The Best Glaciers in Prince William Sound — and the Cruise That Reaches Each

Harvard Glacier

Harvard Glacier fills the head of College Fjord, the turnaround of the 26 Glacier Cruise. NASA’s Earth Observatory describes College Fjord as cutting 40 kilometres into the Chugach Mountains, with five tidewater glaciers, five large valley glaciers and dozens of smaller ones, and names Harvard and Yale as the two largest tidewater glaciers in it.

Harvard is also one of the few glaciers in the Sound that has been growing. NASA says it has advanced over the last century, and a US Geological Survey fact sheet lists Harvard and Meares as the two glaciers near Columbia that are slowly advancing. A face that keeps pushing into deep water sheds ice often, and the captain slows down and holds position off the College Fjord faces so you can watch for calving.

You see Harvard at the end of a long run: the 26 Glacier Cruise leaves Whittier at noon and covers about 120 miles out to College Fjord and back. Our 26 Glacier Cruise guide goes through the route stretch by stretch, from Passage Canal to Esther Passage.

Yale Glacier

Yale Glacier lies just southeast of Harvard in College Fjord, so you see both on the same sailing. The two make a useful pair to compare from the rail. NASA notes that they start from the same snowfield, yet Harvard has advanced while Yale has retreated. Tidewater glaciers respond to water depth, ice thickness and calving at the face as much as to climate, which is how two neighbours can move in opposite directions.

The rest of College Fjord carries the other glaciers the 1899 Harriman Expedition named after East Coast colleges, among them Bryn Mawr, Smith, Vassar, Wellesley and Barnard. Many are valley or hanging glaciers that end above the water, and low cloud can hide some of them. On a grey day the tidewater faces of Harvard and Yale, down at sea level, are usually still in view.

Blackstone Glacier

Blackstone Glacier is the larger of the two tidewater faces at the head of Blackstone Bay, the closest glacier bay to Whittier. Its ice reaches the water, and the floating ice in front of it shows how often pieces break away. The captain picks a line through the brash ice and holds the boat off the face.

Glacier Quest reaches the bay sooner than the 26 Glacier Cruise reaches College Fjord, so more of its 3¾ hours (1:00 to 4:45 pm) goes on the glaciers and less on open water, and the water is calmer too. It suits families and anyone who wants a half-day. Our Blackstone Glacier cruise guide compares Glacier Quest with the small-group boat, and the Glacier Quest guide covers the meal, the train and the coach.

Beloit Glacier

Beloit Glacier is the second tidewater face, beside Blackstone at the head of the same bay. It is not in College Fjord, whatever some lists say: you see it on the Blackstone Bay trips, not on the 26 Glacier Cruise. Two calving faces in one view is the reason to choose this bay over a single-glacier stop, and you can compare their colour and their ice side by side.

Above them, several alpine glaciers hang on the slopes. Guides usually point out Northland Glacier, a hanging glacier with a waterfall pouring from its edge. These upper glaciers do not calve into the sea, but on a clear day they add to what you see from one spot.

Columbia Glacier

Columbia Glacier is the one famous for how fast it has shrunk. Its front has pulled back more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) up Columbia Bay since 1980, and it has lost about half its thickness. NASA describes it as one of the most rapidly changing glaciers in the world.

The retreat filled the bay with icebergs, and that is what the six-hour Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez shows you: a slow passage through floating ice, often with harbour seals hauled out on the floes. Heavy ice can keep the boat well back from the face, so book it for the icefield rather than a close look at calving. It is the lowest fare on this site, from $181. Our Columbia Glacier cruise guide covers the boat, the timings and getting to Valdez.

Meares Glacier

Meares Glacier, at the head of Unakwik Inlet, is the opposite case. While most tidewater glaciers in the Sound retreat, Meares has been advancing, and its face meets open water, so the boat can come in and hold position in front of it. An advancing face calves readily, and the sound of falling ice reaches you a second or so after you see it.

The trade-off is time. The Meares cruise from Valdez takes 7.5 hours, the longest on this site, back at about 5:00 pm. If you have a day in Valdez and want a calving face, choose Meares; if you want the lower fare, a shorter day, or the iceberg-filled bay, choose Columbia. Our Meares Glacier cruise guide has the full comparison.

Surprise and Barry glaciers

Surprise Glacier, in Harriman Fjord, and Barry Glacier, in Barry Arm, are in the north-western corner of the Sound, beyond Port Wells. Neither is a stop on the five day cruises we cover, and we found no GetYourGuide listing that goes there. Boats that do visit Barry Arm include the multi-day small ships described in our small-boat cruise guide, and local charters.

If you go on another operator’s boat, know that the slope above Barry Arm is a monitored landslide. Alaska’s Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys asks mariners to stay alert near Barry Arm and leave the area if they notice unusual rockfall, waves or currents, because a sudden failure could send a tsunami into Barry Arm, Harriman Fjord and Port Wells. Check its current alert level before you sail.

Choosing your glacier

• One day from Anchorage, the most ice: Harvard and Yale on the 26 Glacier Cruise.
• One day from Anchorage, a short trip or young children: Blackstone and Beloit on Glacier Quest.
• A calving face up close, and time in Valdez: Meares.
• Icebergs, seals on the floes and the lowest fare: Columbia.
• Prone to seasickness: Blackstone Bay, on sheltered water and the shortest sailing; our seasickness guide compares the routes.
• Cruise passengers starting or ending in Whittier: one of the Whittier sailings; our Whittier cruise port guide covers the timings around your ship.

Not sure which port suits your trip? Our Whittier vs Valdez comparison sets out the distance, the price and the sailing length side by side.

Practical planning checklist

• Confirm the exact sailing date and departure time before you book a hotel or transport.
• Through the Whittier Tunnel, plan around the published traffic window and arrive early.
• Check whether food, taxes and fees are included in the fare you see.
• Bring a waterproof outer layer, a warm mid-layer, a hat, gloves and closed shoes; the air off a glacier face is cold even in July.
• Calving, whales and bears are possible on any sailing, never promised.
• For mobility needs, confirm access on the exact boat; in Valdez the ramp can be steep at low tide.
• With children, count the whole day from your hotel, not only the hours on the boat.
• Keep the evening after a long cruise free in case the tunnel or the weather delays you.

Frequently asked questions

Which Prince William Sound glacier is best for a first Alaska trip?

Harvard Glacier, on the 26 Glacier Cruise from Whittier, if you can manage five and a quarter hours on the boat. You also pass Yale and the other College Fjord glaciers on the way. With less time, Blackstone Glacier on the 3¾-hour Glacier Quest is the closer choice.

Is Beloit Glacier in College Fjord?

No. Beloit is in Blackstone Bay, beside Blackstone Glacier, and you see it on the Blackstone Bay trips from Whittier. The College Fjord glaciers, Harvard and Yale among them, are on the 26 Glacier Cruise.

Can you see Columbia Glacier from Whittier?

No. Columbia and Meares glaciers are reached from Valdez. The Whittier sailings go to College Fjord or Blackstone Bay.

Which glaciers are advancing?

Harvard and Meares. NASA and the US Geological Survey both describe them as advancing while neighbours such as Yale and Columbia retreat.

Do I need to book in advance?

For July and August, yes, especially for the rail packages and for groups. Both Whittier listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure; for the Valdez cruises it is three days, so fix your Valdez dates first.

What if it rains?

The cruises sail rain or shine with heated cabins. Low cloud can hide the peaks and the hanging glaciers, but the tidewater faces at sea level usually stay in view.

Before you book

If you have one day from Anchorage, book the 26 Glacier Cruise for Harvard and Yale, or Glacier Quest for Blackstone and Beloit if you want a shorter trip. Save Columbia and Meares for a trip that already includes Valdez. Check your exact date on the listing, because the season is short and schedules change from year to year; our best time for a Prince William Sound cruise guide covers the months.