Alaska yacht charter
South-east Alaska's Inside Passage: sheltered fjords, glaciers that reach the sea, humpback whales and brown bears, and few small towns. June to August are the warmest months with the longest days. It suits couples and older children who want wildlife rather than beaches.
South-east Alaska is a coast of fjords, forested islands and glaciers that reach the sea. A yacht is one of the best ways to see it: the Inside Passage is sheltered from the Pacific, towns are few and small, and the days are about wildlife — humpback whales, brown bears, sea otters, eagles — and ice. It is a charter for people who want nature rather than beaches, and it is as far from a Mediterranean week as a yacht charter gets. It is one of the summer coasts on our North America page.
Why go, and whom it suits
Families
It suits families with older children who love animals and the outdoors: whale watching from the deck, kayaking among ice, fishing for salmon. Younger children may find the cold and the long passages harder.
Couples and honeymoons
It suits couples who want something nobody else they know has done: quiet fjords, long evenings of light in June and July, and a glacier to yourselves.
Friends and celebrations
It suits a group that fishes, hikes or kayaks. It does not suit a group looking for restaurants and nightlife ashore.
Less suited to anyone who wants sun and swimming. Expect rain on some days, cool temperatures, and a jacket at all times (summer highs at Glacier Bay are usually 10–15°C).
The areas
Juneau and Tracy Arm
Alaska's capital is reachable only by sea or air. Tracy Arm, a long fjord to the south, ends at the Sawyer glaciers.
Glacier Bay
A national park of tidewater glaciers. From 1 Jun to 31 Aug every private boat needs a permit to enter the bay, the number of vessels is limited, and boaters attend the park's orientation once a season.
Admiralty Island and Frederick Sound
Brown bears on Admiralty, and humpback whales feeding in Frederick Sound and Icy Strait in summer.
Sitka and Ketchikan
Sitka on the outer coast, with its Russian past, and Ketchikan and the Misty Fjords in the south.
When to go
June to August are the warmest months with the longest days.
The weather is changeable all summer: rain is common (Bartlett Cove, at the mouth of Glacier Bay, gets about 70 inches a year; April to June are usually the driest months), and fog and low cloud can hide the mountains for a day. The Inside Passage is sheltered, so the sea is usually calm.
The rest of the year, most yachts that cruise here are in the Pacific Northwest, Mexico or further south.
What it costs
The charter fee is each yacht's own weekly rate, in its own currency, usually US dollars. Her page shows it "from", which is her lowest season.
- Tax. The US has no VAT. Any local tax on the charter is shown in each yacht's quote.
- APA, the Advance Provisioning Allowance, is paid with the balance: money held by the captain for fuel, food, drinks, permits, guides and similar costs, spent on your instructions and accounted for at the end, with anything unspent returned. Budget up to 40% of the charter fee; long or remote passages can need more. Paid extras, such as flights, fishing licences and bear-viewing guides, can be paid from it.
- Distances are longer than in the Mediterranean, so fuel takes a bigger share of the APA, and many charters here run ten days or more.
- The yacht's flag matters in the US. Under US law, a vessel may carry passengers between US ports only if she holds a US coastwise endorsement (46 U.S.C. 55103). Most foreign-flagged charter yachts do not, so they cannot take guests between Alaskan harbours. We propose only yachts that can legally do the route.
Our guide sets out what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
From Juneau to Glacier Bay
A one-way week from Juneau, ending near Glacier Bay. The wildlife and the weather decide the real route more than anywhere else, and the Glacier Bay day depends on the park's permit.
Board in the afternoon. The Mendenhall Glacier by road if there is time.
South down Stephens Passage and into the fjord, to the face of the Sawyer glaciers among floating ice.
A day looking for humpback whales, then a quiet anchorage.
A guided bear-viewing visit ashore, arranged ahead, or kayaking along the shore.
Whales again, and sea otters.
Up the bay to the tidewater glaciers, under the park's rules: slower speeds and a distance from shore in the "whale waters", and closures around seal and seabird sites.
Disembark and fly back to Juneau (about 30 minutes; jet service in summer, small air taxis all year), or return by yacht. The yacht's return can add a delivery fee.
The yachts that cruise here
Yachts in Alaska are usually there for the summer only, coming up from the Pacific Northwest or further south. Which yachts may take charter guests in US waters depends on US law and on each yacht's flag (see the questions below). We confirm which yachts are eligible before any are shown here. We look further for every Alaska enquiry, and tell you honestly which yachts suit the cold and the distances. The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Practical questions
Rene GaspersicYour broker
How do we get there?
Fly to Juneau. Sitka and Ketchikan also have airports, and Gustavus, next to Glacier Bay, has summer jet service from Juneau.
Do we need permits?
For Glacier Bay from 1 Jun to 31 Aug, yes: every private boat needs a permit, and the number of vessels is limited. We apply with the captain well ahead, and arrange any bear-viewing visit ashore at the same time.
How cold is it?
Cool: summer highs at Glacier Bay are usually 10–15°C, colder near the ice. Bring layers and waterproofs. The yacht has heating and the saloon is warm.
Is the sea rough?
The Inside Passage is sheltered, so rarely. The outer coast is open Pacific, and routes keep to the sheltered side.
Will we see whales and bears?
Very likely, in season, but nothing in nature is promised. The captain knows where they have been seen that week.
Is it good for children?
For children who love animals and the outdoors, it is an extraordinary week. For very young children, the cold and the longer passages are harder. Tell us the ages.
Can we fish?
Yes, with an Alaska sport-fishing licence for each guest who fishes (and a king salmon stamp for king salmon). Many yachts carry fishing gear, and the crew knows the spots.
Can we fly over the glaciers?
Often yes. Tell us early, and we look at flights for your route; a few larger yachts carry their own helicopter.
Is a week long enough?
For a first visit, a week is good. Many people choose ten days or more because the distances are long.
Can any yacht charter in Alaska?
No. Only a yacht with a US coastwise endorsement may carry guests between US ports (see "What it costs" above). We propose only yachts that can legally do the route.
Alaska | Norway | |
|---|---|---|
Landscape | Fjords, glaciers, forests | Fjords, mountains, islands |
Wildlife | Whales, bears, otters, eagles | Seabirds |
Ashore | Few small towns | Villages and towns along the fjords |
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the trip is for: a family adventure, a honeymoon, a fishing week with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
Alaska.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.