Glacier calving photos

[NoobCruise]

This time last year I was excitedly planning for our first cruise to Alaska and I was devouring everything I could read about it.

 

When we sailed into Glacier Bay, we were lucky enough to have a mostly sunny day and we were able to get in pretty close to Johns Hopkins Glacier, which from what I have read on here, usually isn't accessible until late August or September. It clouded up when we got close to it, but Johns Hopkins put on a real calving show for us. I thought I'd re-post a link to some pics we took while there, for all of you first timers currently salivating for Alaska.

 

First, let me give you a size perspective. The boat up there is a small National Geographic Expedition ship. I think there were 3 or 4 decks on it. The set on the link below focuses in on the striped area that I circled. That first chunk you see fall in the first few pics of the series is just a tiny piece. Keep going because that entire striped section is going to give all at once.

 

502 Johns Hopkins with boat copy by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

 

As you look at them, keep in mind that Johns Hopkins is a mile wide, and 250ft above the water line. The huge striped chunk that falls created waves big enough to rock our 82,000 ton ship. It was an amazing experience! Here's the link to the photo series. Be sure to click on full screen and click through them quickly.

 

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing this.

 

Keith

[kjeanne2001]

NoobCruise. Thanks so much for sharing. I am reading your review and loving it! Did you have an aft wrap? Do you think you could see as much from a regular aft cabin? Still trying to decide what type of cabin. Thanks

[thelmalouise-n-thekid]

Great pics. Thank you

[NoobCruise]

NoobCruise. Thanks so much for sharing. I am reading your review and loving it! Did you have an aft wrap? Do you think you could see as much from a regular aft cabin? Still trying to decide what type of cabin. Thanks

 

Yes, we had an aft wrap. Cabin SB8147 on the Navigation (8th deck) of the Westerdam. We were right under the Sea View pool area on the Lido deck.

 

014 Our Balcony by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

 

016 The back side of the balcony by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

 

017 The side balcony by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

 

No, I don't think you could see nearly as much on a regular aft cabin or a side cabin. On the Westerdam, a regular aft cabin has dividers between each of the balconies that blocks sideways viewing, unless you stand right at the railing and look around it.

 

089 The clouds quickly burned off by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

 

Basically, the standard aft cabins could see straight out the back. However, they see a lot more than the standard side balconies because they could see both shorelines at the same time as we sailed down the fjords. The aft cabins are also quite a bit deeper and roomier than the standard side balconies.

 

The corner aft wrap is huge. The side balcony alone is probably 4 or 5 times the size of a standard size side balcony and the back section of the aft wrap is also wider than the other aft balconies. It felt very open to the view. However, we paid a bundle for it too. The total after taxes and insurance was over $6000 for 2 people.

 

304 by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

 

However, if I had the choice of a standard side balcony or an aft facing balcony, for Alaska, I would choose the aft. There was always a very cold wind blowing on the side so I'm sure we would not have used a side balcony near as much. In the aft balconies, we were protected from the wind and it was much more comfortable. We spent the majority of our time on the balcony while we were sailing and we spent all day on it while in Glacier Bay.

[mskaufman]

Glacier Bay

 

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