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These are great if you’re planning to visit Alaska in the spring and want to get out on the water – though they are quite different than what’s offered during the summer months. Along the way, you’ll head deep into fjords to watch glaciers calf and skim the edge of the Gulf of Alaska with the best chances to spot whales and other wildlife. Major Marine Tours is my favorite Kenai Fjords cruise operator, and this 8.5-hour tour is their longest tour that will take you to the furthest reaches of the national park. You’ll spend a whopping 8.5 hours out on the water – a great amount of time on a day with good weather (or a miserable unending slog if the water is choppy or has swells!). Before diving into the ranked list of the best Kenai Fjords National Park cruises, I want to quickly cover each of the companies that provide cruises in the national park. This will help you get a sense of why I ranked the tours in the order I did.
Kenai Fjords Glacier Odyssey
Your captain takes the boat as close to any glacier as safely possible for the best view. KFT’s fleet is the largest in Southcentral Alaska; its boats are 95 feet long, with smooth catamarans that hold up to 150 passengers. You can sit inside the heated viewing area with giant picture windows, or stroll the large viewing decks. All tours include at least one meal at no additional cost depending on the length of the trip.
Seward Dog Sledding on Glacier & Helicopter Tour
The Alaska Railroad offers daily summer service between Anchorage and Seward, with the train from Anchorage arriving in the late morning and return train departing in the early evening. Many consider this route to be the most scenic train trip in the state. The highway to Seward is a National Scenic Byway in its own right, so we recommend traveling one direction by rail and the other by bus. For most visitors interested in seeing Seward, we recommend spending at least one or two nights in town. The Harbor 360 offers freshly updated rooms, complimentary continental breakfast, and a convenient harbor front location.
Trip Planning Help
Charter a sailboat out of Seward and hit the waters of gorgeous Resurrection Bay! Choose an afternoon tour if you’re just in Seward for the day, or opt for a multi-day cruise. Your charter comes with a seasoned captain, or experienced sailors can rent the boat and take the helm themselves. Surrounded by mountains, the bay offers ideal sailing conditions, and you’ll have plenty of chances to see wildlife and glaciers.
Whale Watch Adventure
Fly above town and Resurrection Bay, opt for a glacier landing, or longer flights over Kenai Fjords National Park. Traverse the majesty of Exit Glacier by ice hiking or ice climbing, or opt for a nature hike in the gorgeous terrain around Seward, Alaska. Take a spectacular private guided hiking tour in Seward — where the mountains meet the ocean — to explore glaciers and alpine ridges. Several local hotels provide shuttle service to the Small Boat Harbor.
Seward is a Great Town, Beyond the Boat Tour
This family-owned tour operator has gone above and beyond to give guests an amazing day on the water since 1990. Saw lots of orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, otters, bald eagles, puffins and big chunks of ice falling off the glacier! Captain was great at pointing things out and very knowledgeable. Major Marine Tours is a proud participant of Whale SENSE, an education program that recognizes whale watching companies committed to responsible whale watching practices. However, Northern Latitude Adventures runs on smaller boats, making this a much more intimate experience. Okay, now that I’ve covered all of the companies that offer Kenai Fjords cruises, I want to provide you with a ranked list of all of the cruise itineraries they offer.
Full-Day Kenai Fjords National Park Tours
We are a locally-owned, family company with over 30 years of sharing authentic Alaska adventures with our guests. As I mentioned earlier, I generally advise that longer is better in Kenai Fjords, but perhaps you only have – or only want to spend – a half-day on your Kenai Fjords cruise. (There are plenty of other great things to do in Seward!) In that case, a shorter tour is best, and the 4-hour wildlife cruise from Major Marine Tours is my top recommendation. The port city of Seward is a classic stop on any Alaska itinerary, thanks to its proximity to Chugach National Forest and Kenai Fjords National Park.
Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise
Some tours are designed to please birders or shutterbugs, while some are perfect for families with little kids. One tour is even focused on getting acquainted with one type of migrating whale only observed in the Spring in Alaskan coastal waters. Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords are great places to see wildlife and glaciers. And Major Marine’s vessels, which have cozy heated cabins and an outdoor viewing area, can take you out to see both.
Alaska cruise around Kenai Fjords National Park, worth it - Business Insider
Alaska cruise around Kenai Fjords National Park, worth it.
Posted: Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Alaska Saltwater’s small-group whale watching, wildlife, and glacier tours offer daily excursions into the pristine Kenai Fjord National Park. Cruises 6 hours and over include a complimentary hearty deli lunch for all guests. Departing from Seward, this cruise glides past seals, whales and puffins as we explore coastal rainforests, tidewater glaciers and remote Alaskan islands. Experienced and engaging captains narrate the trip, so you walk away knowing a whole lot more about Kenai Fjords National Park and its wonders. After dipping into the Gulf of Alaska, the boat rounds Aialik Cape and heads north into the calmer waters of Aialik Bay.
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. Call or email us your tour questions or to customize your Alaskan vacation.
Kenai Fjords National Park is home to some of the most magnificent glaciers in Alaska. The Harding Icefield covers more than 700 square miles in Kenai Fjords National Park and is the source of over 35 named glaciers. Several different types of glaciers can be seen from our cruises, including tidewater, piedmont, hanging, and cirque glaciers.
Here, guests enjoy a deli lunch as the boat nears and then idles alongside one of the massive tidewater glaciers within Kenai Fjords National Park. These rivers of ice cascade dramatically from jagged mountainsides, their massive faces shedding car-sized chunks of ice into the water with thunderous claps. Passengers will spend as much as an hour in this dramatic setting before heading back toward the Gulf of Alaska on the return trip to Seward.
This cruise is the best option for those traveling READ MORE... Those decks provide panoramic views as the boat cruises through Resurrection Bay. When crew and passengers spot wildlife, the captain slows and maneuvers at a safe distance to give everyone a chance to see. In the most compact tour, you’ll see the jagged cliffs, seabirds, marine wildlife, and alpine glaciers, including the magnificent Bear Glacier. Includes a short stop at Fox Island with a locally sourced, buffet-style lunch. Major Marine Tours offers world-class wildlife and glacier cruises in Kenai Fjords National Park, departing from the beautiful harbor town of Seward, Alaska.
