Kenai Fjords & Resurrection Bay Cruises See Glaciers
Table Of Content
An otter rides the wake of our boat, holding onto a rock it will use to crack open the clamshell in its other paw for lunch. These are some of the quintessential experiences you can have on a Kenai Fjords National Park cruise. Maybe you want a short tour as part of a leisurely afternoon, or maybe you want a full day that also includes getting off the boat and into a kayak, or even exploring an island.
Trip Planning Help
Seabird rookeries dot the islands and alpine glaciers cover the horizon. Get up close to the Alaskan glaciers and wildlife you came to experience by taking a cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park on a custom-built catamaran out of Seward. The difference from other cruises, is that you’ll then get off the boat and into a kayak, paddle around icebergs, and watch for wildlife from your own vessel. Choose from a half-day trip to Resurrection Bay or a whole-day trip to Kenai Fjords National Park. If you have kids, you will want a shorter 3-5 hour cruise on Resurrection Bay, which will give you plenty of wildlife-spotting opportunities and calmer waters. If you want to see a glacier within a half mile of the deck and get more dramatic scenery, opt for a longer 6-9 hour cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park.
By Air
The sky is clear and the sun creates a million sparkles of light on the face of the ocean. A humpback whale erupts from the shallow waves in a full breach. A glacier cracks loudly making the phrase “white thunder” make sense as a giant piece of ice falls into the water.
Best Seward Tours & Excursions
Set on the Kenai Peninsula, 25 miles north of Seward, this central location makes it easy to explore iconic natural features — like glaciers, ice fields, and mountain lakes. Or, use their expertise to fly to remote public use cabins or lakes for fishing. It sits at the northernmost edge of Resurrection Bay, a deep fjord carved by glaciers. To the west is 700 square miles of ice known as the Harding Icefield.
Alaska Travel News Sign Up
Additional snacks, hot and cold drinks, and alcoholic beverages are available for purchase. Keep reading for expert Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park advice on where to stay, things to do, and how to get around. Intimate catamaran cruises into Kenai Fjords from Seward for just 22 passengers, or up to 30 on private charters.
Day Cruises
We are proud to offer the best tours Alaska has to offer with Alaska shore excursions at wholesale prices. From Seward, you can access Aialik Glacier, Bear Glacier, Exit Glacier, Godwin Glacier, Porcupine Glacier, Snake Tongue Glacier, Hawk's Glacier, and more. Take a scenic flight tour to the largest glacier coming off the Harding field, Bear Glacier. You are bound to be amazed by the gorgeous views of snow-covered peaks, cascading waterfalls, old-growth forests, and more on this e READ MORE... With Scenic Mountain Air and you’ll be flying over one of Alaska’s most beautiful areas from Moose Pass.
Seward Scenic Flight to Bear Glacier
Take a scenic flight, try a thrilling dog sled excursion, or give ice hiking a try as you explore the wonder and majesty that Alaska has to offer. Members of 1% For The Planet, Kayak Adventures Worldwide strives to fulfill their mission to inspire an active stewardship of our natural world. Arrive early for day trips to take advantage of our free parking and shuttle service. Check in at the boat tour office located in the Harbor 360 Hotel.
These are all of the primary cruises offered during the Alaskan summer season. Heated cabins with inside seating, and enclosed marine head (Restrooms) are standard on our Seward boat tours. Our 'small boat' tours are a great way to see wildlife without the crowds. Journey on an Alaskan summertime adventure through Resurrection Bay. Gear up and settle into your kayak as you travel to the magnificent Bridal Veil Falls.
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.
2024 Alaska Cruises: Sail from Seattle, Seward, Vancouver, and Whittier - Cruise Blog
2024 Alaska Cruises: Sail from Seattle, Seward, Vancouver, and Whittier.
Posted: Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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.
This is a great option for kids who love Alaskan wildlife, too. Luckily, there are a number of cruise companies and a wide variety of cruise routes and itineraries to help you reach Kenai Fjords. Then I’ll provide a ranked list of the best Kenai Fjords National Park cruise options.
Seward has a charming harbor-village atmosphere and many other activities like hiking, kayaking, dog sledding and fishing. Not to mention the famous Alaska SeaLife Center, where visitors can learn about marine life and participate in interactive exhibits. Summer in Alaska is whale season and the waters around Seward are a great place to find whales as well as other wildlife.
If seasickness is a concern, err on the side of caution and take motion sickness medicine in advance. Dramamine, Bonine, and ginger chews are available for purchase onboard. Seward is a main port for Alaska cruises that travel to and from Vancouver, British Columbia. For more details about cruise transfers plus a full list of the travel options, visit our Seward transportation page. Some tours are geared toward small groups, while others highlight onboard comforts such as heated cabins, glacial ice cocktails, and prime rib buffets. Some are ideal for families with kids, and some are more active, stopping at an island long enough for you to get out to hike, paddle around a bit, or even spend the night.
Take a day cruise from Seward, and from the comfort of your boat, you can get close to whales, sea lion colonies, otter rafts, and colorful puffins. Climb aboard and let experienced captains narrate your voyage, identify a massive tidewater glacier, and explore the history, geology, and diverse wildlife that make up the area. Cruise through a world of towering mountains covered in glaciers and witness the rugged and scenic coastline many wildlife species call home.
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.
With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands. To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land. Provided lunch varies, but is usually a deli sandwich with turkey & cheese. Please let us know in advance if you have any food allergies, or dietary restrictions so we can try to better accommodate you.
Comments
Post a Comment