We had a phenomenal time on the
Phillips Cruises 26 Glaciers Tour (mahalo for the discount!), which took us through Prince William Sound.
Aboard a 120-foot high-speed catamaran named the Bravest, we cruised in comfort through ice-filled waters to see a number of glaciers, as well an abundance of wildlife, such as humpback whales, bald eagles, kittiwakes, and sea otters.
Upon checking in, you are given your boarding pass, meal cards, and a slip with your table number. Each party is assigned a table (depending on the size of your party, you may end up sharing with another). Lunch is included and served shortly after boarding and you can choose from salmon chowder or vegetarian chili (a hot dog meal is available for kids).
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| Meal cards are placed on the table so a crew member knows which meals to place on your table |
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| Vegetarian Chili |
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| Salmon Chowder |
The Salmon Chowder was really delicious! Meals come with crackers, bread, butter, cheese, gummies, and a mint chocolate.
Complimentary coffee, water, and tea are provided onboard, and there is also a full bar where you can purchase alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, snacks, and more.
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| Hot chocolate |
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| Soft drink in a souvenir cup |
The cruise is 5.25 hours long (they also have a shorter 3.75-hour cruise), and even though we brought snacks, my kids wanted something more substantial halfway through, so we bought some food.
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| Cheeseburger |
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| Buffalo Hot Dog |
There are USB ports available at each table. Our ports did not seem to be working, but fortunately there were a couple of empty tables where we could charge our phones.
As for the glaciers - that was simply amazing to see.
The captain and crew did a fabulous job in explaining to us about the tidewater glaciers, their names, the colors, and more.
One of the crew members said there was a lot more ice than they normally see.
Speaking of ice, the crew will fish for glacier ice for you to try or add to your drink.
Although we were equipped with ginger candy and anti-motion sickness bands and patches, the cruise was smooth thanks to the calm waters, and Phillips Cruises even has a No Seasickness Guarantee!
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| Breaching whale |
Near the end of the cruise, everyone was given cookies!
Tips:
- Dress in layers & don't forget gloves, beanies — it's extremely cold on deck (even more so when the boat is moving)
- If you prefer, you may also remain in the comfort of the cabin to see the glaciers, which has plenty of large, clear viewing windows (although those on deck may block your view).
- You can bring extra snacks / food / drinks (no alcohol allowed)
- Bring binoculars
- The website provides lots of handy information as to how to get to the ship terminal.
Getting to see the glaciers was an amazing way for us to wrap up our 50-state adventure.
It was simply breathtaking, and to be surrounded by such beauty was something we did not take for granted.
