Tracy Arms or White Pass Rail

[luvdsny]

We are looking at the Tracy Arms excursion in Juneau and the White Pass Railway in Skagway. I'm wondering if anyone has done both of these?

I'd like to try and choose one of the other due to prices. Considered doing Mendanhall Glacier rather than Tracy Arms. Then I wondered if we are doing an inside passage on NCL will we go through Tracy Arms on the boat?

Any advise or suggestions would be great.

Thanks! :)

[chipmaster]

You like want to see mountain passes and steep ravines and learn a little gold rush history then its the Rail. Did this 10 years ago, won't ever do it again but worth doing once for me.

 

Want to see beautfiul waterfalls and narrow fjords and icebergs and glacier a bit closer then you will on the cruise ship, then it is the Tracy Arm Excursion. Did this this time, and if I ever go to Tracy Arm again, would do it again and again. Wouldn't do it as a all day roundtrip from Juneau but 5 hour excursion where I'd still get time in Juneau for something else no question would do it again.

 

Mendenhall is nice but not the same as Sawyer Glacier if you get close and packed with ice, just very different. From the ship you won't get as close unless very luck and you simply won't get as much time cruising up close at waterline to the icebergs, wildlife ( again if lucky ) and waterfalls.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

We are looking at the Tracy Arms excursion in Juneau and the White Pass Railway in Skagway. I'm wondering if anyone has done both of these?

I'd like to try and choose one of the other due to prices. Considered doing Mendanhall Glacier rather than Tracy Arms. Then I wondered if we are doing an inside passage on NCL will we go through Tracy Arms on the boat?

Any advise or suggestions would be great.

Thanks! :)

[Kiera99]

I agree with Chipmaster. The White Pass RR is nice, however, it is very different from Tracy Arm Fjord or Mendenhall Glacier. I did all three recently and I was lucky to be on the Infinity. As you said, "Then I wondered if we are doing an inside passage on NCL will we go through Tracy Arms on the boat?" The Infinity took us up Tracy Arm Fjord and we saw beautiful waterfalls, aqua blue icebergs, seals etc. It was awesome to see Sawyer Glacier up close, as part of our cruise.

Mendenhall Glacier is a very easy trip to do on your own and it was awesome to see a glacier up close in Juneau.

I hope you get to see all three, like I did, because I can't advise you which one to leave out.

[dustyroad]

there is nothing that can compare to the glacier bay but tracy arm is gorgeous as well. carnival has cruises to tracy arm on the spirit. ncl pearl goes too glacier bay each trip. then when you stop in skagway you can still do the train if you want. also in juneau it is easy to catch the blue bus and take a roundtrip ( $14 pp ) out to mendenhall glacier and stay as long as you like. the buses go back and forth about every 1/2 hr for pick-ups and drop-offs. both ships are wonderful. have a great time.

[Budget Queen]

I have also done all your list, repeatively.

 

Only YOU can decide if you want the grossly enhanced add on Tracy Arm boat tour from your ship. Plenty of people do not do this. I am one, however, to ALWAYS purchase it. You make comments about money- it may not be a tour for you??

 

 

Maybe 25% of the ships make the full Tracy Arm (single) transit.

 

I put together this photo sample, which shows the closest this cruise ship got, compared to the add on tour. http://community.webshots.com/user/budgetqueen

[luvdsny]

Thank you for your replies! Since we are sailing the NCL Star which does not go to Glacier Bay, Tracy Arms would be an ideal excursion. I think I'm going to book it! We will see if my husband wants to do the White Pass Rail.

Thank you for your input.

[Charles4515]

We are looking at the Tracy Arms excursion in Juneau and the White Pass Railway in Skagway. I'm wondering if anyone has done both of these?

I'd like to try and choose one of the other due to prices. Considered doing Mendanhall Glacier rather than Tracy Arms. Then I wondered if we are doing an inside passage on NCL will we go through Tracy Arms on the boat?

Any advise or suggestions would be great.

Thanks! :)

 

I will give a slightly different answer than some others have. I would do both Tracy Arms and the Railway. Don't scrimp because of the prices. You are going all the way to Alaska. Make the most of it.

[socalhal]

If you can't spell Tracy Arm, maybe you shouldn't go.

[luvdsny]

If you can't spell Tracy Arm, maybe you shouldn't go.

 

Sorry, this is my first visit. :eek:

[dustyroad]

If you can't spell Tracy Arm, maybe you shouldn't go.

 

wow, was that really needed. we all knew what she meant.. please play nice :)

[vbmom87]

We are looking at the Tracy Arms excursion in Juneau and the White Pass Railway in Skagway. I'm wondering if anyone has done both of these?

I'd like to try and choose one of the other due to prices. Considered doing Mendanhall Glacier rather than Tracy Arms. Then I wondered if we are doing an inside passage on NCL will we go through Tracy Arms on the boat?

Any advise or suggestions would be great.

Thanks! :)

 

This is a tough one to answer. I did Tracy Arm as an independent tour from Juneau and it was our favorite excursion. It was a 10 hour tour and we didn't have time to do anything else in Juneau, but I would do it exactly the same way in a heartbeat. However, since your ship includes Tracy Arm as parts of its itinerary I would probably suggest the train if it interests you and you can only afford one excursion. Your ship will be sailing into Tracy Arm fjord, so although the experience is not quite the same as taking the smaller boat into the fjord, you will likely still cruise through the beautiful fjord (there are times the cruiseship can't get deep into the fjord because of icing). Just know you may or may not get to the glaciers on the cruiseship. If you end up deciding that seeing a glacier is a real priority, then yes, book the add on tour from your cruiseship. I know it is tough to decide and it is hard for us to help you. We all have different interests and priorities. I know what I would do, but that isn't necessarily the best thing for you to do.

[kelligirl]

Just did Tracy Arm last week on the Carnival Spirit which only allows you to get so close, but let me tell you, that was definitely a highlight of the trip! RR was just okay. The highlight of that trip was because we booked with Chilkoot Tours and Kathy brought us back down from Frasier, BC in a small shuttle bus and made numerous stops along the way (in addition to many of her stories about life in Skagway which we very much enjoyed!)

[Kiera99]

Just did Tracy Arm last week on the Carnival Spirit which only allows you to get so close, but let me tell you, that was definitely a highlight of the trip!

 

How close did the Spirit get to the glacier? I thought the Infinity went as far as it could.

I agree that Tracy Arm Fjord was a highlight. The glacier was awesome.

[mpace58]

I loved the train tour in Skagway!!

 

See this link for images of Mendenhall Glacier and how close to the glacier we got in tracy arm fjord

[dcdiva]

Sailed the Star in July and did the Tracy Arm excursion as well as the White Pass Rail. Without question, the Tracy Arm trip was the highlight of our cruise. We actually ended up sailing Endicott Arm because of ice in Tracy Arm. The weather was great and the ice condition such that we got extremely close to the Glacier. On the way we saw lots of whales, seals, eagles and other wildlife with onboard staff to tell us what we were looking at. The Star followed us up Endicott Arm, but stopped at least a mile behind us near the glacier. We enjoyed the White Pass trip as well, but it just didn't compare to the boat trip.

[kelligirl]

How close did the Spirit get to the glacier? I thought the Infinity went as far as it could.

I agree that Tracy Arm Fjord was a highlight. The glacier was awesome.

 

We got this close. It was an amazing day :)

[Budget Queen]

How close did the Spirit get to the glacier? I thought the Infinity went as far as it could.

I agree that Tracy Arm Fjord was a highlight. The glacier was awesome.

 

People need to understand, "their" sailing, is going to claim, they were the "closest"= all season. :) :) :) Makes people feel important and "special.

[mpace58]

People need to understand, "their" sailing, is going to claim, they were the "closest"= all season. :) :) :) Makes people feel important and "special.

No, I was closer! :p

 

:D

[Kiera99]

No, I was closer! :p

 

:D

 

Sorry, Kelligirl, I don't have photos, however I agree w/mpace58

"I was closer!!!!" :D

I agree with Budget Queeen, all the ships claim "This is the deepest a ship has sailed into Tracy Arm". lol But the Infinity was really, really close and deep into the fjord.

[mpace58]

As they like to say on the gaming forums -

 

Pictures or it didn't happen!

 

Alaska - Tracy Arm

[chipmaster]

Nah, what was close was the excursion boat, now that was close ;)

 

As they like to say on the gaming forums -

 

Pictures or it didn't happen!

 

Alaska - Tracy Arm

[mpace58]

Nah, what was close was the excursion boat, now that was close ;)

Yes, they were. I made sure to include a picture of the excursion boat for scale. It's hard to appreciate how big the glacier is without some reference.

[dcdiva]

Our little boat got pretty close...

 

 

[Kiera99]

WOW dcdiva That is close!!

[Chenega]

While I've been on the WPYRR several times and really enjoyed it, I would give preference to a Tracy Arm excursion just for the opportunity to get close to an actively calving glacier. A truly unique experience.