Columbia Glacier & Wildlife Cruise from Valdez
About This Experience
This is the classic Valdez day on the water: six hours out of Port Valdez, through the Valdez Narrows and west across Prince William Sound into Columbia Bay, aboard an enclosed, heated boat with an on-board guide narrating the whole way.
What you meet in Columbia Bay is not a wall of ice at the end of a fjord. Columbia Glacier has pulled back more than 12 miles since 1980 and left a terminal moraine across the mouth of the bay that traps its own icebergs, so the water ahead of the boat is packed with floating ice - some of it the size of a house, some of it centuries old, all of it drifting and grinding in a bay that looks different every single day. The captain works into the ice as far as conditions allow. On a good day that is a long way in; on a heavy-ice day the field itself is the destination and the retreating face stays in the distance.
The wildlife is not an afterthought on the way there. Crews slow down and hold position for sea otters, harbour seals hauled out on bergs, Steller sea lions, Dall's porpoise, bald eagles, puffins and - with luck - humpbacks and orca. A hot soup lunch is served on the way out, which matters more than it sounds: the air temperature drops sharply once you are among the ice, and the outside decks are where you will want to be.
Highlights
- Cruise into Columbia Bay and among the icebergs of one of the fastest-changing glaciers on Earth
- Six hours on an enclosed, heated boat with an on-board guide and open outside decks
- Watch for sea otters, harbour seals, Steller sea lions, porpoise, bald eagles, puffins, humpbacks and orca
- Pass the waterfalls and cliffs of the Valdez Narrows on the way out and back
- Hot soup lunch included, plus free coffee, tea, lemonade and water all day
What's Included
- ✓ A light lunch - hot soup, a bagel with cream cheese, and cookies
- ✓ Complimentary coffee, tea, lemonade and water throughout
- ✓ On-board guide, plus a printed map in English, Dutch, German and Korean
- ✓ Transfers to and from RV parks inside the core town of Valdez
- ✓ On-board snack bar and gift shop (items sold separately)
Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
What to Bring
- A warm insulating layer - it is markedly colder among the ice than on the dock
- Waterproof jacket and rain gear; the boat sails in any weather
- Closed-toe shoes for the dock ramp and the outside decks
- Binoculars - the difference between a dot and an otter
- Camera, sunglasses and sunscreen (glare off ice and water is real)
- Cash for the snack bar, gift shop and crew gratuities
- Your own snacks if you have particular dietary needs
Good to Know & Caveats
- Departures run in any weather. The cabin is enclosed and heated; the warm clothes are for the outside decks, where you will actually want to stand.
- How far into Columbia Bay the boat gets depends on the ice, the tide and the wind on the day. Nobody can promise a view of the glacier's face, and any operator who does is selling you something they do not control.
- When the bay is too choked to be worth the run, Stan Stephens will point you at their longer Meares Glacier cruise instead. That is a real alternative, not a consolation prize: Meares is one of the few advancing tidewater glaciers in North America and boats get close to its face.
- A ramp leads down to the dock and can be steep at low tide; boarding assistance is available if you ask at check-in.
- Guests may bring their own food and soft drinks aboard. No alcohol.
- The season runs roughly mid-May to mid-September. Outside those dates there is no day boat from Valdez.
Not Suitable For
- People prone to severe seasickness on open water
Meeting Point
The Stan Stephens office sits on pilings above the Tour Dock at 112 N Harbor Drive, immediately behind the Best Western in Valdez. Check in one hour before departure; boarding opens 30 minutes before. A ramp leads down to the dock and can be steep at low tide - say so at check-in if you would like a hand.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.8/5 by 197 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
A real highlight of our trip. Everything was well organized, and the crew was great throughout. We were able to observe an incredible number of animals and were out and about all day. We highly recommend it and would do it again. Thank you for the great day
— Ronald, Septemb
One of the most spectacular experiences I've had in Alaska. Beautiful cruise, incredible views, very friendly staff, super comfortable boat. I would have gone back the next day! Absolutely affordable price (even cheap, if you compare it to the costs of activities here in Alaska). Go, you won't regret it!
— Jessica, August
We took the 7.5-hour cruise to the Meares Glacier because the Columbia Glacier had calved too much, as suggested by the Sten Stevens organization. It was fantastic: beautiful nature and we saw a lot of animals: otters, orcas, bears, sea lions, seals, sea eagles, whales, puffins, and jumping salmon!
— Ann, August
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the boat get right up to the face of Columbia Glacier?
Usually not, and that is the single most important thing to understand before booking. The glacier's retreat left a terminal moraine across the bay that pens in its own icebergs, so the captain navigates as far into the ice field as is safe on the day. The ice itself - bergs the size of buildings, seals asleep on them, the noise - is the experience. Treat a clear run to the face as a bonus, not the plan.
How is this different from the 7.5-hour Meares Glacier cruise?
Same operator, same dock, different destination. This 6-hour trip runs west into Columbia Bay for the iceberg field of a retreating glacier. The 7.5-hour trip runs north up Unakwik Inlet to Meares Glacier, which is advancing, and gets close to an active calving face. If your priority is standing in front of a wall of ice, take the Meares cruise; if it is Columbia Glacier itself, take this one.
What wildlife will I actually see?
Sea otters and bald eagles are near-certain; harbour seals hauled out on the ice and Steller sea lions are very likely; Dall's porpoise are common. Humpback whales, orca and puffins are realistic but not guaranteed. The crew stops for whatever turns up, which is why the cruise takes six hours to cover a distance a fast boat could run in far less.
How cold does it get, and what should I wear?
Expect a sharp drop as you enter the ice - plan for conditions well below what Valdez itself feels like, plus wind chill on a moving boat. A warm mid-layer, a waterproof shell, a hat and gloves make the outside decks comfortable; without them you will end up watching through glass.
Is there anything to eat on board?
A light lunch is included - hot soup, a bagel with cream cheese and cookies - along with unlimited coffee, tea, lemonade and water. A snack bar sells extras. If you have specific dietary needs, bring what you need; the galley is small.
