Kenai Fjords or PWS Cruise with a 7 Year Old

[2112]

I would love to do either a Kenai Fjords or PWS cruise, but am concerned about my son, who will have just turned 7, and how he will react to the long times out. He is a great traveler, and very long drives in a car (even 10 hours or more on consecutive days) are no problem. I have no concern about the Denali shuttle, for example, because he does so well in cars. However, I have my reservation about a smaller boat. In a car or bus he will get settled in will look out the window or play with his Leap Pad. But I'm afraid that in the boat he will have just enough room to get up and move around that he won't settle in. I'm also paranoid, since he will be able to get up and move around, about having to watch him every single second to make sure he doesn't fall overboard. Does anyone have experience with a child this young on one of these cruises? Also, if I do do one which would be the best choice? I'm thinking that maybe the 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier would be the best choice since it is shorter than the Kenai Fjords cruises and has calmer seas.

[Northern Aurora]

We have never done the 26 Glacier cruise out of Whittier, but have done two Kenai Fjord cruises with Major Marine out of Seward. In both of the Kenai Fjord cruises a National Park Service ranger was on board, and part of their role on board was to conduct a "junior ranger" program. On both of those Major Marine cruises children younger than 7 were on board, and seemed to do very well.

[mapleleaves]

I haven't been on the PWS cruise, only the Kenai. There were kids on the boat and they were fine. For the first part, the boat is in the Bay and moving pretty slowly so passengers can look up on the cliffs for mountain goats or in the trees for eagles/nests or at sea lions sleeping on the rocks, and you're passing lots of small fishing boats. And nearly everyone is standing by the rails, or trying to. When the boat is moving fast, it's cold, so your son will probably want to be inside anyway. When you get to the glacier you kind of bob around for awhile and again everyone is at the rails. And if he's working on a Jr Ranger Badge he'll have homework to do!

Twice our Kenai cruise was downgraded to a Bay tour due to weather. If it's windy/stormy the office staff will tell you the tour might be downgraded and they'll also offer a full refund if you don't want to chance it. Take the refund. Maybe drive quickly up to Whittier and catch the 1pm PWS cruise instead! I thought the Bay tour was pretty boring. But if you can get out to the glacier it's pretty fantastic!

 

I think the Jr Ranger program is available at most national parks.

Here's info for the one at Exit Glacier if you plan to go:

http://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/ranger-programs.htm

 

At Denali they have 2 packs based on age. You might want to look thru the contents to see which one is most appropriate. The kids on our shuttles kept busy with their little assignments.

http://www.nps.gov/dena/forkids/beajuniorranger.htm

 

Be sure to give him his own binoculars. Just a cheap pair, with instructions to keep them around his neck. On the Denali shuttle the driver tells ALL the passengers that they are spotters. What kid doesn't want to be the one shouting " Caribou" or "BEAR". It helps keep them occupied.

Have a great trip!

[PennyAgain]

A child of that age should do well if briefed in advance on possible animal sightings and given a camera to take photos.

 

It's generally the adults who get bored on the longer tours and fall asleep!

[2112]

Thanks everyone. Maybe I was worried for nothing.

[lar]

I do know that the Major Marine Tours cruises out of Whittier and Seward have Park Rangers onboard who do the Junior Ranger program for kids. They work to get the kids involved by giving them work books and activities to do that are age appropriate. And at the end of the trip there is a "badge ceremony" where all the kids who participated get a Jr Ranger badge and their photo taken with the ranger. The trips I have done the kids help pass around samples of things and seem to really have fun.