The best part of my trip to Alaska was a $189 glacier cruise with a no-seasickness guarantee. I tota

• I visited Alaska last summer, and the trip's highlight was the Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Cruise.
• On the cruise, I saw waterfalls, glaciers, otters, whales, and birds.
• I also got up close to multiple glaciers, which were even more stunning in person.

A trip to Alaska is a bucket list trip for many people, including myself. 

Last summer, I finally visited the state and stopped in Anchorage, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks. I loved each place I visited, but the true highlight of the trip was a glacier tour that left out of Whittier. 

Here's what my day on the Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Cruise was like and why I'd totally do it again. 

To get to the tour, I took a scenic train ride from Anchorage to Whittier.

The glacier tour took off from Whittier, about an hour and a half south of where I was staying in Anchorage. To get from Anchorage to Whittier, I took the Alaska Railroad train. 

The ride was about two and a half hours and it was a great way to see some of the sights of the Last Frontier through large open windows. I liked that I was actually able to enjoy the scenery without having to focus on driving down winding roads. 

The weather in Whittier wasn't great during our visit, so I was concerned about what we would be able to see on the tour.

After arriving in Whittier, I noticed that the weather was overcast and rainy. I was concerned about what we would be able to see on the cruise with the not-so-ideal conditions. 

Still, I was excited as I boarded the glacier cruise boat for a day of cruising around Prince William Sound, located on the south coast of Alaska. 

The boat didn't look that big from the outside, but there was plenty of room for every group to have their own space on board.

Each party got its own table with a set of chairs. Some tables were in the middle of the room and others flanked the windows. The window seats were highly coveted, and I was lucky to get one with the rest of my group. 

Every table came with a complimentary guide that included information on the glaciers the boat was going to pass by, what animals we might see, and the history of the cruise company. 

We also received complimentary hot drinks like coffee and tea, water, and a small lunch. There were also local beers and mixed drinks for purchase. I tried a Glacier Brewhouse blonde ale, which was light with some citrus notes. 

Early on, the crew and captain reminded us of the ship's no-seasickness guarantee.

After everyone got settled in, the captain and crew reminded everyone that the cruise has a no-seasickness guarantee, meaning that if you felt sick during the trip you would get your money back. 

I've done multiple ocean-liner and small river cruises, and have gotten sick on both, so I was hoping this guarantee meant I would feel OK on this cruise. Fortunately, after six hours of cruising — constantly picking up speed and slowing down — I never got sick. I was able to completely enjoy the experience. 

After setting sail, it took us about 45 minutes to get to the first glacier viewing point.

During the 45 minutes it took to get to the first glacier, the captain and a Chugach National Forest Service ranger were looking out for wildlife and telling passengers where to look to see otters, whales, and birds. 

The ranger also took time to answer questions and talk about the unique ecosystem of Prince William Sound. He was very knowledgeable about Alaska, glaciers, and wildlife, which only added to the overall experience. 

The further away from the port we rode, the better the weather seemed to get. It never got sunny, but the rain let up and the fog lifted so we could see incredible views from inside or on the observation decks. 

For the next few hours, the captain took the boat to multiple glaciers.

The calm waters allowed the captain to go through the Esther Passage, the College Fjord, and Port Wells so we could see all 26 glaciers as promised in the tour's name.

The glaciers were huge, with bright-white and sky-blue ice forming jagged edges that jutted out from the cold water below. Some glaciers were bigger than others, but all of them were beautiful to look at. 

We were able to view glaciers no matter where we were standing on the observation deck.

The boat had two observation decks, and the captain would rotate the ship so both sides got a great view. This was also helpful for those who remained inside the boat to stay warm but wanted to see everything. 

The highlight of the tour was watching glaciers calving.

Calving is when large chunks of ice fall off or break off of the edge of a glacier. The captain and ranger both said this was extremely rare to see, but our cruise was very lucky to watch two glaciers calving during our trip. 

When this happened, I heard a thunderous noise that sounded like a train passing by then saw ice crash into the water in a big cannonball-like splash. 

Near the end of the cruise, we passed by a few waterfalls.

As the boat was heading back to the dock, the captain stopped at a few towering waterfalls. The majestic falls were surrounded by lush greenery, and the water fell into the icy blue waters below. 

I appreciated that the captain made a point to showcase more of the natural beauty of the area. 

I would do this glacier cruise again if I go back to Alaska.

Before the cruise, I was a bit skeptical about what I would see and what the experience would be like for $189. 

After I got off the boat and continued to travel through Alaska, I couldn't stop telling people how great the experience was. 

I loved that the captain was always on the lookout for wildlife and that the ranger could tell the group fun facts about each animal. I also enjoyed spending a decent amount of time at each glacier, which meant everyone on board got the chance to see them without feeling rushed. The fact that two glaciers calved near us made the experience even more memorable. 

Even today, when friends or family ask me how the trip was, I say that the glacier cruise was the highlight of it.

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