7 Boat Tours in Alaska Worth Booking

1.Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,756 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $265Our pick

Set out from Seward for a six-hour, 100-mile cruise through Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Your captain and naturalist explain the glaciers, geology, and wildlife while you watch for calving ice, whales, puffins, otters, and sea lions. Lunch, binoculars, and heated seating are included.

“Guide was extremely knowledgeable and explained in detail about wildlife seen, local geography and glaciers”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Kenai Fjords and Resurrection Bay Half-Day Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,156 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $165

From Seward Harbor, Major Marine Tours carries you 55 miles through Resurrection Bay toward Bear Glacier and Cape Resurrection. Expect expert narration, binoculars, coffee, tea, and close looks at sea lions, seabirds, otters, eagles, mountain goats, and possibly whales or orcas. Dress for cold, wind, and rain.

“This was a wonderful cruise around Resurrection Pass! There was so much to see, both in landform and sea life. The captain and crew were engaging and so friendly. They made the excursion special!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Alaska Whale Watching Cruise w/ 3 HOURS on the water

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 801 reviews · 4 hours 5 minutes (approx.) · from $159

Ride from your Juneau cruise-ship dock to Auke Bay, then spend three hours on the water aboard Harv and Marv’s 49-passenger double-decker boat. A naturalist narrates the trip, and crews such as Dalton, Tess, and Cora have helped guests spot humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, and eagles.

“Harv & Marvs was an amazing experience. We went at the end of September and were lucky enough to see about 60 whales! They always answered the phone when I called with questions, they arrived after a short wait at the pier in a nice bus, great boat, knowledgeable guide - customer service was great! This tour lasts 3 hours which allowed us the time to go a bit farther out to find the pod of whales!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Seward: Kenai Fjords National Park Catamaran Cruise w/Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 736 reviews · from $265

From Seward, cruise Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park on a stable catamaran with captains such as Laura, Nicole, and Chris. Watch for whales, puffins, sea otters, sea lions, and seals, pause at a tidewater glacier, and eat a deli lunch onboard.

“This was the highlight of our trip! The beauty of the Kenai fjords is indescribably beautiful. The catamaran was comfortable and the lunch was great! All the crew was available to all! What an incredible experience. Don’t miss it!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Whale Watching Cruise with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 427 reviews · 3 hours · from $154Best value

From downtown Juneau, ride 25 minutes to Auke Bay, then spend two hours on a small, enclosed jet boat with a captain and naturalist guide. Look for humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, porpoises, eagles, and bears while enjoying binoculars, hot drinks, water, and snacks.

“We had a great tour with Captain Perry and Derek. They were communicating with other guides about the best place to go to have a good chance of seeing whales. Derek provided great background info. There were plenty of snacks in individual paper bags which was nice. One thing to note is that we did have to walk up and down a steep ramp to get on and off the boat, and an elderly couple had to go slowly. Just something to consider if you have mobility issues.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Portage Glacier Cruise and Wildlife Explorer Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 378 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $239

Travel from Anchorage up Turnagain Arm, cruise Portage Lake aboard the mv Ptarmigan with a Park Service Ranger, then visit the 140-acre Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Guides such as Matt, Gary, and Jack add local stories, photo help, and flexible scenic stops to this five-and-a-half-hour small-group outing.

“Great tour, very informative! Beautiful sight! Tour guide, Matt, was amazing! Would definitely recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Hoonah Whale-Watching Cruise – Near Icy Strait Point

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 336 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $225

From Icy Strait Point, you’ll ride a shuttle to Hoonah and board a boat for about three hours on the water. Captains such as Denise and Paul share local and wildlife knowledge while you look for humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, otters, eagles, and bears.

“What an incredible experience! This was a well organized tour and Captain Paul was so knowledgeable. We saw plenty of whales and really enjoyed our time in the water. We ended it with some tacos from Oso Gordito!”

Check availability →Read our full review