Alaska Glacier Cruises

Alaska Glacier Cruises are also known as Gulf of Alaska Cruises. Every cruise line has a different name for it, but they all mean the same thing - they are cruises that sail one-way through the Gulf of Alaska where you'll find the greatest abundance of glaciers, mountains, wildlife and scenery. Unlike an Alaska Inside Passage Cruise, an Alaska Glacier Cruise does not repeat its route by doing a U-turn back to the original departure port. Alaska Glacier cruises are one way itineraries that sail from North to South (Southbound Glacier Cruises) or South to North (Northbound Glacier Cruises). These itineraries allow you to spend more days in Alaska ports or National Glacier Parks at Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay as there are fewer days at sea compared to a round-trip cruise. If you only have a week and want maximum glacier viewing and time on land, this is your best choice for an Alaska Cruise Vacation.

Northbound & Southbound Alaska Glacier Cruises and Glacier Bay Cruises Northbound Cruises begin in Vancouver and sail North, one-way through the Inside Passage and up to Seward or Whittier, where passengers disembark the ship. Along the way, Alaska Glacier Cruise passengers not only visit the same ports and attractions they would've seen on the Inside Passage Cruise, but they may also visit College Fjord for breathtaking glacier views and Valdez for yet another day in port. Once the ship arrives in Seward or Whittier, passengers then motor coach on to Anchorage where they will either fly home or continue on the land portion into the interior of Alaska as part of an Alaska Cruise Tour. An overnight hotel stay in Anchorage after your cruise may be required in order to meet convenient flights schedules for your return flight home. Southbound Glacier Cruises are the same as Northbound Cruises except they begin in Seward or Whittier and you sail south to Vancouver. Passengers taking the Southbound Glacier Cruise itinerary arrive in Anchorage one of two ways: 1) They fly into Anchorage and motor coach directly to the pier in Seward for their seven day cruise; or, 2) They have just completed the land portion of an Alaska Cruise and Land Tour and are now ready to begin their cruise.

The Alaska Southbound Glacier cruise will depart from Seward and could stop in Valdez before continuing south into College Fjord for some breathtaking Glacier views. After College Fjord, the ship heads for the Inside Passage and visits 3 or 4 of the following ports, depending upon the ship and departure:

Juneau Ketchikan Skagway Haines Sitka Glacier Bay National Park Hubbard Glacier

You will normally spend a full day in each port of call allowing you to sample the local community or take any number of exciting excursions including trekking on glaciers, a helicopter ride, city bus tours, whale watching, fishing and more. There is something for everyone!

Pre- or Post Cruise Options in Seattle or Vancouver When your Alaska Glacier cruise ends in Vancouver, consider spending a few extra days either after the cruise to enjoy some of the local sights. Most cruise lines offer affordable post-cruise hotel programs that give you the opportunity to experience some of the local attractions like the Space Need and the Pike's Market in Seattle or the Butchart Gardens in Vancouver/Victoria. Ask your Alaska Cruise Specialist about this when planning your cruise.

When to take an Alaska Glacier Cruise The Alaska Cruise season begins in late April and continues through September. Whether you cruise when the Inside Passage is blanketed with spring wildflowers or ablaze with fall foliage you'll be awed at Alaska's natural wonders. Spring whale migrations, fall bald eagle gatherings, winter trumpeter swans - exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities and substantial savings can be found during spring and fall.

Unique Alaska Glacier Cruises

Why Do People Dream of Alaska and Alaska Glacier Cruises? Alaska is vast. Its magnificent sky is filled with brilliant stars and the Northern lights in Spring and Fall and filled with blazing Midnight Sun in summer. But maybe, it is what you can’t see on a map or in a photograph that makes Alaska so special. It’s the friendly people who’ll smile warmly and greet you when you pass. It’s the indescribable blue-white glaciers seen on Alaska glacier cruises that photos can’t adequately show and the awesome roar as massive icefalls crash into the water. It’s a stream filled with salmon beyond counting or the effortless flight of a bald eagle. When you ask someone to explain what Alaska is like, chances are they’ll smile and say, “You’ll have to go and experience it yourself.” Once you do, you’ll never forget Alaska.

When Is The Best Time To Take Alaska Glacier Cruises? The climate in Alaska varies throughout the popular summer months. Long days in May and June offer extended opportunities for viewing wildlife and glaciers. The early summer months tend to have less rainfall and clearer skies while later months traditionally have slightly warmer temperatures. Our early and late season departures are priced for the economy minded traveler.

The Rich Alaskan History The Great Land of Alaska spans some 570,374 square miles – approximately one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states combined. Yet this extraordinary land lay outside the Western world’s consciousness until the 1740s, when Vitus Bering spotted mainland Alaska. Russian traders and fur hunters soon established small settlements, which stood alongside Tlingit villages amidst the vast, untamed wilderness. This relative obscurity all changed with the Klondike Gold Rush of the late-19th century. Almost overnight, the Yukon River became a thoroughfare for would-be miners, and the need for steamboat service in Alaska blossomed. The self-propelled, sturdy sternwheelers with their shallow drafts were ideally suited for transporting people and vital supplies through Alaska’s shallow waterways, winding channels and deep fjords. Indeed, long after the last stampeders returned home, paddlewheelers remained the only practical form of transport in much of Alaska. The Empress of the North reclaims the spirit of this golden era, with the first overnight sternwheeler service for extended Alaska glacier cruises in more than one hundred years. Cruising aboard this luxurious, American-built ship, you visit fabled gold rush town, delve into the history of indigenous peoples and early Russian explorers, and discover unspoiled beauty and unparalleled wildlife