What will you see in Glacier Bay Alaska during a Cruise?

If you are lucky enough to have good weather during a cruise through Glacier Bay National Park, like we had during our tour on the Norwegian Pearl, you will be in for a real treat. Make sure you are up and out when you enter the Sitakaday Narrows so you can greet the National Park Service rangers that board the ship. The rangers act as your tour guides while in the park and point out interesting history and facts about the park. The scenery is simply spectacular and you will want to spend every moment on deck or at your balcony.

Norwegian Pearl in Glacier Bay Alaska

The blues of the sky, the jade colored water, and the dark greens of the landscape almost don't look real. It is as if everything is digitally painted on to a movie screen.

Glacier Bay Alaska

Glacier Bay Alaska

And then there are the glaciers. Many of them are really blue! You hear people talk about them being blue but until you actually see them for yourself you can't appreciate their beauty. The Norwegian Pearl sails past several glacier during its cruise through the park including Margerie Glacier and Grand Pacific Glacier. These two glaciers are where you spend over an hour watching. The ship is so maneuverable that the captain is able to spin the ship in place. This allows everyone to get a great view of both glaciers.

Panorama Photo of Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park

Blue Ice of Margerie Glacier


Margerie Glacier in Alaska

Be sure to listen to the glaciers. If you here a loud cracking and rumble, what is called "white thunder", look for the glacier to calve. Calving is when large chunks of ice break free from the glacier to form icebergs. Peg shot a great photo of one of the larger events while we were at the glacier.

Glacier Calving in Glacier Bay National Park Alaska

The bluest ice of all the glaciers that we saw this day came from the Lamplugh Glacier. You can also just see an ice cave in the second shot which is almost closed by the glacier calving.

Lamplugh Glacier

Lamplugh Glacier

Glacier Bay is also home to much animal life. Keep your eyes open for humpback whales, orcas, eagles, bears, tons of birds, and of course otters.

Seagull next to the Norwegian Pearl

Birds on an Iceberg

Otter in Glacier Bay

Humpback Whale Water Spouts in Glacier Bay

Otters in Glacier Bay

While the colors of Glacier Bay are spectacular, the textures are just as equally thrilling. You can take all the color out of the scene and still have a wonderful landscape.

Glacier Bay in Black and White

Glacier Bay in Black and White

Our tour through Glacier Bay National Park made my cheeks hurt. I couldn't stop smiling from the time we entered until the time we left. And no, it wasn't because of the "Snowplows" that I was drinking even though they were really good!

Bubba sipping on a Snowplow in Glacier Bay

Peg in front of Margerie Glacier

After spending an entire day in Glacier Bay aboard the Norwegian Pearl I was a little sad to see the park rangers leave. We have great memories now and hope to return someday.  We have a few more photos of the glaciers over on our photo site if you want to peek.  BG Customs Photography.

National Park Service "Serac" 53 foot Class M/V Modutec Fiberglass boat