MAJOR MARINE OR KENAI FIORDS TOURS
 

WHICH IS BETTER AND WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 6 1/2 HR AND 8 HR TOUR ON THESE 2 LINES?
IS IT WORTH DOING THE FOX ISLAND DINNER OR IS THE LUNCH ENOUGH?
CAN WE MAKE THE 10:30 TOUR IF WE LEAVE WHITTIER ON A MONDAY AT 8:30?
THANKS!

No you won't likely make the 10:30am tour from Whittier. I have gone with both companies and BOTH give great tours. The routes are essentially the same and the longer tour includes a stop on Fox Island??? Go with who fits your schedule best.

We went on the Kenai Fjord 8 hour with Fox Island lunch and loved it. We were glad we did the lunch.

My only concern is that I hardly ever saw anyone coming and going from the Major Marine office which was right next door to the busy Kenai Fjord office.

Next time we will do the even longer tour. Go for as long as you can. You'll have more chances to see wildlife and glaciers.

We just took the longest trip with Kenai Fjords. Instead of Fox Island Dinner we had a simple lunch on the boat of your choice batter fried halibut fingers or chicken w/chips, an apple and a beverage. Later in the afternoon freshly baked chocolate chip cookies were passed out. We stopped at Fox Island only long enough to pick up some passengers. The highlight of the trip was sitting in the ice filled bay with the engines turned off, listening and waiting for ice to break off. I don't know if this is considered the best calving glacier or not but it was the most distant spot on the trip.
If you are short on time I would stay in Seward the night before instead of Whittier.

definitely stay in seward instead of whittier -- it's the difference between a nice little town and a gulag.

Thanks to all for your feedback.
We would stay in Seward the night before but we are coming in on a cruise at 2am that morning and will stay in Seward that night after the cruise. Then we are on to Palmer for one night before we catch a midnight flight home the following day. Guess we will go with the 11:30 trip with Fiords Tours or 11:45 with Major Marine.