To-do and avoid similar excursions

Question

We are renting a car in Anchorage and traveling to Palmer/Hatcher's Pass and then Talkeetna. Then plan to drive to Girdwood and Seward before boarding our cruise ship. I am considering booking the Kenai Fjords cruise, but am curious if I should wait and do the Mendenhall glacier and whale quest excursion offered by the cruise ship at Juneau instead. Are these two experiences similar? Currently, we do not have excursions chosen for any of our destinations, but I need to lock these in asap so am looking for recommendations. Thanks in advance.

Answer

Your itinerary from Anchorage through Palmer/Hatcher Pass, Talkeetna, Girdwood, and Seward is already filled with great scenery and unique experiences. When it comes to excursions, the question of Kenai Fjords (Seward) versus Mendenhall Glacier + whale watching (Juneau) is a very common one — and the good news is that they are not similar experiences. They each offer something completely different. Because of that, many travelers choose to do both if they can.

Below is a detailed comparison of what each excursion includes, what makes them different, and how to decide which should be your priority.

How Kenai Fjords in Seward and Mendenhall + Whale Watching in Juneau Compare

Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise (Seward): This is a long, deep-wilderness marine excursion into glacial fjords. You’ll see tidewater glaciers, alpine glaciers, dramatic cliffs, sea stacks, and tons of marine wildlife.
Mendenhall Glacier + Whale Quest (Juneau): This combines a very accessible land-based glacier visit with a separate marine wildlife cruise. Mendenhall is a different kind of glacier experience — still beautiful but not tidewater, and whale watching here is almost guaranteed for humpbacks.

Because the scenery and wildlife between these two tours are different, doing one does not replace the other. That said, if you want to choose only one, think about what you value most: dramatic fjords and glaciers, or whales and an easier experience.

What You Get With the Kenai Fjords Cruise (Seward)

Tidewater glaciers: Watching a glacier calve into the ocean is one of the top “wow” moments in Alaska. You won’t get this at Mendenhall because it is not a tidewater glacier.
Rugged, remote scenery: You cruise through narrow fjords, dramatic rock formations, and untouched wilderness with no roads or towns.
Wildlife variety: Common sightings include puffins, orcas, humpbacks, sea otters, sea lions, and porpoises.
Full-day adventure: Most worthwhile tours are 6–7 hours. They feel like real exploration.

This excursion is often considered one of the absolute highlights of an Alaska land trip. If you’re already in Seward, it’s one of the best things you can do.

What You Get With the Juneau Mendenhall + Whale Quest

Mendenhall Glacier: A very accessible glacier with nice trails, visitor center, and the famous Nugget Falls walk. It is an “inland” glacier, not a tidewater glacier.
Whale watching: Juneau is one of the best places in the world for humpback whales. Sightings are extremely reliable, often with bubble-net feeding.
Smoother experience: Shorter duration, less rough water, and easier access for all mobility levels.
Good combination for cruise timing: Mendenhall + whales is usually 4–5 hours total, leaving time for exploring town.

Juneau’s tours are wonderful, but they provide a different type of experience — more accessible, less remote, and very whale-focused.

So, Are They Duplicates? Absolutely not. They are quite different:

Kenai Fjords = dramatic fjords + tidewater glaciers + broad wildlife variety
Juneau Whale Quest = humpback whales + Mendenhall Glacier (land access)

Which Should You Prioritize?

If you want the most dramatic scenery and glaciers: Choose Kenai Fjords.
If you want guaranteed whales and a gentler excursion: Choose Juneau’s whale tour.
If your time/budget allows: Do both — most travelers say these two tours were the best parts of their trip.

Important to Know:

You will likely want to book the Kenai Fjords cruise in advance — the best tours sell out early.
Juneau whale tours will also fill up, but usually not as early as Seward’s.
Since you’ll already be in Seward for your cruise departure, Kenai Fjords is extremely convenient to fit in.

Final Recommendation: If you need to choose only one, Kenai Fjords offers the most unique and dramatic experience and is hard to replicate elsewhere on your itinerary. If you can fit both, doing the fjords cruise in Seward and the whale tour + Mendenhall in Juneau will give you two completely different sides of Alaska’s landscape and wildlife — a very strong combination.

You’re on a fantastic route already. Lock in Kenai Fjords soon if you plan to do it — it consistently ranks as one of the top excursions in Alaska.