Anchorage Day Trip 26 Glaciers and/or Portage Glacier

[MSEm]

We will be staying in Anchorage for 2 days after our tour ends. We will be on a land tour, not cruising. We are looking at the 26 Glaciers cruisetour in Whittier for Prince William Sound. Also we have been told that a 1/2 day trip to Portage Glacier is good. Also we can travel from Anchorage by bus, car, or train. I would like any suggestions on method of transportation and also on the possible tours to take.

Thanks

[wolfie11]

If there are two or more and you want to "poke around" a little on the way to/from Portage and Whittier, it's best cost- and time-wise to rent a car. You go past Portage on the way to Whittier. Other stops are the wildlife park, Aleyeska, Beluga point, and to see the Dall sheep.

[Chenega]

We will be staying in Anchorage for 2 days after our tour ends. We will be on a land tour, not cruising. We are looking at the 26 Glaciers cruisetour in Whittier for Prince William Sound. Also we have been told that a 1/2 day trip to Portage Glacier is good. Also we can travel from Anchorage by bus, car, or train. I would like any suggestions on method of transportation and also on the possible tours to take.

Thanks

 

Wolfie is right. If you have your own car, you can sightsee on the way to Whittier, stop and see Portage Glacier and the excellent visitor center, and still make the cruise into Prince William Sound.

 

If you don't want to drive, 26 Glaciers runs a combination train/boat package from Anchorage that is well worth your time. Their website is http://www.26glaciers.com The trip is spectacular.

 

There are two other tour operators from Whittier as well, both offering excellent programs. You might check them out too at http://www.princewilliamsound.com and http://www.majormarine.com

 

My wife is currently working a marine science program in the sound and her pictures have been stunning.

[MSEm]

Thanks for the replies and information.

I took a look at the Prince William Sound Cruises & Tours. Do you know anything about their boats? How large? Interior space for passengers?

 

I checked with 26 Glaciers. There cat boat hold 345 passenger. They limit the number of passengers to about 310. Seems like a lot on a day cruise/tour.

 

How is the road betwen Anchorage & Whittier? I know there is a tunnel with only a 15 minute window for cars every hour and the toll is about $24 round trip.

 

Any other suggestions for either a day or 1/2 day trip?

[NancyIL]

How is the road betwen Anchorage & Whittier? I know there is a tunnel with only a 15 minute window for cars every hour and the toll is about $24 round trip.

The toll is charged going TO Whittier but not leaving, so it's $12.

[fti]

I would suggest the day cruise in Whittier and a stop at the Portage Glacier Visitor Center. If you enjoy hiking, there is a hike from Whittier (near the tunnel entrance) to the Portage Glacier (Sundays you can do it with a ranger). There is also a hike from near the visitor center but not to the glacier itself. You can stop to/from Whittier at Girdwood.

 

Another option to consider is to head to Seward. But if you do that, it is probably best as an overnight. Great scenery between Anchorage and Seward and also nice boat excursions from there as well as other things to do in Seward.

[EYELADY]

Along these same lines, I have booked the excursion that Princess offers after getting off the Sapphire July 7th. I am assuming 2 things: 1) they take care of your luggage while you're doing the excursion and 2)we will end up at the airport mid afternoon for a late flight. Am I right ?

Has anyone done this through Princess and have an opinion?

 

Thanks for any other help you can provide for new Alaskan cruisers.

[fti]

Along these same lines, I have booked the excursion that Princess offers after getting off the Sapphire July 7th. I am assuming 2 things: 1) they take care of your luggage while you're doing the excursion and 2)we will end up at the airport mid afternoon for a late flight. Am I right ?

Has anyone done this through Princess and have an opinion?

 

Thanks for any other help you can provide for new Alaskan cruisers.

 

The independent cruises of PWS seem to be in the afternoon. So if 2) is correct, Princess must have a ship-contracted private excursion booked.

[Chenega]

The independent cruises of PWS seem to be in the afternoon. So if 2) is correct, Princess must have a ship-contracted private excursion booked.

 

Yes they do with Prince William Sound Cruises and Tours. They go out in the morning aboard either the Glacier Queen or the Nunatak, both capable of holding about 120 passengers. They either go to Blackstone Bay or Barry Arm, both known for spectacular glaciers.

[Chenega]

Thanks for the replies and information.

I took a look at the Prince William Sound Cruises & Tours. Do you know anything about their boats? How large? Interior space for passengers?

 

I checked with 26 Glaciers. There cat boat hold 345 passenger. They limit the number of passengers to about 310. Seems like a lot on a day cruise/tour.

 

How is the road betwen Anchorage & Whittier? I know there is a tunnel with only a 15 minute window for cars every hour and the toll is about $24 round trip.

 

Any other suggestions for either a day or 1/2 day trip?

 

PWS Cruises and Tours uses two boats - the longer trip to Esther Passage and Barry Arm uses the Nunatak while the shorter trip to Blackstone Bay involves the Glacier Queen. Both boats are capable of carrying about 130 people but they intentionally don't fill them to the max for passenger comfort.

 

There are large inside areas with open seating plus outside areas for viewing and picture taking.

 

For more on them, go to http://www.princewilliamsound.com where they have pictures of the ships and information on the cruise routes. FYI - the company is owned by Kenai Fjords Tours in Seward which, itself, is owned by the Cook Inlet Regional Corporation (aka CIRI). They've been in business for years.

 

Should also say that you can't go wrong with any of the tour operators in the sound. Both 26 Glaciers and Major Marine run excellent programs as well.