Have you considered cruising in Alaska? While jumping on a cruise ship is generally not our preferred way to travel, after our 7-night southbound sailing from Whittier to Vancouver, we decided cruising can be a good way to experience Alaska. The cruise on Holland America cruise line was part of our two-week Alaskan adventure in September 2023.
We think cruising in Alaska can be a good way to see the state simply because it is so large and vast. Plus, many of the places you visit during an Alaskan cruise (even Juneau!) can only be accessed by boat or a plane anyway.
In addition to visiting ports, Alaskan cruises often incorporate scenic cruising.
What’s so great about scenic cruising? Well, you don’t even have to leave the boat to enjoy the incredible scenery and unique sights. You can enjoy from the comfort of your cruise ship. Additionally, scenic cruising offers the opportunity to visit very remote place up close and personal, places you can’t just hop in the car and drive to.
What were the best scenic cruising locations in Alaska during our cruise? Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, and the Inside Passage all captivated us. The words magical and awe-inspiring come to mind. These were truly once in a life time experiences.
Sure Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan were cool to see, but nothing like our scenic cruising days.
Today Iet’s chat about our experiences at the best scenic cruising locations in Alaska. We didn’t hit them all though, so I’ll share some additional locations to check out if an Alaskan cruise is on your bucket list.
Scenic Cruising of Hubbard Glacier
Upon boarding the Nieuw Amsterdam in Whittier, Alaska we were relieved the first full day was “just” scenic cruising to Hubbard Glacier. We were a bit exhausted from our whirlwind visit to Denali National Park, and our time prior to Denali in Anchorage and Seward. We weren’t scheduled to see Hubbard Glacier until later that afternoon, so we enjoyed relaxing on the ship.
Hubbard Glacier is part of Wrangel St. Elias National Park & Preserve, which is America’s largest national park! Fitting then that Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in America.
We didn’t know exactly what to expect from “scenic cruising.” I was actually anxious due to cloudy and overcast weather as we made our initial approach towards the glacier. Based on the weather conditions, I didn’t expect to have the best viewing experience.
I’ll let you in on an important secret about glaciers though… Glaciers create their own microclimates. This means that the weather around a glacier may be very different than what you experience near or on the glacier. We experienced this repeatedly throughout our two-week Alaskan adventure.
When we did our guided glacier hike of Matanuska Glacier we experienced partly cloudy skies and little rain, while less than one mile down the road it was pouring rain! I know, it’s crazy…
As we cruised closer to Hubbard, indeed, the skies cleared and it became sunny. We noticed little chunks of ice floating in the water. And then we could see the expanse of the glacier where it meets the ocean (thus a tidewater glacier).
Why is Hubbard Glacier one of the best scenic cruising locations in Alaska? You begin to understand how massive the glacier is as the ship approaches; Hubbard Glacier is is 7-miles wide and 350 feet tall above the water line. The expanse of the glacier will take your breath away as you approach. I’ve seen some amazing things, but nothing like this experience.
How close can cruise ships get to Hubbard Glacier? If the conditions are right the ships can be within a 1/2 mile from the face of the glacier, although I’m not sure how close we got.
If you want to get even closer to Hubbard, be sure to book the Hubbard Glacier Catamaran excursion as soon as you book your cruise.
We didn’t book any excursions through the cruise line, but I regret passing on this excursion. By the time I figured out how unique of an experience it would be, the tour was booked. While it was pricey at $300 per person, getting even close to Hubbard Glacier would have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can see the glacier face, below, as well as the catamaran on the lower right. So cool!
Where is the best place to view Hubbard Glacier from your ship? Be sure to review the information the cruise sends out the night before. They will tell you what times are important, and what areas of the ship are open for scenic cruising. If they open a particular area, you can bet that is a pretty good place to be. Once the ship gets as close as they can to the glacier, the ship does a 360 degree turn so everyone has an opportunity to view the glacier.
Additionally, we enjoyed a starboard balcony room during our cruise, and were able to enjoy the scenic cruising days from our balcony as well. An Alaskan cruise may be the time you splurge on a balcony room if you can swing it!
Scenic Cruising in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Hubbard Glacier was amazing, which then gave us a heads up that our entire day scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve might be awesome as well!
Our day in Glacier Bay started first thing, and even included NPS rangers joining us onboard for the day. Around 9:00a the rangers led a 30-45 minute program telling us about the park, what wildlife to look for, and what we might expect with various glaciers. The program was worth attending. They also set up a table to stamp your National Park Passport book (you know we aren’t going to miss that!), and purchase Glacier Bay swag.
As we sat through the program, dense fog and clouds blocked our views. But the rangers confidently assured us we would have an incredible, clear day. It would just take a little time for the fog to clear. We went back to our balcony skeptical, but sure enough, the fog starting lifting. This was the site that met us.
And then we began to notice groups of small brown things floating in the water… We had our first wildlife sighting. Tons of otters! Such cute little guys.
The front decks opened as we neared Margerie Glacier, which was a highlight of our visit. The naturalist on board was also outside, and helped us spot humpback whales along the shoreline. The NPS ranger was also narrating over the ship’s PA system, pointing out wildlife and telling us about the area of the bay we were in. By this point the skies were blue and you could tell it was great weather because the park rangers were so excited.
After we did our 360 degree turn at Margerie Glacier, the park ranger announced we were in for a special treat.
We were cruising in early September, and our captain had been notified the park would allow our ship (and others) into Johns Hopkins Inlet to view Johns Hopkins Glacier. This area is normally closed to cruise ships until September due to harbor seal pupping season. The pupping season was over, and we would be one of the first ships to enter!
Let me tell you, our time in Johns Hopkins Inlet was magical. It was so stunning, as if we were in a dream. Ice floating in the crystal blue water while high, lush green cliffs rose from the sea. There were skinny waterfalls everywhere.
Johns Hopkins Glacier is a sight to behold. The jagged, snow-covered mountain peaks behind it only add to the experience…
We even experienced the glacier calve, when a piece breaks off into the water! The resulting sound is similar to thunder.
We’ve seen a lot of incredible places in nature, but when he said “This could be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” I had to agree. I had tears in my eyes at times as we slowly cruised to the glacier. This was special.
As if the scenery wasn’t enough we began to see the harbor seals, using the large chunks of ice as rafts!
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve was by far the best scenic cruising location in Alaska we visited. We simply cannot recommend this park more, and feel strongly it should be on your Alaskan cruise itinerary!
However, not all cruise lines can enter this protected area. So if this is a must-see for you (which it should be!), be sure to check the cruise itineraries closely!
Scenic Cruising of the Inside Passage
Following our two scenic cruising days, our port days included Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan.
On the last day of our cruise we saw the Inside Passage. This is a scenic area of shoreline that spans hundreds of miles from approximately Seattle, Washington to the Gulf of Alaska. You will see tiny islands, small cities, and impressive, mountainous coastline.
I’ll be honest with you. We did not take full advantage of our day sailing the Inside Passage. I did a workout that day in the gym area, and saw tons of humpback whale spouts from afar while on the treadmill. This should have been a sign to get outside!
During our final dinner I happened to glance outside and I saw more spouts, and what I thought were Orcas based on the dorsal fins. Note: I really want to see Orcas in the wild during this trip! Everyone thought I was crazy, so I ignored it.
Come to find out though, just a bit later on the stern we found the naturalist and he confirmed they observed several groups of orcas. Needless to say I wasn’t moving from the rail after that. And it didn’t take long to see dolphins and porpoises right off the ship. It was incredible! But sadly we didn’t spot any orcas, only the humpback whale breaching in the photo above.
We also took in a gorgeous sunset, which was a nice way to end our cruise.
Additional Scenic Cruising Locations
We were grateful to visit three of the best scenic cruising locations in Alaska during our 7-night cruise. However, these aren’t the only locations to enjoy scenic cruising. While we can’t speak for these locations personally, you may want to check them out if they sound of interest to you. Each area is known for glacier viewing and wildlife.
- Tracy Arm Fjord: located not far from Juneau, you will see the Sawyer Glaciers in the Tracy Arm Fjord.
- Endicott Fjord: Not far from Tracy Arm Fjord, sail to Dawes Glacier.
- College Fjord: much further north near Whittier, view several tidewater glaciers.
Tips to Enjoy Scenic Cruising
To be honest, I did not know what to expect for our scenic cruising days. I just figured they’d be “down” days with not much to do. I’m glad Hubbard Glacier was our warm up for the first scenic cruising day, and not Glacier Bay!
Here are a few tips to enjoy the best scenic cruising locations in Alaska.
- Review the information from your cruise ship the night before. You know the brochure you get every afternoon/evening when your room is made up with the next day’s schedule? Take a look at the schedule to plan your day accordingly.
- If you want to nab cozy, indoor seats to enjoy a drink with great views, make sure you do so far in advance. You won’t be the only person with that idea, especially if the weather is crappy out.
- Similarly, when certain deck or ship areas open, the best views along the rail will fill up with people who get there when the doors open.
- If you plan to go outside, especially to the front of the ship, dress in layers and don’t forget sunglasses! You don’t want to give up a great spot or have to go inside while whales are breaching because you are freezing cold or wet. Remember it’s Alaska so plan for wind, rain, and cold. Even if the weather is clear, it can change quickly.
- If you want great photos, be sure to keep your gear with you at all times. A couple times I had to run back to our room because I wanted a different lens, which was simply lack of planning. I learned to carry both with me so I could switch out quickly. Learn from my mistake: During on our last night in the Inside Passage I missed getting a clear, zoomed in shot of a humpback whale because I decided not to bring both lenses. I’m still mad at myself.
- You can enjoy great views from your balcony if you’d rather stay in one place. We usually started out on the rail of whatever deck or area opened up. Once we assessed the situation, we’d migrate back to our balcony. And keep in mind the ship will do 360 degree turns for the major sites (Hubbard Glacier, specific glaciers in Glacier Bay, etc.), so you should get a pretty decent view eventually on your balcony.
- If you don’t have a balcony, no worries! The stern, or back, of the ship was always open during our cruise with plenty of rail space. Also, be sure to visit the areas opened up by the ship staff.
- Find the naturalist onboard to help you spot and identify wildlife. On our boat we found him usually on the stern, or on the decks that were opened specifically for scenic cruising.
- This is definitely a trip to bring binoculars to help you spot wildlife!
- Even though you aren’t leaving the ship, the more time you spend outside or near a window on your scenic cruising days, the more likely you will see amazing things!
My guess is your scenic cruising days may end of up being some of your favorite during your Alaskan cruise, especially now you know what to expect.
This was certainly the case for us!
No matter where you go on your Alaskan cruise you’ll be in awe of the landscape. But I hope you are able to relax and enjoy at least one of the best scenic cruising locations in Alaska from the comfort of your cruise ship. You won’t regret it!
If you’ve enjoyed any of these locations, please comment below and tell us about your experience! We’d love to hear from you!
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