If you’re sailing to Alaska with Disney Cruise Line and trying to decide whether this Glacier Day Port Adventure is worth the price, my answer is an easy yes.
My husband and I booked the very popular Allen Marine excursion through Disney Cruise Line’s Port Adventures. At $399 per person when we booked it, this is definitely not an inexpensive excursion. But if you’re heading to Alaska, I truly believe it’s something that shouldn’t be missed. For us, it was absolutely worth every penny.
The funny thing about this particular excursion is that no two experiences are exactly alike. I first did this tour nearly four years ago, and when I say it’s different every time, I really mean it. There is simply no way to know what wildlife you’re going to see. The only thing you know for certain is that you’ll board a smaller excursion vessel directly from your Disney ship and get much closer to the glacier than the Disney Magic or Disney Wonder can safely approach on their own.
The boarding process is surprisingly simple. Guests walk down a ramp directly from the cruise ship to the Allen Marine vessel below. The ramp gets a little steeper as you get closer to the excursion boat, but there are railings on both sides to hold onto, and I found it very manageable.
One of my favorite things was seeing our Disney cruise ship from afar!
Our experience this time was so incredible that I still can’t believe some of the things we were lucky enough to see.
As we made our way toward the glacier, we spotted something I had secretly hoped for but never expected to see: a mama seal and her baby resting on a chunk of floating ice. This was an absolute dream come true for me. The photo doesn’t fully capture how special this moment was, but we could actually see the baby’s fuzzy fur from the boat. It was incredible to watch them just relaxing together out in the wild. The captain slowed way down so we could stare in awe at them for a few minutes.
We learned that pregnant seals often travel closer to the glacier to give birth because the glacial sediment clouds the water. Orcas, one of their primary predators, rely on visibility to hunt and generally don’t venture as far into those murkier waters looking for food. It was fascinating to learn, and it made seeing that mama and pup feel even more meaningful.
As we approached the glacier itself, we were fortunate enough to witness several calving events. If you’ve never heard the term before, calving is when chunks of ice break away from the glacier and fall into the water. It’s an impressive sight, though it also serves as a reminder that glaciers are constantly changing… and melting.
One of the naturalists pointed out something I never would have noticed on my own. Birds often begin hovering near sections of the glacier when they hear noises coming from within the ice shortly before a calving event. Once we learned that trick, we spent much of our time watching both the glacier and the birds, hoping to catch the next one.
The challenge is that it happens incredibly fast. More often than not, we’d see the birds, turn our attention toward the glacier, and catch the waves spreading across the water after the ice had already fallen. We didn’t see any massive calving events during our visit, but it was still exciting every time it happened.
After spending roughly half an hour near the glacier, we slowly began making our way back toward the Disney Magic. That’s when the whales showed up.
Earlier in the cruise, Scott Foster, one of the naturalists who lives in Alaska and gives presentations onboard, shared a simple whale-watching tip that ended up paying off in a big way. Rather than staring endlessly at the water hoping to spot a whale, he suggested watching for the exhale from their blowholes. Once you spot the spray, there’s a good chance the whale will dive shortly afterward, giving you an opportunity to see its tail.
Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.
We spotted the exhale first, then watched as the humpback whale lifted its tail high above the water before diving below the surface. It was one of those moments that makes you forget to breathe for a second.
Even better, we managed to capture a photo of the underside of the tail. The naturalist explained that humpback whales aren’t tagged in Alaska. Instead, researchers identify individual whales by the unique markings on the underside of their tails. Just like human fingerprints, no two are exactly alike.
The best part? After reviewing our photo, the naturalists told us they didn’t recognize this particular whale and encouraged us to upload the image to Happywhale, a website that helps track whale sightings around the world. How cool is that?
We actually saw two humpback whales during the excursion, although the second one stayed a bit farther away. Still, seeing even one this close would have made my day.
As if glaciers, seals, and whales weren’t enough, the fabulous crew adds another memorable experience.
At one point, they retrieved a chunk of glacial ice from the water and brought it aboard so everyone could get a close look. Over thousands of years, glaciers become compressed under tremendous pressure. As that happens, air bubbles and impurities are gradually forced out, creating ice that is remarkably clear and beautiful. Up close, it sparkled like crystal.
After everyone had a chance to admire it, the crew put it to good use by using the glacial ice to make their signature “Glacierita.”
The drink was absolutely gorgeous. Personally, it was a little stronger than I prefer, but that’s not saying much because I’m definitely more of a mocktail person. My husband thoroughly enjoyed both of his. Your first Glacierita is included in the cost of the excursion.
The ice in my drink (on the left) even looked like a floating glacier above the liquid!
The food offerings were another pleasant surprise. Throughout the second half of the tour, the crew circulated with cheese and crackers, fresh fruit, and a basket of homemade pastries. On our sailing, they also served a house-made smoked salmon dip that I thought was fantastic.
There were additional beverages and snacks available for purchase at the onboard counter as well. Of course, wildlife sightings and menu offerings can vary from trip to trip, which is part of what makes this excursion so unique.
Looking back, this Port Adventure felt like we had booked a glacier excursion and a whale-watching tour all in one. We got incredibly lucky with what we saw that day, and it’s important to remember that wildlife is never guaranteed. Your experience could look completely different from ours.
But that’s also part of the magic. Every trip into Alaska’s wilderness tells a different story. For us, that story included glaciers, humpback whales, a mama seal and her pup, crystal-clear ice, and memories we’ll never forget.
The next time I sail to Alaska, I’ll be booking this excursion again without hesitation.
Have you experienced this Glacier Day Port Adventure? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
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