26 Glacier Cruise

Prince William Sound is a sheltered fjord system east of Anchorage, ringed by mountains and glaciers that reach the water. The 26 Glacier Cruise sails from the small port of Whittier and is named for the glaciers it passes, with several tidewater faces that calve into the sound. This package includes coach transport from Anchorage, so you do not need to drive. The road to Whittier runs through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, a single-lane tunnel shared by road and rail traffic that opens on a schedule in alternating directions, which gives the day an unusual start. On the water, you watch for sea otters, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, bald eagles and, with luck, humpback whales and orcas, while the vessel idles near calving ice. A meal is typically part of the experience, so confirm what is included. It is a calmer alternative to the open-water Kenai Fjords crossings, because most of the route stays inside the sound.

Season. Glacier cruises from Whittier are a summer operation, generally running from around mid-May to mid-September, so nothing sails in the cold months. Exact dates change by year and the 2027 calendar should be confirmed on the booking page. Book early for July and August, when Anchorage travelers and cruise passengers fill the departures. If your trip is in winter, put the Aurora Winter Train or a northern lights tour on the plan instead.Logistics. The tunnel schedule shapes the day: coach and vehicles can only pass in set windows, so late arrivals are not forgiven.

The coach package handles that for you, and it adds a long day: expect a morning departure from Anchorage and an evening return. Whittier is a very small town in a very wet corner of Alaska, so dress for rain and wind even if Anchorage was sunny. Bring a warm layer, a waterproof shell, binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens, and take seasickness medicine if you are sensitive, although the sound is typically calmer than the open Gulf.Choosing between cruises.

For a Southcentral trip with limited days, pick one glacier cruise: the Kenai Fjords day from Seward offers the most open-ocean wildlife and larger crossings, the Portage Glacier cruise is shorter and an easy half day, and the Prince William Sound trip is the one for a big landscape of tidewater ice with a milder ride. If you have a rental car and do not want a coach, a self-drive version of the same cruise is sold separately, but the tunnel timing still applies.

It helps to know the trade-offs. This is a long day for what is mostly a sitting-and-watching experience, so it suits travelers who enjoy scenery and wildlife on the water, and it is less ideal for guests who get restless or struggle with long bus rides.

The weather in the sound is changeable, and low cloud or rain can hide the mountain walls, although the glaciers still show their blue color in gray light. Food and drinks vary by departure, so confirm whether lunch is included and whether alcohol is sold on board. Because the coach and boat schedules are fixed, treat the departure time as firm and arrive early at the pick-up point.