Alaska Glacier Tours

Known locally as the "Galloping Glacier",  Hubbard Glacier is a gigantic ice formation quickly making its way toward the Gulf of Alaska into a breathtaking area called Disenchantment Bay. Measuring 76 miles long with a depth of 1,200 feet, it's the largest tidewater glacier in North America. To give you a sense of the towering height of the glacier, it looms over passing cruise ships by nearly 40 stories.

Hubbard Glacier is so large that it created a natural ice dam that sealed off Russell Fjord from the rest of the bay—a feat it accomplished not once, but twice. Enormous snowcapped mountains set behind Hubbard Glacier make viewing the glacier even more dramatic. Keep an eye out for glacial calving, as the glacier often drops 10-story-tall icebergs into the waters!

College Fjord was discovered in 1899 when a college research expedition made its way into the northwest corner of Prince William Sound. Theis group of adventuring professors selected the name College Fjord to honor their prestigious academic institutions back on the East Coast. The fjord appears like a group of frozen rivers cascading down the mountainside to the blue waters. Here, you can also witness large chunks of ice crashing into the water below – known as ice calving.

College Fjord is also the largest collection of tidewater glaciers in the world, making for truly  bucket-list worthy glacier viewing. You may even catch a glimpse of 40-ton humpback whales breaching the waters around the fjord.

Approximately 50 miles south of Alaska's capital of Juneau lies Tracy Arm Fjord, a protected area within the Tongass National Forest. Spanning nearly 30 miles across, the fjord was named for Civil War general Benjamin Franklin Tracy and contains the magnificent twin Sawyer glaciers, the North and South glaciers. The North Sawyer Glacier is more commonly visited than the South Sawyer Glacier, which is more difficult to access. The South Sawyer Glacier can be reached by boat by taking a tour or charter service from Juneau. You'll have the chance to observe glacial calving as generous chunks of ice fall into the water. You'll also notice icebergs ranging from a few inches tall to as large as small homes, floating by your Princess Cruises® ship.

For those seeking an up-close encounter, glacier hiking offers a thrilling adventure on solid ice. Guided tours lead you across the rugged terrain to see glaciers such as Mendenhall. Exploring the glacier on foot allows you to appreciate the scale and texture of these natural wonders in a way that few other methods can match.

Glacier flightseeing tours take you over colossal ice fields and rugged mountain ranges, offering sweeping views of the dynamic landscape from the comfort of a small plane or helicopter. This bird's-eye view reveals the stunning contrasts between ice and rugged terrain and allows you to see remote glaciers that are otherwise inaccessible. Flightseeing provides an unforgettable visual experience, allowing you to witness the immense size of glaciers like the Mendenhall or Hubbard, and the breathtaking scope of Alaska’s glacial beauty.

A glacier cruise presents a unique opportunity to experience Alaska’s icy marvels from the water. These cruises navigate close to tidewater glaciers, allowing you to witness the calving process—where chunks of ice break off and plunge into the sea. Cruises provide the chance to view glaciers from the sea while enjoying the comfort of a boat and the opportunity to spot marine wildlife, such as humpback whales, sea otters, harbor seals, and orca whales, in the surrounding waters.