3 Days Before or After an Alaska Cruise: Anchorage, Girdwood, and a Glacier Day

If we could give every Gulf of Alaska cruiser the same pre-cruise plan, this would be it. Three days is enough for Anchorage, the Seward Highway, and a full day on a small boat among glaciers and wildlife. All of it happens within a few hours of the port, so you don't lose any time to long travel days before you board.

The plan at a glance

• Night 1: Anchorage
• Night 2: Girdwood or Seward
• Night 3: Seward, or Anchorage or Girdwood for a Whittier departure
• Day 4: Board the ship

Day 1: Anchorage

Arrive, settle in downtown, and see the city on foot. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a good afternoon, and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and Ship Creek salmon run are good for a long, light evening. If your flight lands late, just have dinner and go to bed. Day 2 is where the trip really starts. More on Anchorage.

Day 2: Turnagain Arm and Girdwood

Drive the Seward Highway south along Turnagain Arm. Stop at Potter Marsh, the Beluga Point pull-offs (watch for Dall sheep on the cliffs), and Girdwood, where the Alyeska aerial tram goes up to a view of hanging glaciers. Continue to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage for bears, moose, and musk ox up close. If you have an extra hour, the boat to the face of Portage Glacier is just up the road.

Then choose where to stay. Staying in Girdwood keeps the day short and relaxed. Continuing to Seward, about 1.5 hours further, puts you in position for an early boat on day 3.

Day 3: A day on the water

This is the highlight. Your cruise will see plenty of glaciers, but a smaller day boat goes places a cruise ship can't. It gets closer to the ice and the wildlife and slows down for every whale.

From Seward: Kenai Fjords

Day cruises leave the Seward harbor into Resurrection Bay and on to the tidewater glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park. Humpback and orca sightings are common in summer, along with sea otters, sea lions on the rocks, and puffins. We recommend the longer tours that reach the glaciers over the short bay-only trips. The extra hours are where the good stuff is. If you have energy left, Exit Glacier is a short drive from town, and the Alaska SeaLife Center is right downtown.

From Whittier: Prince William Sound

The 26 Glacier Cruise leaves Whittier for a full day in Prince William Sound. As the name says, it can take in up to 26 glaciers in a single trip, plus otters, seals, and whales. It's one of the best-value excursions in the state. You can take the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to meet it or drive through the tunnel. More on Whittier and Seward.

Day 4: Board the ship

From Seward, you're minutes from the terminal, so enjoy a slow breakfast. For Whittier, drive in from Anchorage or Girdwood in the morning, keeping an eye on the tunnel schedule.

Doing it after the cruise instead

Flip it. Disembark in Seward and spend that day around town and at Exit Glacier. Take the Kenai Fjords boat the next day, then drive the Seward Highway to Anchorage on day 3 with all the stops, and fly home that night or the next morning. From Whittier, do the Prince William Sound cruise first, then Girdwood and Anchorage.

A few tips

• Book the boat early and keep the day flexible. If the weather is rough, the operators may change the route, and a spare day gives you room to rebook.
• Pack for the water. Even on a sunny July day it's cold out on the fjords. Bring a warm layer, a hat, gloves, and a rain shell. Take your motion-sickness remedy before you board, not after.
• Bring binoculars. They're useful on the day boat and on the ship afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Kenai Fjords day cruise worth it if I'm already on an Alaska cruise?
Yes. The big ship shows you glaciers from a distance, but a small boat gets much closer to the ice and the wildlife and can change course for whales. Many travelers say it was their best wildlife day of the trip.

What's better before a cruise: Kenai Fjords or the 26 Glacier Cruise?
Go with whichever is closer to your port: Kenai Fjords for a Seward departure, the 26 Glacier Cruise for Whittier. Both are excellent, and matching the boat to your port saves you a long drive.

Can I do this without a car?
Mostly. The Alaska Railroad connects Anchorage with both Seward and Whittier, and day-cruise companies coordinate with the train. You'll lose the Seward Highway stops, which are the best reason to drive.

We can book all of this, from the hotels and car to the day cruise and the transfer to the ship. Get in touch with your cruise dates. If you're thinking bigger, here's how to add Denali in five days.