One day I’ll definitely write a tacky article of 10 places on the planet that you should visit at least once in your life. And you know what? Alaska’s glaciers have already been included in this list in advance. 

I have seen glaciers more than once... in the Alps, in Altai, in the Himalayas, in the Andes. I went tracking along the glacier, I slept on a glacier in a tent. I even went skiing at a resort located on a glacier in Austria. 

But Alaska’s glaciers are completely different. It’s hard to decide which one is better, Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay but I’m going to discuss both of them.

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

Hubbard Glacier Pros

• It is the largest glacier on the northwestern edge of North America.

This glacier is the largest on the entire coast of Alaska. The glacier begins on Mount Logan, located in Canada, and stretches for 122 kilometers into the US. 

• The Hubbard Glacier is the most famous growing glacier.

It has been growing and advancing over the past hundred years. In May 1986, the Hubbard Glacier advanced into the sea, blocked the entrance to the Russell Fjord and hence formed Lake Russell.

• The total age of the glacier is approximately 400 years.

That’s exactly how the glacier has been moving towards the ocean. And the height of the ice sheet is ... 120m!

• You can witness dramatic calving: the chunks of ice breaking off.

When I visited it happened every 10-15 mins and I also heard that if no calving occurs naturally, the captain will use a boat signal to trigger this process. 

• Vibrant blue color.

Hubbard Glacier Cons

• It is the only active glacier in that area so basically you are going there to see this one glacier.

• There is always a chance that the cruise won’t come too close or even skip the glacier.

This can happen due to weather conditions such as precipitation, wind, and ice chunks in the water. Even the captain does not decide anything in advance and has the right to skip the bay if there is the slightest threat to safety.

• The time spent at the glacier may vary, again everything depends on the weather.

Hubbard Glacier: my impressions

All these numbers are certainly impressive, but the feelings I experienced during the two morning hours when the huge cruise ship came so close to the glacier were one of a kind! When the air temperature dropped to almost 0C ... I literally felt the glacier “breathing” and saw those huge chunks of ice breaking off.

Before, I saw the picture of Hubbard Glacier in the Celebrity Cruises advertising booklet. Of course, I not believing that the ship would come so close. Well, we know all these advertising tricks with kayaking near icebergs or flying over Everest in Nepal... In the booklet, everything looks beautiful, but in fact, the object is very far away.

With Hubbard Glacier, everything turned out to be true! The cruise liner entered the Russell Fjord and approached to the distance of 1.5-2km from the front edge of the glacier. At this moment, the delight went beyond all reasonable limits, because the distance is not felt at all, because the edge heights are 120 meters and above! Because the glacier height is 120, it felt like the actual distance to it was even less than in reality.

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Glacier Bay Pros

• It’s a one of a kind National Park protected by UNESCO.

• In summer, most tourists take airplane and helicopter trips and cruises, which also allow you to see the beauty of the untouched nature of these places.

• There are currently 4 icebergs and 9 glaciers on the territory of Glacier Bay. 

• There are two advancing glaciers: Margerie Glacier and John Hopkins Glaciers

Your ship will stop at Margerie Glacier, Grand Pacific Glacier and Lamplugh Glacier. All of them are big and active to some extent. Margerie Glacier is the largest and the most active so you will probably the majority of the time there. 

• Deer and bears are found in the National Park, and whales can be seen just off the coast during a cruise.

• Tourists who come to Glacier Bay can also go fishing, rafting, try hiking, take a trip on a catamaran or boat

Glacier Bay Cons

• Not very dramatic as most glaciers are retreating or staying stable and none of them are calving.

• In the winter season, the possibilities of visiting the park are very limited - a short winter day, snowfalls and the almost complete absence of roads make walking along Glacier Bay a difficult and even dangerous task.

Hubbard Glacier Vs Glacier Bay Conclusion

Having visited both, which one would I choose? Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay National Park? I would choose Glacier Bay as a destination to spend a few days in and explore everything the park has to offer. However, as a part of a short cruise, I would probably visit Hubbard Glacier as it is such a stunning and dramatic sight to see. 

Of course, if your cruise allows and you don’t have to choose between Hubbard Glacier versus Glacier Bay – go for it as they both are very different!