PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
Join Phillips Cruises and Tours for a voyage into a pristine wilderness area bursting with one of the world’s largest concentrations of dynamic glaciers that flow down towering mountains into turquoise waters. Prince William Sound is America’s largest intact marine ecosystem carved by 15 million years of glaciations. The Sound encompasses 3,800 miles of coastline, 150 glaciers, including 178 tidewater glaciers, 30 species of land mammals, a dozen marine mammals, and more than 220 species of birds. And five species of wild Alaska salmon return to the crystal clear waters of Prince William Sound every year.
Embark on a journey that retraces the path early explorers Vitus Bering, Georg Wilhelm Steller, Captain James Cook, and Captain George Vancouver chose when they arrived in Alaska. These great explorers discovered Alaska in 1741, navigated these waters in search of the Northwest Passage, identified new species of animals, and traded with the indigenous people. Hear more stories about these early explorers and their adventures on our famous glacier and wildlife cruises.
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
See it all in one day! Cruise in comfort on high-speed catamarans to see dynamic glaciers and wildlife up close in College Fjord and Blackstone Bay. Watch for adorable sea otters and harbor seals, Steller sea lions, Dall’s porpoise, whales, mountain goats, black bears and migratory birds.
Retrace the 1899 Harriman Expedition route in Prince William Sound, exploring ice-filled bays, narrow passages, and deep-water fjords carved by glaciers and surrounded by the pristine wilderness of the Chugach National Forest.
Glaciers taller than skyscrapers
Alaska is a place of breathtaking beauty with abundant glaciers and mountains. Prince William Sound is separated from Anchorage by the Chugach Mountains and the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel protected from the Gulf of Alaska’s ocean currents. Prince William Sound is comparable in size to Puget Sound in Washington State and three times larger than San Francisco Bay. The Sound is about 70 miles wide from east to west and covers roughly 15,000 square miles. It has 1,500 miles of shoreline and an additional 1,500 miles of shoreline around approximately 200 islands, hundreds of islets, and rock reefs. There are 150 glaciers in Prince William Sound, and 17 of them are tidewater glaciers. LEARN MORE
More wildlife than people
Alaska’s pristine wilderness in Prince Willaim Sound is home to various wildlife, including Dall’s porpoise, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, thousands of sea otters, and whales. The nutrient-rich waters provide the ideal habitat for five wild species of salmon, halibut, cod, and numerous other fish, shrimp, and oysters. The Chugach National Forest provides the perfect shelter for black and brown bears, mountain goats, and Sitka black-tailed deer on some of the shore’s outer islands. Prince William Sound is home to 200 species of both resident and migratory birds, including an abundance of breeding bald eagles. LEARN MORE
Whittier history and people
During your cruise, while viewing the pristine wilderness, learn about the history of the people who live, work, and play in Prince William Sound. The Chugach Native People who live in the coastal communities in Prince William Sound were the first to occupy this land. Early explorers sought discoveries and their expeditions named many of the geographic, flora, and fauna you will see on your cruise. In the 1940’s, World War II brought a military base to Whittier’s ice-free deep-water port, and the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was built connecting Whittier to interior Alaska. For more information, visit the Prince William Sound History Museum in Whittier. LEARN MORE
Chugach National Forest
Prince William Sound and the Chugach National Forest mountains embrace Whittier’s small town that overlooks the harbor. Encompassing over 5.5 million acres, more than the state of New Hampshire, the Chugach is also the most northern and most western National Forest in the United States. Bring sturdy walking shoes, a rain jacket, hat, and gloves to experience this temperate rain forest no matter what the weather brings your way. LEARN MORE
Contact Us
Our cruise experts are enthusiastic and ready to talk about Alaska with you. Call us or send an email if you are currently in a different time zone. We strive to respond within 24 hours. From October to April, our office is open Monday – Friday. During the season, from May to September, we are here seven days a week.
Whittier Cruise Info
- Alaska Residents – Join our Klondike Club and save!
- See where we cruise Whittier Cruise Routes
- Learn more about The Experience – Whittier
- Visit our FAQ’s page for answers to your questions
- Know Before you Go Whittier Cruise Info (PDF)
- Meal Options (PDF) / Food Ingredient List (PDF)
- Download our FREE Brochure (PDF)
