Mendenhall Glacier from Juneau: ship excursion or on your own?
Booking Mendenhall Glacier independently from Juneau saves about $67 per person compared with NCL's excursion (Carnival $186, NCL $266 vs $199 independent, November 2026). Safety for going on your own: 5/5. Be back at the pier 60 minutes before departure. Carnival's own excursion is cheaper than booking independently.
What ships sell
- Carnival: 10 excursions that include Mendenhall Glacier, median $186 per adult, e.g. "Mendenhall Glacier & Gol".
- NCL: 13 excursions that include Mendenhall Glacier, median $266 per adult, e.g. "Mendenhall Glacier & Wha".
Ship excursions that include Mendenhall Glacier often bundle other stops or lunch, so compare what each tour includes. NCL prices were read from NCL's European website in euros on 2026-11-02 and converted at the ECB reference rate of 1 EUR = 1.1172 USD (2026-10-30). NCL's US site may show slightly different dollar prices.
Independent Mendenhall Glacier tours we compared
- Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier Waterfall & Whale Watching Tour · $199 · 4.7★ (413 reviews)
- Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watching Tour · $185 · 4.7★ (235 reviews)
- Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip · $230 · 4.8★ (146 reviews)
- Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour · $377 · 5.0★ (38 reviews)
- Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier E-Bike Tour · $182 · 5.0★ (9 reviews)
See all Mendenhall Glacier tours
Getting back to the ship
Ships here dock alongside. All-aboard is normally 30 minutes before departure on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and MSC (check your daily planner). Plan to be back at the pier at least 60 minutes before the ship sails.
- Mendenhall Glacier is a short ride from the pier, so the return is easy to plan.
Questions
How much is the Mendenhall Glacier excursion from Juneau on Carnival?
Carnival's Mendenhall Glacier excursions start at a median of $186 per adult (10 options, $108 to $460).
How much is the Mendenhall Glacier excursion from Juneau on NCL?
NCL's Mendenhall Glacier excursions start at a median of $266 per adult (13 options, $89 to $759), converted from €238.
Can you visit Mendenhall Glacier on your own from the Juneau cruise port?
Yes. Independent tours cost a median of $199 per person (5 tours compared, from $182). It is close to the pier, so even a taxi works if you keep an eye on the time.
Is it cheaper to book Mendenhall Glacier independently?
Usually: the gap is about $67 per person, or $269 for a family of four, against NCL's price.
Best Juneau excursions · All Juneau excursion prices · Carnival in Juneau · NCL in Juneau