What a Kenai Fjords cruise costs
Fares for the six main cruises we compare start at ~$150, for four hours inside Resurrection Bay, and top out at ~$319, for Major Marine's 7.5 hours out to Aialik Bay. Three spring and ship-day extras sit around the edges of that range. Since every main tour serves lunch, most of the gap pays for hours and miles on the water. Below, each fare is set against its time afloat and its route, and then we add what the ticket leaves out.
Nine cruises in one table
The table lists the six main tours from our home page and three extras at their regular "from" price per adult. GetYourGuide and Viator charged the same for every tour sold on both when we compared them. The route column explains more of each price than any other line.
| Tour | From | Hours | How far it goes | Meal | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full day in Aialik Bay (our pick) | ~$319 | 7.5 h | Aialik Bay, two tidewater glacier stops | Deli lunch | Major Marine Tours |
| 6 hours to Holgate Glacier | ~$287 | 6 h | Holgate Arm | Deli lunch | Major Marine Tours |
| 6-hour park cruise | ~$230 | 6 h | One tidewater glacier in the park | Hot lunch | Kenai Fjords Tours |
| Captain's Choice | ~$255 | 7 h | Aialik or Holgate, the captain's call | Hot lunch | Kenai Fjords Tours |
| Northwestern Fjord | ~$288 | 8 h | Northwestern Fjord | Light breakfast and hot lunch | Kenai Fjords Tours |
| Resurrection Bay half day | ~$150 | 4 h | Resurrection Bay only | Hot lunch | Kenai Fjords Tours |
| Spring wildlife cruise (extra) | ~$123 | 4 h | Resurrection Bay to the edge of the gulf | Food for sale | Major Marine Tours |
| Shore-excursion cruise (extra, Viator only) | ~$230 | 6 h | Same route as the 6-hour park cruise | See the listing | Kenai Fjords Tours |
| Gray whale watch (extra, Viator only) | ~$131 | See the listing | Spring gray whale waters | See the listing | Kenai Fjords Tours |
All six main tours let you cancel without charge until 24 hours before departure, and both sites let you reserve now and pay later.
What the six main fares buy
The cheapest main tour is Kenai Fjords Tours' Resurrection Bay half day, from ~$150. It spends about 4 hours in the sheltered bay, with Bear Glacier seen across the water and waterfalls spilling off the cliffs. A hot lunch is served on board. It never reaches a tidewater glacier face, and whales show up less often inside the bay than on the open coast.
Two 6-hour cruises go out into the national park itself. Kenai Fjords Tours' 6-hour park cruise, from ~$230, heads to a tidewater glacier and passes bird cliffs that belong to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Major Marine's 6-hour cruise to Holgate Glacier, from ~$287, covers about 100 miles (160 km) round trip and passes the Chiswell Islands. Both last the same time, so the higher Major Marine fare buys a reserved seat in the heated cabin on a catamaran rather than more hours.
The long days are where the fjords open up. Captain's Choice, from ~$255, gives you 7 hours on a route the captain settles that morning from the weather and wildlife reports. The Northwestern Fjord tour, from ~$288, runs 8 hours to three tidewater glaciers in one fjord and adds a light breakfast. Our pick, Major Marine's full day in Aialik Bay, from ~$319, spends 7.5 hours on the water with two tidewater glacier stops and a naturalist on board. It is the most expensive ticket of the six for the second-longest day, and lunch is a plain sandwich.
Price per hour on the water
Kenai Fjords Tours' two long days come out cheapest per hour, Captain's Choice at ~$255 for 7 hours and Northwestern Fjord at ~$288 for 8. The half day at ~$150 for 4 hours and the 6-hour park cruise at ~$230 land close behind. Major Marine's full day at ~$319 for 7.5 hours sits a clear step higher, and its 6-hour cruise at ~$287 costs the most per hour of the six.
An hour in the bay and an hour at a glacier face are different things, though. The long days spend more of their time on open water. That is where whales feed, and also where the swell builds. To compare routes rather than dollars, our route-length guide walks through what each added hour reaches.
Among the extras, Major Marine's spring wildlife cruise, from ~$123, is the cheapest ticket on this site. It spends 4 hours heading out of Resurrection Bay toward the open gulf while gray whales migrate past. Its limit is the calendar, since it sails in spring only. No lunch is included (food is sold on board), and it does not visit a glacier face. Kenai Fjords Tours' gray whale watch, from ~$131, costs a little more for the same season. Reviews for it are mixed, with a 4.5 average from 45 on Viator, the lowest score of any tour we list.
What the ticket already covers
- Lunch on every main tour. Kenai Fjords Tours serves a hot lunch. On its 6-hour listing that means a Southwest chicken burrito with tortilla chips. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available on request. Major Marine hands out a deli sandwich filled with turkey or roast beef, with a vegetarian version too;
- Breakfast on the longest day. The Northwestern Fjord tour adds a light breakfast before the run out;
- Hot drinks and water. Coffee and tea come free on Major Marine boats, along with water;
- Binoculars. Major Marine keeps pairs on board for guests to use. On Kenai Fjords Tours, bring your own;
- Taxes and fees. Kenai Fjords Tours' prices include taxes and port fees, plus a $1 donation to the Alaska SeaLife Center. Major Marine's full day lists its taxes and fees as included too;
- A shuttle. Major Marine's full-day listing on GetYourGuide includes a ride from the railroad depot and the cruise ship port.
Into the park for the lowest 6-hour fare
In 6 hours, Kenai Fjords Tours' park cruise gets you to a tidewater glacier and past the refuge's bird cliffs, from ~$230. A wildlife guide comes along and lunch is served hot, and the port fees are already part of the fare. Both sites refund in full until 24 hours ahead.
What you pay on top
- Tips for the crew. No listing includes them, and in the US the crew counts on them. A few dollars per person suits a half day; give more after a long day with a crew that chased down the animals for you;
- The bar. Major Marine sells beer and cocktails on board;
- Parking in Seward. No ticket covers it, so budget for a spot near the small boat harbor if you drive down;
- Getting to Seward. A rental car or the train adds to the bill. One Viator listing puts the summer train at about $130 one way. Our Anchorage transport guide weighs the drive against the train and the shuttles.
A family of four, added up
Take two adults and two children of 8 and 12. Both operators charge children less than adults, so on the Resurrection Bay half day the family pays twice ~$150 for the adults plus two lower child fares, lunch for all four included. On the 6-hour park cruise the adult share becomes twice ~$230. On Major Marine's full day the two adult seats alone cost twice ~$319, more than four adult seats on the half day when we compared them.
Then add tips and transport, often with a night in Seward too. The shorter cruises usually suit children better anyway, as our family guide explains. Read the seasickness guide before you commit a queasy child to a full day.
Booking sites and free cancellation
Free cancellation until the day before lets you hold a July seat while the rest of the trip comes together. Prices matched on GetYourGuide and Viator when we compared them, so use whichever account you already have. The two operators differ more than the sites do, as our operator comparison shows side by side. Summer weekends and cruise-ship days fill first, and our guide to timing covers the months and how far ahead to book.