Tracy Arm Fjord Updates

Sailing in three weeks on Emerald Princess and would like to know if any ships have gotten to the glacier or close enough for good viewing. We are trying to decide whether or not to stay on the ship or get on the catamaran.

Thanks

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We bought the catamaran tickets before we boarded. On the ticket, they said if Tracy Arm was filled with ice, we’d explore EndicottArm instead. And that’s what we did. We don’t regret our decision. Because we got very close to Dawes Glacier. We also saw several whales and one that breached several times. This wasn’t a wilderness cruise. We just got lucky. Tracy arm cruise was six hours long, and didn’t include lunch. But they had food for sale.

Emerald princess has a shop with some really good books on the same deck as the guest deck and club class dining. Also, the catamaran cruise sold some of the same books.

They had puppies in the piazza on port days. And, I saw some adorable photos for sale later. As well as one lecture on how global warming affects wildlife.

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We have done this cruise many times and I highly recommend that you take the small boat excursion when you go into Tracy Arm or Enicott Arm. If you do go up Tracy Arm the ship will turn around at Sawyer Island, you'll still be a long ways away from Sawyer Glacier. I've been watching the ships this last week and none of the cruise ships are gong up Tracy Arm yet, they've all been going up Enicott Arm to Dawes Glacier, which is still a nice experience. It's even better from a small boat they can get up very lose to the Glacier. We are going on the Emerald on June 10th and have tickets for the small boat excursion, it's well worth the expense.

Randy

If you have the time go with Adventure Bound. It is 8:30 to 6 though. It was our favorite excursion[

If you have the time go with Adventure Bound. It is 8:30 to 6 though. It was our favorite excursion[

The Emerald Princess gets in to late, 2:30pm to do the Adventure Bound excursion.

We have done this cruise many times and I highly recommend that you take the small boat excursion when you go into Tracy Arm or Enicott Arm. If you do go up Tracy Arm the ship will turn around at Sawyer Island, you'll still be a long ways away from Sawyer Glacier. I've been watching the ships this last week and none of the cruise ships are gong up Tracy Arm yet, they've all been going up Enicott Arm to Dawes Glacier, which is still a nice experience. It's even better from a small boat they can get up very lose to the Glacier. We are going on the Emerald on June 10th and have tickets for the small boat excursion, it's well worth the expense.

Randy

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We bought the catamaran tickets before we boarded. On the ticket, they said if Tracy Arm was filled with ice, we’d explore EndicottArm instead. And that’s what we did. We don’t regret our decision. Because we got very close to Dawes Glacier. We also saw several whales and one that breached several times. This wasn’t a wilderness cruise. We just got lucky. Tracy arm cruise was six hours long, and didn’t include lunch. But they had food for sale.

 

Emerald princess has a shop with some really good books on the same deck as the guest deck and club class dining. Also, the catamaran cruise sold some of the same books.

 

They had puppies in the piazza on port days. And, I saw some adorable photos for sale later. As well as one lecture on how global warming affects wildlife.

 

 

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Thank you! Wishing you a wonderful cruise. We leave on June 24th. 1st Alaska Cruise for us.

 

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We are on your same cruise....... hope you have joined our roll call. I can hardly wait. Going to be 108 degrees this week and 110 next Saturday so a break from the summer heat is much anticipated.

So I've posted these 2 pictures on another thread to show the difference between being on the cruise ship and the catamaran. It really is amazing to be so close, when the glacier calves, it rocks the boat. It was so much fun! Oh, this was on Carnival cruises, but probably the same thing that Princess does.

Dawes Glacier from the catamaran

And Dawes Glacier from the cruise ship

Yep, I'm the CC person who asked and those two pix made me book it. Thanks, kctwinmommy!

Yep, I'm the CC person who asked and those two pix made me book it. Thanks, kctwinmommy!

DH and I did this excursion on our first Alaska cruise in 2006, and we're really excited to be going again.

So I've posted these 2 pictures on another thread to show the difference between being on the cruise ship and the catamaran. It really is amazing to be so close, when the glacier calves, it rocks the boat. It was so much fun! Oh, this was on Carnival cruises, but probably the same thing that Princess does.

 

 

 

Dawes Glacier from the catamaran

 

 

 

And Dawes Glacier from the cruise ship

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Glad I could help! And for some, depending on other excursions they're doing, they may want to skip it. We did a Glacier Safari tour, which allowed us to walk on the bottom of the glacier, where it was meeting the ground. And then we did a helicopter ride onto Mendenhall, which was totally different too, and loved it. But this was our only chance to see them calving and it's really so cool. I know they say sometimes the cruise ship gets a little closer, but it's still definitely not the same experience. Enjoy it!!

So if I choose to do this tour, what would one do in Juneau? We have the Evening dinner and whale watch booked already and would probably need to cancel this one to do the Tracy Arm. We have been to Mendenhal glacier before on a previous cruise. So I guess I am wondering if it is easy enough to walk into town and what would you find and do ?

Son was just down there today and was able to get to the face of Sawyer. A good amount of calving during the trip. Saw bears and an Orca in the fjord.

Papercuts,

You could visit the State Museum which reopened a couple years back and is really nice. The Tram is always enjoyable and you can get a little hiking in too. There is a new Whale Sculpture and fountain down near the Douglas Bridge if you are up for a little walk. Really neat to see the life size perspective out of the water of a humpback whale. Of course there is shopping if that appeals to you. There is a walking tour of Juneau also but I have not done it personally. Walking by the Capitol Building and then the Governor's Mansion are nice to see as well.

Jules

Yep, I'm the CC person who asked and those two pix made me book it. Thanks, kctwinmommy!

My husband and I are going on the Explorer of the Seas in August this year. Who did you book this catamaran excursion with?

Traci

Sailing in three weeks on Emerald Princess and would like to know if any ships have gotten to the glacier or close enough for good viewing. We are trying to decide whether or not to stay on the ship or get on the catamaran.

Thanks

 

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Just returned Tues from Carnival Legend AK sailing. We were scheduled for TAF last Thurs May 31, but there were too many icebergs so we had to go up Endicott to Dawes glacier instead. It was beautiful. We booked the excursion that Carnival offered, and It was an amazing experience. I dont know who the tour operator was, but they did 2 rounds of the excursion. The early group transferred from ship to boat when we entered the fjord, and then they met the ship and swapped groups at the glacier end. Group 2 rode the excursion boat back out to the opening and boarded the ship there. So both groups got one way through the fjord by ship, up close glacier time on the excursion boat, and one way through the fjord by excursion boat. The scenery was spectacular, and we saw seals, bears, mountain goats, and a whale. I think this was my favorite excursion because it was so surreal to be that close to the glacier, feeling

the cold air off it, hearing the thundrous cracking before it calved, and to have the boat weaving through the blue icebergs. If you plan to stay on deck to take photos when the boat is motoring, wear ample layers as the apparent wind is quite cold off the water. I hope your trip is as memorabe as ours was.

Just returned Tues from Carnival Legend AK sailing. We were scheduled for TAF last Thurs May 31, but there were too many icebergs so we had to go up Endicott to Dawes glacier instead. It was beautiful. We booked the excursion that Carnival offered, and It was an amazing experience. I dont know who the tour operator was, but they did 2 rounds of the excursion. The early group transferred from ship to boat when we entered the fjord, and then they met the ship and swapped groups at the glacier end. Group 2 rode the excursion boat back out to the opening and boarded the ship there. So both groups got one way through the fjord by ship, up close glacier time on the excursion boat, and one way through the fjord by excursion boat. The scenery was spectacular, and we saw seals, bears, mountain goats, and a whale. I think this was my favorite excursion because it was so surreal to be that close to the glacier, feeling

the cold air off it, hearing the thundrous cracking before it calved, and to have the boat weaving through the blue icebergs. If you plan to stay on deck to take photos when the boat is motoring, wear ample layers as the apparent wind is quite cold off the water. I hope your trip is as memorabe as ours was.

Pictures to share? Sounds amazing! Can’t wait!

Just returned Tues from Carnival Legend AK sailing. We were scheduled for TAF last Thurs May 31, but there were too many icebergs so we had to go up Endicott to Dawes glacier instead. It was beautiful. We booked the excursion that Carnival offered, and It was an amazing experience. I dont know who the tour operator was, but they did 2 rounds of the excursion. The early group transferred from ship to boat when we entered the fjord, and then they met the ship and swapped groups at the glacier end. Group 2 rode the excursion boat back out to the opening and boarded the ship there. So both groups got one way through the fjord by ship, up close glacier time on the excursion boat, and one way through the fjord by excursion boat. The scenery was spectacular, and we saw seals, bears, mountain goats, and a whale. I think this was my favorite excursion because it was so surreal to be that close to the glacier, feeling

the cold air off it, hearing the thundrous cracking before it calved, and to have the boat weaving through the blue icebergs. If you plan to stay on deck to take photos when the boat is motoring, wear ample layers as the apparent wind is quite cold off the water. I hope your trip is as memorabe as ours was.

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Following...Deciding whether or not to do the Tracy Arm small boat excursion. How many people are on the small boat for the TAF excursion? HAL has one that picks you up from the ships then drops you off in Juneau wondering if it is worth the price. TIA

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Sailed the May 21, 2018 Disney Wonder and booked the small boat excursion in Endicott Arm. Amazing to see and hear the calving...and even saw a shoreside bear on our trip back to the ship. Well worth the money...wonderful experience!

Following...Deciding whether or not to do the Tracy Arm small boat excursion. How many people are on the small boat for the TAF excursion? HAL has one that picks you up from the ships then drops you off in Juneau wondering if it is worth the price. TIA

 

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I planned my upcoming cruise around this excursion. We are going on HAL in August. Are you still "working" on your husband? Lol I think I read that the boat holds approx. 25 people.

I planned my upcoming cruise around this excursion. We are going on HAL in August. Are you still "working" on your husband? Lol I think I read that the boat holds approx. 25 people.

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