Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez

Overview

This 6-hour tour explores the fjords and passageways of the Prince William Sound in route to South-central Alaska's largest tidewater glacier – Columbia Glacier. Your all-Alaskan captain and crew will share with you the history of the Sound and point out the marine wildlife and bird life in the area such as sea otters, seals, sea lions, whales, porpoises, eagles, puffins and more!

City: Alaska

Sun 22 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $164.11

Make a reservation

Sun 22 Sep

Starting at $164.11

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Lunch: Served around 12:00 PM is a light soup lunch.

Light refreshments: Complimentary coffee, tea and water.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
We do provide a vegetarian option, however are not able to meet all special dietary needs. If you have specific restrictions or needs please feel free to bring your own meals/snacks.
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
COVID-19 vaccination required for guides

What To Expect

Columbia Glacier

Columbia Glacier is the largest glacier in south-central Alaska. Each day Columbia calves off around 8 million tons of ice. Depending on this ice flow we will navigate the large ice bergs getting as close to the face of Columbia as the ice and safety dictate.

Prince William Sound

Prince William Sound is a protected part of the ocean that we cruise in. It is rich with wildlife, glacier, beautiful glacier carved fjords and history.

Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Cruises

Stan Stephens Cruises has been operating tours in Prince William Sound for 50 years.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (118)

KLM1

Jul 2018

We took the 6 hour Columbia Glacier Cruise (This 6-hour journey through Prince William Sound will feature a visit to the Columbia Glacier area where you have a chance to view history in the making as Columbia Glacier retreats back into the Chugach Mountains.). Check-in was easy and they gave us tickets to wait before boarding. There were a lot of people in line so I thought the boat might be crowded, but it wasn’t. I believe it holds 150 people and there were about 100 on our cruise. As you board the boat you can find tables for two or four on the main floor. Tables for four or six upstairs, and outside seating upstairs. We were able to find a table for six (there were eight of us), which worked well for being able to move around but still have a place to sit and watch out the window, or enjoy our lunch. Lunch was soup, a bagel, Oreo cookies and a drink. It was good. There was a bar/booth where you can also buy drinks and snacks. Afte we boarded, we received a brochure showing all the wildlife we might see on this cruise. The kids were so excited when we actually saw humpback whales, porpoises, sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, mountain goats, and many more. We checked most of them off on the brochure. The captain and crew were good at spotting whales, so we got to follow a few of them which was awesome. As we got closer to the glacier we started to see ice in the water. The pieces kept getting bigger and bigger. I don’t know how the captain managed to maneuver around them all. The day was totally overcast, foggy and rainy, but it just made the whole atmosphere that much more mysterious. We got within 1.5 miles of the glacier but couldn’t go farther due to the size of the icebergs. So cool. Literally. Bring your camera and rain coat. In addition to seeing a lot of wildlife, plus the glacier, we also learned a lot of local history, and details about the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The tour was totally worth the money, and I would recommend it for any age group.

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Thank for traveling with us and thanks for taking the time to write a review. We are glad you had a fantastic day and hope to see you again when you are in Valdez.

prevere

Jul 2018

Our boat captain, Chris, was not only an exceptional pilot of the boat, but he was an outstanding ( over the top) narrator of our cruise (and I am a professional speech instructor and judge). Colleen was a superb manager of the shore based operations if not the whole business. Her father was the founder and she is keeping his traditions of excellence alive. We not only saw wildlife, we learned about it and how it fits the Valdez infrastructure. We not only saw the Columbia Glacier, we learned about glaciation and the history of this glacier over time. We went all over the Bays of Valdez, seeing geologic marvels and learning about the area. Masterful! There was a light lunch of soup, bagels with cream cheese, and cookies plus a beverage included in our price of admission. At first I thought it might not be enough, but the clam chowder and minestrone soups were excellent and surprisingly a pleasant lunch. There were snacks for purchase on board. The service crew was very friendly and efficient, especially Colleen’s daughter. It was such a special day, doing such a fun and interesting activity with a very special and professional group of people.

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Thank you for traveling with us and thank you for taking the time to write a review. We appreciate your kind words about our operations we will be sure to share them with the rest of our coworkers. We hope to be able to host you on board again the next time you are in Valdez.

Judy e

Jul 2018

The Stan Stephens cruise was the highlight of our stay in Valdez. What a personable crew. They were so helpful with my sister, who was in a wheelchair. Couldn't have been more attentive. We were lucky to have a CLEAR sunny day. The scenery is amazing and the narration excellent. The ship is less than a year old.............beautiful and spotless. The clam chowder and bagel lunch was just right. We would definitely do it again.