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In addition to glaciers, visitors to Glacier Bay will marvel at the area’s snow-covered mountain peaks, fjords, waterfalls, forests, and wildlife. The M/V Glacier Quest is an 80-foot catamaran which holds 149 passengers on 3 decks, two of which are enclosed and heated with an inside seat and table for every passenger on board. Comfortable upholstered booths with tables are available for all passengers and the large picture windows provide a view from every seat. A saloon, snack bar and gift shop are a few of the other amenities available.
Are there food and drinks available on board?
Some of the best Alaska glacier cruises sail from Seattle or Vancouver or start in North Alaska and sail south. While sailing through Endicott Arm Fjord, waterfalls and various wildlife, including harbor seals, mountain goats, and bears, can often be seen. While Hubbard Glacier is magnificent, there can be some downsides to choosing this itinerary. Since Hubbard Glacier can be the only major glacier on some Alaska cruises, if the weather isn’t favorable, there is a chance that passengers won’t get close-up views of any glaciers at all on their cruise.
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In this one-house town, Alaska's wilderness is at your fingertips - National Geographic
In this one-house town, Alaska's wilderness is at your fingertips.
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Ask many Alaska cruise aficionados how to select the best Alaska glacier cruise, and they’ll tell you to pick an Alaska voyage that includes Glacier Bay National Park. Since access to Glacier Bay is tightly controlled, only a limited number of cruise ships can visit Glacier Bay National Park each season. Your cruise starts in Whittier and takes you to Blackstone Bay, a dramatic deep water fjord where two tidewater glaciers and several alpine glaciers await. Besides that, keep your eyes open for wildlife roaming the shores.
Glaciers Cruise Review – Best Glacier experience in Alaska
Ships usually spend one hour in front of one of these tidewater glacier and several hours exploring the inlets. They’ll point the marks of glaciers on the land even before you see glaciers— sculpted rock walls, scratched, striated cliffs and eroded hillsides. The West Arm is narrow enough that you’ll have good views of the shoreline (from the ship), the glacier-carved land and wildlife. Bears frequent the tide line, foraging for food and mountain goats congregate near Gloomy Knob.
The Glacier Quest Cruise takes you from Whittier to a neighboring Fjord where two tidewater glaciers await you. Blackstone Bay is a dramatic deep water fjord, and as you cruise towards the head of the bay, you will notice Tebenkof Glacier towering on the left. As you pass this valley glacier, you will see the destination ahead of you as the valley becomes deeper and closes off more. Blackstone and Beloit Glaciers rise in front of you, and the boat will get you close to both! While you watch, listen to the sounds and sights that these massive glaciers provide.
The coach will drop you off near the check in office and pick you up in the same location after you return to the dock. Comparing Hubbard Glacier with Sawyer Glacier is easy when it comes to size. As the largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier’s towering height and mammoth overall size are much more impressive than Sawyer Glacier.
5 Reasons to Visit Whittier, Alaska - TravelAge West
5 Reasons to Visit Whittier, Alaska.
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While at the glaciers your captain idles the engine down as low as possible. He'll also rotate the boat so everyone can see, offering a different angle each minute. When stopped, the crew actually scoops glacier ice over the side and brings it up for you to touch.
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Cruise Radio prioritizes well-balanced cruise news coverage and accurate reporting, paired with ship reviews and tips. Tracy Arm Fjord is less than a half-mile wide, and waterfalls often cascade down the fjord’s craggy cliffs. Mountain goats can sometimes be seen near Sawyer Glacier, and bears are occasionally spotted near the water’s edge. With a terminal face that’s about seven miles wide, Hubbard Glacier has been nicknamed the “Galloping Glacier” due to the rapid forward movement of this river of ice. Hubbard Glacier is also renowned for its strong blue color on clear days.
Glacier Cruise Review: Overall Thoughts
Cruise the calm, protected waters of Prince William Sound and come face to face with tidewater glaciers plus an amazing array of wildlife on Phillips Cruises & Tours. This longtime operator offers up-close views of glaciers, wildlife, mountains and the rugged beauty of Prince William Sound in one afternoon—which plenty of people say was the highlight of their vacation. In Glacier Bay, the glaciers are typically the stars of the show.
Rain is frequent in this area and also comes and goes, so a day that starts out sunny could bring rain and a rainy day could give way to bright sunshine. I have done this tour on a perfectly sunny day, and a super wet and rainy day and both were amazing. I honestly didn’t count the glaciers, I was too busy taking them in.
You can also try the glacier ice in a soda instead, or just take a look at it once the crew sets it out. You’ll see lots of glaciers that come right down to the water on the cruise no matter what the weather is doing. Some of the 26 could be shrouded in clouds or fog, but you will not be disappointed no matter the weather. One of the best things about the 26 glaciers cruise is that you can do a day trip from Anchorage without a car.
Since several Alaska cruise destinations include the word “glacier” in their description, deciding which Alaska itinerary is the best option can often be tough. My luggage that I stored during the boat tour was waiting for me, and I walked across the street to catch the train to Anchorage. Because of the delayed train from Anchorage to Whittier, we got a late start on the boat tour by a few minutes, and we also got a late return by minutes. After 6pm, just before our return back to the Whittier cruise port and small boat harbor where we started from, we also make a short stop to see waterfalls. The spot to get on and off the train in Whittier is literally right across the street from where the Phillips boat tour starts and ends.
Narration by an expert Chugach National Forest Service ranger means your trip is both beautiful and educational. After cruising so many times in Kenai Fjords as a kid and on return visits, I’ve always wondered about the 26 Glacier Cruise and was really pleased to finally experience it. I absolutely recommend this cruise to anyone who wants to visit Whittier and focus their day cruise specifically on seeing loads of glaciers. An added bus transfer from Anchorage or Girdwood makes this popular day cruise out of Whittier a perfect fit for independent travelers who'd rather not rent a car. Guests are dropped at the Cliffside Marina to catch the 26 Glacier Cruise.
The tiny harbor town is located 60 miles southeast of Anchorage and accessible by road through a single-lane tunnel. Prince William Sound's protected waters ensure the trip is a smooth one. The 140-mile voyage passes sea lion haul outs, rafts of clustered otters, kittiwake colonies, and icebergs inhabited by shy spotted seals. Nothing compares to glacier cruises on Radiance of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas . Go all out on CruiseTours that take you deeper into the Last Frontier, with excursions into the wilds of Denali National Park, train rides with sweeping views of Alaska’s rugged interior and more.
Alaska cruises are filled with spectacular scenery and memorable experiences. Sought-after views of Alaska’s icy blue glaciers are always some of the most anticipated sights. Determining which voyages have the best glacier views is often a key factor in choosing a cruise to America’s 49th state. The 26 Glacier Cruise travels 140 miles into Prince William Sound where you will see 26 “named” glaciers and many more unnamed. You get face to face with these towering masses of ice, so close you can “hear” the glaciers move and gaze at their brilliant blue hues. There are people who make a day of it with a round trip train from Anchorage to Whittier and back to do the 26 glacier boat tour.
Because the glaciers are so huge—some go 18 miles back and a mile across—however, it will seem like you're even closer. On northbound cruises, you'll get the best views of the glaciers on the starboard side of the ship; when you're sailing southward, the port side is the way to go. Take up an excursion out of Misty Fjord in Ketchikan, or soar above the massive Denali mountain with a Talkeetna adventure tour group. 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.
