College Fjord Alaska is located in the northernmost region of the Prince William Sound, southeast of Anchorage.
College Fjord is a popular stop on many Alaska cruise itineraries.
The area contains 5 major tidewater glaciers and dozens of smaller glaciers, making it one of the best places to view glacial “calving” or the process by which sections of ice break off and become icebergs.
The fjord is usually the first stop for southbound cruises out of Anchorage or the second to last stop for northbound cruises out of Vancouver, Seattle, or San Francisco.
The area gets its name from the glaciers within it, all but two of which are named after one of the Ivy League or Seven Sisters colleges.
The fjord was discovered in 1899 by an expedition led by professors from Amherst and Harvard, who gave the glaciers their collegiate names, reportedly enjoying the fact that they deliberately ignored Princeton in the process.
The tidewater glacier viewing here is probably rivaled only in scope and variety by that in Glacier Bay National Park.
The best way to view these tidewater glaciers is by boat, and thus an Alaska cruise is probably your best option.
Shorter cruises are also available from Seward or Whittier, for those who are travelling through southern and central Alaska.
College Fjord Alaska is a wonderful place to begin or end your cruise, with its incredible assortment of glaciers and their majestic mountain backdrop.
