Our top pick391 reviews
7.5 hKenai Fjords National Park Extended Glacier Cruise
★ 4.9 · 391 reviews
- 7.5 hours, Longer run into the fjords
- Lunch and naturalist on board
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
$297Seward
Check availability→ 
Kenai Fjords glacier cruise
A Kenai Fjords Glacier cruise offers a day on the water from Seward. Compare 10 cruises, prices from $265, free cancellation, and the top tour rated 4.9 from 391 reviews. The top trip includes a high-speed catamaran from Seward to two active tidewater glaciers.
Price from
10 cruises$265
Today's lowest glacier cruise across all 10 cruises
Average rating
All 10 cruises49
1,854 verified reviews across 10 cruises
Time on the water
Shortest to longest6–12h
Shortest: Kenai Fjords National Park
Longest: Glacier Blue Kayak
Free cancellation
Reserve now, pay later
Verified reviews
Secure payment
Instant confirmation
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Everything you can book here
Ten boats, four harbors, one coast of ice
Ten sailings on one page. Six of them work Kenai Fjords National Park itself out of Seward, from $265, and the question is how deep into the park the captain takes you. The rest sail the water next door, out of Valdez, Whittier and Girdwood.
Lowest price here851 reviews
6 hKenai Fjords National Park Glacier Cruise w/ Lunch
★ 4.9 · 851 reviews
- Six hours, Glacier cruise with lunch
- Six hours from Seward
- Most booked
- Free cancellation
$265Seward
Check availability→ 
Six hours from Valdez6 h
6 h6-Hour Columbia Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
★ 4.8 · 180 reviews
- Six hours, Columbia Glacier and wildlife
- Six hours from Valdez
- Cheapest here
- Free cancellation
$180Valdez
Check availability→ 
Full day from Whittier11 h
11 hPrince William Sound Glacier Cruise
★ 4.8 · 175 reviews
- 11 hours, Prince William Sound glaciers
- Full day from Whittier
- Water activity
- Free cancellation
$260Whittier
Check availability→ 
Rated 4.96 h
6 hKenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
★ 4.9 · 149 reviews
- Six hours, Glaciers and wildlife in one run
- Naturalist on board
- Water activity
- Free cancellation
$267Seward
Check availability→ 
Rated 4.97.5 h
7.5 h7.5-hour Meares Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
★ 4.9 · 66 reviews
- 7.5 hours, Meares Glacier, the longer run
- Seven and a half hours
- Day trip
- Free cancellation
$200Valdez
Check availability→ 
Rated 5.07 h
7 hCaptain's Choice Kenai Fjords National Park Tour
★ 5.0 · 25 reviews
- Seven hours, Captain picks the day's route
- Lunch included
- Small boat from Seward
- Free cancellation
$271Seward
Check availability→ 
Whittier and back6 h
6 hWhittier Cruise Shuttle Tour with Multiple Stops
★ 4.6 · 13 reviews
- Six hours, Shuttle run with several stops
- Whittier and back
- Day trip
- Free cancellation
$200Whittier
Check availability→ 
Aerial tram in the same day8 h
8 hGlacier Cruise, Wildlife Center, Aerial Tram
★ 4.5 · 2 reviews
- Eight hours, Glacier cruise and wildlife centre
- Aerial tram in the same day
- Guided tour
- Free cancellation
$389Girdwood
Check availability→ 
Rated 5.012 h
12 hGlacier Blue Kayak & Grandview Tour
★ 5.0 · 2 reviews
- Twelve hours, Kayak on glacier-blue water
- Guide and equipment
- Longest cruise here
- Free cancellation
$406Girdwood
Check availability→ Two questions
Which harbor, and how far in?
Seen the ten above and still torn? They all put you in front of ice, so the choice is the day rather than the glacier: how many hours you want to be out, whether a wildlife guide is the point, whether you would rather sail the sound next door, and whether you want a deck or a paddle. Pick one and we will name a sailing.
See it before you pay for it
What six hours buys, and what seven and a half adds
Three films, shot from the deck. Resurrection Bay first, with sea otters, seal haul-outs and the seabird cliffs of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, then open water, then the fjord arm where the ice comes down to the sea. Six hours reaches one tidewater glacier; seven and a half reaches two.
Side by side
Six hours, seven and a half, or the fjords next door
People book these interchangeably and then find out they bought different days. Six hours out of Seward is the short version of the park: Resurrection Bay, the wildlife refuge, one tidewater glacier. Seven and a half hours puts two active tidewater glaciers in the same day. Valdez is a different coast altogether.
Swipe the table sideways →
| Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier Cruise w/ Lunch | TOP PICKKenai Fjords National Park Extended Glacier Cruise | 6-Hour Columbia Glacier & Wildlife Cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per person | $265 | $297 | $180 |
| Where it sails from | Seward | Seward | Valdez |
| Time on the water | 6 hours | 7.5 hours | 6 hours |
| How far it goes | Resurrection Bay and the fjords beyond it | Deeper in, to two active tidewater glaciers | Prince William Sound, to the ice at Columbia Glacier |
| What is included | Binoculars, a captain guide, drinks and a deli lunch | Binoculars, the depot shuttle, drinks and a deli lunch | A soup lunch, drinks, an on-board guide and town transfers |
| What you look for | Whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and seals | Orcas, humpbacks, sea otters and sea lions | Seals, otters, sea lions, whales and waterfalls |
| Rating | 4.9 across 851 reviews | 4.9 across 391 reviews | 4.8 across 180 reviews |
| Season | May to September | May to September | May to September |
| Cancellation | Free cancellation | Free cancellation | Free cancellation |
| Check dates | Book this one→ | Check dates |
TOP PICK
Kenai Fjords National Park Extended Glacier Cruise
$297- Where it sails from
- Seward
- Time on the water
- 7.5 hours
- How far it goes
- Deeper in, to two active tidewater glaciers
- What is included
- Binoculars, the depot shuttle, drinks and a deli lunch
- What you look for
- Orcas, humpbacks, sea otters and sea lions
- Rating
- 4.9 across 391 reviews
- Season
- May to September
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation
Reserve now, pay later · Instant confirmation
Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier Cruise w/ Lunch
$265- Where it sails from
- Seward
- Time on the water
- 6 hours
- How far it goes
- Resurrection Bay and the fjords beyond it
- What is included
- Binoculars, a captain guide, drinks and a deli lunch
- What you look for
- Whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and seals
- Rating
- 4.9 across 851 reviews
- Season
- May to September
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation
6-Hour Columbia Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
$180- Where it sails from
- Valdez
- Time on the water
- 6 hours
- How far it goes
- Prince William Sound, to the ice at Columbia Glacier
- What is included
- A soup lunch, drinks, an on-board guide and town transfers
- What you look for
- Seals, otters, sea lions, whales and waterfalls
- Rating
- 4.8 across 180 reviews
- Season
- May to September
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation
Verdict
Take the extended cruise out of Seward
It is the one that goes furthest into the park for the money: seven and a half hours out of Seward on a stable, high-speed catamaran, stopping at two active tidewater glaciers rather than one, with binoculars, the depot shuttle, drinks and a deli lunch in the fare. Rated 4.9 across 391 reviews.
Check dates and availability→Before you book
The ice here comes down to the sea
That is the whole reason this is a boat page. The Harding Icefield sits above Kenai Fjords National Park and the glaciers that run off it reach tidewater, so a vessel can shut off its engines a safe distance from an ice face that is still moving. What the day asks of you is a harbor and a block of hours: Seward sits at the mouth of the park, and the other three harbors sell the water next door.
Two-minute check
Which sailing fits your day?
Three things decide it: which harbor you can reach that morning, how many hours you want on the water, and how much glacier you want in one day. Answer three questions before you pay rather than at the harbor.
Which port are you sailing from?The harbor decides which water you sail and how long the day runs
How are you on open water?Large, stable boats, but the run past the bay is open ocean
What do you want from the day?This is the part that actually differs between the sailings
Answer the three questions above
You’ll get the sailing that fits the day you described, and the one thing on its listing that would catch you out.
Six ways out
1,854 reviews across ten Alaska glacier cruises
Ratings are the operators’ own numbers on GetYourGuide, shown as published. We do not write reviews and we do not average other people’s into a score of our own.
4.9
★★★★★
Based on 1,854
verified reviews
5 ★90%
4 ★7%
3 ★2%
2 ★1%
1 ★0%
All ten Kenai Fjords sailings on this page, rated on GetYourGuide.
Read all 1,854→🚢
Kenai Fjords National Park Extended Glacier Cruise
From $297 · 391 reviews
★★★★★
Our top pick: the long run into the park
Seven and a half hours out of Seward on a stable, high-speed catamaran, far enough into Kenai Fjords National Park for two active tidewater glaciers. A captain narrates, binoculars are on board, and a deli lunch and the depot shuttle are in the fare. Rated 4.9 out of 5.
⏰
Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier Cruise w/ Lunch
From $265 · 851 reviews
★★★★★
Six hours from Seward, the most reviewed sailing here
The same catamaran run, an hour and a half shorter: out through Resurrection Bay to the tidewater ice, with whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and seals along the way. A captain guide, binoculars, drinks and a deli lunch are included. Rated 4.9 out of 5.
🐋
Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
From $267 · 149 reviews
★★★★★
The one built around the wildlife guide
Six hours from Seward with an on-board wildlife guide rather than the captain doing the talking, past the seabird rookeries of the maritime refuge and along the fjords below the Harding Icefield. A hot lunch and the port fees are in the price. Rated 4.9 out of 5.
🏔
6-Hour Columbia Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
From $180 · 180 reviews
★★★★★
The sound next door, at the lowest fare here
Six hours out of Valdez along the shoreline of Prince William Sound to the ice in front of Columbia Glacier, past waterfalls, with seals, otters, sea lions and whales to look for. A soup lunch, drinks, a guide and town transfers are included. Rated 4.8 out of 5.
🌋
7.5-hour Meares Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
From $200 · 66 reviews
★★★★★
The longer Valdez run, to the head of the sound
Seven and a half hours out to Meares Glacier at the top of Prince William Sound, with waterfalls and bays along the shore and seals, otters and whales on the way. A bagel, a late lunch and a dinner roll come with it. Rated 4.9 out of 5.
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Glacier Blue Kayak & Grandview Tour
From $406 · 2 reviews
★★★★★
The day you spend in the water, not above it
Twelve hours out of Girdwood on two Alaska Railroad trains and a kayak: the paddle goes among icebergs up to the face of Spencer Glacier, with splash tops, spray skirts, life vests and the rest of the gear provided and a packed lunch carried along.
What it really costs
What a day on the water costs, line by line
Fares are per person and cover the sailing, the guide, the fees the listing names and lunch. What moves the number is hours and distance: six hours to the near ice, seven and a half to two glaciers deeper in the park. Beer, snacks and anything from the gift counter are settled on board.
Swipe sideways →
| Which sailing | Price | What that buys | Cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Glacier & Wildlife Cruise from Valdez | $180 | 6 hours, Prince William Sound, soup lunch and on-board guide, 4.8 from 180 reviews | Free cancellation |
| Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier Cruise with lunch from Seward | $265 | 6 hours, Resurrection Bay, tidewater glacier, deli lunch and binoculars, 4.9 from 851 reviews | Free cancellation |
| Kenai Fjords National Park Extended Glacier Cruise | $297 | 7.5 hours, two active tidewater glaciers, deli lunch and binoculars, 4.9 from 391 reviews | Free cancellation |
Costs the listing doesn't show you
- The rest of the day. Six hours on the water is not six hours of your day once the drive from Anchorage or the train into Seward is counted in.
- Warm clothes you did not pack. The deck in front of a glacier is colder than the harbor you left, and the boat makes its own wind on top of that.
- The five-month season. These boats sail May to September, so the trip has to fit the calendar rather than the other way round.
- What you buy on board. The fares cover the sailing and the meal that is named; the snack bar, the gift shop and the local beer are yours.
What is genuinely included
- The sailing, and the hours in front of the ice the listing states
- A meal on eight of the ten listings, with coffee, tea and water
- Binoculars, and a captain or wildlife guide narrating the day
- The depot shuttle on the extended cruise, town transfers in Valdez
- Park and port fees where the listing names them
- Free cancellation, with a full refund
The honest answer
Is a Kenai Fjords boat tour worth it?
Exit Glacier is the one glacier in the park a road reaches, and it sits inland. The boats show you different glaciers: the tidewater ones that come down the fjords and calve into the sea. The same hours put you among orcas and humpbacks, which is why Kenai Fjords whale watching and the glacier cruise are the same ticket.
What makes it worth it
- The glaciers here reach the sea, and the boats stop in front of the ice face
- Whales, orcas, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and seals are what the crews watch for
- Four harbors sell it, so you can sail from wherever you already are
- A captain or a wildlife guide narrates, so the park is explained while you look at it
- Free cancellation on the listings here, so holding a date early costs you nothing
Keep in mind
- The season is May to September, and the boats do not run outside it
- The long ones are long: eleven hours from Whittier, twelve on the Girdwood kayak day
- Past Resurrection Bay it is open water, and the best viewing is on deck
- The deck is cold and wet even in July
- Wildlife is what the crew looks for, not what the listing promises
The trip, hour by hour
Seward harbor to the ice and back
Pick the port, then the length of the run
The harbor decides the water: Seward for Kenai Fjords National Park, Valdez and Whittier for Prince William Sound, Girdwood for Portage and Spencer. After that the question is six hours or seven and a half.
Boarding at the harbor
The Seward sailings leave from the small boat harbor; the extended cruise includes a shuttle from the railroad depot, and the Valdez cruise picks up from the RV parks in town.
Out through the bay
From Seward that is Resurrection Bay, with the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and its seabird rookeries along the rock. From Whittier it is Passage Canal and Esther Passage towards College Fjord.
The open water, and the naturalist earns the fare
This is where whales, orcas, sea otters and sea lions turn up, and where the captain or the wildlife guide explains what the Harding Icefield is doing above the fjords.
The boat stops in front of a tidewater glacier
Engines off, and the noise is the glacier. The extended cruise stops at two active tidewater glaciers; the Captain’s Choice sailing goes to Aialik or Holgate, depending on the day.
Eaten where you are sitting
A deli lunch on the Seward catamarans, a hot lunch on the wildlife cruise, soup and a bagel out of Valdez — all of it included, with coffee, tea and water.
Back in the harbor you left
Every sailing here is a day out: six hours from Seward or Valdez, seven and a half on the longer runs, eleven from Whittier and twelve on the Girdwood kayak day.
Best time of day
Take the earlier sailing if you are offered one
The ice does not care what time it is, and a boat that stops in front of a tidewater glacier at four in the afternoon is in the same place as the one that stopped there at ten. What changes is the water and the air. Wind builds through the day on this coast, and the run out past the mouth of the bay is where you feel it, so a flatter morning makes the deck a better place to stand — and the deck is where the point of the day is. If the operator offers more than one departure, take the early one.
On the water
What the fare actually puts in front of you
The ice at sea level
A tidewater glacier ends in the sea, which is why a boat can stop in front of it.
The rookeries
Sea lions and seabirds on the rock along the way out, in the maritime refuge.
What the crews watch for
Orcas, humpbacks, sea otters and puffins — the reason the binoculars are on board.
Where the ice comes from
The Harding Icefield sits above the park and feeds the glaciers the boats sail up to.
What it's like
Four harbors, ten sailings, and one thing worth being close to
Kenai Fjords is a park you look at from the water. The mountains above it hold the Harding Icefield, and the glaciers that run off it come all the way down to the sea, so the only way to stand in front of one is to be on a boat that can stop there. That is what these sailings are: a day out of a harbor, and a few hours in front of ice.
Ten of them are bookable here, from four harbors. Seward is the one that sits at the mouth of the park — four of the ten leave from there, out through Resurrection Bay and on into the fjords. Valdez and Whittier sell the sound next door, Prince William Sound, and Girdwood sells the glaciers you reach from the Turnagain Arm road.
Out of Seward the difference between the sailings is how far in the boat goes. Six hours gets you the bay, the wildlife and tidewater ice at $265. Seven and a half hours, at $297, buys the deeper run and two active tidewater glaciers instead of one. That extra hour and a half is the whole difference between the two most popular listings on this page.
Our pick is the extended cruise. It carries 391 reviews at 4.9, it runs seven and a half hours on a stable, high-speed catamaran, and the fare includes binoculars, the shuttle from the railroad depot, drinks and a deli lunch. The captain narrates the park while you are in it, which on a day like this is most of what a guide is for.
The six-hour cruise with lunch is the one most people book — 851 reviews at 4.9; the next listing here has 391. It is the same kind of catamaran through the same bay, with whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and seals to look for and the tidewater glaciers of the Gulf of Alaska at the far end of it.
The sound next door is a different day at a different price. Out of Valdez, six hours in front of Columbia Glacier is $180, and seven and a half hours to Meares Glacier, at the head of the sound, is $200. From Whittier the Prince William Sound cruise runs through Passage Canal and Esther Passage to College Fjord.
Whatever you book, the view is from the deck, and the deck is where the weather is. Boats here sail May to September and the water is cold in every one of those months, so the jacket, the hat and the gloves matter more than they sound like they should in the middle of an Alaskan summer.
The plan that works is the plain one: pick the harbor that suits where you are sleeping, decide whether you want six hours or seven and a half, and hold the date early. Fares on this page run from $180 to $406 for the kayak day, and free cancellation runs on the listings here.
If you are not staying in Seward
The three sailings in Prince William Sound
The sound on the other side of the Kenai Peninsula has tidewater glaciers of its own. Out of Valdez it is Columbia Glacier in six hours or Meares in seven and a half, both with lunch and a guide. From Whittier the cruise runs to College Fjord.
Practical
Plan the day
Five things decide how it goes: which harbor you sail from, whether you want six hours or seven and a half on the water, how early you hold the date in a May-to-September season, what you wear on an open deck, and what the morning does with the sea.
The extended cruise from Seward
Our top pick: seven and a half hours to two active tidewater glaciers, rated 4.9 across 391 reviews.
The six-hour cruise with lunch
The most booked sailing here, $265 from Seward, 851 reviews at 4.9.
The glacier and wildlife cruise
Six hours from Seward with a wildlife guide on board and the seabird rookeries on the way.
Columbia Glacier from Valdez
Six hours in Prince William Sound at $180, the lowest fare on this page.
Meares Glacier from Valdez
Seven and a half hours to the head of the sound, with lunch and a dinner roll included.
The days out of Girdwood
Portage Glacier with the wildlife centre and the tram, or a kayak among the icebergs at Spencer Glacier.
Warmer than the town you left
Seward can be mild while the deck in front of the ice is not, and the boat makes its own wind.
A windproof outer layer
The run out of the bay is open water and the spray comes over the rail.
Hat and gloves, even in July
Standing still on an open deck for an hour in front of a glacier is colder than walking anywhere ashore.
Layers you can shed indoors
The cruise boats have heated cabins; you will be in and out all day.
Sunglasses
Water, snow and ice under an open sky are bright in a way the harbor is not.
Shoes that cope with a wet deck
Decks get wet, and the good viewing spots are the exposed ones.
Six hours or seven and a half
Out of Seward that is the whole decision, and it is the difference between one tidewater glacier and two.
The port decides the water
Seward sails Kenai Fjords National Park; Valdez and Whittier sail Prince William Sound; Girdwood is Portage and Spencer.
Most fares include a meal
Eight of the ten listings here include lunch, and coffee, tea and water come with it.
Free cancellation on the listings here
Holding a date early costs you nothing, which is worth doing on water where the day depends on the weather.
Book ahead for the date, not a discount
The fare is the same at the harbor desk. What booking early gets you is a seat in the season you are actually there.
The season is May to September
Outside those months the boats are not sailing, so the calendar decides the trip before the listing does.
Seward is the harbor for the park
Four of the ten sailings leave from there, and it is the shortest run to tidewater ice.
From Anchorage it is a road or rail day
The extended cruise includes a shuttle from the railroad depot, which matters if you arrive by train.
Whittier sits on Passage Canal
The Prince William Sound cruise runs from there through Esther Passage to College Fjord.
Valdez is the far side of the sound
Both Valdez sailings include transfers from the RV parks in the core of town.
Girdwood is the Turnagain Arm stop
The Portage day and the Spencer Glacier kayak both start from there.
Allow the evening
Add the drive or the train at each end before you book anything else for that day.
Best time
When to sail
The boats run May through September, and the five months are not interchangeable. Daylight, whales and the crowd on the dock all move month to month, so the month you pick changes the day more than the boat does.
May
Long light, quiet decks
The season opens and the harbor is still unhurried: long Alaskan daylight, the fjords freshly clear of winter, and the easiest month to get the sailing you want. Grey whales pass on migration.
June
Peak daylight
Close to nineteen hours of light, with the Seward sailings running and the puffins thick on the refuge cliffs. The best month for the seven-and-a-half-hour extended cruise, because the long day makes the deeper run easy to fit in.
July & Aug
Whales and warm decks
The warmest weather, the calmest average sea and the strongest months for humpbacks and orcas, which is why these two fill first. Hold a date a few weeks ahead and keep free cancellation behind it.
September
Gold on the slopes, thin decks
Autumn colour comes down the mountainsides above the fjords, the water is still open, and there are far fewer people on the same boat. Days are shorter and the air is sharper, so the early sailings are the safer pick.
Worth knowing
Six things that aren't in the listing
01
The harbor decides the water. Seward is the one at the mouth of Kenai Fjords National Park. Valdez and Whittier sail Prince William Sound, and Girdwood sells the glaciers off the Turnagain Arm road. Four different days, sold on the same page.
02
Out of Seward, the hour and a half is the decision. Six hours gets the bay, the wildlife and tidewater ice. Seven and a half gets the deeper run and two active tidewater glaciers, for $32 more.
03
The deck is the seat you want. The cruise boats have heated cabins, and the photographs come from outside them. Dress for standing still in the wind, not for the walk to the harbor.
04
Lunch is usually in the fare. Eight of the ten listings include a meal — deli sandwiches on the Seward catamarans, a hot lunch on the wildlife cruise, soup and a bagel out of Valdez — with coffee, tea and water.
05
Book ahead for the date, not a lower price. The fare is the same at the harbor desk. What booking early buys on a five-month season is a seat on the day you are actually there, and free cancellation runs on the listings here.
06
The wildlife is a list of what the crew looks for. Orcas, humpbacks, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and seals are all named in these listings, and the binoculars are on board for exactly that reason.
Round out the trip
Booked alongside
A smaller boat
Seward: Captain's Choice Kenai Fjords National Park Tour
7 hours · ★ 5.0 (25)
$271View Three stops in one day
Turnagain Arm: Glacier Cruise, Wildlife Center, Aerial Tram
8 hours · ★ 4.5 (2)
$389View Ice at arm’s length
Girdwood: Glacier Blue Kayak & Grandview Tour
12 hours · ★ 5.0 (2)
$406ViewGo deeper
More on the day out into the fjords
Common questions
Kenai Fjords cruises, answered
How much does a Kenai Fjords glacier cruise cost?
Out of Seward, the six-hour cruise with lunch is $265 and the extended seven-and-a-half-hour cruise is $297. In Prince William Sound the fares are lower, starting at $180 for Columbia Glacier from Valdez. The kayak day out of Girdwood is the highest here at $406.
How long is a Kenai Fjords cruise?
Six hours or seven and a half out of Seward, and that hour and a half is how much further into the park the boat goes: the six-hour sailings work Resurrection Bay and the tidewater ice beyond it, while the extended cruise stops at two active tidewater glaciers. The days from Whittier and Girdwood run eleven and twelve hours, because the driving is counted in.
Where do Kenai Fjords cruises leave from?
Four harbors are on this page. Seward is the one at the mouth of Kenai Fjords National Park and four of the ten sailings leave from there. Valdez and Whittier sell Prince William Sound on the other side of the peninsula, and Girdwood sells Portage Glacier and the kayak day at Spencer Glacier. The chips above the cards filter this page by the harbor you are actually sailing from.
What wildlife do you see on a Kenai Fjords cruise?
The listings name orcas, humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and harbor seals, and the Seward sailings pass the seabird rookeries of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Binoculars are on board, and a captain or a wildlife guide narrates. None of it is guaranteed — what the crews promise is that they are looking.
Can you see Exit Glacier from a Kenai Fjords cruise?
Exit Glacier is the one glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park you can reach by road, a short drive out of Seward, and it sits inland rather than on the coast. A cruise takes you to the tidewater glaciers instead — the ones that come down to the sea, where a boat can stop in front of the ice.
When is the season for Kenai Fjords cruises?
May to September. The boats on this page sail through the Alaskan summer and stop for the winter, so the months decide the trip before the listing does. Free cancellation runs on the listings here, which is why holding a date early in a five-month season is worth doing.
Is a Kenai Fjords cruise worth it?
The ten sailings here carry 1,854 reviews between them at an average of 4.9, and the six-hour cruise with lunch holds 851 of those on its own. What the fare buys is a way to stand in front of a glacier that ends in the sea, with a meal, binoculars and a guide on most listings. What makes people hesitate is the length of the longer days.
One PDF · no account needed
A day in the fjords — the plan we'd follow
Which harbor to sail from, whether six hours or seven and a half is the one you want, what each fare includes once you are on board, and what to wear on an open deck.
- All ten sailings, with times, what each fare covers and what it costs
- The four harbors, and which water each one takes you to
- What the extra hour and a half out of Seward actually buys
- What to wear when the view is from an open deck
Check your inbox
The plan is on its way. If it isn't there in a minute, look in Promotions.
Why trust this page
How we put this together
Checked, not guessed
Durations, inclusions and what each fare covers come from the live GetYourGuide listings for each sailing. Prices and ratings are read off the same listings and updated with the page.
How we pick
Ten cruises bookable as a day out, ordered so the one we would book first comes first. Nobody pays to be featured.
We say which harbor it sails from
Seward, Valdez, Whittier and Girdwood are four different days on four different stretches of water. Every card says which one it leaves from, and the chips above them filter by it.
Six hours or seven and a half, stated plainly
Out of Seward that is the whole decision, and it decides how far into the park you get. We lead with it, because it matters more than the fare does.
The answer
Pick the harbor, then pick the hours.
The boats on this page end the day in front of glacier ice. The harbor decides which water you are on, and the length of the run decides how far into it you get. Fares start at $265 from Seward, the season is May to September, and free cancellation runs on the listings here.
Check dates and availability→ Free cancellation on the listings here · Reserve now, pay later