Prince William Sound Glacier Cruises from Whittier

Prince William Sound is arguably the best place in Alaska to see spectacular coastal scenery and tidewater glaciers calving into the ocean. It has the densest concentration of tidewater glaciers in the world, some flowing a dozen miles from ice-capped peaks to terminate in cliffs of ice towering hundreds of feet above the water. You'll also see spectacular waterfalls and wildlife, including bald eagles, seabirds, otters, Dall’s porpoises, and occasionally whales (but typically not on the same frequency as in Kenai Fjords National Park, your other main choice for an Alaska glacier cruise).

• It's easy to get to. From Anchorage, it's about an hour by car, or 2 hours by rail to reach Whittier where your cruise will depart.
• It's affordable: 2 excellent companies offer a Prince William Sound tour for under $200
• The waters are calm: tours are seldom cancelled due to weather
• Rainy days aren’t a problem: the waterfalls swell and are more spectacular
• You’re never far from shore: That means you’ll look straight up at peaks rising 2000-9000 feet right from the water’s edge
• The history of glaciation is evident everywhere you look: from newly-de-glaciated barren hillsides, to ancient moraines just below the water’s surface

“Shorter” cruises

• Phillips Cruises & Tours: The Glacier Quest Cruise takes you through the calm, scenic waters of the Sound and into the ice-filled, steep fjord of Blackstone Bay. Watch for calving or rolling icebergs, and learn about glaciers and wildlife from an on-board Forest Service Ranger.
• Lazy Otter Charters: This 4-to-5-hour journey up Blackstone Bay takes you by sheer cliff walls and tumbling waterfalls in route to two tidewater glaciers, Beloit and Blackstone.

"Longer" cruises

• Lazy Otter Charters: On the Best of Prince William Sound Tour, Capt. Mike asks your personal priorities and design the 8-to-9-hour day accordingly: cruising among the numerous glaciers in Harriman Fjord and seeing ancient icebergs and the faces of towering tidewater glaciers.
• Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise: boasts the fastest, most luxurious catamaran in Alaska, sees the most glaciers, and offers a no-seasickness-or-your-money-back guarantee. The vessel cruises at 32-34 knots and makes it all the way into College Fjord with a dozen glaciers named after Ivy League schools. If you want to see the most glaciers close-up, this is your ticket.