BQ & Others - Kenai Fjords Salmon & Prime Rib Buffet Question

[WalleyeLJ]

Good morning,

 

We just booked with Major Marine to do their 2 for 1 Northern Lights 7.5 hour tour next month. I know some past posts said that the buffet was good/worth it, but wanted to see if anyone had tried the food recently and if it was still worth signing up for, or if there is a better option in Seward to purchase ahead of time and bring on board. Thanks!

 

L.J.

[Budget Queen]

I don't go this year until August, two trips and I already purchased the 8 meals. I have gone with them, many times in the past, including three times last year (also went out twice with the other company).

In my experience, the food is consistantly very good. They have a range of doneness available with the beef, and the salmon has been the superb Copper River. It is $19, which is very reasonable in my opinion. I'm not there for the food, and I didn't pay $100pp, so my take. :)

[WalleyeLJ]

I don't go this year until August, two trips and I already purchased the 8 meals. I have gone with them, many times in the past, including three times last year (also went out twice with the other company).

In my experience, the food is consistantly very good. They have a range of doneness available with the beef, and the salmon has been the superb Copper River. It is $19, which is very reasonable in my opinion. I'm not there for the food, and I didn't pay $100pp, so my take. :)

 

Thanks BQ! I had seen one of your reviews of the food, but it was from 2007 or 2008, and I just wanted to make sure things hadn't changed for some reason.

 

L.J.

[frugaltravel]

Budget Queen did say in an earlier post that they usually serve the meal at the glacier, which is a huge negative in my opinion. They only spend 30+ minutes at the glacier and I am wanting to be outside on the deck watching for calving, not sitting inside eating. So that is something else to consider - eating on your own schedule if you bring your own food.

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen did say in an earlier post that they usually serve the meal at the glacier, which is a huge negative in my opinion. They only spend 30+ minutes at the glacier and I am wanting to be outside on the deck watching for calving, not sitting inside eating. So that is something else to consider - eating on your own schedule if you bring your own food.

 

They start serving when they enter the BAY, not just when they are at the glacier. the buffet is up at least an hour, so you don't have to "miss" glacier viewing if you don't want to. (I certainly don't).

 

Their coupon deal this year, goes to Aielik and Holgate which will be even better. :)

 

It's a meal option that's it. And a cheap one. I can pay more than $19 in restaurants for a similar meal. Bring your own, or purchase this consistant good choice.

[GweninTX]

We went on 2 Major Marine cruises last year while we were in Alaska - Seward all day and the one in Whittier right before our Coral Princess left and they were AMAZING!! We brought a small ice chest on with a picnic lunch on both cruises and saved the money, but the buffet looked VERY good! You cannot go wrong either way and we saw MAJOR calving on both trips so have your camera ready! We wanted to spend maximum time viewing outside, so did not want to have to mess with their meal, but it did look yummy! Have fun!

[Northern Aurora]

The hubby and I have been on two Kenai Fjords trips with Major Marine. The first was the summer of 2009 and the second last summer. Both times we had the prime rib and salmon buffet, and both times we thought the food quality was well worth the $19.00 price per person. Living in Alaska we are somewhat salmon snobs, and thought that the salmon was excellent. Also on both trips the buffet was timed so that we were NOT in front of a major glacier.

[WalleyeLJ]

Thanks everyone for all the input. Once we complete our trip this summer, I can help answer this one for the next generations:)!

 

L.J.

[Pittypatbr]

I was there a couple of weeks ago and the food is still excellent. That was actually some of the best salmon I had on the trip, and the prime rib was just as good.

[Cruise_More_Often]

I, too, went a couple of weeks ago and thought the meal was very, very good. We were on a non-cruise-day tour, and the boat was not full, so we got to go back for seconds. The dessert was also wonderful (and, yes, I had seconds). I did not miss one minute of the glacier viewing.

[WalleyeLJ]

Good deal - thanks everyone!

 

L.J.