Tracy Arms

[luvdsny]

We are sailing on NCL Star and read about this shore excursion. All the reviews said it's a must do. Can anyone tell me about it?

I also read it may not be available in September we are sailing the second week of September and would like to do this cruise excursion.

Any helpful hints would be great. :)

[SeattleCruiselover]

We are sailing on NCL Star and read about this shore excursion. All the reviews said it's a must do. Can anyone tell me about it?

I also read it may not be available in September we are sailing the second week of September and would like to do this cruise excursion.

Any helpful hints would be great. :)

 

I can tell you that it is not available on the 25th, but might still be available when you go. Go to your NCL sign in and check under your shore excursions listings. It should be listed under Juneau IIRC.

[chipmaster]

I believe there are several options for Tracy Arm, the longer ones that are round trip from Juneau. These likely only work if you have a full 12 hours in port. I believe Allen Marine run these. Also there are the ones offered ONLY thru the cruiselines that either depart from the ship ( while in Tracy Arm ) and you meet back up with the ship in Juneau or vice versa, these run 5 hours or so.

 

The advantage of the smaller boat is when the ice flows are heavier you can get a bit closer to the Tracy Arm Glacier. Also during the trip the smaller excursion ship will weave back and forth to get you close to wildlife, icebergs, waterfalls and the cliffs.

 

Worth it, the only downside its a long boat ride and you likely will miss a nice meal on the ship and only get snacks and some complimentary drinks and stuff on the small excursion boat. Find attached a few pictures from this excursion thru Princess.

 

We are sailing on NCL Star and read about this shore excursion. All the reviews said it's a must do. Can anyone tell me about it?

I also read it may not be available in September we are sailing the second week of September and would like to do this cruise excursion.

Any helpful hints would be great. :)

[Budget Queen]

It is doubtful, this add on tour will be available to you. These boats probably want to return back to Juneau in mostly daylight. I would contact Allen Marine directly and inquire what their NCL schedule is this year.

 

I am one to highly recommend this add on, and do feel it is "necessary", if you truely want the most out of this transit (it is Tracy Arm, single). It is way superior for wildlife viewing and close up glacier access and increased time viewing. I put together this photo sample to further describe it. The cruise ship, was the closest it got to the glacier. http://community.webshots.com/user/budgetqueen

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Is it available mid-June? We're planning to book mid-June and I read about this and would love to do it.

 

Thanks!

[luvdsny]

Thanks everyone for the reply's and photos! The pictures are breathtaking! Have any of you been to Mendenhall Glacier? That's our next excursion if Tracy Arms is booked or not available.

[wwinfl91]

Mendenhall Glacier is an easy trip from town. There is even a public bus but there is a special bus that costs like $15 round trip. The glacier itself is not as spectacular as the ones that you would see in Glacier Bay or places where the glaciers come down to the ocean but seeing it across the "lake?" is quite a site and the visitors center has a lot of info on glaciers to see and learn.

 

have a great next cruise.

[Budget Queen]

Is it available mid-June? We're planning to book mid-June and I read about this and would love to do it.

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, make sure your chosen ship offer the add on tour. It used to be only NCL, this season, I believe they all ran it??

[Budget Queen]

Thanks everyone for the reply's and photos! The pictures are breathtaking! Have any of you been to Mendenhall Glacier? That's our next excursion if Tracy Arms is booked or not available.

 

Yes, I have been to Mendenhall many times. For me, it's a "fill in", for my time, not a priority. It's a pretty ordinary glacier, with the viewing access being the strong point. On a "glacier scale" in my opinion, it's way down the pole. :)

 

It is gotten to very easily, for $14 round trip from dock shuttles.

[chipmaster]

Mendehalll is an enjoyable excursion, if weather is good nice hike to nugget falls makes for beautiful view, not like seeing a huge glacier from the water but still very nice! I'd not call it a backup, do it regardless of going to Tracy Arm, might be worth doing the whale watch / Mendenhall combo.

 

Thanks everyone for the reply's and photos! The pictures are breathtaking! Have any of you been to Mendenhall Glacier? That's our next excursion if Tracy Arms is booked or not available.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Is it available mid-June? We're planning to book mid-June and I read about this and would love to do it.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hoping someone can answer this...??

 

We'll be booking in the next few days and we'll move the date to later in the season if it makes a difference.

 

Also, does this tour book up really fast? I'd hate to get the cruise booked only to find out this isn't an option--it's a high priority for us since we're looking at a round trip out of Seattle (on our last cruise, we did a glacier tour before we boarded :)).

 

Thanks!

[chipmaster]

On our cruise it was a very lightly participated excursion. I think many on board weren't aware of the excursion as it was difficult to find in the tours list on Princess. I had to look hard to find it on the cruise personalizer.

 

FWIW you can always book and cancel once you are on the ship. At least with Princess you could cancel up to something like 36-48 hours before the day of the exursion.

 

Hoping someone can answer this...??

 

We'll be booking in the next few days and we'll move the date to later in the season if it makes a difference.

 

Also, does this tour book up really fast? I'd hate to get the cruise booked only to find out this isn't an option--it's a high priority for us since we're looking at a round trip out of Seattle (on our last cruise, we did a glacier tour before we boarded :)).

 

Thanks!

[vbmom87]

Hoping someone can answer this...??

 

We'll be booking in the next few days and we'll move the date to later in the season if it makes a difference.

 

Also, does this tour book up really fast? I'd hate to get the cruise booked only to find out this isn't an option--it's a high priority for us since we're looking at a round trip out of Seattle (on our last cruise, we did a glacier tour before we boarded :)).

 

Thanks!

 

Just call your cruiseline and ask if it is being offered on your cruise date. I can't imagine it not being offered in June.

 

I have read of some people being disappointed that the tour was booked and they weren't able to go on it.

 

I agree with chipmaster, just go ahead and book it early on. Be aware of the cancellation policy and cancel if you change your mind.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Thank you, vbmom and chipmaster. I plan to book this tour (yes, it's being offered on the cruises we're deciding between) as soon as I book the cruise, but was worried I'd get the cruise booked and then find out the tour was sold out. Sounds like I'm being a little too paranoid. :o

 

My question about if it's available in June wasn't asked very clearly. Sorry about that. I've read that sometimes early in the season even the small boats can't get very close to the glaciers. But, we've cruised Alaska only in August, so I have no experience doing this in June and am not sure what differences to expect.

 

Thanks for your help! :)

[vbmom87]

 

My question about if it's available in June wasn't asked very clearly. Sorry about that. I've read that sometimes early in the season even the small boats can't get very close to the glaciers. But, we've cruised Alaska only in August, so I have no experience doing this in June and am not sure what differences to expect.

 

Thanks for your help! :)

 

This question no one can answer for you. Conditions will vary and you just won't now until you get there. I took this tour on June 18, 2008 with Adventure Bound. We were able to get VERY CLOSE to one of the two Sawyer Glaciers. We were told it was too icy to get to the other one. We did see it from a distance, just couldn't get up close and personal. From all my reading, it is rare for the small boat tours to not be able to get to at least one glacier. I hope it all works out for you and the excursion is all you hoped it would be. For me, it was more than I expected.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

This question no one can answer for you. Conditions will vary and you just won't now until you get there. I took this tour on June 18, 2008 with Adventure Bound. We were able to get VERY CLOSE to one of the two Sawyer Glaciers. We were told it was too icy to get to the other one. We did see it from a distance, just couldn't get up close and personal. From all my reading, it is rare for the small boat tours to not be able to get to at least one glacier. I hope it all works out for you and the excursion is all you hoped it would be. For me, it was more than I expected.

 

Thanks so much! :)

[Tafky]

Just got back from HAL cruisetour#7. We took the Tracy Arm excursion on the catamaran ( Allen Marine) It was amazing. They picked us up off the Volendam and we continued on into the fjord. Got within 1/4 mile of both North and South Sawyer glaciers. Saw all kinds of sealife, and amazing calving(sp) of the glaciers. It was cold and raining, but could not get my dh to come in out of the rain, so I joined him out on the upper deck. Hung on for dear life on trip back to Juneau where we joined up with our ship. Yes we missed a meal, but believe me it was worth it. I've got some fantastic pics. It got pretty rough in Stephens Strait. Just amazing. :D:D:):)

[vbmom87]

Just got back from HAL cruisetour#7. We took the Tracy Arm excursion on the catamaran ( Allen Marine) It was amazing. They picked us up off the Volendam and we continued on into the fjord. Got within 1/4 mile of both North and South Sawyer glaciers. Saw all kinds of sealife, and amazing calving(sp) of the glaciers. It was cold and raining, but could not get my dh to come in out of the rain, so I joined him out on the upper deck. Hung on for dear life on trip back to Juneau where we joined up with our ship. Yes we missed a meal, but believe me it was worth it. I've got some fantastic pics. It got pretty rough in Stephens Strait. Just amazing. :D:D:):)

 

So happy to hear first hand information as to how this tour is working from the ship. I am so happy to hear that other cruiselines are now offering this excursion. At one time it was only NCL. I am guessing that Allen Marine has purchased some extra catamarans.

 

About how many people does the the Allen Marine catamaran hold?

 

What was the cost of this excursion?

 

How many hours is this tour?

[Kiera99]

Just got back from HAL cruisetour#7. We took the Tracy Arm excursion on the catamaran ( Allen Marine) It was amazing. They picked us up off the Volendam and we continued on into the fjord.

 

Why is it necessary to go on an excursion to sail Tracy Arm Fjord? Doesn't the Volendam go into the Tracy Arm Fjord? I was on the Infinity recently and our ship went past a cruise ship and sailed right up close to Sawyer Glacier. It took a couple of hours to do this. Our Captain took us real deep and up close to the glacier. After we left the Tracy Arm Fjord, we saw the Volendam still at the mouth of the fjord. We had sailed by the catamaran. We were curious as to weather the ship sailed into the fjord or not.

[Budget Queen]

Just got back from HAL cruisetour#7. We took the Tracy Arm excursion on the catamaran ( Allen Marine) It was amazing. They picked us up off the Volendam and we continued on into the fjord.

 

Why is it necessary to go on an excursion to sail Tracy Arm Fjord? Doesn't the Volendam go into the Tracy Arm Fjord? I was on the Infinity recently and our ship went past a cruise ship and sailed right up close to Sawyer Glacier. It took a couple of hours to do this. Our Captain took us real deep and up close to the glacier. After we left the Tracy Arm Fjord, we saw the Volendam still at the mouth of the fjord. We had sailed by the catamaran. We were curious as to weather the ship sailed into the fjord or not.

 

The boat tours, ALWAYS get a better look at the glaciers compared to a cruise ship sailing. You also do not get near the wildlife looks either.

 

Certainly, many are very happy with the cruiseship transit. But it is definately enhanced when you go with the boat tours.

[vbmom87]

Why is it necessary to go on an excursion to sail Tracy Arm Fjord? Doesn't the Volendam go into the Tracy Arm Fjord? I was on the Infinity recently and our ship went past a cruise ship and sailed right up close to Sawyer Glacier. It took a couple of hours to do this. Our Captain took us real deep and up close to the glacier. After we left the Tracy Arm Fjord, we saw the Volendam still at the mouth of the fjord. We had sailed by the catamaran. We were curious as to weather the ship sailed into the fjord or not.

 

There have been reports of some of the HAL ships with Tracy Arm on the itinerary not making into the fjord this year. Seems to be some confusion as to why not, however, I have read passengers were told it had to do with the tides in Seymour Narrows and the resulting time they get to the fjord. All I know is I would be disappointed if Tracy Arm was on my itinerary, but I did not get to cruise it.

[CruiseCoot]

Allen Marine's website indicates that if Tracy Arm is not accessible they will go to Endicott Arm instead. They claim that it has "equal beauty". Has anybody ever seen Endicott Arm and, if so, can you comment on how it compares to Tracy Arm?

[vbmom87]

Allen Marine's website indicates that if Tracy Arm is not accessible they will go to Endicott Arm instead. They claim that it has "equal beauty". Has anybody ever seen Endicott Arm and, if so, can you comment on how it compares to Tracy Arm?

 

Read post #2 on this thread regarding Endicott:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=21057858&highlight=endicott#post21057858

[Budget Queen]

Allen Marine's website indicates that if Tracy Arm is not accessible they will go to Endicott Arm instead. They claim that it has "equal beauty". Has anybody ever seen Endicott Arm and, if so, can you comment on how it compares to Tracy Arm?

 

I have been to both, sorry, in no way are they comparable. Tracy Arm is superior. The transit of Tracy Arm is 30 miles, Endicott is much shorter, and wider. Way down the "scale" for me.

[Kiera99]

"There have been reports of some of the HAL ships with Tracy Arm on the itinerary not making into the fjord this year. Seems to be some confusion as to why not, however, I have read passengers were told it had to do with the tides in Seymour Narrows and the resulting time they get to the fjord. All I know is I would be disappointed if Tracy Arm was on my itinerary, but I did not get to cruise it."

 

Thanks vbmom87, now I understand what I saw. We were on the top deck of our cruise ship, when we saw this other HAL cruise ship. We assumed they were waiting for us to leave Tracy Arm, so they could enter. However, the

HAL cruise ship followed us out of the fjord. The ship never attempted to enter it. However, we did see smaller catamarans go by us.

'Disappointed' is way too mild a word to use, If I missed the wonderful Tracy Arm Fjord and it was on my itinerary, I would be furious and very upset!