OVERVIEW

Kenai Fjords National Park is a remote and beautiful natural paradise along the southern coastline of Alaska. Any trip through this remarkable park will treat you to spectacular scenery, thrilling adventure, and an abundance of wildlife. 

The park is unlike most other US National Parks in that it cannot be effectively explored by car. In fact, Exit Glacier is the only area of the park that is accessible by road or contains any maintained hiking trails. That leaves hundreds of square miles of pristine nature completely untouched by humankind.

Kenai Fjords National Park is known for its immense glaciers and deep fjords. We felt no trip to the park would be complete without thoroughly exploring these natural phenomena. 

A scenic cruise appeared to be the best way to see these harder to access regions. Over the course of a day, we were able to witness massive glaciers, diverse marine wildlife, and venture deep into the secluded fjords of Kenai Fjords National Park.

Several tour companies provide narrated cruises into the fjords of Kenai Peninsula and leave from the Seward Marina. We settled on Kenai Fjord Tours as they had received fantastic reviews and offered a tour itinerary that suited our interests. Overall we loved our experience and would definitely do it again. 

Hopefully this article will provide details on what to expect and how to prepare for a Kenai Fjord cruise so that you too can have a memorable experience in this national park.

OPTIONS AND PRICING

Although a variety of companies offer cruises along the Kenai Peninsula, we had read terrific reviews about Kenai Fjords Tours. They have several different tour options available. You have the possibility of a half day cruise, disembarking on Fox Island for dinner, or venturing out on a spring or sunset cruise. 

After weighing our options we chose the Northwestern Fjord Cruise. We wanted our cruise to be a full day experience and bring us to the most remote reaches of the Kenai Fjord National Park. 

Our priority was to see some of the largest and most impressive glaciers while also having frequent wildlife sightings. The half day tours really only see Resurrection Bay and the nearby islands. We also weren’t interested in making an elaborate dining experience out of our fjord tour.

The Northwestern Fjord Cruise appeared to offer the best chance for wildlife viewing and would bring us deep into the fjords for an up close view of the majestic Northwestern Glacier. 

ROUTE

The Northwestern Fjord Cruise leaves from the main harbor in Seward. It heads south through Resurrection Bay. You’ll occasionally weave through some islands on your way to the far western portion of Kenai Fjords National Park.

The outbound trip runs closer to the shore. This is a great chance to see gorgeous waterfalls, lush vegetation, and a variety of birds and fascinating sea creatures. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get a true sense of the ecosystem in Kenai Fjords National Park.

The catamaran then begins its journey deep into Harris Bay and Northwestern Fjord. It navigates through a sea of icebergs for an amazing close-up view of Northwestern Glacier.

The return trip ventures further out to sea. You’ll do some more island cruising and likely have some encounters with orca, humpback whales, and maybe even porpoises. The boat returns to Seward by retracing its route through Resurrection Bay.

CRUISE PREPARATION

Make reservations early: During the peak summer months the cruise’s popularity skyrockets and they often sell out well before their departure day. Make your reservations as soon as possible to ensure you get your preferred date and tour. 

Arrive early: Most of the cruises will be full or near capacity, so preferred seating might disappear quickly. If you arrive and get in line early, you’ll be able to grab a table and window seat, maybe even by the door to quickly access the exterior viewing deck for photos. Late arrivals might have to break up their party due to limited seating or sit outside for the duration of the cruise.

Sun protection: You’ll spend a significant amount of time on the viewing deck, sometimes for an extended period of time. Make sure to have adequate protection from the sun. This includes sunscreen, sleeves, and a wide brimmed hat (with a strap to keep it from blowing away on the boat). You don’t want a severe sunburn to be the most memorable thing about the day.

Layers: We were glad to have light jackets in the early morning hours and while the boat was racing through the open seas. It could get pretty cold on the viewing deck at times. Conversely, when the midday sun came out and the boat was motionless, it was fairly warm.

Bring several layers so you can quickly adjust to the varying temperatures and weather conditions you’ll experience throughout the trip. It might be hard to enjoy the views from outside if all you can think about is going inside, warming up, and grabbing a hot coffee.

Camera: By the end of the excursion you might have enough pictures to fill a photo album. You’ll not only have pictures of the fjords and glaciers, but also dozens of animal encounters. 

Make sure to bring a fully charged camera and zoom lens if you have one. The captain can’t get too close to the wildlife so a powerful lens helps to capture the fine details of the animals that you’ll see throughout the day.

Sea sickness: The Northwestern Fjord Cruise runs for over 8 hours, and much of that time could be spent on very rough seas. If you’re prone to seasickness this might create a potentially miserable experience. 

Shirlee in particular is very susceptible to motion sickness. Her strategy is to continuously snack and drink carbonated water. Whatever approach you take, just be prepared for a long day on occasionally choppy waters.

Food and beverages: All of Kenai Fjord Tour’s packages include a meal in some form. On the Northwestern Fjord Tour we were provided a lunch, consisting of a chicken wrap, granola bar and bag of chips. 

There’s also a snack bar providing coffee, hot chocolate and other basic items. We brought some extra snacks on board given the length of the journey and knowing that the kids might be particular about what’s available on board.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Getting there and boarding

We were staying in Cooper Landing during our time exploring Kenai Fjords National Park. The town is about an hour north of Seward. The day prior we drove Exit Glacier Road and hiked the Harding Icefield Trail. Today we were excited to gain a new perspective of the park, this time from the sea.

The Northwestern Fjord Cruise leaves from the main harbor in northern Seward. A free and private parking lot is located just a few blocks from the Kenai Fjord Tours check-in office, on West Fourth Avenue. A complimentary shuttle is available, but we chose to walk the short distance to the office.

We arrived very early as we had a party of 8 and wanted to ensure our group wouldn’t be broken up. In fact, we were the second group in line. After check-in they led us out onto the dock where we waited a bit longer. The kids had fun inspecting the different vessels docked in the harbor.

The boarding process started and we grabbed two indoor tables next to each other, close to the back door for quick and convenient access to the viewing deck. This made it easy to pop outside on short notice for photos. We each grabbed a warm beverage from the snack bar as the captain made some announcements.

Resurrection Bay

The catamaran set out from Seward and into Resurrection Bay. Most of us went outside to get a peak at Seward and the marina from the water. It was fascinating to look at all of the different types of ships speeding through Resurrection Bay on their way to and from Seward.

Our first stop was at Fox Island. The boat docked at the pier and we dropped off several passengers who were planning a kayaking expedition in the bay. Some of the other tour options actually include a dinner on Fox Island before returning to Seward.

The ship passed Hive Island and Rugged Island on our left. To our right, far off in the distance, we saw the enormous Bear Glacier flowing down into a narrow cove. 

Gulf of Alaska

At this point we had more or less moved out of Resurrection Bay and into the open seas of the Gulf of Alaska. The captain steered us between Cheval Island and the narrow Aialik Peninsula protruding from the mainland.

We ventured into many of the small coves and began seeing wildlife around every corner. We saw puffins perched on the rocky ledges and flying throughout the skies while dozens of seals and sea lions were found lounging about the cliffside, soaking up the morning sun.

Next stop was Peter’s Pass, the narrow passageway between Harbor Island and Natoa Island. The ship then veered to the right as we entered Granite Passage and Harris Bay.

The bay was teeming with marine life. The captain had found an orca pod and several humpback whales. Orca are easily identifiable by their long sharp dorsal fins. The humpback whales would frequently breach the water and often wave to us with their massive fins and flukes (tails).

The most captivating sight of the entire cruise took place in Harris Bay. A pair of porpoises raced directly in front of the catamaran for what felt like miles. They were putting on a magnificent show as all of the passengers maneuvered on the boat’s bow for a photo of this performance. 

Northwestern Fjord

We then continued into the progressively narrowing waterway of Northwestern Fjord. Icebergs were littered throughout the fjord and harbor seals could be seen using them for flotation devices. There were also several sea lions floating on their backs watching our catamaran navigate the waters. 

The ship gradually slowed as we moved further into the fjord. The icebergs increased in number and we eventually came to a stop at Northwestern Glacier. This was a colossal glacier, spanning the mountainside, with two distinct ice formations.

Northwestern Glacier is one of the many tidewater glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park, meaning that it terminates in the ocean or fjord. 100 years ago, Northwestern Glacier covered most of the fjord, reaching as far as Harris Bay. It’s painfully obvious the extent to which the glacier has since retreated, as it continues to suffer from the effects of climate change.

We stood there for an hour taking photos while listening to the thunderous sound of calving glaciers as they crumbled into the fjord. The captain continuously repositioned the catamaran for us to see this incredible sight from different perspectives.

Return to Seward

Our journey back to Seward was largely a recreation of the path we took to Northwestern Glacier. Before leaving Northwestern Fjord the captain ventured a bit further west so that we could see Anchor and Ogive Glaciers as well as the cascading waterfalls of Cataract Cove.  

We soon continued on past Harris Bay and back into the Gulf of Alaska. The captain was alerted of more orca pods so he detoured to their location. He brought us near a mother and her two calves frolicking and breaching in the water. 

He next took us past the Chiswell Islands, a gorgeous group of small pillar-like islands covered in seabirds, seals, and sea lions. After a few more animal sightings we made it back to Seward.

FINAL IMPRESSION

The isolation and unspoiled nature of Kenai Fjords National Park is one reason a visit here so special. The park’s natural beauty and diverse wildlife have been untouched by mass tourism, but the lack of designated hiking trails and roads in the park can make it challenging to explore.

Fortunately, a Kenai Fjords boat cruise out of Seward provides an exciting and rewarding way of witnessing the immense calving glaciers, pristine fjords, and abundance of marine wildlife.

It’s not a cheap means of touring the park, but we thought the money was well worth the experience. Kenai Fjord Tours provided an informative and comfortable excursion filled with continuous scenic beauty and frequent encounters with the park’s wildlife.

Over the course of the day we saw puffins, bald eagles, orcas, humpback whales, sea otters, seals, and countless seabirds. We were taken deep into the fjords to see not only Northwestern Glacier, but several other glaciers, waterfalls, and islands in the area. Hearing and seeing the massive crumbling ice formations was one of the highlights of the day.

We viewed a Kenai Fjord cruise as a once in a lifetime adventure. We were committed to get a fully immersive experience during our time in the park. Seeing as roads and hiking trails are limited, a full day fjord cruise seemed like a wonderful alternative, and we were very happy with our decision.