FAQ - Major Marine Tours

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CRUISES

With multiple cruise options to choose from, we are sure to have the right cruise for you. Our cruises range in duration from 4 hours to 8.5 hours and we have a variety of cruise types, from family-friendly cruises to small vessel adventure cruises. If you can’t decide, call us at (907) 224-8030 and our friendly Customer Service Agents will be more than happy to help you pick the best cruise for you.

Our guests stay on the boat for the entire cruise to maximize glacier and wildlife-viewing opportunities.

Guests are urged to dress in layers, including a warm rain-proof coat, hat, gloves, and comfortable, rubber-soled shoes. Guests are welcome to stay in our heated cabins, but warm clothes are recommended for guests who would like to spend time outside on the viewing decks.

Cameras (tripods are prohibited), extra batteries, binoculars.

Children are allowed on all cruises except the 8.5 Hour Northwestern Fjord Cruise. For families traveling with children, we recommend our 6 Hour Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise or our 4 Hour Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise for families who do not want to be on the water as long.

The 8.5 Hour Northwestern Fjord Cruise is an adventure cruise that travels farthest into Kenai Fjords National Park on a small vessel. This cruise spends the most amount of time in the open ocean. Due to the nature of this tour, children under 12 are not permitted. Our age restrictions are put in place for your safety and enjoyment of the cruise. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions. As a family-owned business, we strive to provide a quality experience for all ages.

Drones are strictly prohibited from being flown from our boats. Drones disturb wildlife, which is a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Drones also cause safety hazards for our captains, crew, and passengers.

Our cruises go out rain or shine. We only cancel cruises due to unsafe sea conditions, in which case we will notify you as soon as possible. Major Marine Tours reserves the right to cancel or re-route our cruises based on weather or other conditions. If the route of the Kenai Fjords National Park tour is limited to the confines of Resurrection Bay, Major Marine Tours will provides partial refunds. Please visit our Refund Policy page to view our complete refund and cancellation policies.

Our large, fog-free windows allow for excellent views from both upper and lower decks. You also have the ability to get up and move about the vessel on both the inside and outside decks on any level.

Seating arrangements are assigned by Major Marine Tours staff prior to the cruise. Special seating requests can be made, but we cannot guarantee requests until all seating arrangements are made.

The following boats ARE wheelchair accessible on their first deck, inside the main cabin only. The outside decks are not wheelchair accessible.

The following boats are NOT wheelchair accessible and not recommended for guests with limited mobility.

None of our vessels can accommodate motorized wheelchairs.

You are welcome to store your luggage in our office during your cruise. We can also assist with delivering luggage to the train or cruise ship depots in Seward.

Major Marine Tours has two cruise check-in and boarding locations in Seward: one inside the lobby of Harbor 360 Hotel and one on the South Harbor boardwalk. We request that you check in at the Harbor 360 Hotel location as that is where the boats depart from. For a map and more information on which cruises depart from which office, please visit our driving directions & check-in information page.

Pets are not permitted onboard unless your pet is a needed companion due to a medical reason. Service dogs that are trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability are permitted. Emotional support or comfort dogs are not allowed. There are several doggy daycare/boarding facilities in Seward.

No. All Major Marine Tours vessels are non-smoking. There are no designated areas on the vessels for smoking.

Firearms and weapons of any kind are strictly forbidden on our vessels per company policy and the state of Alaska.

Smoking or vaping of tobacco or marijuana is not allowed.

Strollers and any child carriers with wheels are not allowed on board and will be stored on the dock. 

 

MEAL

No. Our complimentary deli lunch is served onboard our full-day trips while you cruise to maximize your time on the water and allow more opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Vegetarian guests on the 6 Hour Cruise, 7.5 Hour Cruise and 8.5 Hour Cruise can request a vegetarian sandwich in advance, at the time of reservation as part of their complimentary deli lunch. There is also an option for gluten free bread that need to be requested at the time of booking.

 

You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages onboard the vessel, but we ask that you do not bring large coolers or glass containers. You may not bring alcoholic beverages onboard our vessels. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at our licensed bar. Hot dogs, noodle soups, chips, candy bars, other snacks, and sodas are available for purchase. We accept cash and credit cards.

GLACIERS & WILDLIFE

Our experienced captains seek out the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the area, giving you up-close views of whales, sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, seabirds, and other wildlife. To ensure the comfort and safety of the wildlife, our captains follow NOAA regulations for wildlife and whale watching distances.

For passenger safety and comfort, our captains maintain a distance of no less than ¼ of a mile away from the face of the glacier. Actual distances may vary due to wind, weather, and ice conditions.

It will depends on the cruise and time of year. The longer the cruise the more chances of seeing whales are. Please visit our Whale Watching page for info on peak whale season. 

RESERVATIONS

Advanced reservations are encouraged to ensure your desired cruise date. You are welcome to book as late as the morning of the cruise, but we are unable to guarantee availability on short notice.

In order to secure your place on cruise you must pay in full upon booking your reservation. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express credit cards.

Please visit our Refund Policy page to view our refund and cancellation policies.

TRANSPORTATION

Allow yourself 4 hours of driving time between Anchorage and Seward. This allows time for summer construction, traffic delays, or brief stops along the way. Click here for driving directions to Seward.

Yes. The Afternoon Departure of our 6 Hour Cruise aligns with same-day, round-trip transportation on the Alaska Railroad. The train arrives in Seward at 11:15 a.m. and the cruise departs at 11:30 a.m., giving you enough time to walk to the check-in office at Harbor 360 Hotel (2 minute walk from the Alaska Railroad Depot) and board the boat from the dock directly behind the hotel. When the cruise returns at 5:30 p.m., you will have enough time to walk to the depot and board the train before the 6:00 p.m. departure. If the train arrives late, we will do our best to transfer passengers to a different date or to the 4 Hour Cruise that departs at 12:30pm. More information can be found on our transportation page

Seward has two full-day public parking lots near the Seward Small Boat Harbor. One parking lot is located across the street from our Harbor 360 Hotel office on 4th Avenue and the other is one block south of our South Harbor Office on 4th Avenue. There is a $10 charge per vehicle per day. Click here for a map of the parking areas.