We were lucky. The weather was perfect for our cruise - sunny and a reasonable temperature. Plus, our 6-hour cruise had been upgraded to a double-hull craft because the owner's family was aboard. So from the start, it had to be a good day!
Our captain did an excellent job from the moment he greeted us in the main cabin to the time when he waved us goodbye. He was informative, funny, and attentive. The other staff were equally as good.
Before we had gotten even 10 minutes into the trip, we saw orcas chasing Dall porpoise. The chase went on for several minutes, but the orcas were unsuccessful. But we still saw some amazing moves from the large creatures. Our excellent wildlife spottings continued throughout the day: more orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, seals, murres, and the list goes on. Each time, the captain stopped/slowed the boat so we could get a good look, and he educated us about what we were seeing.
We spent about thirty minutes in front of Aialik Glacier. Initially, that sounded like too much time, but it was just right. Being able to spend that much time there meant we could see, and hear, parts of the glacier fall into the water, watch the wildlife move about, and get a sense of the enormity of the glacier.
After seeing the glacier, we headed back to port. The provided lunch was good: chicken wrap with fresh greens, Alaskan potato chips, and a granola bar. I was impressed that the wrap felt fresh - not soggy. And shortly before we arrived back in Seward, we each had a warm chocolate chip cookie!
For me, a six-hour cruise was just right. We had plenty of time to see wildlife and the glacier. And then we had the afternoon for other activities.