Phillips Cruises and Tours

What Phillips Cruises and Tours does

Phillips Cruises & Tours, LLC operates seasonal day-cruise excursions in Prince William Sound, Alaska, departing from Whittier. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Anchorage, the company runs a fleet of four high-speed catamarans — the M/V Klondike Express (332 passengers), M/V Bravest (284 passengers), M/V Glacier Quest (149 passengers), and M/V Chugach Express (149-150 passengers) — across two core routes: the flagship 26 Glacier Cruise (5.25 hours, 120 miles, 26 glaciers) and the Glacier Quest Cruise (3.75 hours, 45 miles, 10 glaciers). The company's technology differentiators include its No Seasickness Guarantee tied to the calm waters of western Prince William Sound, ADA-accessible vessels, and the premium M/Y Sound Endeavor luxury yacht expedition launched in 2019.

The business model is straightforward consumer tourism revenue: one-time ticket sales for day cruises ($169-$219 adult base fare), bundled Coach & Cruise and Rail & Cruise packages with Alaska Railroad and motorcoach partners ($268-$437 adult), private charters for weddings and corporate events, and onboard ancillary sales (gift shop, beverage, F&B). Distribution combines direct-to-consumer online booking via FareHarbor with a travel-agent affiliate program operating on standard wholesale commissions. Customer segments span international and domestic tourists, Alaska residents (served through the Klondike Club loyalty program), cruise ship passengers on shore excursions, and private-event groups. Marketing is omnichannel: owned website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TripAdvisor, and earned media partnerships with the Alaska Travel Industry Association, State of Alaska Tourism, and Visit Anchorage.

The company is privately held with no institutional investors, no disclosed revenue, and a stated core headcount of 1–10 supplemented by seasonal crews. Strategic positioning leans on 65+ years of brand heritage, a 12-consecutive-year TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award, and proximity of the Whittier departure point to Anchorage (approximately 60 miles) compared with alternatives at Seward or Valdez. The 2026 season (May–October) is currently open for booking, with active fleet expansion signals including the 2024 launch of the M/V Chugach Express and a 2024-2025 refit of the M/V Glacier Quest.

Name

Phillips Cruises and Tours

Legal name

Phillips Cruises & Tours, LLC

Website

https://phillipscruises.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Phillips Cruises & Tours operates seasonal glacier and wildlife day cruises in Prince William Sound, Alaska, from Whittier. It serves individual tourists, Alaska residents, cruise ship passengers, and private-event groups using a four-vessel high-speed catamaran fleet and ancillary Coach & Cruise and Rail & Cruise packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Tourism and Sightseeing Cruises

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Eco-Cruises & Small-Ship Nature Cruises (Expedition Cruising) (THAAAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (Under ~500 Guests) (THAEADAC), Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Glacier cruises
• Marine excursions
• Wilderness tours
• Wedding charters
• Sightseeing packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Akuse

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Day Cruise Tickets: Primary revenue from ticket sales for 26 Glacier Cruise and Glacier Quest Cruise departing from Whittier, Alaska. Pricing varies by cruise type and passenger age (adult/child)
2. Private Charters: Exclusive vessel charter service for weddings, corporate events, conferences, family reunions, and group travel. Morning and evening charter timeframes available May-September
3. Transportation Packages: Bundled packages combining cruise with coach service, Alaska Railroad rail service, or self-drive options from Anchorage and Girdwood to Whittier
4. Onboard Sales: Revenue from onboard gift shop, snack bar, specialty beverages (Glacier Ice Margarita, Klondike Cocoa, Alaskan Amber beer), and meal service beyond complimentary offerings

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Phillips Cruises & Tours, LLC operates high-speed catamaran cruises in Prince William Sound, Alaska, offering narrated glacier and wildlife viewing excursions from Whittier. The company sells day cruises, private charters, destination weddings, and combined coach/rail-and-cruise packages that bundle ground transportation with the boat tour.

Product overview

Phillips Cruises & Tours is a tour operator offering glacier and wildlife day cruises in Prince William Sound, Alaska, since 1958. The core portfolio consists of two main cruise products: the 26 Glacier Cruise (5.25-hour, 120-mile full-day experience visiting 26 named glaciers) and the Glacier Quest Cruise (3.75-hour, 45-mile family-focused cruise to Blackstone Bay with 10 glaciers). These depart from Whittier aboard a fleet of four high-speed catamarans. Add-on transportation packages include Coach & Cruise and Rail & Cruise options. The company also operates the premium M/Y Sound Endeavor luxury yacht charter (launched 2019) and offers Private Charter services for events and weddings. A Klondike Club loyalty program provides Alaska resident discounts. All cruises feature complimentary meals, professional narration, and a no-seasickness guarantee on the calm waters of Prince William Sound.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 26 Glacier Cruise: A 5.25-hour, 120-mile cruise exploring Port Wells, Esther Passage, College Fjord, and Harriman Fjord with views of 26 glaciers in Prince William Sound.
• Glacier Quest Cruise
• Sound Endeavor

Products and services

• 26 Glacier Cruise

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationFareHarbor is the primary booking platform for Phillips Cruises & Tours. The company transitioned to FareHarbor to provide better booking experiences for guests and travel industry partners. FareHarbor handles the affiliate program for travel agents and direct consumer bookings.
• All American MarinecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAll American Marine in Bellingham, Washington built the M/V Chugach Express, a high-speed eco-tour catamaran that began operating in summer 2024. The vessel was designed specifically for Phillips Cruises & Tours with top-of-the-line amenities.
• Alaska RailroadcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlaska Railroad provides Glacier Discovery Train service from Anchorage and Girdwood to Whittier for Rail & Cruise package customers. The partnership enables visitors to travel through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel via rail.
• Alaska Travel Industry AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhillips Cruises works with the Alaska Travel Industry Association to host freelance and staff journalists on assignment writing for travel-focused publications.
• State of Alaska TourismminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with State of Alaska Tourism for media hosting and tourism promotion activities.
• Visit AnchorageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with Visit Anchorage for media credentials and itinerary assistance for journalists visiting the Anchorage area.
• Chugach National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhillips Cruises operates within Chugach National Forest waters. Cruises include Chugach National Forest Service Ranger narration on certain departures, providing educational commentary about the forest, glaciers, and wildlife.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hurtigruten: Norwegian-headquartered expedition and coastal voyage cruise line with Alaska expedition product. Competes for the small-ship expedition segment that Phillips' M/Y Sound Endeavor and catamaran fleet serve.
• Lindblad Expeditions: National Geographic-partnered expedition cruise company operating globally including Alaska itineraries. Much larger and broader portfolio, but overlaps with Phillips in small-ship nature-interpretation cruising and glacier/wildlife programming.
• Princess Cruises: Large mainstream cruise line with significant Alaska itinerary volume including Whittier calls. Functions as a major indirect demand source for Phillips' day cruises via cruise-ship shore excursions.
• Holland America Line: Major cruise line that regularly calls at Whittier, Alaska — a key feeder channel for Phillips' shore-excursion business. Not a direct day-cruise competitor but is a critical customer/partner and shapes Whittier traffic dynamics.

Direct peers

• UnCruise Adventures: Small-ship expedition cruise line operating multi-day itineraries in Alaska's Inside Passage and Prince William Sound. Overlaps with Phillips' small-ship, nature-narration product philosophy at the higher-spend, multi-day end of the market.
• Alaskan Dream Cruises: Small-ship Alaska cruise operator running expedition itineraries through Southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound. Comparable small-ship expedition positioning and Alaska nature-tourism customer base.
• Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Cruises: Valdez-based day cruise operator running M/V Lu-Lu Belle and the larger M/V Stan Stephens to Prince William Sound glaciers (Columbia Bay, Meares Glacier). A direct substitute for Phillips within the same sound on a different departure route.
• Kenai Fjords Tours: Day cruise operator out of Seward, Alaska offering glacier and wildlife tours in Kenai Fjords National Park. Directly comparable day-cruise product, package structure, and target customer (Anchorage-based tourists and cruise ship passengers).
• Major Marine Tours: Operates glacier and wildlife day cruises from Seward, Alaska (Kenai Fjords National Park) — the closest direct substitute for Phillips' Prince William Sound product. Competes for the same Southcentral Alaska tourist and cruise-ship shore-excursion demand.

Others

• AdventureSmith Explorations: Specialty expedition travel aggregator and operator offering small-ship Alaska cruises including Prince William Sound. Adjacent competitor and potential channel partner; comparable customer profile but not a direct operator of identical routes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@phillipscruisesandtours
• Facebookfacebook.com/26glaciers
• Instagraminstagram.com/26glaciers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Phillips Cruises and Tours