Alaska's Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise

Small Ship Cruise in Alaska

Our small ship cruise visits the hidden gems big ships never see. Explore millions of acres of Alaska's pristine coastal wilderness by zodiac, kayak and on foot. See whales, grizzlies, eagles, otters, salmon, ancient forests, calving glaciers and more!

Days 1-2 Juneau-Tracy Arm. We first drive to the iceberg-studded lake and enormous ice field at Mendenhall Glacier. Visit the State Museum with an emphasis on Alaska's native peoples and natural history. Board ship in the late afternoon and enjoy musical entertainment and a slide presentation. The next morning we enter Tracy Arm, a fjord with waterfalls cascading from high, glacially carved walls. Passing blue Sawyer Glacier, delight in the harbor seals, porpoises, terns and gulls. Zodiac trips take us closer to the cracks and booms of falling ice. Paddle kayaks from a beach or take a peaceful walk through the woods, admiring the wildflowers and ripe berries.

Days 3-4 Le Conte Bay-Petersburg-Frederick Sound. Kayak in search of humpback whales, hike forest trails or take a "flightseeing" trip over nearby Le Conte Glacier. Head to the town of Petersburg with its small harbor bustling with fishing activity and boats of all kinds. Frederick Sound is a prime area for killer, orca and humpback whales and fertile ground for the majestic bald eagle. Options include a kayak trip to spot sea lions or a naturalist-led hike along a quiet forest trail.

Days 5-6 Glacier Bay National Park-Point Adolphus-Inian Pass. Spend the day amidst the coves, fjords, tidewater glaciers, freshwater lakes and majestic mountains of Glacier Bay. See "calving" glaciers that end abruptly at water's edge. Mountain goats scale the peaks and harbor seals and Steller's sea lions inhabit the icy waters. Spot both the tufted and horned puffin. A visit to Tidal Inlet may bring the sight of brown bears lumbering up a hillside. The waters off Point Adolphus are a favored feeding area for humpback whales. Listen as we lower the hydrophone to eavesdrop on their communications. Then cruise the Inian Pass looking for playful sea otters.

Days 7-8 Southeast Alaska's Islands, Bays and Fjords-Sitka. Possibilities today include tide pooling and beachcombing, hiking, and kayaking. This area is home to the highest density of nesting bald eagles in the world. Disembark in Sitka, with its heritage apparent as we visit St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Church with its onion domes. Gaze up at the grand totem poles of Sitka National Historic Park and see bald eagles, hawks, falcons and owls at the Raptor Rehabilitation Center.

Note: The above describes the itinerary from Juneau to Sitka. Cruises marked with an * do the reverse itinerary from Sitka to Juneau.