Which Cruise Lines Go To Glacier Bay Alaska?

In 2023, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a stunning destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers. Most visitors spend a day in Glacier Bay on large cruise ships as part of a longer cruise originating from a major west coast city. Cruise Critic offers the latest deals for Glacier Bay cruises, covering more than 3 million square miles of lush rainforests, soaring mountains, and ancient glaciers. The top-rated Voyage of the Glaciers cruise takes seven days from Vancouver, B.C. to Glacier Bay.

The park is best explored on an Alaska Cruise or an Alaska Land Sea Journey cruise tour, with ships perfectly sized for the optimal experience. The views are incomparable, from the glassy waters of the Lituya Bay fjord to the towering walls of ice of Margerie and Johns Hopkins Glaciers. Princess and Holland America are the two lines that have the best Glacier Bay National Park access.

P-Z River Cruising offers an amazing day cruising through the best of Alaska, with spectacular scenery and wildlife making it a highlight of any Alaska trip. Princess Alaska cruises offer a close-up view to suspended cascades and adored wildlife, while Carnival offers a 129-day Ring of Fire: Hidden Gems cruise.

With 3.3 million acres to explore, cruise to this world-renowned landmark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and let the landscapes inspire your next adventure. Holland America is the better cruise line for Glacier Bay, as its smaller ships allow you to get closer to the glaciers.

Can you see Glacier Bay from a cruise ship?

To help preserve the wonder of Glacier Bay National Park, the National Park Service only permits admission to certain cruise lines. Princess Alaska cruises offer a close-up view to suspended cascades and adored wildlife. As you cruise through the park, feel the wave of tranquility wash over you as you take in the glory of breathtaking glaciers completely undisturbed. Even kids and teens can experience all that this national treasure has to offer through the Junior Ranger program. As Glacier Bay National Park Rangers come on board, they can help kids of all ages discover stories of these captivating lands through interactive games, activity books and engaging presentations. By the end of the program, each child receives their very own ranger badge and certificate to symbolize their journey through these unique terrains.

Wondering when to see Glacier Bay National Park? The National Park Service limits access to the park from May through September and during certain hours of the day. As authorized vessels, Princess ships can spend the day sailing through the park amidst glaciers and wildlife. While it may be summer, Glacier Bay National Park exhibits Mother Nature’s wondrous portraits all year long.

Princess offers several itineraries that travel to Glacier Bay National Park, including:

What cruise lines can go into Glacier Bay?

With its roaring glaciers, rugged mountains and deep fjords, Glacier Bay National Park feels like a dream. With 3.3 million acres to explore, cruise to this world-renowned landmark — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and let the landscapes inspire your next adventure. Princess Cruises is an authorized concessioner of Glacier Bay National Park. For more information on Glacier Bay National Park, visit theNational Park Service website. To learn more about Alaska visit theAlaska Geographic website.

By clicking select links above, you will leave the Princess Cruises website and navigate to a 3rd party website that is not owned, operated, or controlled by Princess Cruises or any of its affiliates.

Does Princess cruise go to Glacier Bay, Alaska?

Princess is one of a select few cruise lines permitted to cruise the pristine waters of Glacier Bay, the highlight of our 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. Just west of Juneau, this breathtaking national park and preserve boasts some of the world’s most spectacular tidewater glaciers, such as Margerie Glacier, which often drops colossal chunks of ice into the sea. Not surprisingly, Glacier Bay National Park and its epic ice giants are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Alaska’s magnificent park system.

During your scenic cruise, friendly Park Rangers will join the ship to share their knowledge of this amazing place and host a fun Junior Ranger program for kids. They may even be able to help you identify Glacier Bay’s abundant wildlife, including humpback whales, sea otters, porpoises, harbor seals, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles and large colonies of seabirds.

Take in the awe-inspiring scenery as you enjoy an unforgettable day of sailing through this dazzling park, where you’ll glide along emerald waters and past calving icebergs, and can breathe in the crisp, fresh air to your heart’s content.

What ships are allowed in Glacier Bay?

If you’re on a cruise through Glacier Bay, count yourself lucky. Like the concessions for national park lodges, the contracts are carefully considered. A maximum of only two cruise ships a day are allowed to enter the park in fact, most cruise lines don’t visit Glacier Bay on their Alaska cruise itineraries. On the other hand, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises hold concession contracts to operate about 71 percent of the Glacier Bay visits. Both cruise lines have deep ties to Alaska they’ve been operating in Glacier Bay since before it became a National Park in 1980 and their crews have a reservoir of knowledge they share with passengers.

During a day in the park, some ship services won’t operate, such as the casino or the laundry facilities, and cruising speeds are tightly regulated, all with an eye toward keeping the experience focused on the magnificent scenery and protecting marine wildlife like humpback whales and this environment for future generations.

“It’s amazing the opportunity that the cruise ships provide to be immersed in this landscape,” Buchheit says. “It’s a unique collaboration of the cruise line industry and the National Park Service to provide the best possible visitor experience while also maintaining the National Park Service mission of protecting and preserving the ecosystem. I’m always impressed by how the ship crew provides both the best experience for the passengers that day but also ensures that these experiences can be provided for generations to come.”

Is it worth going to Glacier Bay?

Lofty mountain peaks, ice-sculpted fjords, an abundance of marine wildlife, and massive tidewater glaciers have made Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve one of Alaska’s most spectacular settings. The 3.3-million-acre park is a must-stop for every cruise ship sailing through the Inside Passage.

Immerse yourself in a world of glacially-carved fjords, dynamic tidewater glaciers, and abundant wildlife in Glacier Bay.

Lofty mountain peaks, ice-sculpted fjords, an abundance of marine wildlife, and massive tidewater glaciers have made Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve one of Alaska’s most spectacular settings. The 3.3-million-acre park is a must-stop for every cruise ship sailing through theInside Passage.

THINGS TO DO in Glacier bay. More than 90 percent of the park’s visitors arrive on cruise ships, which typically spend a whole day exploring the park’s stunning scenery and abundant wildlife, stopping in front of tidewater glaciers to watch for calving. While in the park, National Park Rangers board cruise ships to give presentations and answer questions. Independent travelers access the park through the village ofGustavusand the park headquarters atBartlett Covefor a variety of adventures into the park.

What is the cheapest way to get to Glacier Bay?

Cheapest Transportation to Glacier Bay National Park. As mentioned, Glacier Bay National Park can only be accessed by boat or plane. The cheapest way to get here is to take a ferry on the Alaska Marine Highway. A walk-on only fare (meaning you’re not lugging your home on wheels with you everywhere like us) will be the lowest price and the earlier you can book, the better as prices rise closer to your sail date.

Once at the port of Gustavus you can take the national park shuttle for $15 each way, or a taxi, or hitchhike. As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t usually promote hitchhiking, however, it’s quite common here. I’d recommend trying to find someone on the ferry that’s going to the park with a vehicle and seeing if you can get a ride with them. Just be careful and if your creepy radar dings at all, play it safe and take official transport instead.

Cheap Lodging in Glacier Bay National Park. The cheapest lodging in Glacier National Park is the free campground. You can’t get cheaper than free!

What is the best month to cruise to Alaska?

Temperature & Daylight Hours. For the warmest temperatures, cruise between mid-June and mid-August.

For the most Midnight Sun, come 3 weeks before or after the summer solstice and longest day of the year, June 21.

Want to see the northern lights? That’s a long shot during cruising season. It does get dark enough at night to see them by the second week of September, but it’s still not as brilliant as what you’ll see on a winter, land-based Alaska aurora viewing vacation.

Alaska Cruise Highlights By Month. This table can help you pick the best time to cruise Alaska.

• Spring flowers
• Big waterfalls
• Few Bugs
• Season begins 2nd week

Which cruise line is best for Alaska?

Best Overall: Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.Best for Families: Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International.Best for Couples: Celebrity Cruises.Best Luxury: Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises.Best Small-Ship Expedition Line: UnCruise Adventures.