A day on the water is one of the best value adventures in Alaska. In a single trip you can see tidewater glaciers calving into the sea, humpback and orca whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions, puffins, and mountain goats on the cliffs. There are three main hubs: Seward for Kenai Fjords, Whittier for Prince William Sound, and Juneau in Southeast Alaska.
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Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park
Seward is about 125 miles south of Anchorage by the Seward Highway or the Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic. Kenai Fjords National Park is mostly reachable by boat, and tours leave from the Seward small boat harbor. The National Park Service doesn’t endorse specific companies, but it explains the two basic tour types (NPS boat tours):
- Shorter Resurrection Bay cruises (around 3–5 hours) stay mostly in the more sheltered bay. They see wildlife but usually no tidewater glacier.
- Full-day fjord tours (around 6–9 hours) head into the park to tidewater glaciers such as Aialik or Holgate, weather permitting, with more time in open water.
Established operators include Kenai Fjords Tours and Major Marine Tours, which in 2026 ran from March to late September/early October. Compare departures on Viator’s Kenai Fjords cruises. While you’re in Seward, the park’s Exit Glacier area is one of the few places in the park you can reach by road, and it’s the trailhead for the strenuous Harding Icefield Trail (see hiking).
Whittier and Prince William Sound
Whittier is the gateway to Prince William Sound, which has more tidewater glaciers in a compact area than almost anywhere in the state. The waters of the Sound are often calmer than the open Gulf of Alaska. Getting there is half the adventure: you drive or ride the train through the 2.5-mile Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which is shared by cars and trains in one lane. In summer (May 1–September 30) it runs about 5:30 a.m. to 11:15 p.m., with direction alternating on a fixed schedule, typically every half hour. The 2026 round-trip toll for a regular passenger vehicle was $13. Check the Alaska DOT&PF tunnel schedule so you don’t miss your boat.
Glacier cruises from Whittier typically last 4–6 hours. The Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery train connects Anchorage and Whittier in summer, so you can do a cruise as a day trip without a car. Browse Whittier glacier cruises on GetYourGuide.
Book a tour (affiliate) Kenai Fjords glacier and wildlife cruises on GetYourGuide
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Juneau: whales and the Mendenhall Glacier
Juneau, Alaska’s capital, can only be reached by air or sea. It’s known for summer humpback whale watching in the protected waters around the city, and many tours combine whales with a visit to the Mendenhall Glacier, managed by the US Forest Service in the Tongass National Forest. Cruise ships dock here most days in summer, so morning and evening departures are often less crowded. See Juneau whale-watching tours.
Note: in recent summers, glacial outburst floods from Suicide Basin above the Mendenhall Glacier have affected the Mendenhall River. Check the Forest Service Mendenhall Glacier page for current conditions and trail closures.
Tips for any Alaska boat day
- Dress warm. It’s much colder on deck near the ice than in town. Bring a waterproof shell (rain jackets at REI), a fleece or puffy, a hat, and gloves.
- Seasickness: full-day trips go into open water. Take medication before you board, stay on deck in fresh air, and look at the horizon. The NPS recommends shorter trips for people prone to seasickness.
- Binoculars make a big difference for spotting whales, birds, and goats.
- Book early in summer, but expect weather cancellations. Leave a buffer day if a glacier cruise is a must for you.
- Stay over: Seward hotels or Juneau hotels.
Want to paddle instead? See sea kayaking in Alaska.