Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm, YOU decide! :)

[BugsyCruiser]

Hello friends! I am looking forward to returning to Princess in November aboard the new Regal but I also want to do Alaska aboard a Princess ship! A little info on what I will be able to do in advance:

 

Due to limited vacation time and somewhat limited finances, it will be a roundtrip sailing out of Seattle for sure. Perhaps a cruisetour further down the road. So I am torn between either the Glacier Bay itinerary aboard Crown Princess or Tracy Arm Fjord itinerary aboard Ruby. I have been on Ruby before and enjoyed the ship so I imagine Crown would be somewhat similar although I know Crown did just go through a dry dock so not sure what changes were made to her during that.

 

And of course there will be "LIVE" from thread for this cruise :)

 

The time frame for this cruise will be late August or the first part of September.

 

I'll post the two itineraries here as well. First is Glacier Bay aboard Crown:

 

Depart Seattle on a Saturday

Sunday at sea

Monday: Juneau 11 am to 10 pm

Tuesday: Skagway 6 am to 8:15 pm

Wednesday: scenic cruising of Glacier Bay National Park from 6 am to 3 pm

Thursday: Ketchikan 7 am to 1 pm

Friday: Victoria, British Columbia 7 pm to 11:59 pm

Saturday arrival back in Seattle

 

Tracy Arm aboard Ruby:

 

Depart Seattle on Sunday

Monday at sea

Tuesday: Ketchikan 6:30 am to 3 pm

Wednesday: Scenic cruising of Tracy Arm Fjord from 5 am to 9 pm and then dock at Juneau 12:30 pm to 10 pm

Thursday: Skagway 6 am to 5 pm

Friday at sea

Saturday: Victoria 7 pm to 11:59 pm

Sunday arrival back in Seattle

 

Since I am torn between these two itineraries I figured why not let all of you decide which one! Vote for which one and of course whichever gets the most votes will indeed be the one I go on! And by all means if you have been either one or both of these itineraries feel free to give me feedback on what you liked, didn't like, what really stood out to you!

 

Since the current sale Princess is having lasts for another 3 days, I'll keep the voting going for the next 48 hours. I look forward to the feedback and your participation in this. I am really excited about FINALLY doing an Alaskan cruise!

Edited May 26, 2015 by Bugsy4271

[Colo Cruiser]

We have cruised to Alaska on Princess more then 10 times.

Due to the fact that you can miss Tracy Arm due to ice I would tend to lean toward Glacier Bay.

We did love Tracy Arm though and saw bears on the shore and lots of Eagles etc. We had an incredible weather day onboard Star Princess but the other Princess ship (I think the Golden) the same day missed the window due to the ice buildup.

The tour in Tracy Arm that gets off and boards a smaller tour boat then meets up with the ship in Juneau is supposed to be incredible.

 

The 2 ships are identical.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[BugsyCruiser]

We have cruised to Alaska on Princess more then 10 times.

Due to the fact that you can miss Tracy Arm due to ice I would tend to lean toward Glacier Bay.

We did love Tracy Arm though and saw bears on the shore and lots of Eagles etc. We had an incredible weather day onboard Star Princess but the other Princess ship (I think the Golden) the same day missed the window due to the ice buildup.

The tour in Tracy Arm that gets off and boards a smaller tour boat then meets up with the ship in Juneau is supposed to be incredible.

 

The 2 ships are identical.

 

I appreciate your feedback :) I was not aware about the possibility of missing Tracy Arm due to ice so that is very helpful

[billco]

Just completed Tracy Arm on Ruby Princess. Closest we got to Sawyer Glacier was this side of the island in the middle of the channel. Somewhat disappointing.

[Gabrielle R.]

Been on both ships- loved them both. They are identical.

 

I saw that you have Tracy Arm & Juneau in one day- might feel a bit rushed doing both in one day.

 

One thing you may enjoy doing is try looking at the Princess cams and you can get a hint as to what you like to see.

 

I guess I vote for Glacier Bay

[Coral]

I was scheduled to go to Tracy Arm 4x and have missed it all 4x.

 

Go to Glacier Bay - it is never missed!

 

Plus, on my first cruise, I was scheduled to go to Hubbard Glacier and we missed that also. I can tell you that having the only glacier on the first cruise to Alaska skipped, it is hugely disappointing.

 

Also, only certain lines get permits to Glacier Bay. Princess is one of them! They only allow 2 ships per day there.

[chipmaster]

One is a National park, the other IMHO just a filler for the ships that can't fit into Glacier Bay. Yeah its nice, but no comparison!

[BugsyCruiser]

I definitely appreciate all the feedback my friends! While the voting will stay open till Wednesday evening there is definitely a clear front runner.

 

Again thank you to everyone that has voted so far and provided feedback

Edited May 26, 2015 by Bugsy4271

[Steve512]

I didn't go to Tracy Arm, but I was just in Glacier Bay two days ago and it was absolutely beautiful. I just got off the Pacific Princess and we went into Glacier Bay and College Fjord. The glaciers are a sight to behold, and when they calve (sp?) the thundering sound is something you have to experience in real life.

 

We were lucky and the weather was absolutely beautiful as well!

[luvteaching]

I've done both Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. I've even done Tracy Arm from a small boat on an excursion from Juneau. While it was great Tracy Arm can be tough to get into due to ice. Glacier Bay allows you to see more than one glacier. We're doing the trip on Crown July 4th and part of the reason for that choice was Glacier Bay.

 

Karen

[treesah]

Enjoyed them both but I think Glacier Bay's scenery is more spectacular, more dramatic. We had beautiful sunny weather in both places.

[Astro Flyer]

Enjoyed both but only got a distant view of Sawyer Glacier at the end of Tracy Arm and an upclose look at glaciers in Glacier Bay.

 

For me, I'd go to Glacier Bay to see glaciers & to Tracy Arm for passage through a beautiful narrow fjord.

 

In 2013 I was very disappointed with College Fjord...in 2000 we got up close to the calving glacier but in 2013 we were very far away. The conditions appeared to be worse in 2000 & I don't know why we were so far away in 2013. :(

 

On the Crown there is more time in Skagway & Juneau, plus Glacier Bay, so that would be my choice...particularly for a first Alaskan cruise. :)

Edited May 26, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[dmwnc1959]

I've only cruised Alaska five times: two northbound (one was from LA, the other from Vancouver), one southbound (from Seward), one round-trip (Vancouver), and one that was Juneau-Victoria (the old Cruise West line). Although you didn't list it, I've always thought the R/T's from Vancouver have the better itineraries when compared to those out of Seattle.

 

Given the options of the two that you've listed - and I've been to both - I'd pick Glacier Bay, although Tracy Arm is spectacular in its own right, more so for the fjord than the glacier. In Glacier Bay, The Lamplugh Glacier has always been my favorite because of the beautiful blue hues coming from the face. If I remember correctly you'll cruise for 2-1/2 hours into Glacier Bay National Park before getting to the first of the major glaciers.

 

Plus, on that one itinerary, you'll get a little extra time in Juneau allowing you to do two tours - at least one of those should be a wildlife sightseeing cruise.

 

Although it's true that Glacier Bay is most likely never missed as a 'port of call', I have been on a cruise that could not enter the inlet where the Johns Hopkins glacier is due to heavy ice in the water. And I've never been there when the weather was 'picture-post card perfect', always either mostly cloudy or overcast and raining.

 

Have fun! It's worth going back to again and again if you're able to. Alaska's Inside Passage is GREAT!

 

 

Lamplugh Glacier

 

 

 

:D

[dmwnc1959]

In 2013 I was very disappointed with College Fjord...in 2000 we got up close to the calving glacier but in 2013 we were very far away. The conditions appeared to be worse in 2000 & I don't know why we were so far away in 2013. :(

 

 

I only made it to College Fjord once, and the weather there was about as perfect as I could have asked for. We arrived just as the sun peaked over the mountains tops early in the morning. I think it's my favorite of the three, although the other main glacier cruising area - Hubbard Glacier - I've never been to. Maybe next time.

 

;)

[Astro Flyer]

I only made it to College Fjord once, and the weather there was about as perfect as I could have asked for. We arrived just as the sun peaked over the mountains tops early in the morning. I think it's my favorite of the three, although the other main glacier cruising area - Hubbard Glacier - I've never been to. Maybe next time.

 

;)

 

Our first visit to College Fjord was spectacular but was very disappointing the second time. I would have needed a very powerful telephoto lens to even get a decent photo of it. The first time the calving glacier sounded like canon fire & the captain slowly rotated the ship for everyone to get a great view.

 

In 2013 weather & ice (the most I've experienced) prevented us from viewing Hubbard Glacier but I give the captain an A+ for his effort to have us view it. :)

Edited May 26, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[dmwnc1959]

Our first visit to College Fjord was spectacular but was very disappointing the second time. I would have needed a very powerful telephoto lens to even get a decent photo of it. The first time the calving glacier sounded like canon fire & the captain slowly rotated the ship for everyone to get a great view.

 

In 2013 weather & ice (the most I've experienced) prevented us from viewing Hubbard Glacier but I give the captain an A+ for his effort to have us view it. :)

 

 

I need to get back up there again. All this talk is making me want to see what the 2016 options are. And since I'm not tied to Princess Cruises, it opens up my options a lot more. Too many cruises to do, little time (and money!;)).

 

:D

[BugsyCruiser]

I appreciate all the feedback and voting so far my friends! Good to see you here Dave. I've really appreciated your reporting on Royal and Regal Princess especially the bon voyage thread that became your live report from the Royal.

 

I will be on Regal the beginning of November and will be reporting live as well so hope you can tune in :)

 

I appreciate yours and everybody's input on this thread

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 using Tapatalk

[dmwnc1959]

I appreciate all the feedback and voting so far my friends! Good to see you here Dave. I've really appreciated your reporting on Royal and Regal Princess especially the bon voyage thread that became your live report from the Royal.

 

I will be on Regal the beginning of November and will be reporting live as well so hope you can tune in :)

 

I appreciate yours and everybody's input on this thread

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 using Tapatalk

 

 

Hi Chris,

 

Yes, I'm still around, holding up 'my end' of this fortress. ;)

 

The Bon Voyage thread was as much fun for me as it was (hopefully) for everyone reading it. But, all good things must come to an end. I'm presently booked on Regal Princess for Dec. 6th doing the Western Caribbean, which I haven't done since Allure of the Seas and Celebrity Millennium several years ago. I don't care much for the ports, and am doing the cruise mostly for the ship, but since I did those B2B Eastern Caribbean cruises on Royal Princess this will give me something different to look at from the Lido Deck as guests storm ashore.

 

Looking forward to your Live thread, of course, as I've enjoyed yours and Gambee's threads quite a bit in the past, albeit I haven't spent any time lately over on the RCI OR NCL forums. Nor have I heard from Gambee in a while.

 

Enjoy Alaska! As I've said in be past, it's one itinerary worth repeating again and again.

 

:D

[chloe45]

I was scheduled to go to Tracy Arm 4x and have missed it all 4x.

 

Go to Glacier Bay - it is never missed!

 

Plus, on my first cruise, I was scheduled to go to Hubbard Glacier and we missed that also. I can tell you that having the only glacier on the first cruise to Alaska skipped, it is hugely disappointing.

 

Also, only certain lines get permits to Glacier Bay. Princess is one of them! They only allow 2 ships per day there.

 

What time of year did you miss Tracy Arm? When is the ice the worst? I'm booked for Tracy Arm for my first Alaskan cruise. I should have researched it more. On the bright side it gives me an excuss to return and do Glacier Bay next year.

[Coral]

What time of year did you miss Tracy Arm? When is the ice the worst? I'm booked for Tracy Arm for my first Alaskan cruise. I should have researched it more. On the bright side it gives me an excuss to return and do Glacier Bay next year.

 

2x at the end of May (both on a small boat) and 2x in July (on a cruise ship but small ships didn't go either). In July, the ship diverted to Endicott Arm (less scenic).

 

My missed Hubbard visit was in July.

[chloe45]

2x at the end of May (both on a small boat) and 2x in July (on a cruise ship but small ships didn't go either). In July, the ship diverted to Endicott Arm (less scenic).

 

My missed Hubbard visit was in July.

 

I'm going towards the end of August. Is this a better chance to get up close?

[Astro Flyer]

What time of year did you miss Tracy Arm? When is the ice the worst? I'm booked for Tracy Arm for my first Alaskan cruise. I should have researched it more. On the bright side it gives me an excuss to return and do Glacier Bay next year.

 

We sailed Tracy Arm in early June on the Golden & got within sight of the glacier and missed Hubbard in late July due to poor visibility & more floating ice than I've ever experienced.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[geoherb]

Our ships have been able to get within viewing distance of Sawyer Glacier on our two cruises that included Tracy Arm. The view getting there is spectacular even if you don't make it all the way to the glacier (although that would be a big disappointment).

[lakemurraykid]

We got home from our third Alaskan cruise on the Ruby. This trip took us to Tracy Arm. Though it was beautiful, we could barely see the glacier and that was a disappointment. We have already seen Glacier Bay and Hubbard. We are going back the end of July or within the first two weeks of August with two other couples. My recommendation to them will be either Glacer Bay or Hubbard, since one of the couples have never been to Alaska.

[Colo Cruiser]

Our ships have been able to get within viewing distance of Sawyer Glacier on our two cruises that included Tracy Arm. The view getting there is spectacular even if you don't make it all the way to the glacier (although that would be a big disappointment).

 

 

Love that sail in. :)