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There are so many tours in Alaska. It’s one of the best ways to see the beautiful landscape, learn more about the native cultures, and visit historic mining towns. Recently, we took a cruise with Kenai Fjords Tours to view the glaciers and wildlife of Kenai Fjords National Park.
Today, we’ll give you the pros and cons of our excursion and list the other tours offered by Kenai Fjords Tours. Maybe you’ll find one you’ll want to book on your next trip to the Kenai Peninsula. Let’s dive in!
What Is Kenai Fjords Tours?
Since 1974, Kenai Fjords Tours has been taking visitors out along the coast of the Kenai Peninsula on wildlife and glacier cruises. Tour dates are offered from mid-March to the end of September.
Kenai Fjords Tour is an option in the Alaska Collection and part of Pursuit, a company with a collection of attraction and hospitality experiences in iconic locations. Other tours in Alaska include Katmai and Lake Clark; Denali and interior Alaska; and the Arctic.
What Tours Are Available?
Six different tours are available through Kenai Fjords Tours, ranging from four to eight and a half hours. Depending on where you want to go and what type of experience you’re looking for, you’ll likely find one of these tours worth booking on your next Alaska road trip.
Spring Resurrection Bay Tour
Kids under 11 can go on the Spring Resurrection Bay Tour for free. Those 11 and older will need to purchase a ticket for $80. This tour is ideal for people who don’t want to spend all day on a cruise or for young families on a budget. It’s four hours long and departs at noon. Lunch is also included.
The Spring Resurrection Bay Tour highlights the annual whale migration from Baja, Mexico, to Alaska. It only operates from mid-March to mid-May. From Seward, the cruise heads to Thumb Cove and Humpy Cove. Then it travels past Cape Resurrection and Mary’s Bay before reaching Resurrection Bay. You’ll be able to see Bear Glacier in the distance.
Resurrection Bay Tour With Fox Island
If you’d like to tour Resurrection Bay but want a longer experience, the Resurrection Bay Tour with Fox Island departs at noon and lasts five hours. Like the Spring Resurrection Bay Tour, this option follows the same path but stops at Fox Island, where guests step ashore to enjoy lunch at Fox Island Day Lodge.
Six types of whales roam the waters at Resurrection Bay, and if you book during May, you’ll likely see the migration of gray whales as they complete their 5,000-mile journey from Mexico. This half-day tour costs $113 per person and operates from mid-May to the beginning of September.
Kenai Fjords National Park Tour With Dinner on Fox Island
The Kenai Fjords National Park Tour with dinner on Fox Island provides an excellent all-day adventure. It’s one of the most expensive tours because lunch and dinner are included, and the tour lasts eight and a half hours. It operates from mid-May to the end of August and costs $197 per person.
This full-day adventure departs Seward at 10:00 a.m. Guests will pass by Aialik Cape, view the Aialik and Holgate Glaciers, and pass by several Alaskan islands.
At the end of the cruise, you’ll enjoy a delicious dinner at Fox Island Day Lodge in a beautiful setting with pebble beaches and jagged cliffs. This popular Kenai Fjords Tour offers wildlife and glacier viewing throughout the cruise.
Kenai Fjords National Park Tour
This Kenai Fjords National Park Tour doesn’t include dinner on Fox Island, but it departs at two different times: 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. This cruise lasts six hours and includes lunch.
It costs $170 per person. The 8:00 a.m. tour operates from the beginning of May to the end of September, while the 11:30 a.m. tour operates from the end of May to the beginning of September.
On this tour, you’ll likely see seals, whales, and puffins in the coastal waters. The cruise will pass coastal rainforests, tidewater glaciers, and remote Alaskan islands. It follows the same path as the previous tour, except you don’t stop at Fox Island.
Northwestern Fjord Tour
The Northwestern Fjord Tour travels further into Kenai Fjords than any other cruise. This might be the best Kenai Fjords Tour if you want an up-close view of Alaskan glaciers. Breakfast and lunch are included with each $215 ticket. It’s the most expensive tour and departs Seward at 8:30 a.m.
This eight-hour cruise takes guests along Resurrection Bay to the Northwestern Fjord. Here you’ll see three massive tidewater glaciers. On the way back, you’ll pass by remote Alaskan islands, watching for sea lions hanging out in the coves and on the cliffs. This tour operates from the end of May to the end of August.
Keep in Mind: Spend three days in Fairbanks, Alaska with this Itinerary of Things to Do!
Kenai Fjords Glacier Dinner Cruise
Finally, the sixth option is the Kenai Fjords Glacier Dinner Cruise. This tour departs at 3:00 p.m. and lasts five and a half hours. It costs $170 per person, and a dinner of crab cakes with salad is served on board. This tour has one of the shorter seasons, operating from June to mid-August.
On the Kenai Fjords Glacier Dinner Cruise, you’ll pass Resurrection Bay and have a chance to see marine wildlife. Then you’ll head into Kenai Fjords National Park to see the Aialik and Holgate Glaciers.
You’ll cruise past remote Alaskan islands on the way back before returning to Seward. Because dinner is served on board, these cruises are aboard catamarans for the best viewing platforms.
The Pros of the Kenai Fjords National Park Tour
We took the Kenai Fjords National Park Tour and had a great experience. The Aialik Glacier was amazing to see in person. We also got to see humpback whales feeding, which was so cool!
The staff at Kenai Fjords Tours was fantastic and worked hard to take care of the seasick guests, and everyone else on the boat still had a good time.
The Cons of the Kenai Fjords National Park Tour
Overall, we had a good time, but unfortunately, we had a bad weather day. You couldn’t see as much with the fog, and the water was so choppy that they had to change our route.
If you get seasick, we don’t recommend this excursion because about half the people on the boat got sick. There was a lot of throwing up happening on this tour!
Pro Tip: If you’re worried about seasickness, check out these tips to avoid getting seasick!
Tips for Enjoying Your Kenai Fjords Tour
The Kenai Fjords Tours fill up quickly. It’s best to book as far in advance as possible to get your preferred tour and date. Each tour will have a suggested time to arrive. Get there early. There’s free parking and shuttle service available for day trips.
Alaska’s weather is unpredictable and ever-changing. Dress in layers and bring a raincoat. The beginning of the tour might be cool, but you might be shedding layers once you arrive back in Seward.
Is Booking With Kenai Fjords Tours Worth It?
We enjoyed our Kenai Fjords Tour. The landscape was breathtaking, and the staff was terrific. The biggest letdown was the foggy weather. Even though we couldn’t do anything about that, it made seeing the sights more difficult.
Since you need to book tours in advance, you don’t have any control over the weather. But if you can snag a cancellation or find last-minute availability on a sunny day, you’ll love heading out on the cruise.
Which option with Kenai Fjords Tours would you like to do?
