What is the difference between a large Holland America cruise to Glacier Bay in Alaska versus a small 8-10 passenger yacht cruise through Southeast Alaska, and which one is right for you?
Here, we dive into why take an Alaskan cruise, what makes each unique, and how much an Alaskan cruise costs so you can choose what experience you’re looking for!
Large Alaskan Cruise Ships
The larger Alaskan cruise ships, like Holland America, are approximately 780 feet long and carry 1500-2000 people per cruise.
The larger ships offer many amenities, including multiple dining options, theaters, casinos, onboard shopping, spas, pools, and fitness centers. These cruise ships feel like a city with a bustling, energetic atmosphere and live entertainment with many activities and options onboard.
How much does an Alaskan cruise cost?
These large cruise ships can be more economical due to the large number of people aboard, and they can be an excellent option for budget-conscious travelers. The prices can start at $1,000 to $5,000+ per person for 7 to 10 days.
Your shore excursions are booked separately, so an additional cost depends on your interests and what you want to experience in the ports. Some activities include whale watching, fishing for a halibut, town tours, or shopping. These ships give you a more traditional cruise experience focused on the boat’s features and the onboard activities versus adventure.
These large Alaskan cruise ships, like Holland America, will stop in major ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, or Skagway for your day excursions. These towns often have five large ships daily in port; therefore can get entirely inundated with travelers. The number of travelers can sometimes exceed the actual number of residents. In 2020, the population in Ketchikan, Alaska, was $13,948.
Where does a large cruise ship depart and return to?
These ships can leave from Vancouver, BC, Canada, Seattle, Washington, or Seward, Alaska, and cruise to Southeast Alaska.
What is the cuisine like on an Alaskan cruise ship?
These larger ships tend to have multiple dining options, including local cuisines, upscale fine dining restaurants, casual, more buffet-style restaurants, or international options such as Italian, Asian, or French-flavored dishes. There are several ethnicities and experiences to choose from.
Let’s compare a smaller Alaskan cruise to see what makes the most sense for you!
Smaller Alaskan Yacht Cruise
A smaller wooden boat or yacht cruise may carry 6-20 passengers, and the approximate length is 85 -120 feet.
Since yacht cruises naturally have fewer passengers, this leads to less congestion in public areas and when heading ashore for excursions. These smaller Alaskan cruises may not stop at the large ports. They are focused on finding more unique rugged highlights or the locals favorite stops throughout the Inside Passage.
How much does an Alaskan yacht cruise cost?
The smaller boats or yacht cruises are generally more expensive due to the smaller number of passengers, the higher level of service with crew, and the more intimate adventures in the region. These Alaskan yacht cruises can range from $6,000 to $12,000 per person for 8 days, or if you wanted the entire boat, this could average $60,000 – $70,000 for 8 days for 6-12 passengers. This is a fabulous way to gather your friends and family and plan your cruise based on your Alaskan bucket list and what you want to see.
Typically, these costs include the excursions as they are the focus of the adventures aboard the boat!
The smaller yacht cruises focus on a more immersive and adventurous experience. They may take you out on side trips, kayaking, or a tender boat into the local areas’ hidden gems.
In Southeast Alaska, US Forest Service Permits are required in these remote areas. Cruise ships cannot put people on the beaches without permits or travel in certain regions. The limited number of permits helps to manage the number of boats and preserve the rugged naturalness that makes Alaska so special. The passenger doesn’t typically pay anything additional for the licenses, but each yacht charter may charge differently. It isn’t like a day excursion fee. So, it can be important when choosing a cruise to ensure your yacht charter has many licenses for the areas you may want to explore in Southeast Alaska or Glacier Bay.
Smaller cruises can also visit more unique destinations that larger ships cannot access due to the size of their boat. That inlet or bay just may not be deep enough. Petersburg, Alaska, is a community of Norwegian folks made up of commercial fishing, and this is one of those ports the large boats can not get into due to the size of the Petersburg-Wrangell Narrows. They can’t get through there due to the depths and narrow passage.
These smaller yacht charters will visit more rural ports and destinations like Petersburg, Kake, Baranof Warm Springs, Le Conte Glacier, or Five Finger Lighthouse, which are areas that the larger ships can’t get into. These small villages and local highlights make Alaska rich in culture and adventure!
Some of the activities you might experience aboard a yacht charter are:
- Whale watching for humpback whales or killer whales
- Spotting wildlife such as bears, porpoises, sea otters, seals, deer, or moose
- Visit a sea lion rookery
- Bald eagles and many other birds
- Soak in a hot spring
- Fishing for halibut, salmon, shrimp, or crab
- Lighthouses
- Hiking to waterfalls or beach-combing
Le Conte Glacier is the southernmost tidewater glacier in the Northern Hemisphere and not a destination for large ships. Le Conte Glacier is located 25 miles from Petersburg and is a favorite due to all the caving ice.
Travelers get an up-close view of the large icebergs in Le Conte Bay
Soaking in Baranof Warm Springs
Hidden Falls, also known as the bear hatchery. Hidden Falls Hatchery is one of the largest salmon hatcheries in the Baranof Island region in Southeast Alaska. It‘s renowned for its substantial contribution to the local fishing industry, releasing millions of salmon fry annually. We call it the bear hatchery as the bear shows up to feed on all the salmon. These are some well-fed brown bears!
Hidden Falls Hatchery
This off-the-beaten-path, hidden local gems are the experiences you can expect to adventure into on a smaller, locally captained yacht cruise.
So, if you have an adventurous spirit, this is an incredible way to experience Southeast Alaska and truly a lifetime trip!
Where does a private yacht charter start?
They typically start in Southeast Alaska in Juneau, Petersburg, or Ketchikan. This gives you more time in the local area to explore versus traveling long distances on the boat at a time and just viewing the scenery.
What is the cuisine like on an Alaskan yacht cruise?
A yacht cruise is a smaller, more intimate dining experience, so typically, everyone eats together in a family style. This can be a great way to chat with the Captain or local crew and learn more about the region, their local experiences, and the history firsthand.
As you know, Alaska has an incredible abundance of seafood, so you may experience wild Alaskan salmon, freshly caught halibut, King or Dungeness crab, rockfish, clams, or even glacier ice in your cocktails! The onboard chef will typically accommodate food requests such as gluten-free or vegetarian.
Fresh Alaskan Halibut – Alaska Sea Adventures
Conclusion
Ultimately, your best choice depends on your budget, personal preference for how you want to experience Alaska and priorities. If you are looking for a more traditional cruise experience with a wide range of amenities and onboard activities, with the boat more of the experience, a large cruise ship may be a good option. You will see many of these large boats cruising into Glacier Bay and can sit back and enjoy the scenery and have the entertainment of a big ship!
If you are looking for a more intimate and adventurous Alaskan experience, you can tailor to your Alaskan bucket list, getting up close to the face of the glaciers, wanting to experience all the wildlife such as whales, sea otters, and bald eagles, cruising through the fjord’s, some fishing, and no schedule so you can linger on that pod of whales breaching and exploring the rugged outdoors, then a small boat cruise would be the choice for you!
Alaska Sea Adventures – M/V Northern Song and a Float Plane Ride
Alaska Sea Adventures is an all-inclusive, 8-10-passenger yacht cruise. We take you through the ice, closer to glaciers, and travel across waters where others can’t go due to the challenges of the sea with our 85-foot custom expedition yacht. This motor vessel is built for Alaska with a steel hull for bumping up against the ice and NIAD stabilizers for a comfortable cruise!
During our 50 years, we have accumulated over 800 US Forest Service permits, taking you to remote areas where other charters can’t go.
Our 6-pole halibut permit allows you to catch that Alaskan “butt” halibut!
Yelloweyed Rockfish
Captain Harley, a local commercial fisherman, leads Alaska Sea Adventures. So, your yacht cruise will be immersed in the region’s locally sourced ingredients.
Cuisine and local seafood are Harley’s passions, so this is an internal part of your experience. Each evening, Harley shares his 40 years of fishing expertise during dinner, explaining the catch of the day and how the commercial fishing industry has evolved.
Golden Crab Feast, Seafood Risotto, and Shakshuka for Breakfast
You might even catch a glimpse of commercial fishing boats in action or haul a crab pot yourself!
Ultimately, the best choice for you depends on your personal preference of how you want to experience Alaska and your priorities. If you are looking for a more traditional cruise experience with a wide range of amenities and onboard activities, with the boat more of the experience, a large cruise ship may be a good option.
Suppose a more adventurous exploration focusing on exploring the magical details of the Inside Passage, getting up close to the face of the glaciers, and viewing the bears feeding in the streams is what you’re looking for.
In that case, a small yacht cruise is truly incredible. Not being on a schedule is pretty luxurious, so you can have the freedom to snap 100 pictures of that pod of whales breaching and exploring the fjords; then, a small boat cruise may be the right choice for you and your family!
Alaska Sea Adventures – M/V Northern Song and a Humpback Whale
By Captain Harley Ethelbah
Baranof Island is an island in the northern Alexander Archipelago in the Alaska Panhandle, in Southeast Alaska. Baranof Island is home to around 8,000 people in the community of Sitka, Alaska, and has 617 miles of coastline. It is the fourth biggest island in Southeast Alaska and part of Tongass National Forest, the United States’ largest national forest. Baranof is one of my favorite islands due to the abundance of brown bears. I love showing travelers our Baranof bears! And Baranof brown bears are unique. Stay with me here, and I will tell you why!
Baranof is one of the ABC Islands, comprising Admiralty Island, Baranof Island, and Chichagof Island. These three islands are known to have the highest density of brown bears in North America—one bear per square mile.
Baranof Island is the most rugged of the region’s major islands, with peaks above 4000 feet.
The entire eastern shore of Baranof Island is washed by the waters of Chatham Strait, which, with its extensions, Lynn Canal and Taiya Inlet, is one of the world’s great fjords. Taiya Inlet is a fjord located in Southeast Alaska, on the mainland opposite Baranof Island. It’s part of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and is known for its stunning scenery, including glaciers, waterfalls, and dense rainforest. Sea otters, humpback whales, porpoises, and dolphins inhabit the area.
By Captain Harley Ethelbah
The commercial Sitka Sound herring fishery has always been a significant event in Southeast Alaska for many reasons other than fishing! This is a very unique opportunity to witness an abundance of humpback whales, bubble-net feeding, eagles, otters, sea lions, and many different species of birds, all feeding on the herring and spawning. This commercial fisheries focus is on the herring roe, which is sought after by many species in the marine environment.
The Sitka Sound herring fishery takes place in March and April every year in the sound of Sitka, Alaska. Sitka is a small island located in Southeast Alaska, also known as the Inside Passage. There is a population of approximately 8,426 people in the small town of Sitka. Sitka heavily relies on the seafood industry. Fishing and processing of salmon, cod, halibut, herring, and other marine products are significant contributors to the local economy as well as tourism.
The arrival of the herring in Sitka Sound is like the announcement of Spring! Winter is still trying to hold on, but Spring pushes through, and the weather changes. When that weather changes, the herring will arrive and be ready to spawn between mid-March and the first part of April.
I was an active commercial herring sac roe fisherman for many years and was formerly the owner of the M/V Jean C. I share my experience in the fishery with our guests aboard the M/V Northern Song as they watch the season transition. The herring are caught by seining with a net, as pictured below.
The commercial fishing boats seining for herring with Mount Edgecumbe in the background
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Mount Edgecumbe is also a gorgeous landmark and a dormant stratovolcano located on Kruzof Island, Alaska, about 15 miles west of Sitka and 3,201 feet in elevation. A popular hiking trail leads to the summit, offering panoramic views of the surrounding area after the snow melts.
Another reason why this time of the year is so special for this yacht cruise is the humpback whales are migrating from Hawaii☀️ and come to fatten up after a long winter of mating. The famous humpback whale bubble-net feeding is a regular event!
Travelers often wonder what bubble-net feeding is and what I am referring to is how humpback whales coordinate through song and the act of blowing bubbles to form underwater “bubble nets” to capture one of their food source herring.
A view from the bow of the MV Northern Song with bubble-net feeding
Concentrations of humpback whales are observed and predator activity from eagles and sea lions builds. The herring spawn will soon emerge, when the temperatures are just right turning the water into a milky turquoise green as the spawn permeates the seas!
Thousands of bald eagles show up to eat the herring row as they wash up on the beaches around the sound.
After the herring event, the grey whales show up to wallow in the mud and shift through the substrate for herring eggs. Grey whales can be up to 49 feet long and 90,000 pounds in weight. They are known to be a more playful with their tale slapping and spy hopping, so they are fun to observe. They are not bubble-feeders; they are bottom feeders. They stir up sediment with their lower jaws, filtering through the ocean floor.
Humans are not the only ones interested in herring. In fact, humans are the most minor prey on this precious natural resource, herring. The herring roe plays a significant role in both the natural and the culinary human ecosystem. Its unique texture and flavor make it a sought-after delicacy in certain cultures. The primary harvest is for the sac roe, which is obtained from female herring during this event.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game monitors the fishery through aerial surveys, vessel sonar surveys, and test fishing. They also coordinate with industry vessels to conduct test fishing as necessary to determine the herring size and roe quality. They will then work with the fisherman on the appropriate fishing time and areas. This is all monitored in the efforts to complete sustainable fishing practices.
Guests aboard the M/V Northern Song photograph all the fisherman in Sitka Sound
Captain Harley with Herring Roe on the Beach
At Alaska Sea Adventures we take a different perspective to experience this annual event, which is why we call it the Sitka Sound Herring Extravaganza, a unique Alaskan yacht cruise! We go to observe the whale behaviors, capture stunning photos of the bubble-net feeding, witness all the wildlife feed, and observing the fisherman as they pull in their seine nets full of herring. I talk about the history and evolution of the fishery, take our travelers to speak to the fisherman, and get an up-close experience of the boats leaning over with a huge net full! This has always been my favorite fishery and favorite time of the year! Our guests also love seeing all the bald eagles as they feed on the herring and get down close to the water to get those perfect shots!
Photo by Andy Wolcott
We also get to experience other exciting highlight of the area, Goddard Hot Springs. Goddard Hot Springs is a popular destination! It’s known for its natural mineral hot springs, which are some of the oldest in the state. We get to relax in the hot tubs, surrounded by scenic wilderness and beautiful views.
Experience Spring in Southeast Alaska for the annual Sitka Sound Herring Extravaganza! It is truly an amazing event, and a multi-day, all-inclusive yacht cruise is the perfect way to experience it!
Southeast Alaska stands as a testament to glaciers’ immense power and beauty, sculpting its rugged landscapes over millennia. The region’s iconic icy giants are the North and South Sawyer, LeConte, and Baird Glaciers, each weaving a unique tale of geological history and environmental change.
A Journey Through Time: Glacial Formation and Dynamics
What is the Last Glacial Maximum?
At the peak of the last glacial maximum somewhere between 19,00 and 26,000 years ago, Southeast Alaska was blanketed in ice. The tidewater glaciers we see today, like many others in the region, reached their maximum advancement during this period, carving long winding fjords and shaping steep mountain peaks, creating the incredible landscape that is Southeast Alaska today.
As these glaciers retreated into the fjords they carved, they left behind a vast barren landscape, creating a blank canvas for Alaska’s plant population to evolve and thrive. This evolution of plant growth can still be seen today along the more recently exposed walls of the fjords where glacial ice only recently receded and plant growth has just begun. Traveling deep into the fjords provides an experience akin to traveling back in time, getting to witness the early stages of vegetation starting to inhabit the barren landscape left behind by receding glaciers.
Southeast Alaska’s Tidewater Glaciers Today
South Sawyer Glacier
Located in the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness, South Sawyer Glacier is popular for its stunning blue ice and dramatic calving events. Calving occurs when chunks of ice break off the glacier, crashing into the water below with a thunderous roar.
This glacier is actively monitored for its retreat and melt rates, providing valuable insights into current climate trends. South Sawyer Glacier has receded roughly 1300 annually over the last 100 years, creating a vast ice-field at the face of the glacier made up of chunks of ice ranging from the size of a baseball all the way up to icebergs larger than the MV Northern Song!
The vast ice field of South Sawyer Glacier creates the perfect breeding grounds for harbor seals to give birth to their pups. Harbors seals from all over Southeast Alaska make the long trek into Tracy Arm in the late spring and early summer to give birth to their pups on icebergs safe from predators such as killer whales and bears. They raise their pups on the icebergs and in the surrounding fjord waters until it is safe to return to their typical habitat along the shores of rocky islands and sandy beaches throughout Alaska.
North Sawyer Glacier
Just six miles northwest of South Sawyer Glacier, North Sawyer Glacier has receded into a relatively narrow and shallow portion of the fjord, stabilizing the face of the glacier and causing any calving to cease. The glacier’s shallow water and gradual movement have resulted in the accumulation of glacial till at the foot of the glacier, creating what is known as a recessional moraine.
Moraines are significant accumulations of unconsolidated rock and debris deposited by glaciers. The primary moraines seen in Southeast Alaska are recessional and terminal. Recessional moraines, like the one North Sawyer Glacier rests on today, are small ridges of rock and debris created when a glacier pauses during its retreat, and debris previously frozen in the glacier’s leading edge is deposited along the foot of the glacier. Terminal moraines are prominent ridges of debris pushed forward by the leading edge of a glacier and dumped at the farthest-reaching point of the glacier’s advance. During the last glacial epoch, Sawyer glacier reached out to the mouth of Tracy Arm forming a massiver terminal moraine that can be witnessed today in the form of a shallow bar that must be crossed when entering Tracy Arm. Many other Glaciers in the area have the same shallow entrance to their fjords created by a terminal moraine, including Baird Glacier in Endicott Arm and LeConte Glacier.
LeConte Glacier
16 miles from the M/V Northern Songs home-port of Petersburg, Alaska, sits LeConte Glacier, the southernmost tidewater glacier in the northwest hemisphere.
Like South Sawyer Glacier, Leconte Glacier is actively calving off large icebergs into the surrounding waters of LeConte Bay, creating a vast ice field perfect for harbor seals to give birth to their pups.
LeConte Glacier has been meticulously studied by students from Petersburg High School since 1983. Every year, they take the much-anticipated trip from Petersburg to LeConte Bay to examine the location of the glacier’s terminus, resulting in one of the longest ongoing studies of a single glacier. Captain Harley Ethelbah also participated in these studies in high school.
Various organizations have conducted numerous other studies over the years to understand the tidewater glacier cycle better. Information collected from studying Leconte Glacier has provided significant insight into glacial studies worldwide.
Baird Glacier
Located 16 miles north of Petersburg, Baird Glacier reaches down from the vast Stikine ice field into the head of Thomas Bay. For over 100 years, Baird Glacier rested on a terminal moraine, allowing visitors to climb onto it and the glacier. In some cases, it even acted as the starting point for mountaineers attempting to ascend Devil’sThumb, an iconic mountain peak 15 miles east of the glacier.
Over the years, the glacier continually lost volume, helping to initiate the break up of the terminus in 2015 when a glacial flood starting in the upper reaches of the glacier caused the already thinning terminus of the glacier to slowly break, sending icebergs into Thomas Bay. As the terminus receded from its terminal moraine, it left behind a large mud flat that was filled with runoff from the glacier, creating a lake at the new terminus of the glacier. Accessible at high tide skiff from our 8-day yacht cruise, Baird Glacier still allows visitors to enjoy the beautiful landscape and unique characteristics it has to offer.
Conclusion
Southeast Alaska glaciers are more than just stunning natural wonders; they are vital components of the region’s ecosystem, culture, and climate. From the massive icebergs calving off of South Sawyer Glacier to the intricate textures and beauty of Baird Glacier, these icey giants offer a unique window into the Earth’s past. By fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Southeast Alaska’s glaciers, we not only celebrate their existing beauty but also help safeguard their legacy for future generations.
So, whether you’re drawn by their majestic landscapes or the scientific mysteries they hold, the glaciers of Southeast Alaska are best experienced close up, where their majestic beauty can be truly absorbed and appreciated.
Our goal with Alaska Sea Adventures aboard the MV Northern Song is to build lasting memories of a once-in-a-lifetime Alaskan yacht cruise and give you up-close and personal interactions with the vast beauty that Southeast Alaska has to offer.
And as you can see, each of these giants is a little different, so you have to explore them all! Explore our Alaskan Yacht Cruises
Written by First Mate Ryan Walker
This is Dr. Adam Pack from the “Focus on the Whales” cruises and Professor and Chair (Psychology)
Departments of Psychology and Biology University of Hawai’i at Hilo.
Focus on Whales cruises are always a summer favorite. One of my highlights this past summer were working closely with my incredible group to document individually identified humpback whales from our mini-catalog and find out the life histories of these whales.
2023 represented my 15th Alaskan yacht cruise leading Focus on Whales in Southeast Alaska.
It’s always exciting for me to return from Hawai’i, where I live and teach at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo, to the same waters my mentor Dr. Lou Herman and his students surveyed for humpback whales on their feeding grounds from 1980-1986.
During my first summer in Frederick Sound and Chatham Strait in 2007, I was amazed that many of the same whales Dr. Herman first photographed in those early years were still around!
In the years that followed those early pioneering efforts, it became clear that most humpback whales in Southeast Alaska spent their winters in the warm breeding grounds of Hawai’i.
Over the years, with our Focus on Whales groups, I have traced the migratory destinations of individual whales across the 2500-mile journey between Hawai’i and Alaska.
Our archival catalog of North Pacific humpback whales now numbers well over 25,000 observations of more than 7,000 individuals dating back to 1976! From this archive, Naturalist Jim Nahman and I developed a mini catalog of some of our most well-sighted and most beloved humpbacks.
Focus on the Whales Guides Dr. Adam Pack & Jim Nahmens
This summer, our group identified 12 of the 42 mini-catalog whales. For every sighting, we looked up the long-term history of the whale using the innovative and revolutionary automated online matching program “Happy Whale.”
Our discoveries included a whale we call “Dog face,” who has been sighted numerous times in Frederick Sound hunting schools of herring cooperatively with other whales using a loud feeding call and a bubble net, and who we have also seen in Hawai’i competing with other males for mating access to a single female in what we term a competitive group.
To witness a whale competing in one context and cooperating in another across thousands of miles is amazing. According to Happy Whale, Dog face, first sighted on August 27, 1996, in Alaska, has been sighted 54 times total in Alaska and nine times in Hawaii.
“Dog face” also named “Equilibrium” and “Mahalo” in Happy Whale sighted on July 24, 2023, the first of the mini-catalog whales our 2023 group sighted.
Dog face photographed March 7, 2019 in Maui, Hawai’i competing aggressively with other males for a female.
June 26, 2023, we documented a whale we call “V cut,” a name we attributed to the distinctive notch out of its right tail fluke edge. It is known in Happy Whale as “Finger and Epilmeletic.”
We observed V cut participating in a cooperative feeding group of humpback whales off the Big Creek shoreline in Frederick Sound. When we uploaded V cut’s fluke image into Happy Whale, it revealed that V cut had been sighted 79 times in Alaska but only once in Hawai’i.
Thinking this a bit odd, when I returned to my University of Hawaii at Hilo Marine Mammal Laboratory, I combed through hundreds of photographs of humpback whales we are in the process of uploading to Happy Whale, and lo and behold found V cut way back in 1991 in Hawaii.
These recognizable whales are just a few of the many from our catalog that our Focus of Whales cruises photographed in 2023 and helped match and trace between Alaska and Hawai’i.
V cut photographed by Jana Johnson on June 26, 2023 hunting herring cooperatively along the Big Creek shoreline in Frederick Sound Alaska.
“V cut” photographed in Hawaii on March 23, 1991 was a mother to a newborn calf in a competitive group.
They warmed our hearts, filled our minds with wonder, and became the subject of numerous discussions over many amazing meals as we celebrated these long-lived majestic mammals aboard the MV Northern Song.
Explore Focus on the Whales Cruises