Photo Credit: Alaskan Luxury Cruises

Alaska Sailing & Private Yacht Charters

An Alaskan cruise is an iconic way to see the state, but few visitors realize they can charter a smaller vessel for a custom adventure. Under the guidance of an expert crew, you can explore breathtaking settings such as Glacier Bay National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Prince William Sound by private boat, sailboat or yacht.

All-Inclusive

Chartering a small vessel may seem expensive. But it can be comparable once you add up the cost for transportation, lodging, meals and sightseeing excursions that you would otherwise spend for your entire party. Being able to settle into one stateroom for a few days also adds to the relaxing nature of your trip.

The Luxury of Time

Go for just a night – or extend up to two weeks, with options to fit any itinerary. A multi-day journey gives your captains time to customize to your individual preferences and adjust schedules based on weather and other factors. Explore magical coves, hang out for longer as whales breach, fish for wild salmon and halibut, kayak with otters, or set anchor for a walk along a secluded beach – all without having to get back to port right away.

Small Groups Create Meaningful Experiences

Charter vessels vary in number of guests – from two to twelve. Some cater only to private groups (book the boat and it’s yours!), while others have separate staterooms and can take multiple parties (get to know fellow travelers!). Whatever your choice, small boats offer a more private experience, personalized attention and a chance to take in Alaska with a cadre of friends or family. For many, the camaraderie that forms among guests and crew is the highlight of the journey. (If you have a group larger than six, check out the in-between size: Small Ship Adventure Cruises that can accommodate between 12 and 86 passengers.)

Balancing Your Group’s Interests

Someone wants to fish, someone wants to kayak and someone else wants an extra nap. How to manage it all? When a small yacht is your home for a week, it’s easier to accommodate varied preferences so everyone is happy.

Check out these charter operators to review your options – from sailboats to yachts, all ready to show off Alaska’s beautiful and enchanting coastal wonders.

Show Map

Sailing & Private Yacht Charters

Sailing

6 maximum passengers
3.5 Hr Day Sail, $769 up to 6 people | $2949+ Multi-day 3.5 Hour Day Sail to Multi-Day

Char­ter a sail­boat out of Seward and hit the waters of gor­geous Res­ur­rec­tion Bay! Choose an after­noon tour if you’re just in Seward for the day, or opt for a mul­ti-day cruise. Your char­ter comes with a sea­soned cap­tain, or expe­ri­enced sailors can rent the boat and take the helm them­selves. Sur­round­ed by moun­tains, the bay offers ide­al sail­ing con­di­tions, and you’ll have plen­ty of chances to see wildlife and glaciers.

Season: Year Round
$485 per person / $2800 for whole boat up to 6 passengers
Cruise Ship Type: Small Ship Cruises

Explore Alaska’s hot springs and glac­i­ers aboard a unique ship that puts you behind the helm and lets you man the sails. This South­east Alas­­ka-based tour oper­a­tor will leave you with a new def­i­n­i­tion of what it means to have a once-in-a-life­­time Alas­kan adven­ture. You’ll explore away from the crowds, get­ting an up-close view of wildlife, scenery, hot springs, and glaciers. 

Season: June - September $2,666+ per cabin (double occupancy) 3+ nights

You’ll spend either 4 or 7 days sail­ing around Lake Clark, expe­ri­enc­ing all the nat­ur­al majesty this nation­al park has to offer, with its many crag­gy moun­tains set close to the water. Anchor each night in a new loca­tion. Look for wildlife, hike, explore with kayaks and pad­dle­boards, and enjoy bon­fires on the beach. 

Season: May 1 - September 1 Custom Trips, Call for Quote 3 - 21 Days

Dis­cov­er South­east Alaska’s nat­ur­al won­ders aboard a char­tered sail­boat with Sail­ing Alas­ka. Cus­tomize your pri­vate expe­di­tion with expe­ri­enced cap­tain John Joeright and enjoy all-inclu­sive meals, com­fort­able accom­mo­da­tions, and end­less adven­tures on the 46-foot S/V Sham­rock. Watch whales, hike, fish, vis­it local com­mu­ni­ties, and more — all at your own pace.

[{"slug":"seward","title":"Seward Audio Guide"},{"slug":"juneau","title":"Juneau"},{"slug":"lake-clark-natl-park-preserve","title":"Lake Clark National Park & Preserve"}]

Expedition Charters

8 Passengers • Photography Focus • Charter whole boat or with other guests
Season: June -  September $6,252+ 6 nights

Immerse your­self in a mul­ti-day Alaskan adven­ture that promis­es incred­i­ble views and jaw-drop­ping bear view­ing in Kat­mai Nation­al Park, along with a warm cama­raderie that only a small group expe­di­tion can cre­ate. Explore from your home base on the Island C, a research ves­sel that gets you close to the action while pro­vid­ing com­fort­able lodg­ing and deli­cious meals.

[{"slug":"seward","title":"Seward Audio Guide"},{"slug":"juneau","title":"Juneau"},{"slug":"lake-clark-natl-park-preserve","title":"Lake Clark National Park & Preserve"},{"slug":"kodiak","title":"Kodiak"}]

Large Charters

12 - 86 passengers • Sample Itineraries • Contact directly for private charter
Season: May - September
$5,850+ (Inside Passage $2,650+)
5 days / 4 nights
Cruise Ship Type: Small Ship Cruises
Ship Name: M/V Sea Star

Set sail for 5 days and 4 nights with the crew of the M/V Sea Star for small ship adven­ture cruis­ing in Prince William Sound, Kenai Penin­su­la or along the Inside Pas­sage. The well-appoint­ed yacht accom­mo­dates just 12 guests, allow­ing for a per­son­al­ized expe­ri­ence where you are the explor­er! Unplug from day-to-day life and soak up the won­ders of Alaska’s amaz­ing coast­line. All meals pre­pared by an on-board chef and fea­tur­ing fresh local  ...more

From $4,450+
5 to 7 Days
Ports of Call: Anchorage, Whittier
Cruise Ship Type: Small Ship Cruises
Ship Name: Discovery

Our Clas­sic Dis­cov­ery Voy­age is the per­fect wilder­ness sam­pler. We take in the most spec­tac­tu­lar sights of Prince William Sound — moun­tains, fjords, glac­i­ers and wildlife — with the num­ber of dai­ly excur­sions (ashore or by kayak) tai­lored to the inter­ests and activ­i­ty lev­el of the group.

Season: May 13 to Sep 23
$6600+
8 Days / 7 Nights
Ports of Call: Juneau, Glacier Bay National Park, Hoonah / Icy Strait, Sitka
Cruise Ship Type: Small Ship Cruises
Ship Name: Safari Endeavour, Safari Explorer, Wilderness Adventurer

Start your wilder­ness jour­ney in Juneau, the state capi­tol of Alas­ka, and end in Sit­ka, the per­fect spot to view the meld­ing of Russ­ian and Alas­ka Native cul­tures. In between, vis­it Glac­i­er Bay Nation­al Park, go bird watch­ing on South Mar­ble Island, look for whales in Icy Strait, hike along inter­tidal zones, and when your cap­tain sets the course for adven­ture, slip into your kayak or skiff for a day of guid­ed explo­ration. (Itin­er­ary also  ...more

Season: June - Sept $16,000+ 2+ Nights 4-5 hr & 2+ Nights

Bear Paw Char­ters offers pri­vate, all-inclu­sive day trips and longer tours on its lux­u­ry yacht — per­fect for whale watch­ing, bear view­ing, and expe­ri­enc­ing Alaska’s scenic majesty.

[{"slug":"seward","title":"Seward Audio Guide"},{"slug":"juneau","title":"Juneau"},{"slug":"lake-clark-natl-park-preserve","title":"Lake Clark National Park & Preserve"},{"slug":"kodiak","title":"Kodiak"},{"slug":"whittier","title":"Whittier"},{"slug":"sitka","title":"Sitka"}]

Private Yacht Charters

4-10 maximum passengers

Season: May 1–Sept 30 $300 4 hrs / $10,500+ 3+ days 4 hrs - 3+ days

Set sail on a lux­u­ri­ous 70-ft yacht out of Homer for 3+ days of fish­ing, hik­ing, kayak­ing, and wildlife view­ing while indulging in mass amounts of seafood. Your itin­er­ary will depend on the inter­ests of the group, and the expe­ri­enced local crew can ful­fill those interests.

Season: May 15 to Sep 15
Call for Quote
Custom
Cruise Ship Type: Small Ship Cruises
Ship Name: The Sea Mist

Design your exclu­sive itin­er­ary then set sail into the vast open waters and wildlife-rich shore­lines of Prince William Sound aboard your own spa­cious and pri­vate yacht. Up to six pas­sen­gers can sit back, relax, and expe­ri­ence an inti­mate tour. Most guests enjoy the 5‑day/​4‑night trips, but you can book longer 10-day/9‑night expeditions.

Season: May 1 - Sept 15 $3,450 per day Four-day, four-night

Char­ter their pri­vate, live-aboard, 60’ yacht. Wake up each day in the mid­dle of untouched wilder­ness and go sea kayak­ing, hike through bore­al forests, fish for tro­phy hal­ibut and salmon, or spend a qui­et day on the water pho­tograph­ing wildlife

Season: May - Sept 15 $7500 - $9500 per person 5+ Days

Fly from Anchor­age by sea­plane to the North­west Odyssey, anchored off the coast of Kat­mai Nation­al Park. This lux­u­ri­ous yacht will be your home base for spec­tac­u­lar bear view­ing and fish­ing in uncrowd­ed waters.

Season: June 1 - October 1 Custom, call for rates. Up to 10 guests

A ful­ly cus­tomiz­able expe­di­tion that show­cas­es Alaska’s beau­ty by land, sea, and air. The trip starts with a pri­vate flight from Anchor­age to Homer, where guests stay in a pre­mi­um log chalet. Choose from var­i­ous activ­i­ties includ­ing dri­ving an amphibi­ous vehi­cle, bear view­ing, fish­ing, hik­ing, and kayak­ing. On the fourth day, board the M/V Pere­grine and explore Kenai Fjords Nation­al Park, glac­i­ers, ice caves, and water­falls while look­ing for  ...more

Season: April - Sept
$4,000 Day Cruise, 8 Hrs Up To 6 Guests | $8,000+ Multi-Day, Up To 6 Guests
Cruise Ship Type: Small Ship Cruises
Ship Name: M/V Caroline

Spend the after­noon, or a few days explor­ing the waters of Res­ur­rec­tion Bay and Prince William Sound aboard the M/V Car­o­line, a beau­ti­ful cus­tom-built yacht set for adven­ture! It’s the per­fect set­ting for a fam­i­ly or small group vaca­tion. Fill your days loung­ing on the fly­bridge, fish­ing, kayak­ing, strolling beach­es and cruis­ing to your next fan­tas­tic destination.

[{"slug":"seward","title":"Seward Audio Guide"},{"slug":"juneau","title":"Juneau"},{"slug":"lake-clark-natl-park-preserve","title":"Lake Clark National Park & Preserve"},{"slug":"kodiak","title":"Kodiak"},{"slug":"whittier","title":"Whittier"},{"slug":"sitka","title":"Sitka"},{"slug":"homer","title":"Homer"},{"slug":"katmai-national-park-and-preserve","title":"Katmai National Park & Preserve"}]