Alaska cruise question

We are booked next July on the Legend. Excursions have been available for a couple of months. I keep reading about a "small boat excursion" or something like that for the day going through Tracy Arm Fjord. I'm fairly illiterate when it comes to the inside and outs of Alaskan cruises so correct me if I'm understanding this wrong.

So, since you're not docked anywhere, how do you do this excursion? Also, I don't even see that day on the Carnival excursions listed under our booking. What am I missing? I'd love to be able to get closer to the glaciers!

The excursion boat will dock up to the cruise ship and tie up. They will tell you where to meet the morning of the excursion. On the web site, make sure you are logged in. Hit the 'manage' tab at the top, then hit 'my booking'. When you look at cruise details, there should be an excursion tab. It should be listed there. Some excursions aren't listed until closer to the cruise. Good luck.

The excursion boat will dock up to the cruise ship and tie up. They will tell you where to meet the morning of the excursion. On the web site, make sure you are logged in. Hit the 'manage' tab at the top, then hit 'my booking'. When you look at cruise details, there should be an excursion tab. It should be listed there. Some excursions aren't listed until closer to the cruise. Good luck.

Thank you for the explanation. I was thinking it may be something like that (hooking up right next to the ship.)

I am looking under 'manage my cruise' for the excursion - not there. Maybe it's just too early, like you mentioned. At the top, where you can look at excursions based on that particular day /destination, will there be a separate one for Tracy Arm?

Following, had the same question. On Legend in July also and sort of assumed it was to early to see.

I went on this. You get up extremely close to the glacier. I got some amazing pictures. I swear I could have jumped and swam to it we were so close. It was a lot of fun, and one of my favorite excursions. Its just like tendering...the boat just docks next to the ship. It is a three level boat and it goes pretty fast. You spend quite a bit of time at the glacier, then see some waterfalls. At the end we "chased" some whales and got to see a double breaching. It was a couple hours, and was worth the money in my opinion. It does get pretty cold though. I was wearing shorts and t-shirts most days on board, but I am glad I brought some winter gear along for this one.

I went on this. You get up extremely close to the glacier. I got some amazing pictures. I swear I could have jumped and swam to it we were so close. It was a lot of fun, and one of my favorite excursions. Its just like tendering...the boat just docks next to the ship. It is a three level boat and it goes pretty fast. You spend quite a bit of time at the glacier, then see some waterfalls. At the end we "chased" some whales and got to see a double breaching. It was a couple hours, and was worth the money in my opinion. It does get pretty cold though. I was wearing shorts and t-shirts most days on board, but I am glad I brought some winter gear along for this one.

Sounds amazing! How did you sign up? That's what I'm trying to figure out now. Was it through the ship? Did it show up as an Excursion on the Tracy Arm day?

I have tried emailing twice for this excursion. Each time they said that it was too early to book for June 2018. I really want to do this one. Been to Alaska three other times but did not know about this excursion

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We are booked next July on the Legend. Excursions have been available for a couple of months. I keep reading about a "small boat excursion" or something like that for the day going through Tracy Arm Fjord. I'm fairly illiterate when it comes to the inside and outs of Alaskan cruises so correct me if I'm understanding this wrong.

 

So, since you're not docked anywhere, how do you do this excursion? Also, I don't even see that day on the Carnival excursions listed under our booking. What am I missing? I'd love to be able to get closer to the glaciers!

A smaller boat (not a skiff or tender) will pick you up from the ship. DO IT! We did not, and I regret that decision. The people who did the excursion saw much more than we.

I read somewhere else that it's usually not posted on their site until after the 1st of the year. So you haven't missed it I'm sure. They just haven't listed it yet! You will probably read some negative reviews on it, but we loved it too. However, IF we had to drop one of our excursions, this would have been the one. Not that we did, just giving some perspective. We had a great time on the other things we did.

The Legend will get within a few miles (depending on the conditions), but the small boat will be within about 1/2 mile of it. So when the glacier calves, which it did about a dozen times while we were there, you will be rocking a bit in the boat. If you can do it, I would still recommend it for sure. And yes, you will also read that they may change from Tracy Arm to Endicott Arm, all depending on the ice conditions. When we went last year, I don't believe any ships got into Tracy Arm.

Splash! by Cindy, on Flickr

You also get up closer to things along the shore. So we got as close as possible to see the bears and waterfalls.

Untitled by Cindy, on Flickr

Black bear by Cindy, on Flickr

This is the boat that takes you there...

Tour boat by Cindy, on Flickr

We love this excursion! It's a bit pricey, but worth it. It is called something with "Explorer" in the title. When we booked it, it did show up under both of the port of call listings. The description included instructions to email for reservations. We watched for it to appear and booked the first day. It does sell out quickly; there were two or three boatloads with staggered times. It sold out within a couple days of being offered. It was not offered, onboard, for booking.

Recommend you watch your rollcall and the excursion pages for its appearance, closer in to time. Don't hesitate, if you want it. :D

OMG! This couldn't have come at a better time! I just saw it on our excursion, so sent an email as per instructions. But wow! $189 pp!!!!!

As to my other question, in case someone else needs to know, ours was under the Juneau AND the Skagway excursions, even though it isn't on that day.

Thanks everyone!!!!

One more question....since we don't do it through our booking on Carnival site, is it still considered a Carnival excursion? I'm wondering if I can use Carnival gift cards to pay for it.

Thanks so much for posting about this! Once you email them, how long does it take to hear back?

Thanks so much for posting about this! Once you email them, how long does it take to hear back?

I'll let you know when I hear anything.

Thank you!!!!

I heard back from them. They tell me they aren't taking reservations for 2018 yet. I kindly told them they shouldn't have it on our excursion list if they won't reserve... :rolleyes:

I'll keep trying!

One more question....since we don't do it through our booking on Carnival site, is it still considered a Carnival excursion? I'm wondering if I can use Carnival gift cards to pay for it.

Yes you can use a gift card to pay. You will not pay for this excursion until you are on board and it is added to you sign and sail total bill. I recommend the earlier time offered (11:30ish if I remember correctly), and make sure you bundle up.

We love this excursion! It's a bit pricey, but worth it. It is called something with "Explorer" in the title. When we booked it, it did show up under both of the port of call listings. The description included instructions to email for reservations. We watched for it to appear and booked the first day. It does sell out quickly; there were two or three boatloads with staggered times. It sold out within a couple days of being offered. It was not offered, onboard, for booking.

Recommend you watch your rollcall and the excursion pages for its appearance, closer in to time. Don't hesitate, if you want it. :D

There was only one boat when we did it in June, lasting maybe three hours. We had to book onboard. I did not see it as an offering online before the cruise.

Alaska is a trip of a lifetime!

It sounds like you are referring to the Tracy Arm Explorer excursion. This excursion can only be reserved by email with Carnival prior to the cruise because it typically sells out. The "Explorer" vessel picks you up from Carnival Legend without docking. You step off Legend onto the Explorer vessel. You may or may not get up close and personal to the glacier at the end of the excursion depending on the weather and ice jams present on your particular cruise.

IMO, this excursion is okay, but nothing compared to the Alaska experiences you enjoy on other cruise lines that offer 7 day Alaska cruises.

My recommendation is to do your research before you book your Alaska cruise. I've done 3 Alaska cruises on Norwegian, Princess, and Carnival. Princess offers the best glacier experiences. The "Explorer" excursion on Carnival does not even come close to what is available to you on Princess. And I'm a Carnival fan everywhere except Alaska.

We just did this excursion the first week of May this year and it was definitely worth it! The excursion will show up with the excursions for your other ports. You can’t book it online. You have to send an email to book it, and you get charged for it when you are on the ship. It sells out really fast.

The highlight of the excursion isn’t so much about how close you get to the glacier (which is awesome though), but more about the fantastic close-up views of the wildlife. We saw a humpback, bears, eagles, mountain goats, seals or sea lions (can’t remember which)...it was incredible. You can read about the excursion in my review (link in signature). Unfortunately you won’t be able to see the pictures, though, as Photobucket is holding my pictures hostage, and I refuse to pay the $500/year fee. I ended up not even finishing my review because I was so frustrated with them.

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