College Fjord, Prince William Sound
A narrow arm of Prince William Sound lined with more than a dozen glaciers, most of them named for East Coast colleges. Here’s how to make the most of an evening at the rail.
A fjord full of glaciers
College Fjord cuts about 25 miles into the Chugach Mountains from the northern edge of Prince William Sound, roughly 50 miles northeast of Whittier. Members of the 1899 Harriman Alaska Expedition, which included professors from Harvard and Amherst, named the glaciers here after East Coast colleges: women’s colleges such as Wellesley, Vassar, Bryn Mawr and Smith along the northwest wall, and men’s colleges along the southeast side. Harvard Glacier, about a mile and a half wide at its face, fills the head of the fjord, with Yale Glacier in its own arm just beside it.
Ships sail in slowly, pass glacier after glacier on both sides and pause near Harvard before turning back out to the Sound. Because it usually falls on the last evening of a northbound cruise, it’s a fine send-off before you head to Anchorage or a Denali land tour. Below is which cruises include it, what happens on board and where to stand.
Which lines sail here
College Fjord is mostly a northbound one-way highlight. Southbound cruises from Whittier usually visit Hubbard Glacier instead, so check your itinerary or ask your advisor.
Vancouver to Whittier one-ways
Princess Voyage of the Glaciers and Holland America Glacier Discovery cruises sail north from Vancouver through the Inside Passage, spend a day in Glacier Bay, then cross the Gulf of Alaska and enter College Fjord the next evening, a few hours before arriving in Whittier. These are also the cruise portions of most Princess and Holland America cruisetours, so it’s a common lead-in to Denali.
Used by: Princess and Holland America.
Longer itineraries
A handful of longer or season-opening sailings include College Fjord too, sometimes as a morning visit rather than an evening one. These change from year to year, so if the fjord is a must for you, tell your advisor and we’ll match you to a sailing that includes it.
Used by: Princess and Holland America.
On board
What a College Fjord evening on board usually looks like. Details vary by line and ship.
- Live narration. Many ships share commentary from the bridge or a naturalist as you pass each glacier, naming the colleges and pointing out wildlife.
- Open decks forward. Lines often open extra outdoor viewing areas, sometimes including the bow, for the scenic cruise. Watch the daily program for times.
- Something warm. Some ships bring hot chocolate or a warm soup around the open decks during glacier viewing. Specialty coffees and cocktails cost extra.
- Glacier talks. Earlier in the day, look for a presentation on Prince William Sound, the Harriman Expedition and how tidewater glaciers calve.
Where to watch
The ship does the sailing. These are the spots and habits that make the most of it.
Up front on the way in
The forward decks and any forward-facing lounge give you the long view up the fjord to Harvard Glacier as it grows larger. Get there early, before the crowd arrives.
Both sides of the fjord
Glaciers line both walls, so neither side wins. On a balcony, you’ll see one wall going in and the other coming out as the ship turns near the head of the fjord.
Low and quiet for wildlife
A lower promenade deck puts you closer to the water for harbor seals on the ice and sea otters floating on their backs, and it’s usually more sheltered from the wind.
Before the day
- Weather can change the plan. The captain decides how far into the fjord the ship sails based on visibility, wind and ice. On rare occasions low cloud or conditions shorten the visit.
- Ice decides how close. Ships keep a safe distance from Harvard Glacier’s face, often a mile or so, because calving ice can send waves and the floating ice can be thick. It still feels close: the face rises a few hundred feet.
- Views from indoors. If standing on a cold deck is hard, forward lounges and large-windowed public spaces still give you a good view. Your advisor can suggest a ship or cabin that suits your mobility needs.
- Bring layers and binoculars. It’s colder by the ice than the forecast suggests. Binoculars help you pick out mountain goats on the cliffs and seals on the floes.
- Give wildlife room. Seals rest and raise pups on the ice, so ships slow down and keep their distance. Keep voices low on deck and leave the drone at home; most cruise lines don’t allow them.
Sailing to College Fjord
College Fjord appears mainly on northbound 7-day Gulf of Alaska one-ways from Vancouver to Whittier with Princess and Holland America, often as part of a cruisetour, plus a few longer sailings.Find a cruisePlan with Harr Travel
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