Everything You Need to Know About the Seward Alaska Glacier and Wildlife Cruise

Our last stop in our Alaska adventure was Seward, which was about 2.5 hours south of Anchorage. We had been anticipating our last excursion… a cruise to view a glacier and admire the wildlife.

The cruise departed from Seward and we would spend the next six hours making a journey through Resurrection Bay, into the Gulf of Alaska, and then into one of the many nearby fjords. It was narrated by a national park ranger who called out wildlife, educated us about the glaciers, and kept us informed about conditions on the water.

After our journey on the water, we realized how much we learned and took away from the experience. We wanted to share more about what to expect and how to prepare for this type of cruise!

Preparing for seasickness

Something to be aware of before getting on the cruise is the potential for seasickness, especially if there are rough seas. While you can do a lot to prepare, it is important to understand that there is a possibility that you may be spending some time at the back of the boat.

You can do the following to prepare and reduce the risk of motion sickness:

Take dramamine or bonine before getting on the cruise
Bring motion sickness bracelets
Bring ginger chews

If you do become nauseas, go down to the lower level at the back of the boat, take deep breathes, and look off into the horizon. We also recommend not eating immediately before or during the tour.

Navigating when on the cruise

As you line up for the cruise, you’re welcomed with the sight of a huge boat. There are three levels: the lowest level where you enter & has a bar, the second level that has inside seating, and the rooftop where you have the best surrounding views.

Keep in mind that the rooftop can rock a lot when on open water, so if you are one to get nauseous, we’d recommend only staying up there for short periods of time. The second floor/inside area has tables and seats that can be helpful if you need a break from outside.

What’s nice about this size of boat is that it doesn’t feel too crowded and there are a ton of areas to snap photos!

Admiring the wildlife

We were lucky enough to catch glimpses of many different groups of wildlife. Since the cruise was narrated, we knew what to expect and where to look. Throughout our day, we spotted a bald eagle, sea otters, orcas, humpback whales, puffins and even a bear lingering on a beach!

The day of our cruise was overcast with choppier seas. While this reduced views of the distant landscapes, it seemed to make the wildlife extra active. Seeing many humpbacks breech the surface, following pods of orcas, and all of the wildlife was a real highlight of our time on the water. Make sure you’ve always got your eyes peeled and are ready for each new wildlife spotting!

Sighting the glacier

As we moved through the fjord, we stopped near one of the many glaciers spilling out from the ice field above. One of the most surreal moments was when a huge section of glacier fell hundreds of feet into the water below. This made a loud crash that sounded similar to cannon fire. This process is referred to as glacier calving

We always knew that glaciers were melting at a tremendous speed, but seeing it with our own eyes made it so much more eye opening.

One of the guides on the boat fished out a chunk of the ice that was floating near the boat. It was fascinating to hold it in your hands and compare it to the ice you normally have at home. This ice was heavier and insanely clear, which comes from the glacial ice being compressed by tens of thousands of pounds of ice above it over many years as it made its way to the sea.

As we wrapped up our cruise and made our journey back to Seward, we reflected on our experience. We loved the six hour length. We felt like we had enough time to see everything and it didn’t feel too long. While it was misting that day, we were able to see so much wildlife and get close enough to the glacier to see the ice floating nearby.

We highly recommend taking a wildlife/glacier cruise if you visit Alaska and hope this makes you more comfortable when planning your trip!