What are the best restaurants in Glacier Bay during a cruise?

There are no restaurants ashore for mainstream cruise passengers because ships do not dock in Glacier Bay. Your ship serves as your restaurant for the entire day. You will eat all your meals onboard, utilizing the main dining room, room service, or the Lido buffet.

How much does food cost during the Glacier Bay scenic cruising day?

All standard meals on your ship during Glacier Bay day are included in your cruise fare. However, specialty items like spiked hot chocolate (usually $8 to $15) or souvenir insulated mugs ($10 to $20) sold on the open decks will cost extra.

Are there any restaurants near the cruise dock in Glacier Bay?

There is no cruise dock in Glacier Bay. Mainstream ships simply sail through the national park waters. The closest restaurant on land is the Fairweather Dining Room at Glacier Bay Lodge in Bartlett Cove, located about 10 miles from the nearby town of Gustavus, but large cruise ships do not stop there.

What is the best time to eat lunch while cruising Glacier Bay?

Plan to eat lunch either early at 11:30 AM or late around 1:30 PM. The most spectacular glacier viewing, specifically the approach to Margerie Glacier, usually happens right in the middle of the day. Eating at off-peak hours ensures you won't be stuck in a buffet line when the ship reaches the main glaciers.

Is it easy to get food for kids while viewing the glaciers?

Yes, the Lido Deck buffet stays open all day during Glacier Bay cruising, making it incredibly easy to grab pizza, sandwiches, or fruit for kids. Many ships also set up hot chocolate and snack stations right on the open viewing decks, so you rarely have to walk more than a flight of stairs to find food.

Glacier Bay National Park Restaurants — Alaska Cruise Guide

If you are searching for the best Glacier Bay restaurants for your upcoming Alaska cruise, there is one critical fact you need to know immediately: There are no restaurants ashore because your ship does not dock.

Glacier Bay National Park is a protected marine wilderness. For 99% of Alaska cruisers on mainstream lines like Princess, Holland America, and Norwegian, this is a strictly water-based scenic cruising day. You will not step off the ship, which means your ship is your only dining option.

However, cruise lines know you are going to be spending 8 to 10 hours out on the chilly open decks marveling at the ice. To keep passengers fed and warm, they roll out specific Glacier Bay dining traditions that you won’t experience on any other day of your itinerary.

Here is exactly how to handle eating and drinking during your Glacier Bay scenic cruising day.

Onboard Dining Strategies for Glacier Bay Day

Because Glacier Bay is a full scenic day, the standard cruise ship daily schedule gets thrown out the window. Park Rangers board the ship around 7:00 AM, and the most spectacular glacier viewing happens between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM.

Breakfast & The Thermos Strategy

Do not plan for a long, sit-down breakfast in the main dining room on Glacier Bay day. By the time your eggs arrive, you will likely be sailing past prime wildlife viewing areas where whales and sea otters are highly active.

Instead, utilize room service. Order coffee, pastries, and fruit to your cabin the night before, requesting delivery for 6:30 AM.

Pro Tip: Pack an insulated Yeti or Stanley travel mug. The standard coffee cups on cruise ships are small ceramic mugs that lose their heat within three minutes in the 40-degree Alaskan wind. Fill your personal thermos at the Lido buffet coffee station before heading up to the top viewing decks.

Lunch & Deck-Side Dining Traditions

To keep passengers on the open decks during the prime viewing hours, most major cruise lines set up pop-up food and beverage stations right next to the railings. This saves you a 10-minute round trip walk down to the buffet.

Holland America Line: HAL is famous for serving traditional Dutch Pea Soup (Erwtensoep) out on the bow and open decks. It is thick, rich, heavily laden with pork, and completely free.
Princess Cruises: You will find carts roaming the promenade and upper decks serving hot bouillon and hot chocolate. The basic hot chocolate is complimentary, but you can upgrade to a spiked version (usually with Baileys or Peppermint Schnapps) for about $10 to $12.

If you want a full meal, the Lido Deck buffet stays open all day. The best strategy is to grab a plate of hot food from the buffet and secure a window seat inside the Lido restaurant. The large floor-to-ceiling windows allow you to eat a warm lunch without missing the scenery. Just be aware that window tables are fiercely contested between 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM.

The One Exception: Gustavus & Glacier Bay Lodge

If you are sailing on a massive 3,000-passenger ship, you can skip this section. But if you are traveling on a small expedition vessel (like UnCruise Adventures or Alaskan Dream Cruises) or taking the Alaska Marine Highway ferry independently, you actually can eat on land near Glacier Bay.

The tiny community of Gustavus sits right near the entrance to the park. About 10 miles down the road from the Gustavus airport is Bartlett Cove, the only developed area in Glacier Bay National Park.

Fairweather Dining Room

Located inside the historic Glacier Bay Lodge at Bartlett Cove, the Fairweather Dining Room is the only actual restaurant within the park’s immediate vicinity.

Season: Open late May through early September.
The Vibe: Classic national park lodge dining with massive timber beams, a roaring stone fireplace, and an outdoor deck that looks right out over the water and the Fairweather Mountains.
The Food: Breakfast is standard hearty Alaskan fare (eggs, bacon, pancakes). Lunch features burgers and heavily stacked sandwiches, while dinner focuses on local, fresh-caught seafood like Dungeness crab and Alaskan halibut.
Prices: Expect to pay resort prices. Lunches average $18 to $25, and dinner entrees range from $35 to $50+.

Tips for Maximizing Glacier Viewing While Eating

Eat Off-Peak: The ship will spend about an hour doing a slow 360-degree spin in front of Margerie Glacier, usually between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM. Do not go to the buffet during this hour. Eat an early lunch at 11:00 AM or wait until 1:30 PM as the ship begins its exit.
Use the Secret Decks: The main pool deck and the top forward decks will be shoulder-to-shoulder. If you want a quiet place to eat your pizza or drink your hot coffee, walk to the aft (back) of the ship. The aft pool deck usually has tables, far less wind, and stunning views of the glaciers as the ship sails away.
Don’t Rely on the Main Dining Room: While the main dining room is typically open for lunch, sitting in the middle of a large room with limited windows means you will miss the calving ice. Stick to the Lido buffet, the outdoor grill, or the deck-side carts for this specific port day.