Category: Tours And Reviews

Is the 26 Glacier Cruise Worth It (A Local's Honest Review)

10/5/2024

Although many people visit the town of Whittier with plans to depart on an epic Alaska cruise - one of the best ways to experience The Prince William Sound is on the incredible 26 Glacier Cruise offered by Phillips Cruises. Boasting incredible views, the chance to spot some amazing local wildlife along with the opportunity to see a calving glacier - and the only cruise offering a "no seasickness guarantee" - there's a reason this one day cruise is 100% worth it.

*If you have any questions that aren't answered in this post, please leave them in the comments section where I do my best to answer all Alaska related questions directly!

My Essential Alaska Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are my favorite websites and resources to help plan an incredible trip to the 49th State.

For flights, I recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to Alaska.

Car rentals, arguably the best way to see Alaska, are best through Discover Cars!

I always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, I always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required) and NordVPN to stay safe when surfing the web.

For fun things to do, I recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my Alaska packing list for your travels to the Last Frontier.

What to Expect on the 26 Glacier Cruise

The 26 Glacier Cruise departs just one block from the port and downtown area of Whittier, Alaska. Because this is a popular cruise, you'll want to book your tickets as early in advance as you can. With two options to choose from (The Glacier Quest Cruise or the 26 Glacier Cruise) the main difference is that the 26 Glacier Cruise is a full day experience and goes much further through Prince William Sound than the Glacier Quest Cruise. Since this is a seasonal cruise, cruises only depart once a day from May to the beginning of October.

Book the 26 Glacier Tour here!

No matter the month you're planning to head out on the 26 Glacier Cruise, you'll want to plan ahead. Here are some things I recommend that you make sure you have with you to make the most of your cruise :

Layers - plan for all types of weather, including winter hats and gloves, and most importantly a wind resistant coat
Camera - if you have a zoom lens, this is when you'll want to use it (make sure to have an extra SD card just in case), and of course a fully charged battery!
USB Charging Cord - each of the tables inside the cruise ship has a USB charging station, and with the cold temps and camera use that'll drain your battery, chances are you might want to take advantage
An Appetite - each of the two cruises include a hot meal, and a very delicious hot meal at that, so my recommendation is to eat just breakfast before your cruise so that you can fully enjoy the most of your hot meal onboard

My Favorite Tours near Whittier :
- Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Tour
- Whittier to Anchorage Brewery Tour

My Review - Is the Cruise Worth It?

My personal opinion is that the 26 Glacier Cruise is 100% worth is. I went with my husband and in-laws, and on our full day tour we had some of the best seafood chowder, saw multiple glacier calvings, and had an incredible wildlife day with seals, sea otters, sea lions, all kinds of seabirds, and even a black bear.

Although the boats are quite large and can fit a decent amount of people, we never felt too crowded and were always able to have excellent views of the wildlife and glaciers. Plus, just like they guaranteed, no one in our group had any sea sickness. Unlike other cruises we've been on in Alaska, their reserved seating made the entire boarding process super easy, and I loved that they had USB plugins right at each table. They also had a State Park Ranger onboard to answer any questions guests had about wildlife or the area. Similar to other cruises in Alaska, they brought up some glacier ice for glacier drinks, and narrated a majority of the cruise so you can learn more about the local history, culture, and wildlife!