Seward Tour: Major Marine or Kenai Fjords?

[new_cruiser]

For 2017, I don't think Major Marine had an 8 AM tour. Kenai Fjords did.

 

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[Budget Queen]

Who did you do the 8am tour with please? I'm now thinking that a morning tour on the Friday, rather than the lunchtime one would fit in better with our plans. Thanks

 

 

Major Marine has never had an 8am tour (for at least 15 years, that I have been going with them). Kenai Fjords tour is the vendor.

[new_cruiser]

Major Marine has never had an 8am tour (for at least 15 years, that I have been going with them). Kenai Fjords tour is the vendor.

 

BTW, tour choices are more limited early in the season. My b2b cruises are in Seward mid-May. At that point, both Major Marine and Kenai Fjords have only their afternoon 4-hour whale watch tours (Orca for Major Marine and Gray for Kenai Fjords) and their 11:30 departure 6-hour Kenai Fjords tours.

 

Since my cruise spends the next day scenic cruising in Kenai Fjords and we didn't get to Exit Glacier when we were in Seward in August, I'm thinking of either just going to Exit Glacier plus spending some time in Seward or going to Exit Glacier in the morning and the Orca Quest in the afternoon (Major Marine leaves at 1 PM and Kenai Fjords Gray Whale tour leaves at noon so the Marjor Marine Orca Quest fits better).

 

Is a few hours enough for Exit Glacier?

[Budget Queen]

BTW, tour choices are more limited early in the season. My b2b cruises are in Seward mid-May. At that point, both Major Marine and Kenai Fjords have only their afternoon 4-hour whale watch tours (Orca for Major Marine and Gray for Kenai Fjords) and their 11:30 departure 6-hour Kenai Fjords tours.

 

Since my cruise spends the next day scenic cruising in Kenai Fjords and we didn't get to Exit Glacier when we were in Seward in August, I'm thinking of either just going to Exit Glacier plus spending some time in Seward or going to Exit Glacier in the morning and the Orca Quest in the afternoon (Major Marine leaves at 1 PM and Kenai Fjords Gray Whale tour leaves at noon so the Marjor Marine Orca Quest fits better).

 

Is a few hours enough for Exit Glacier?

 

It is unlikely your cruise ship is going to be able to have the depth and time in Kenai Fjords that a boat tour does.

 

May is too late for grays, usually, and the orcas aren't high enough sighting stats in my opinion. The regular Kenai Fjords boat tour is an excellent option for varied wildlife.

 

Have you looked at the details about Exit Glacier. For many people it's an hour visit.

 

Did you take a Kenai fjords boat tour in August?

[new_cruiser]

It is unlikely your cruise ship is going to be able to have the depth and time in Kenai Fjords that a boat tour does.

 

May is too late for grays, usually, and the orcas aren't high enough sighting stats in my opinion. The regular Kenai Fjords boat tour is an excellent option for varied wildlife.

 

Have you looked at the details about Exit Glacier. For many people it's an hour visit.

 

Did you take a Kenai fjords boat tour in August?

Yes, we took a Kenai Fjords tour in August. It was the 7.5 hour Major Marine tour.

 

The Star Legend has a draft of 16.5 feet. We sailed into Seville on her where few cruise ships can go. We leave Seward at 8 PM May 17 and the itinerary says scenic cruising in Kenai Fjords from 10 AM to 5 PM on May 18. May 19 is at sea. Then May 20 is Hoonah. So they have a whoie day for the Fjords.

 

Reviews on the Orca tour from this year (first year they ran it seemed pretty positive).

 

Reading about Exit Glacier, it sounds like the road might not be open to it until near the end of May.

 

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[new_cruiser]

I pulled up a chart for the Fjords. Aialik Bay is mostly pretty deep. There is a spot where a ridge Ron's across it, but it's more than 5 fathoms (30 feet) at Mean Lower Low Water.

 

Northwestern Fjord has a pretty narrow channel into it that's about 4 fathoms MLLW. In May it might be too icy anyway. The boat tours don't go to it then.

 

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