8.5 HOUR NORTHWESTERN FJORD CRUISE

8.5 Hour Northwestern Fjord Cruise

Our longest tour takes you to the remote, untouched Northwestern Fjord in Kenai Fjords National Park. Get up-close views of glaciers, whales, and wildlife on this adventure cruise. View three active tidewater glaciers. Complimentary light breakfast and deli lunch included.

PRICE & DATES

Price

Adult (age 12+): $224.00

Child (age 2-11)*: $224.00

Infant (under 2)*: $224.00

*Children under 11 not recommended on this cruise

Dates

June 8 – September 1, 2019

Departing: 9:00 am

Returning: 5:30 pm

OVERVIEW

MAP AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION

OVERVIEW

8.5 Hour Northwestern Fjord Cruise

Our 8.5 Hour Northwestern Fjord Cruise travels farther into Kenai Fjords National Park than any other cruise. Ideal for photographers, birders, and whale-watching enthusiasts, this adventure cruise explores the remote, untouched area of Northwestern Fjord in Kenai Fjords National Park. This cruise travels with a smaller group for a more intimate cruising experience, providing the best opportunity for up-close views of wildlife including humpback whales, orca whales, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, seabirds, otters, and more. The 8.5 hours spent on the water will fly by as the captain seeks out the best wildlife viewing in the area. You will spend time in front of the impressive Northwestern Glacier, an actively-calving tidewater glacier, and you will also visit Anchor and Ogive Glaciers. A complimentary light breakfast and hearty deli lunch is included.

Insider’s Tip: This cruise has limited capacity and sells out quickly. We recommend that you book early to ensure your spot on this cruise.

For Birders: This cruise offers the best opportunity for birding of all of our cruises. The following bird species may be seen on this cruise: Horned puffin, tufted puffin, common murre, thick-billed murre, black-legged kittiwake, oystercatcher, red-faced cormorant, double-crested cormorant, pelagic cormorant, Kittlitz’s murrelet, ancient murrelet, marbled murrelet, rhinoceros auklet, parakeet auklet, sooty shearwater, parasitic jaeger, long-tailed jaeger, peregrine falcon, pigeon guillemot, surf scoter, white-winged scoter, black scoter, merganser, eider, harlequin duck, goldeneye, loon, Leach’s storm petrel, fork-tailed stormpetrel, Northern fulmar, bald eagle

Tax and harbor fee not included in the above prices.

MAP AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Northwestern Route Map

This adventure cruise is our only excursion to the remote, glacier-carved Northwestern Fjord. We limit the vessel capacity on each trip so guests have the unique opportunity to explore remote, untouched areas of Kenai Fjords National Park with a smaller group. Depending on sea conditions and wildlife-viewing opportunities, the captain’s route to Northwestern Fjord can vary from day to day. After cruising through Resurrection Bay, you will explore the Chiswell Islands (part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge) or Cape Resurrection, home to thousands of nesting seabirds, Steller sea lions, and other wildlife.

The cruise will then enter Harris Bay, where you will be greeted with views of beautiful hidden coves, rugged mountains, and possibly feeding whales. Once we enter the virtually untouched and untamed Northwestern Fjord, look for the numerous alpine glaciers nestled high on the cliffs. You will visit Northwestern, Anchor, and Ogive Glaciers (all active, calving tidewater glaciers) at the end of Northwestern Fjord. We will spend time in front of the glaciers to watch for glacial calving, where giant chunks of glacial ice break off and crash into the water. Our time spent in front of each glacier will vary depending on glacier calving activity and how much time we spent viewing wildlife along the way, though we usually spend about 40 minutes in front of the glaciers. Keep an eye out for harbor seals and sea otters hauled out on the icebergs.

Our Northwestern Fjord Cruise includes a complimentary light breakfast and deli lunch. We also provide complimentary coffee, tea, and ice water during the cruise. Beer, wine, and snacks are available for purchase during the cruise.

This cruise is not recommended for those who are prone to seasickness since it travels through the open Gulf of Alaska. Weather and sea conditions may force this cruise to be cancelled or modified at the discretion of the USCG Certified Captain. Our half-day Kenai Fjords Wildlife cruises are better options if seasickness is a concern. Guests should be prepared with warm, waterproof layers of clothing and comfortable, rubber soled shoes.

This cruise is indicated as the green line on the cruise map. Routes may vary depending on wildlife, weather, and ice conditions.

Quick Facts

View three active tidewater glaciers in Northwestern Fjord, including the impressive Northwestern Glacier
Travel to remote areas of Kenai Fjords National Park
Up-close wildlife viewing
Limited vessel capacity ensures that you cruise with a smaller group
Best cruise option for birding. See the Overview section for a list of birds that can be seen on this cruise
Visit the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
Wildlife: whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions, puffins, eagles, harbor seals, seabirds
Complimentary light breakfast and hearty deli lunch served onboard.
Departure location: Seward Harbor 360 Hotel

HEAR WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING

 5/5

Orcas, Humpbacks, Tufted Puffins, Cormorants, Seals, Sea Otters, Sea Lions, Murrelets, & Glaciers – A Great Day!

We saw 16 orcas (a pod and a transient), 4 humpback whales, several groups of Steller sea lions, sea otters, and hundreds of seals on the ice bergs. In addition, we saw a large variety of birds and their nesting areas. The tufted puffins were our favorite! The boat is small with a walkway around the outside perimeter: a great design to enable you to see everything. The ability to see wildlife from inside sitting at a table with binoculars and guidebooks was also great. The captain of the boat and the guide were both terrific and worked well as a team. They served a nice deli-style lunch. There were at least 8 folks on board with two foot long camera lens taking photos of birds. We highly recommend this trip to folks that are visiting Alaska. If you are in Anchorage, then drive down to Seward and do not miss this opportunity.

Los Alamos 123091 / TripAdvisor

 5/5

Wildlife/Northwestern Glacier 8.5 Hour Cruise

We opted for the long cruise, as I do wildlife photography. This trip did NOT disappoint! Although it did rain for about 1/2 the time, it did not hinder the captain, the boat, or the wildlife. The crew was very nice and was very attentive to passenger safety while out on the deck. We saw 2 orcas and one swam right under my feet below the bow. A humpback put on a show for a full 30 minutes +, including a full breach and more tail slaps than we could count. 2 kinds of puffins, otters with young, 2 kinds of seals with young, Porpoise, a mass of kittiwakes feeding, bald eagles, we saw ALOT of wildlife and I was able to get some incredible images! The Northwestern Glacier was stunning with seals on icebergs around us and the waterfall wall that the captain took the boat right up to was breathtaking! This trip exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend it–the time flew by. Professional all the way around including the boat handling in some rough water (the time in the rough water was brief). Truly well worth the drive from Anchorage, and would do again and recommend highly!

Debbie M / TripAdvisor

 5/5

Worth every minute!

Our 8.5 hour cruise with Major Marine Tours was one of the highlights of a three week trip. The staff was superb, the boat was clean and comfortable, and each passenger was given an opportunity to share what they really hoped to see on the cruise. The ship’s crew did a wonderful job providing opportunities to see and photograph wildlife while making it to all of the appointed places. Definitely recommend this for anyone who would like to explore on the water!

TripAdvisor User / TripAvisor

SPECIALS, PACKAGES, & ADD-ONS

Specials & Packages

There are no specials for this cruise at this time. Please visit our Specials & Packages page for a list of our current specials.

Add-Ons

Major Marine Tours is your one-stop shop for Alaskan adventure! Add hotel, transportation, and activities to your cruise reservation.

DIRECTIONS

Our 8.5 Hour Northwestern Fjord Cruise departs daily from Seward, a seaside town located 125 miles south of Anchorage on Alaska’s famous Kenai Peninsula. The highly scenic drive to Seward from Anchorage provides countless views of mountains, inlets, lakes, rivers, glaciers, and more. If you’d rather use your travel time to sit back and relax while you gaze at the spectacular sights, we are more than happy to arrange round-trip transportation via motorcoach or the legendary Alaska Railroad. Please note: same-day round-trip transportation is not available for the 8.5 Hour Northwestern Fjord Cruise.
Click here for Seward Driving Directions & Check-In Information
Click here for Transportation Options

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8.5 HOUR NORTHWESTERN FJORD CRUISE