Tracy Arm Fjord Excursion

[Northshorecruisers]

Wondering if we should book HAL's Tracy Arm Fjord Catamaran excursion that is 5 1/2 hours long from Tracy Arm to Juneau. It's a little expensive at $215pp.

 

Has anyone done this excursion? Was it worth the cost for the up close sights of the glaciers?

 

Thanks for the help!!

[Budget Queen]

I highly recommend this tour and find it "necessary" for my preferences. It is grossly superior to the cruiseship transit.

 

I put together a small photo sample of sightings from this tour. The cruiseship photo was the closest it got within view, taken with a normal lens. Significant difference.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/budgetqueen

[Northshorecruisers]

Thanks for the quick response. Since this is a trip to celebrate my husband's 60th birthday, I'm thinking it would really make his trip.

I didn't see any pictures or a link posted though :(

[Budget Queen]

I didn't see any pictures or a link posted though :(

 

I had to edit it in a few minutes after I posted, it's there now.

[Northshorecruisers]

Sorry, still not seeing anything.

[Budget Queen]

Sorry, still not seeing anything.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/budgetqueen

[QShip]

Will be in Juneau mid Sept on the Century, which does not do Tracy Arm. Are there any recommendations of excursions from Juneau? Celebrity does not list one.

[Northshorecruisers]

BudgetQueen

 

Those pictures are fantastic!! Thank you. Looks like we'll have to book it.

[Budget Queen]

Will be in Juneau mid Sept on the Century, which does not do Tracy Arm. Are there any recommendations of excursions from Juneau? Celebrity does not list one.

 

Look over your shore excursion list and narrow down your interests. There are hundreds of excellent touring options. No point in raving about my favorites, if of no interest to you. :)

[chipmaster]

If this is the only scenic cruise portion and you want the best chance to see ice / glacier up close it is worth doing.

 

It is a long excursion on a much smaller boat. You'll get much closer to the glacier than the ship, sail close to the fjord walls, so close on your tour that you can touch the wall. We sailed close enough to several falls to feel the mist from the bow. If you are lucky you could spot wildlife too.

 

My parents and kids opted to stay on the ship, Not sure if they felt they missed much, but the ship stopped at least a couple miles further back from Sawyer.

 

Wondering if we should book HAL's Tracy Arm Fjord Catamaran excursion that is 5 1/2 hours long from Tracy Arm to Juneau. It's a little expensive at $215pp.

 

Has anyone done this excursion? Was it worth the cost for the up close sights of the glaciers?

 

Thanks for the help!!

[bonvoyagie]

Will be in Juneau mid Sept on the Century, which does not do Tracy Arm. Are there any recommendations of excursions from Juneau? Celebrity does not list one.

 

You might look into Adventure Bound - they offer the trip independent of the cruise lines. You will easily be able to do this excursion and maybe one more - or at least do some shopping.

 

As BQ points out - it is your trip and there are several other things to see in Juneau. On your cruise you will have already seen Hubbard Glacier and been through Icy Point Strait - both of which are NOT ports but mearly scenic crusing - You only have two ports - Juneau and Ketchikan so you might want to consider something land or air based - it is totally up to you.

[Budget Queen]

You might look into Adventure Bound - they offer the trip independent of the cruise lines. You will easily be able to do this excursion and maybe one more - or at least do some shopping.

 

.

 

This is not an option for QShip.

[QShip]

I contacted Allen Marine, but their trips end Sept 9, and we are not there until the 21st. They referred me to Adventure Bound Alaska, but their trips leave around 8 AM and return at 6 PM, which does not fit with our arrival/departure times of 7 AM and 6 PM.

 

Guess we will just have to save Tracy Arm for our next trip to Alaska!

 

Thanks, everyone.

[LindaKE]

HAL's Tracy Arm excursion picks you up from the ship at the mouth of Tracy Arm then returns you to Juneau, so the other companies aren't an option. We did it last year and really enjoyed the trip, but I can't say how it compared to what passengers on the ship got. I know the ship didn't get anywhere near as close to Sawyer as we were able to do on the smaller cataraman. We saw a flock of eagles and whales on the trip to Juneau. Both times they stopped the boat for about 10-15 minutes to watch the wildlife.

 

One thing to be aware of, though, is that if the ice is too thick for the ship to get into Tracy Arm, it will go to Endicott Arm instead and your tour will have to do the same. I understand that Endicott Arm isn't nearly as spectacular as Tracy Arm. Since the excursion is pricey that may be a consideration. We waited to book until we had seen that other ships were able to get into Tracy. We were advised that this particular tour seems to book at the last minute, so you're not risking much if you wait to book.

[Northshorecruisers]

I can understand the trip not booking until later. Our roll call for our trip is dead and I had heard that an Alaskan cruise is very typical of first timers who may not know about Cruise Critic and pre-booking.

 

Friends of ours had already booked this so we booked as well. Even if the trip is diverted, we'll still have a great time.

[bonvoyagie]

I contacted Allen Marine, but their trips end Sept 9, and we are not there until the 21st. They referred me to Adventure Bound Alaska, but their trips leave around 8 AM and return at 6 PM, which does not fit with our arrival/departure times of 7 AM and 6 PM.

 

Guess we will just have to save Tracy Arm for our next trip to Alaska!

 

Thanks, everyone.

 

I show that the Century arrives at 7:30 PM and leaves Juneau at 8:00 PM, so unless AB is not doing tours in mid Sept I really don't see why it would not work.

[Budget Queen]

I show that the Century arrives at 7:30 PM and leaves Juneau at 8:00 PM, so unless AB is not doing tours in mid Sept I really don't see why it would not work.

 

They aren't on that cruise. "Mid- Sept" The last sailing does not have those port times. They leave Juneau at 6pm.

[cole]

Wondering if we should book HAL's Tracy Arm Fjord Catamaran excursion that is 5 1/2 hours long from Tracy Arm to Juneau. It's a little expensive at $215pp.

 

Has anyone done this excursion? Was it worth the cost for the up close sights of the glaciers?

 

Thanks for the help!!

We had the excursion booked this past week and because of the ice, were not able to get there - so the excursion was diverted to another area (still brain dead from the cruise - sorry), but it was still beautiful. Since we had done glaciers from the ship on 3 previous cruises, we wanted to get up close and personal and would certainly recommend it if you wouldn't be disappointed if Tracy Arm is still too icy when you travel.

[Budget Queen]

We had the excursion booked this past week and because of the ice, were not able to get there - so the excursion was diverted to another area (still brain dead from the cruise - sorry), but it was still beautiful. Since we had done glaciers from the ship on 3 previous cruises, we wanted to get up close and personal and would certainly recommend it if you wouldn't be disappointed if Tracy Arm is still too icy when you travel.

 

Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier

[coastalkate]

I've got this booked the day the ship is actually IN Tracy Arm. It's billed as a small boat tender to the Spirit that will get us up closer to the glacier than the big ship will be able to get. I'm assuming that's what you were illustrating with your pictures BudgetQueen? That the people on the ship will still SEE the glacier, but we will (potentially) get so much closer to it and other sites? Yes? It's rather pricey, so I hope that's the case... :D

[Budget Queen]

I've got this booked the day the ship is actually IN Tracy Arm. It's billed as a small boat tender to the Spirit that will get us up closer to the glacier than the big ship will be able to get. I'm assuming that's what you were illustrating with your pictures BudgetQueen? That the people on the ship will still SEE the glacier, but we will (potentially) get so much closer to it and other sites? Yes? It's rather pricey, so I hope that's the case... :D

 

Correct. Allen Marine is the long time contractor. But there are plenty of ships that do transit and do NOT get within glacier view. The particular cruise from the photos was the first time that ship had gotten a view of the South Sawyer Glacier, cruise was third week of July. On average only about 25% of the cruiseships, get within glacier viewing, and that included the views as seen in the photo, way far out.

[DougH]

I've got this booked the day the ship is actually IN Tracy Arm. It's billed as a small boat tender to the Spirit that will get us up closer to the glacier than the big ship will be able to get. I'm assuming that's what you were illustrating with your pictures BudgetQueen? That the people on the ship will still SEE the glacier, but we will (potentially) get so much closer to it and other sites? Yes? It's rather pricey, so I hope that's the case... :D

 

Here is a link to what you can see from a small boat tour, this one was on the Adventure Bound out of Juneau all day. The ship tour will cut down having to sail both ways but should get you much closer to the glacier than the ship There are probably far more photos than you want but i hope you enjoy them :)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1274880&highlight=tracy+arm+photos

[TheCalicoCat]

 

Has anyone done this excursion? Was it worth the cost for the up close sights of the glaciers?

 

Thanks for the help!!

 

Caveat - I haven't been yet. I have this excursion booked - if nothing else for a different perspective.

Worth the cost - for me - YES!

For you - only you know.

[coastalkate]

WOW - Doug! That was amazing! Thanks for sharing. Now I'm totally excited about this trip. If it's a fraction this beautiful it will be worth the expense. :)

[Northshorecruisers]

Thanks for the pictures DougH!! Fantastic. We did book the excursion so I'm looking forward to seeing it first hand.