How Much Does a Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise Cost?

Key facts to know

• Scheduled adult day-cruise fares run from $181 to $260 on GetYourGuide before transport.
• Coach and rail packages from Anchorage raise the total by roughly $75 to $230 per person.
• Driving to Whittier adds a $13 toll per car and $15 to $20 for parking, shared by everyone in the car.
• Valdez fares are the lowest, but Valdez is about 300 road miles from Anchorage, so most people stay at least one night.
• Children’s fares are well below adult fares when you book with the operators directly.

Main cruise prices

There are five day cruises you can book on GetYourGuide: three from Whittier and two from Valdez. Our day cruise comparison covers what each fare includes, from soup lunch to a hot meal. Here is what each one costs per hour on the water, which is the fairer comparison when the sailings run from 3.5 to 7.5 hours.

The Valdez cruises are the cheapest per hour by a wide margin. That only holds once you are in Valdez, and the trip there costs more than the fare difference for most visitors from Anchorage.

Glacier Quest

Glacier Quest is the cheaper of the two Phillips Cruises sailings from Whittier: $210 per person on GetYourGuide for about 3¾ hours into Blackstone Bay, with a hot meal on board. Of the Whittier cruises, it is the one we suggest to families and to anyone watching the budget, because it leaves at 1:00 pm and the whole day is shorter.

The Alaska Railroad sells Glacier Quest for $202 cruise only and $342 with round-trip rail from Anchorage or Girdwood on its Glacier Quest day-trip page (2027 season, 15 May to 12 September). The rail add-on is $140 per person, which is more than a couple pays to drive, toll and park. You pay it for the scenery from the train and for not driving the Seward Highway after a day on the water.

26 Glacier

The 26 Glacier Cruise is the flagship and the most expensive day cruise in the Sound: $260 per person on GetYourGuide for about 5¼ hours through Passage Canal and College Fjord, with a hot meal. It works out at about $50 per hour, a little cheaper per hour than Glacier Quest.

Phillips’ own rate card lists $219 plus taxes and fees for an adult and $137 for a child. Its listing on alaska.org puts the taxes and fees at $26.95 per person, which brings an adult ticket booked direct to about $246, roughly $14 under the GetYourGuide price. GetYourGuide shows the final price up front and lets you cancel free up to 24 hours before. Booking direct is cheaper for a family, because the child fare is so much lower.

The Alaska Railroad sells the 26 Glacier Cruise for $252 cruise only, or $491 with round-trip transport from Anchorage or Girdwood, on its 26 Glacier Cruise day-trip page (2027 season, 1 May to 12 September). Round-trip rail is not timetabled for this cruise, so the transport is a coach one way and the train the other.

Coach and rail

A transfer package is the most expensive way to reach Whittier and the easiest. For two people:

• Coach: resellers list the 26 Glacier Cruise with Phillips’ coach from Anchorage at about $336 per adult, $76 over the cruise-only GetYourGuide fare. The coach leaves downtown Anchorage in the morning and brings you back in the evening.
• Rail: the Alaska Railroad charges $140 per person over its cruise-only Glacier Quest price, and $239 per person over its cruise-only 26 Glacier price.
• Your own car: $13 for the tunnel plus $15 to $20 parking, about $30 for the whole car.

So a rental car you already have makes driving the cheapest choice by far, especially for three or four people. If you are not renting a car for the rest of your trip, price a one-day rental against the coach before you choose. Pickup times and the train timetable are in our Anchorage to Whittier guide.

Neither package is sold on GetYourGuide; book them with Phillips or the Alaska Railroad.

Small boats

The Blackstone Glacier Small-Group Cruise and Beach Walk costs $208 per person for 3.5 hours, almost the same as Glacier Quest, with a 15 to 20 minute beach landing and parking in Whittier included. For a couple driving from Anchorage that makes it the cheapest day out of Whittier, about $430. The listing has only two reviews so far (5.0/5), and the fare includes a snack and a hot drink but no meal, so pack lunch.

Our small-boat cruise guide compares the small boats with the catamarans.

Valdez prices

Valdez has the lowest fares and the most time on the water. The Columbia Glacier cruise is $181 on GetYourGuide for 6 hours. Booked direct with Stan Stephens Cruises it is $180 plus a $1 fee for adults and $90 plus $1 for children aged 3 to 12. The Meares Glacier cruise is $201 for 7.5 hours.

The trip there is what adds to the total. Valdez is about 300 road miles from Anchorage, a long day’s drive each way, and the cruises leave in the morning, so plan on at least one night in Valdez. Parking for the cruise is free. If Valdez is already on your route, it is the best-value cruise in the Sound. If you would drive there only for the cruise, the fuel and hotel nights cost more than the fare you save. Our Whittier vs Valdez comparison helps with that choice.

Tunnel and parking

If you drive to Whittier, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel charges a toll of about $13 for a car, paid only on the way in; the return is free. Parking in Whittier runs $15 to $20 for the day on the Phillips sailings and is free on the small-group Blackstone cruise. Both are per car, so in a full car they add only a few dollars per person.

Neither is included in any cruise fare. Have a card ready at the toll booth. The Whittier tunnel guide has the timetable, which matters more than the toll: miss your opening and you can miss the boat.

Family budgets

Children change the sums, because both operators sell child fares well below the adult price. For two adults and two children aged 3 to 12:

With children, compare the direct child fare against the GetYourGuide price for your date before you book. Glacier Quest is the shorter and cheaper Whittier option for young children, with about 1½ hours less on the water than the 26 Glacier Cruise.

Gratuities for the crew, drinks from the bar and any lunch on the small boat are extra on every cruise.

Who this article is most useful for

• First-time Alaska visitors setting a budget for one glacier day
• Anchorage-based travellers choosing between driving, the coach and the train
• Families comparing child fares and total cost
• Travellers deciding whether Valdez’s lower fares cover the trip there
• Cruise passengers pricing an independent day in Prince William Sound

Practical planning checklist

• Price the whole day for your party: fares, transport, toll, parking and tips.
• Check whether the price you see includes taxes and fees; Phillips’ direct rates do not.
• Compare the child fare direct with the GetYourGuide price for your date.
• If you drive, plan around the tunnel timetable and arrive early.
• Add Valdez hotel nights before comparing its fares with Whittier’s.
• Confirm the operating date and departure time before booking transport or a hotel.
• Check the cancellation terms: free up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide’s Whittier cruises, three days before on the Valdez cruises.
• Keep the evening after a long cruise free in case the road, tunnel or sea delays you.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Prince William Sound cruise worth the price on a first Alaska trip?

For most first-time visitors, yes. For $210 to $260 you see tidewater glaciers calving, sea otters and often whales in one afternoon, and it is the easiest glacier day from Anchorage. If the budget is tight, Glacier Quest gives you the glaciers for $50 less than the 26 Glacier Cruise.

Do I need to book in advance?

For July and August, book a few weeks ahead, especially for coach and rail packages and the small boat, which carries the fewest people. Prices on GetYourGuide are “from” prices and can be higher on busy dates.

What if the weather is rainy?

The cruises sail in rain, and you do not get money back for cloud. If the operator cancels a sailing, the listing’s terms say what refund or new date you get. Pack a waterproof shell; our packing list covers the rest.

Are wildlife sightings guaranteed?

No. No fare buys a whale. Phillips Cruises says its boats see whales on about 50 to 60 percent of sailings, and sea otters and seals are common, but the fare is the same whatever you see.

Is it cheaper to book direct with the operator?

Sometimes. Phillips’ adult rate for the 26 Glacier Cruise works out about $14 under the GetYourGuide price once its taxes and fees are added, and its child fare is much lower. Stan Stephens’ Columbia Glacier fare is about the same either way. GetYourGuide’s advantage is free cancellation (24 hours before in Whittier, three days in Valdez) and the full price shown up front.

Is a longer tour always better value?

Per hour, yes: the 7.5-hour Meares cruise costs about $27 an hour and the 3.5-hour small boat about $59. But the longer cruises also mean a longer day, and Valdez adds a night away. Pay for the hours you will enjoy, not the hours on the ticket.

Final take

Price the whole day before you choose the cruise. From Anchorage with your own car, Glacier Quest at about $450 for two is the best-value glacier day, and the 26 Glacier Cruise at about $550 is worth the extra $100 if you want College Fjord and the longer sailing. Coach and rail packages add $150 to $460 for a couple and remove the drive. Valdez is the cheapest cruise only if you are going there anyway. Check the live price for your date, because fares change through the season.

Related guides

• Prince William Sound day cruises
• 26 Glacier Cruise vs Glacier Quest
• Which Prince William Sound cruise is right for you?
• Getting to Prince William Sound from Anchorage
• Whittier vs Valdez glacier cruise
• What to wear on a Prince William Sound cruise