Glacier Bay is a unique cruise destination. I believe it is one of the few cruise destinations where you never actually get off the boat. It has been a National Park since 1925 and covers apx. 3.3 million acres. I recently spent the morning in Glacier Bay watching icebergs calf on a Holland America cruise.
Glaciers Have Names
The Marjorie Glacier is the most active that we saw. There are over 600 named Glaciers in Alaska. Water pours out from the base because glaciers melt at the bottom because of pressure. Even though the cruise ships stay about half a mile from the glacier, you can still hear the thunder of chunks of ice falling off into the water. We didn’t see any of the giant chunks that you might have seen in a National Geographic video. Still, a Volkswagen size chunk of ice makes quite a sound.
There are numerous glaciers in the park. The cruise ships typically pick up a park ranger or two to provide narration as you cruise through the bay. Usually a native Tlingot joins as well to discuss some of the native history of the park as well. They also point out the different birds and other wildlife that you see in the park.
Global Warming
It was quite warm while we were there so most of the wildlife was elsewhere sleeping. Anchorage was actually 90 degrees while we were there. Even though we were surrounded by snow and ice, most people were still wearing shorts and tee shirts. We saw a couple of whales, lots of birds, and a few seals hanging out on the little icebergs. Your visit to Glacier Bay only lasts a few hours, but it is a unique destination anywhere in the world. Holland America and Princess have the most Alaska cruises where you can see Glaciers. Most of the other cruise lines do have some Alaska cruises if you have a preference.
