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

Sat 21 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $164.11

Make a reservation

Sat 21 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)

Paul M

Jul 2017

Definitely a must do if you are in Valdez. We did the 6-hour cruise to the Columbia Glacier and it was awesome. Everyone of the crew members went above and beyond to make the trip enjoyable. We got to sit next to the captain as he told us about everything we were looking at, and as that was happening one of the crew members was walking around with a piece of ice from the glacier to make sure EVERYONE got to see and touch it! The food was good, the snacks were good, the views were awesome. I would do this again!

Rhys J

May 2017

My wife and I joined a cruise with Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Tours in May 2016 during our escorted 'Natural Wonders of Alaska' tour with Titan Travel. We were staying for 2 nights on a room only basis at the Mountain View Hotel, Valdez and the cruise was arranged as a part of our itinerary. We were booked on the 7 hour Columbia Glacier Cruise, sailing from Port Valdez past the Trans Alaska Pipeline Terminal into Prince William Sound. Our journey would continue past the Shoup and Anderson Glaciers and bays such as Jack and Galena, taking us into the waters of the Valdez Arm. We would then sail in between Glacier and Heather Islands into Columbia Bay to see the Columbia Glacier, a total journey of about 80 miles. Our 80 foot cruiser Glacier Spirit, which could accommodate 149 passengers and has a maximum speed of 17 knots, departed Port Valdez at about 11.00am. It’s a very comfortable cruiser with plenty of room inside the main cabin and out on deck and we were fortunate that day that the bookings were fewer than usual for this popular cruise. It was a warm sunny day with excellent views in all directions and we commenced our journey as planned through the clear waters of Prince William Sound. I was fascinated by the Trans Alaska Pipeline Terminal and enjoyed wonderful views of the Shoup and Anderson Glaciers in the distance. We sailed the Valdez Arm, passing the beautiful bays of Jack and Galena, their still waters gleaming in the sunshine. We then turned and sailed north in between Heather and Glacier Islands and into Columbia Bay. There in the distance, about 4-5 miles from our cruiser, we saw Alaska's amazing tidewater glacier, Columbia Glacier. This was the closest we could get due to the sea of floating ice flows created by the ice breaking off in chunks from the face of this huge glacier. It was a marvellous sight through my binoculars even at that distance, watching the curves of the glacier descending from the Chugach Mountains into the sea. Our knowledgeable guide explained in his informative and entertaining commentary that this the largest tidewater glacier in South Central Alaska and the largest in Prince William Sound. It's a retreating glacier, about 32 miles (51 kilometres) in length, and has retreated nearly 10 miles (16 kilometers) since the early 1980s. We were given plenty time to enjoy seeing the glacier and the ice of all shapes and sizes floating around the bay, be spellbound by the outstanding views of the Chugach Mountains and marvel at the wildlife we saw in the bay and throughout our cruise. We saw humpback whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, bald eagles as well as sea lions lounging on the beach at Bull Head! We were fortunate to have on board an experienced crew skilled at knowing where to find and spot the wildlife! The Captain used his navigating skills to guide our cruiser safely in between the chunks of ice whilst sharing his vast knowledge on the amazing wildlife and the wonderful scenery all around us. He also referred to the fishing and mining industry so important to this area as well as some tragedies such as the effects of the 1964 earthquake on Valdez and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound on Good Friday1989 after the ship ran aground on Bligh Reef. All the crew were welcoming, friendly and helpful and were very efficient especially when serving our included lunch - I had home made chunky minestrone soup and my wife enjoyed her sea food chowder – both were delicious and filling! This was an excellent cruise so thank you all at Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Tours for a cruise which exceeded my expectations. It's a highlight of my tour of Alaska and should be included on all itineraries visiting this area of Alaska!

fzvh7d29

Aug 2016

Valdez, Alaska 08/26/2016 Hey y'all, We had a fantastic day on the water yesterday! The Alyeska Caravaners went on the Stan Steven’s Glacier & Wildlife Tour. What a beautiful day, temperatures were in the 50’s at 10am, with a light fog. Then it started to clear off as we left the harbor. By the time we were cruising past the Alaska Pipeline Facilities the fog was gone, the mountains around us towered over us. Wow, what magnificent scenery. Jeanne & I were sitting on the top deck and the breeze started getting colder. Glad we wore our Carharts and hoodies. The Captain took us to the East Columbia Glacier first. We were about 2 miles away, but it looked massive. 200 feet of ice is exposed at the water line, with another 600 to 800 feet underwater and it's 2 miles wide. We then went the West Glacier and stopped ¼ mile from it, right in the middle of the ice floes. There were Sea Otters laying on the ice floes that had called off the glacier. On our way back we saw Stellar Sea Lions, sea otters and two Humpback Whales. After we had returned to the dock, Jeanne & I walked back to Mountain View RV Park. The temperature had risen to 81 degrees. This was a great experience, one of the best cruises so far. One thing that is important to note, these cruises are very dependent on the weather. Stormy weather doesn't make for a pleasant day on the water.