No town, no pier — just 400-foot walls of ancient ice collapsing into the sea with a boom heard miles away. Hubbard Glacier is North America's largest tidewater glacier and one of the few still advancing, making every ship visit a front-row seat to a living, roaring spectacle.
There is no shore at Hubbard Glacier — this is a scenic cruising stop, not a port of call.
💡 Pro move: Weather and ice conditions can limit how close the ship approaches. On foggy days the experience is still dramatic — sound carries even when visibility is reduced.
Hubbard Glacier has no pier or tender landing — cruise ships anchor or drift in Disenchantment Bay.
| Cruise Line | Typical Berth / Arrival | Dock or Tender |
|---|---|---|
| Most major cruise lines | Disenchantment Bay, ~0.5–1 mi from glacier face📍 | Scenic cruising — no landing |
| Expedition ships | Closer approach possible in Zodiacs📍 | Scenic cruising — no landing |
Excursions here launch from the ship itself — smaller vessels get you closer to the ice than your main cruise ship can safely go.
Board a custom expedition catamaran or small vessel directly from your cruise ship and cruise through Disenchantment Bay among icebergs for a close-up view of the glacier's calving face. Naturalist guide included.
Find glacier boat tours →Harbor seals haul out on ice floes near the glacier face. Sea otters, bald eagles, Steller sea lions, and Dall's porpoises frequent the bay. Humpback whales are occasionally spotted. Binoculars essential.
Find Alaska wildlife tours →Smaller expedition ships (Lindblad, Quark, Hurtigruten) deploy Zodiacs and kayaks to paddle among icebergs within Disenchantment Bay, an intimate experience unavailable on large ships.
Find expedition Alaska cruises →Most Alaska cruise lines station a naturalist on the bridge deck during the glacier visit. Live commentary covers the science of tidewater glaciers, calving events, and the Hubbard's rare advancing behavior.
Find Alaska glacier cruises →There are no walks ashore at Hubbard Glacier — the entire glacier face is uninhabited wilderness accessible only by water.
Make a full circuit of the ship's outer decks as the captain rotates. The bow offers dramatic head-on views of the calving face; the stern captures the bay's iceberg-studded expanse. Dress in warm layers — the cold radiating off the glacier is real even on sunny days.
📍 Open in MapsClimate normals for Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, USA (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Rainy Days | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F / 2°C | 28°F / -2°C | 20 | 9:02 AM | 3:54 PM |
| Feb | 35°F / 2°C | 26°F / -3°C | 16 | 7:54 AM | 5:12 PM |
| Mar | 38°F / 3°C | 28°F / -2°C | 17 | 7:34 AM | 7:22 PM |
| Apr | 44°F / 7°C | 34°F / 1°C | 18 | 6:02 AM | 8:36 PM |
| May | 51°F / 11°C | 43°F / 6°C | 15 | 4:43 AM | 9:48 PM |
| Jun | 56°F / 13°C | 49°F / 9°C | 16 | 4:00 AM | 10:38 PM |
| Jul | 60°F / 16°C | 53°F / 12°C | 15 | 4:28 AM | 10:20 PM |
| Aug | 60°F / 16°C | 53°F / 12°C | 20 | 5:37 AM | 9:07 PM |
| Sep | 56°F / 13°C | 47°F / 8°C | 20 | 6:48 AM | 7:37 PM |
| Oct | 48°F / 9°C | 40°F / 4°C | 20 | 7:58 AM | 6:08 PM |
| Nov | 39°F / 4°C | 32°F / 0°C | 22 | 8:15 AM | 3:50 PM |
| Dec | 37°F / 3°C | 30°F / -1°C | 23 | 9:12 AM | 3:15 PM |
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)
Transport options from the pier — taxis, shuttles, transit passes, and whether ride-share apps work here.
Hubbard Glacier is a cruise-by destination only — ships sail into Disenchantment Bay and passengers view the glacier from deck. No one goes ashore.
Some cruise lines offer small wilderness explorer boats that launch from the ship to get closer to the glacier face and floating icebergs. Book through your cruise line.
Private glacier charter tours operate out of Yakutat (~30 miles away), but these are pre-arranged independently and not accessible from the ship on sailing day.
Upcoming cruises that call at Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, USA. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.