gaps

Hello All,
I'm heading to Alaska for the first time this Aug. I've done a good amount of research but would appreciate people's input based on their actual experience of Alaska.

I appreciate that answers to my questions may be scattered across previous discussions on the board but I am very short on time and would be grateful if I could get people's thoughts on best wildlife and glacier daycruises in Kenai Fjords & PWS. I know basics like Kenai Fjords cruises are better for wildlife and PWS for glaciers. But can people recommend, based on experience, which companies & cruise they recommend for wildlife & which for glaciers out of Seward, Whittier, and Valdez (or perhaps you recommend another city)? Our group is aiming to do 2 cruises. Also, we will be taking Valdez-Whittier (or vv) ferry at some point during our trip.
Will that make certain cruises from certain ports a redundant experience?
Does that make a glacier cruise unnecessary?
Also, I've heard that the Columbia/Meares cruise out of Valdez is nice but there are only a few large glaciers so you don't really get the experience you might get out of a cruise from Whittier, for instance. Thoughts? Thanks

z

First do your research here under Kenai Fjords cruise and PWS cruise. Lots of comments on both based on personal experience as you asked.

For wildlife and scenery take a 9.5 hour Kenai Fjords cruise from Seward. For glaciers take 26 glaciers cruise from Whittier. This answer is based on experience of my own and those who posted reports on this board.
Whittier, Valdez and Seward are not cities, they are more like towns

BayouGal

Hey, gaps, we took the Kenai Fjords 9.5 hr boat tour out of Seward to NW Glacier http://www.kenaifjords.com/545.cfm. It was cloudy, rainy sometimes, but what an awesome trip we had! We saw so much wildlife, and due to the overcast day, we saw a lot of glacial blue. I can highly recommend that boat tour. You will see glaciers on this tour, but not as many as on the 26 glacier boat tour. Last year we used the toursaver coupon for our boat tour - not sure about coupons this summer.

If you want to see glaciers, then visit Exit Glacier while in Seward http://tinyurl.com/h9ezr. If you are driving from Valdez back to Anchorage (incredible drive), stop at Worthington Glacier http://tinyurl.com/kdfod and again at Matanuska http://www.matanuskaglacier.com/.

I'd recommend kayaking in Valdez instead of another boat tour. Also, that ferry trip is pretty expensive so you might find all these boat tours cost prohibitive. Personally, I'd skip the 26 Glacier boat tour in your case. I hope this has been of some help.

gaps

BayouGirl
moved mountains and we have planned NW cruise as per your very enthusiastic recommendation. Do you recommend any particular kayaking outfits in Valdez? I'll be frank, most of our group is new to kayaking. Some of our group would welcome a double kayak where someone from the outfit shares kayak with one of us.

Thanks

BudgetQueen

I disagree, the Columbia/Mears boat tours with Stan Stephens out of Valdez is definately excellent and worthwhile. It is a tough choice, but I do them all, Whittier has the superior glacier tours, but Valdez will get you within view of the Columbia and the biggest icebergs ever.

BayouGal

As BQ suggests, Stan Stephens is a good option out of Valdez, or combine both kayaking and the boat tour. We had never kayaked before Alaska. They give you very thorough instructions, provide all the gear (check their websites), and there are 2 man kayaks. I loved kayaking the Columbia Glacier area because you get to kayak among all those huge icebergs! You will have a wonderful time regardless of the activities you finally decide on. Have fun!

caligirl56

gaps,
I don't know if you have already left yet or not. You asked about kayaking out of Valdez. Another option is to kayak out of Whittier if that fits with your schedule.

We just returned from the most amazing two weeks in Alaska. Our first day we did a guided kayak tour of Blackstone Bay. The water was like glass--I am a beginner and it was very easy for me.
They use only double kayaks--very stable. We went with Alaska Sea Kayakers. (They also provided us with a lovely picnic lunch!)

We kayaked through the glacial ice. There was basically no one else in the bay (except one tour boat for just an hour or so). It was totally silent except for the crack and thunder coming from the calving glaciers. We could actually hear the glacier before we could see it!!

The only thing is that it was a bit pricey--they have to ferry you from Whittier to Blackstone Bay and that adds to the cost.

Anyway, it's something to consider. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

gaps

Thanks to all for suggestions.
I just booked w/ Pangaea Adventures in Valdez - kayaking at Columbia glacier. Caligirl, glad you mentioned you felt comfortable as novice in these waters as we have many in our group.
Reviewed Pangaea materials & it feels as though it will be a signature experience of Alaska - silent vast icy and stunning. Thanks to all for guidance.

SpeedBuggy

We were first-timers, too, and we started out with an overnight in Blackstone Bay. Loved it so much we kayaked again in Homer and Valdez on that same trip. So now you have 3 first timers who say they loved it.

Caligirl, wasn't Blackstone Bay incredible?!

Alaska kayaking is addictive, gaps!!!

gray_lady

We took the Northwest Glacier Tour with Mariah Tours out of Seward in 2000. I don't know if that tour operates today, but it was superb. The beauty of a "small boat" tour is that you can get up close and personal with glaciers, orcas, humpbacks, sea lion habitat, puffins, and kittiwake rookeries. The larger boats simply can't get that close.

caligirl56

SpeedBuggy,
Yes, Blackstone Bay was absolutely amazing. The silence with only the crashing of the calving glaciers was the best part.

Also we got to hike up along one of the piedmont glaciers there. The sun came out and we just lay on the rocks next to this beautiful glacier with its meltwater gushing out in sparkling streams.

You probably got to do a lot more if you spent the night. It must have been absolutely amazing to go to sleep hearing the calving glaciers cracking around you.

We also saw the peach-colored lion's mane jellyfish around us as we kayaked. For some reason, I'd only pictured jellyfish in warmer waters, so this was particularly surprising!

We too visited Homer, and would have loved to kayak a bit around there. But time didn't permit. Maybe next time!

SpeedBuggy

We broke the bank with that overnight trip, but we were too early (May) for the bears, so we decided to make that our big slurge. It was so well worth it! It didn't really get that dark and we did the overnight in the beginning of our trip, so I don't think any of us slept a wink. We were just too much in awe. Gotta love Alaska!!