On your next Alaska trip, take time to see the best of Kenai Fjords National Park onboard Kenai Fjords Tours!
Kenai Fjords Tours
For me, there isn't a better way to spend a day than by taking a Kenai Fjords Boat Tour on one of their lovely catamarans into the heart of Kenai Fjords National Park! You will get to see some of the area's geology and some of Alaska's epic wildlife and rugged coastline.
Tours Offered
Day cruises are typically offered in the summer months, beginning in late Match and running through the end of September. These tours also have several options, including duration and areas to visit. All tours leave out of Seward's small boat harbor on 4th Avenue, just past the Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center.
Tour options include:
There are several Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise options, and there is sure to be something perfect for you. Here is a list of tours available on Kenai Fjords Tours along with links to book your trip!
- Spring Resurrection Bay Tour - this 4-hour half-day cruise is a springtime highlight as you get the opportunity to witness the migration of giant Gray Whales. This tour may also have calmer waters as you never leave the protection of Resurrection Bay. The tour comes with lunch served on board, typically from mid-March through mid-May. As of 2025, the tours are operated Thursday through Sunday, departing at noon.
- Click here to learn more/book your 4-Hour Spring Resurrection Bay Tour!
- 4.5-Hour Resurrection Bay Tour - This 4.5-hour half-day Resurrection Bay tour is perfect for families and on-time travelers. You will marvel at Massive Glaciers and rugged cliffs and the wildlife in the area, such as sea otters, stellar sea lions, whales, and numerous shorebirds! This tour starts at 12:30 PM and runs from mid-May through early September.
- Click here to learn more/book your 4.5 Hour Resurrection Bay Tour!
- 6-Hour Kenai Fjords National Park Tour- This classic 6-hour tour offers two daily trips at 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM. You will see wildlife, glaciers, high peaks, and thick forests; lunch is included. This tour runs two times daily at 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM and typically runs in early May through late September.
- Click here to learn more/book your 6-Hour Kenai Fjords National Park tour!
- 7-Hour Captain's Choice National Park Tour - This full-day, 7-hour adventure is the most popular as it includes all the highlights, including Aialik Glacier and Holgate Glacier. This tour includes lunch served on board. As of 2025, this tour begins at 9:00 a.m. and runs from early June through the end of August.
- Click here to learn more/book your 7-Hour Captain's Choice National Park Tour!
- Northwestern Fjords Tour - The Northwestern Fjords Tour is an 8-hour tour that goes farther than any other tour and gives you a rare chance to see alpine and tidewater glaciers, not to mention lots of wildlife. This trip includes a light breakfast and lunch. As of 2025, it runs from the end of May through the end of August and begins at 8:30 a.m.
- Click here to learn more/book Your 8-Hour Northwestern Fjords Tour!
- Kenai Fjords Wildlife and Glacier Dinner Cruise - This 6-hour cruise is a memorable evening of highlights of Resurrection Bay and glaciers, with dinner served aboard. Typically, tours are offered from mid-June through mid-August. As of 2025, the tours run Tuesdays through Saturdays, start at 3 p.m., and include a special dinner served on board.
- Click here to learn more/book your Kenai Fjords Wildlife and Glacier Dinner Cruise!
Helpful Information
- Check the weather before going - Make sure to plan more than one day in the area, as the weather can cause your trip to be canceled. Plan another day to explore the Exit Glacier Area of Kenai Fjords and Seward.
- If you must cancel your trip, call (888)478-3346 up to 4 days before your trip for a full refund.
- Infants under 2 years cruise free
- All tours have meals and/or snacks and are subject to change. I received chips and salsa with a turkey wrap on the last trip. On previous trips, I had a choice of a complimentary deli lunch, including a roast beef sandwich, a turkey sandwich, and a vegetarian option.
- We also had a chance to purchase a souvenir reusable cup with free refills for coffee, tea, and soda while onboard.
- Dietary Restrictions - A typical lunch includes chips. Vegetarian options are available upon request. You are also welcome to bring your own food, in fact they encourage anyone with dietary or allergy restrictions to bring their own food.
- Remember that you are not permitted to bring Alcoholic beverages onboard, but the boat does have an assortment of mixed spirits available for purchase.
- Due to limited space and safety reasons, you can't bring some items onboard, including strollers, scooters, and tripods.
- Pets are not permitted on board unless they are service dogs that are trained to perform a task directly related to a person's disability. Emotional support to comfort animals is not permitted.
- The parking lot for the Kenai Fjords Tours is down the road and across the street The company
Should I choose Major Marine or Kenai Fjords Tours?
Personally, I have had great experiences on both Major Marine Tours and Kenai Fjords Tours! Your decision may come down to availability, especially in the summer when Alaska is busy. Both companies have nice boats, comfortable seating, and offer snacks and beverages.
I wrote an article on Major Marine Tours that you can also read and decide for yourself which tour is available and fits best for you.
Wildlife Viewing Opportunities
Don't forget your binoculars; this tour could be called the Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise! Kenai Fjords National Park has some of the best whale watching opportunities I have ever seen. It is possible to see humpbacks, orcas, gray whales, fin whales, and minke whales!
On this tour, I have also seen black bears, Steller Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, sea otters, Dall's Porpoises, and mountain goats.
Don't worry, birders; there are also plenty of opportunities to see Bald Eagles, kittiwakes, Horned Puffins, Tufted Puffins, Black oystercatchers, and cormorants, along with several other seabirds.
Camera Gear we use
We are big fans of using great camera gear to get amazing photos while traveling.
Canon R5 - We recently upgraded to the R5 after using a Mark 5 for years. We are loving the camera shutter speed and quality of images.
Canon 100 - 500mm - We use the Canon 100-500 for wildlife photography.
Camera Rain Cover - A rain cover will help protect your camera during rain showers but also when photographing waterfalls.
Camera Cleaning Kit - Cameras can get dirty, beat up, and dusty while in the parks. We like having a cleaning kit with us so we can do on the spot touch ups.
Extra Camera Batteries - We suggest always having one or two extra camera batteries with you. There is nothing worse than going to take a shot and the battery dies.
Extra Memory Cards - We use Extreme PRO SanDisk cards
Kenai Fjords Tours Reservations
Click here to book your reservation for Kenai Fjords Tours.
Kenai Fjords Tours is part of Pursuit, which includes:
- Alaska Collection - The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, Denali Cabins, the Denali Backcountry Lodge, Seward Windsong Lodge, and the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge.
- Banff Jasper Collection - includes the Elk+Avenue Hotel and the Mount Royal Hotel. They also operate five of the biggest attractions in the Canadian Rockies: the Banff Gondola, Lake Minnewanka Cruise, Glacier Adventure, Glacier Skywalk, and the Maligne Lake Cruise.
- Glacier Park Collection - including Apgar Village Lodge & Cabins, Motel Lake McDonald, and Glacier Park Lodge in Montana. The Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Park, AB.
- Sky Lagoon - When you are in Reykjavík, Iceland, experience the Sky Lagoon! This incredible seven-part experience includes geothermal pools, cold baths, body scrubs, and more!
- Flyover Attractions - Flyover attractions are the new craze. They use state-of-the-art technology with wraparound screens as your seat soars, dips, and turns through the sky with the true feeling of flight that gives you the feeling of flight. Shows include Wonders of the American West, The Canadian Rockies, and Legendary Iceland. Flyover attractions are located in Las Vegas, NV., Chicago, IL., and Vancouver, BC.
Don't Forget to Pack
The boat does have a heated cabin, but it is a guarantee that you will want to go out on the viewing decks when you start seeing some of the areas marine wildlife appear, especially Humpback Whales, Orcas, sea otters, glaciers, etc.
Guests should wear rubber-soled shoes. Several types of hiking boots have Vibram soles, which can be very slippery in wet conditions. Bring gloves and dress in layers as the weather can change quickly in Alaska.
Camera and Binoculars, remember you will want to see wildlife!
Seasickness: I prefer the Acupressure motion sickness wristbands over Dramamine, as I get sleepy and less alert. If you decide to take Dramamine, make sure to take it at least 30 minutes prior to departure for best results.
Alaska Wildlife Field Guide - easy-to-use folding pocket field guides make it exciting to identify wildlife.
Alaska Bird Field Guide - easy-to-use folding pocket field guides make it exciting to identify birds.
Sunscreen—I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever I can because you will inevitably pull it out when you are at the beach. Alaska may not be the beach, but it gets hot and sunny in the summer. Summer daylight hours are also much longer than you are used to from the lower continental US!
Kenai Fjords National Park Tours
Kenai Fjords National Park guided snowmobiling Tour - Have you ever wanted to ride a snowmobile? Here is your chance to take a two-hour tour through the breathtaking landscape of Kenai Fjords National Park, which offers beautiful viewpoints and stunning landscapes.
Click here to learn more/book your Kenai Fjords National Park guided snowmobiling tour!
Harding Icefield Trail Hiking Tour - This is an 8-hour wilderness hiking tour with a professional guide on the Harding Icefield Trail. The breathtaking Kenai Fjords National Park wilderness area provides jaw-dropping landscapes and lots of wildlife viewing opportunities, including bears, moose, marmots, mountain goats, and Bald Eagles. The tour does not take you onto a glacier or the Harding Icefield.
Click here to learn more/book your Harding Icefield Trail Hiking Tour!
8-Hour Kenai Fjords Fishing and Whale Watch Tour (16-passenger Max) - Want a true Alaskan Experience? How about taking a 53-foot boat out fishing and whale watching in the Kenai Fjords? They have both full-day and half-day tours available. The seven-hour tour route includes about an hour of light tackle fishing. It is fit for both experienced and first-time fishermen. They use light tackle setups that target rockfish and salmon depending on the time of season.
Click here to learn more/book your 8-hour Kenai Fjords Fishing and Whale Watch Tour!
Kenai Fjords Lodging Options
Several lodging options are available in the nearby town of Seward, Alaska.
The Harbor 360 Hotel Seward is the most convenient option while exploring Kenai Fjords National Park.
The National Park Visitor Center is just past the hotel, and Major Marine Tours also has check-in at the hotel. After Check-in, walk out back of the hotel to catch the boat. Depending on the tour, you may see Kenai Fjords, glaciers, and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. It is also one of the closest hotels to Kenai Fjords National Park and has numerous dining options nearby.
Hotel Edgewater and the Van Gilder Hotel are close to the Alaska Sea Life Center and Iditarod National Historic Trail and one mile from the National Park Visitor Center.
Of course, there are several options available, here is a few more listed below.
Exit Glacier Lodge - provides amenities like a bar and a restaurant. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi.
Resurrection Lodge on the Bay - Take advantage of a free breakfast buffet, a terrace, and laundry facilities at Resurrection Lodge on the Bay. With a beachfront location, this lodge is the perfect place to soak up some sun. Guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.
Breeze Inn - Consider a stay at Breeze Inn and take advantage of laundry facilities, a fireplace in the lobby, and a bar. Be sure to enjoy a meal at Breeze Inn Restaurant, the onsite restaurant. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as conference space.
Hotel Seward - Consider a stay at Hotel Seward and take advantage of laundry facilities, a fireplace in the lobby, and a bar. Adventurous travelers may like the fishing at this hotel. The onsite Fusion cuisine restaurant, Ms. Genes Place, features ocean views and al fresco dining. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with a gym and a business center.
Van Gilder Hotel - An art gallery on site, a shopping mall on site, and a library are just a few of the amenities provided at Van Gilder Hotel. Guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi
Click on the map below to see current hotel and vacation rental rates near Seward, Alaska.
Kenai Fjords National Park Entrance Fee
Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.
Kenai Fjords National Park does not charge an entrance fee!
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
For more information on Kenai Fjords National Park
Complete Guide to Kenai Fjords National Park - Complete guide to planning your vacation to Kenai Fjords National Park
Exit Glacier Campground Kenai Fjords National Park - The only designated campground in Kenai Fjords National Park
Additional Alaska National Parks
Complete Guide to Denali National Park - Your complete Guide to planning a vacation to Denali National Park
Denali Bus Tours - Guide to riding the Bus at Denali National Park
Complete Guide to Wrangell St. Elias National Park - Complete Guide to planning your vacation to Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Things to do in Wrangell St. Elias National Park - List of the most popular activities in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Complete Guide to Glacier Bay National Park - Complete Guide to planning your vacation to Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay Lodge- Beautiful National Park lodge right on Bartlett Cove
Glacier Bay Boat Tour - The boat tour goes deep into Glacier Bay National Park and departs from the pier in Bartlett Cove
Check out all of the Alaska National Parks along with National Parks in Washington, California National Parks, and National Parks in Hawaii
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