, which includes 15 miles of hiking and 8 miles of rafting on Eagle River, for $600. Your view of Alaska is going to change the closer you are to the water.

Lunch & Other Ship Amenities

To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land. We work with agents and advisors to provide the best Alaska experience for your clients. These high-speed catamarans provide excellent stability and can usually accommodate guests who require the use of a wheelchair during the cruise. Please contact us to discuss your special physical requirements in advance of your cruise. Choose LEARN MORE for details on the mode of travel you plan to use to get to Whittier.

26 glacier cruise

Glacier Cruise Includes

All while you sail to iconic northern destinations like postcard-pretty Juneau, majestic Endicott Arm and Alaska’s dazzling Inside Passage. As glaciers move, they grind the earth to flour that turns the waters that wind through the fjords a gorgeous opaque turquoise colour. Take an excursion or tour through the water-filled valleys of Mendenhall Glacier to bathe in the light that reflects off of the compressed ice. You can kayak through Mendenhall Lake, which is actually created by the melting waters of the 3,000-year-old glacier. Alaska tours took care of our travel needs and worked with us to set up the perfect vacation.

Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise Review: The Best Way to See Glaciers in Alaska

Restrooms, complimentary hot coffee, tea and ice water at self-serve stations are available throughout the cruise. A complimentary hot lunch is served right to your table featuring wild Alaska smoked salmon chowder or a hearty vegetarian chili upon request. After your cruise, board your motorcoach for your return trip back to Anchorage. The pristine waters of Prince William Sound provide a nutrient-rich environment for a variety of wildlife. The weather and wildlife are two variables that change daily.

We cover 150-miles on our way to view the glaciers, and our Captain keeps an eye out for sea otters, Steller sea lions, bears, mountain goats, and whales. At the end of the cruise, visit a kittiwake bird rookery inhabited by more than 10,000 birds nesting on the rocky cliffs in Passage Canal. The Glacier Quest Cruise, a shorter route (ideal for younger kids) focuses on magnificent glaciers in Blackstone Bay.

The Cruise Ship Terminal is adjacent to our pier and the ground surface is paved for an easy transition between the day cruise and the cruise ship. All the other glacier days I had on a cruise ship, I kind of a saw glacier calving just once, if I saw it at all. Stretch your legs on a short walk from the cruise ship terminal to board a catamaran.

Glacier Viewing on the 26 Glacier Cruise

26 glacier cruise

Also based in Seward, Kenai Fjords Tours ventures into Resurrection Bay and beyond, offering options for different interests and food on every tour. Choose between a wildlife vs. glacier emphasis, or calmer water tours for those with concerns. Pricing ranges from $50 per person in the early season to $238 for a full day tour. Major Marine Tours, based in Seward, cruises to Kenai Fjords National Park, where the whale-watching is world class — but then, like so much in Alaska, so is the rest. Running from $109 for an adult/$54 per child for an early spring tour, to an 8.5-hour cruise at $289 per adult, there’s an array of day tours to choose from, including private charters. For those with more time, the 26 Glacier Tour run by Phillips Cruises & Tours says it all in the name.

Guaranteed, No Seasickness

With an Alaska glaciers holiday, you can do both at the same time. 👆 As you are starting the 26 glacier cruise, you will sail right by the cruise ship docked at Whittier cruise port. If you are going to Glacier Bay National Park on a cruise ship, you will become familiar with the term “calving.” This is when huge chunks of ice fall off the glacier and into the water. In September, I took a train from Anchorage to Whittier, did the 26 glacier boat tour, and then got on a Princess cruise from Whittier to Vancouver.

Prince William Sound 26 Glacier Cruise & Coach

Alaska travel ideas: Anchorage and Juneau without a cruise - Los Angeles Times

Alaska travel ideas: Anchorage and Juneau without a cruise.

Posted: Mon, 07 Jun 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Cell phone service is very limited or non-existent on the Portage Glacier Road and through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. Speed limits are strictly enforced so please allow extra travel time and don’t miss the tunnel. Once in Whittier, our office is only one mile from the tunnel. Several outfits offer boat tours less than a day’s drive from Anchorage.

But really, you don’t need to see 26 glaciers in order for the tour to be worth it. There are more than 26 glaciers mapped out, and I am not sure which of the glaciers you can actually see from the water, and which glaciers we actually did see. I was born on the East Coast and currently live in the Midwest – but my heart will always be out West. I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington.

I share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge. Plot a course through Blackstone Bay, Esther Passage, and College Fjord to see 26 of Prince William Sound’s spectacular glaciers. It was nice, but it’s not really a big meal, so you should be sure to eat breakfast. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Quantum of the Seas® joins sister ship Ovation of the Seas® in Seattle for our biggest, boldest Alaska season ever. The two largest ships in the region brim with ways to maximise your time under the Midnight Sun. And bring awe-inspiring wilderness views into every room – even Interior staterooms – with Virtual Balconies.

Princess Cruises' 2025 Alaska has longer trips, national parks tour - Seatrade Cruise News

Princess Cruises' 2025 Alaska has longer trips, national parks tour.

Posted: Tue, 01 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

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If you plan to make this stop, please add an extra hour to your travel time. At this location, you can see moose, musk ox, wood bison, and bears before your glacier cruise. From here, continue on Portage Glacier Road for 12 Miles to the Whittier tunnel. Seeing glaciers is one of the top things to do in Alaska, and draws many visitors there each year. This is where the Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise can be the perfect option; as the name suggests, it’s a cruise focused on seeing the many glaciers visible in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. In this post, I’ll share my Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise review from our 2021 trip to Alaska.

From Whittier, the area we cruise is protected by a series of barrier islands and long narrow fjords that help reduce the marine currents. Whether you prefer to relax in your seat and gaze through our large panoramic windows or use the spacious outside observation decks, our vessels provide you with many ways to enjoy the view. The Chugach National Forest encompasses nearly 3500 miles of shoreline where 3-5 thousand bald eagles soar and five species of salmon flourish.

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