Should we include Tracy Arm or not

[cheermom6488]

My husband and I are planning a cruise for June 2013 to celebrate our 25th anniversary. I have decided on either Amersterdam or Zuiderdam/Volendam. My only confusion is whether or not to criuse to Tracey Arm or not. Can any one help with intinerary as to whether or not we should include that in our route.

 

I don't know much about cruising to Alasaka but we want to cruise out of Vancouver, and visit Glacier bay, so the above ships are the ones we are interested in.

 

any help is greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

 

Lynn

[Shmoo here]

My husband and I are planning a cruise for June 2013 to celebrate our 25th anniversary. I have decided on either Amersterdam or Zuiderdam/Volendam. My only confusion is whether or not to criuse to Tracey Arm or not. Can any one help with intinerary as to whether or not we should include that in our route.

 

I don't know much about cruising to Alasaka but we want to cruise out of Vancouver, and visit Glacier bay, so the above ships are the ones we are interested in.

 

any help is greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

 

Lynn

 

If you're giving up Glacier Bay to do Tracy Arm, my vote is go with Glacier Bay.

 

Our first cruise to Alaska, we lucked out and had an itinerary that included both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay.

 

If one of your choices includes both, IMO I think that's best.

 

:)

[cheermom6488]

all three ships go to Glacier Bay, only Zuiderdam and Volendam does both?

 

Just not sure what to do?

 

Lynn

[RuthC]

You want to sail Glacier Bay. That's got to be a priority. It's lots of glaciers with scenery, too. Tracy Arm is a different experience in that it's a scenic ride, with a glacier at the end. Sometimes you can't get to the end due to bergs, but the scenery is grand.

If the Amsterdam has a service call at Tracy Arm that would be the best option, as it would mean you could take the shore excursion of the small boat ride up Tracy Arm. The boat ride would give an entirely different perspective than the cruise ship allows.

Between the two "ports" of Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm, that would give you the best of both worlds.

[PathfinderEss]

Glacier Bay would be my choice. If Tracy Arm is on the schedule you may or may not get there early in the season. It can be to icy for the ship to go in there. If you were going in July I would say no problem but early, there is a chance you won't go there. Just be aware.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!!

Tracy Arm is an iffy. Many times we have not made it there because of the ice flows. So that is not high on places to see in Alaska.

[geoherb]

We've enjoyed both times we were on cruises that went to Tracy Arm. On the first one, the ship was able to get closer to the glacier than it did the second times. Both cruises were the first week of August. The scenery going through the fjord is spectacular, with lots of waterfalls and cliffs of rock jutting out of the water's edge.

 

Our first time in Glacier Bay was this past August. The glacier there is more spectacular. I also enjoyed that the National Park Service rangers came on board the ship and gave talks and set up displays.

 

A cruise that goes to both sounds ideal.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

If this is your first Alaskan cruise, I would choose Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm. Whichever one you choose, you will love it. And what a great way to celebrate your 25th Anniversary.

[Appygirl]

I was on the Zuiderdam in 2009 and it went as far up Tracy Arm as it could until icebergs turned it back. This summer 2012 the Zuiderdam only does a service call there. You can book a tour of Tracy Arm and the tour boat comes alongside and passengers disembark on the tender dock. The cost was just over $200 for the excursion. Maybe $225? I don't know how long it is but it takes the passengers back to Juneau to catch up with the Zuiderdam. The crazy thing is when we went through Tracy Arm in 2009 we arrived in Juneau at 1pm. In 2012 we didn't cruise up Tracy Arm and still got to Juneau at 1pm.

 

I agree with the others. I'd take Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm if you have the choice.

[Shmoo here]

I was on the Zuiderdam in 2009 and it went as far up Tracy Arm as it could until icebergs turned it back. This summer 2012 the Zuiderdam only does a service call there. You can book a tour of Tracy Arm and the tour boat comes alongside and passengers disembark on the tender dock. The cost was just over $200 for the excursion. Maybe $225? I don't know how long it is but it takes the passengers back to Juneau to catch up with the Zuiderdam. The crazy thing is when we went through Tracy Arm in 2009 we arrived in Juneau at 1pm. In 2012 we didn't cruise up Tracy Arm and still got to Juneau at 1pm.

 

I agree with the others. I'd take Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm if you have the choice.

 

Our cruise was the last cruise of the season (Sep 19) in 2011. We were able to cruise all the way into Tracy Arm. It was my first blue ice experience. I thought Tracy Army was just grand. It was our first experience in Alaska. I think a cruise that includes both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay is perfect for a first timer.

 

:)

[cheermom6488]

I think I have decided on Volendam, because it goes to both. Thanks for the input.

 

Lynn

[vbmom87]

I think I have decided on Volendam, because it goes to both. Thanks for the input.

 

Lynn

 

The Volendam does not cruise Tracy Arm. It makes a half hour service call to drop off passengers who booked and paid for the add on excursion to Tracy Arm. Unless you book this tour, the itinerary is same as the Amsterdam. I recommend the add-on tour. You will love Tracy Arm if you love scenery.

[Sunshine91]

Please, READ THE ITINERARY CAREFULLY!

 

The little SC next to the times in "port" do NOT mean "scenic cruising." They mean "service call."

 

Also, cruising is all about choices. Juneau is probably one of the best places to book a whale watching excursion. If you are spending the day up in Tracy Arm, will you have enough time to also go looking for humpies?

 

We cruised Amsterdam's final 14-day voyage this past September & DID get all the way in at Tracy Arm (really grand). Due to an Arctic hurricane the next week, we were diverted across the Gulf & were not able to call at Homer & Kodiak, but were sent to Glacier Bay instead (spectacular!)

 

Let me know if you'd like to see pix. :)

[startwin]

The Volendam does not cruise Tracy Arm. It makes a half hour service call to drop off passengers who booked and paid for the add on excursion to Tracy Arm. Unless you book this tour, the itinerary is same as the Amsterdam. I recommend the add-on tour. You will love Tracy Arm if you love scenery.

 

It's such a shame that it no longer does Tracy Arm. Two years ago we were able to do both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay on the Volendam. Do any of the HAL ships still do both?

[DizzyDallasDi]

It's such a shame that it no longer does Tracy Arm. Two years ago we were able to do both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay on the Volendam. Do any of the HAL ships still do both?

 

In May 2009 I took my first cruise to Alaska on Zuiderdam and we went to both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. I fell in love with Alaska in Tracy Arm and it was a picture perfect, warm, sunny day. We made it all the way the Sawyer Glacier. Glacier Bay was a total disappointment....pouring rain, cloud cover so low the tops of the glaciers were barely visible.

 

I repeated this same cruise in July 2011. Much to my dismay, we did not go into Tracy Arm. In 2009, the itinerary indicated "SC" for Tracy Arm and that meant Scenic Cruising. In 2011, the intinerary indicated "SC" for Tracy Arm but that time it meant Service Call.....but I didn't know that. I was so disappointed. :( BUT, all was forgiven when Glacier Bay produced the most gloriously gorgeous day that only God could create. :D

 

I, too, want to know if HAL has any Alaska cruises that do both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. It is truly the best of both worlds.

[vbmom87]

I, too, want to know if HAL has any Alaska cruises that do both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. It is truly the best of both worlds.

 

To my knowledge no. However, as I have mentioned, you can take the Tracy Arm excursion if you book the Zuiderdam or Volendam. As glorious as it is to take a cruise ship into Tracy Arm, the perspective on a small boat is a different experience that is also truly magnificent. With the small boat you literally crunch your way through the ice and the wildlife is easy to spot and close up oftentimes. When the glacier calves and the waves head to the boat and rock you around it is truly wonderous.

 

You do have to take note of the May itineraries, because some of the early dates do not even have the service call at Tracy Arm.

[vbmom87]

Also, cruising is all about choices. Juneau is probably one of the best places to book a whale watching excursion. If you are spending the day up in Tracy Arm, will you have enough time to also go looking for humpies?

:)

 

You are so right. Cruising is all about choices. In fact any vacation is about choices. That said, I would chose Tracy Arm any day over whalewatching.

 

I had a truly amazing whalewatch in Icy Strait.....so much bubblenet feeding you were in constant awe. It exceeded my expectations. However, I would still choose Tracy Arm over a good whale watch.

[Big Gordo]

I have been lucky enough to haved sailed the Inside Passage (Vancouver return) 3 times, twice with Norwegian Sun and once with Zuiderdam. I will be back on Zuiderdam for my fourth in May 2013. On all trips we sailed up Tracy Arm and only once did we make it to see the magnificent North and South Sawyer glaciers (on Norwegian Sun in 2004). The amount ice bergs breaking off the glaciers will determine if the ships can go all the way. All my trips have been in May. Glacier Bay was included on the Zuiderdam trip and was the highlight of the cruise.

[spacepotatoes]

The Volendam does not cruise Tracy Arm. It makes a half hour service call to drop off passengers who booked and paid for the add on excursion to Tracy Arm. Unless you book this tour, the itinerary is same as the Amsterdam. I recommend the add-on tour. You will love Tracy Arm if you love scenery.

 

This applies to the Zuiderdam as well. Both ships used to go up Tracy Arm but do not anymore. Zuiderdam stops at the entrance to Tracy Arm, it does not go in. You need to be booked on the excursion in order to actually experience Tracy Arm.

 

We did this itinerary last July and it was beautiful. Glacier Bay, though, was on a whole other level. If we had to choose between the two, we'd go with Glacier Bay. That said, if this is your first time to Alaska, it's worth seeing both.

[Wellard]

What is meant by the term service call. As I am doing the Zuiderdam next June.

[Mary Ellen]

What is meant by the term service call. As I am doing the Zuiderdam next June.

Pretty much what spacepotatos said, a service call is a stop to drop off or pick up for those on a HAL shore excursion.

Zuiderdam stops at the entrance to Tracy Arm, it does not go in. You need to be booked on the excursion in order to actually experience Tracy Arm.

[vbmom87]

What is meant by the term service call. As I am doing the Zuiderdam next June.

 

It is a stop near the beginning of the fjord. The passengers who booked the Tracy Arm excursion will get off their cruise ship and board an Allen Marine small boat and will cruise through Tracy Arm Fjord on the Allen Marine Boat. The cruise ship will continue on to Juneau. The passengers who went on the Tracy Arm Fjord Excursion will head to Juneau on the Allen Marine boat once they have completed the excursion through Tracy Arm Fjord.

[Sunshine91]

Tracy Arm - Early in the season, the ship may not be able to get all the way in to see the glaciers that mark the head of the fjord. Have no idea what the smaller, excursion boats do. :confused:

 

_MG_5765WM by Big Dog 91, on Flickr

 

But as you can see, even in mid-Sept, there are still plenty of little berg-lets bobbling about. :)

 

Our original itinerary was for Hubbard Glacier, a massive 7-mile wide wall of ice. But the Arctic hurricane cancelled that. Instead we were treated to Glacier Bay - truly a national treasure:

 

_MG_6522-2WM by Big Dog 91, on Flickr

 

If Icy Strait Point (Hoonah) is on your itinerary, try booking a whale watching cruise from there. We went out with Floyd of F.I.S.H.E.S. (just google him or look him up on Trip Advisor). His boat only carries 6 passengers so it was cozy & intimate. Floyd knows every rock on every beach. We saw a sea otter, Steller sea lions, humpies by the dozens, all kinds of sea birds - & on the way back, a juvenile grizzly. Magical, just like Alaska. :)

 

Here's a link to our pix. John is STILL polishing & posting:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigdog91/

 

 

[larsenbiz]

Our last trip went to Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. One of the great experiences we had was waking up to icebergs floating by so we chose to go back to Tracy Arm this time. Glacier Bay was very interesting and beautiful, too.