Tracy Arm Excursion in August & Sea Sickness

[dltodaro2]

Hi -

 

I have read that the Tracy Arm Excursion (in a small boat) is a must do. Will it get alot closer than the cruise ship in late August?

 

Also my husband gets sea sick. All of the water pictures look calm. Is the water calm?

 

Thanks,

Deb

Edited June 22, 2015 by dltodaro2

[lifetime_learner]

It is very calm. It is a must do! Y'all will be disappointed if you don't go.

[Budget Queen]

This area is calmer than open ocean. BUT you are on water, so never can claim, it's always calm. I've seen plenty of sick passengers on Alaska cruises, so precautions are going to be the best answer.

 

Correct, the add on ship tour, always gets better views of wildlife and the glacier/s of Tracy Arm.

[xlxo]

To clarify... there are two small boat routes to Tracy.

 

One is Juneau return.

 

The other is a mid-ocean transfer w/ Juneau. I prefer this option as you don't need to retrace 50miles of water and gives you a few extra hours in Juneau for Mendenhall, tram or just to explore the town.

 

Which ship and sailing are you on? Not every boat offers the mid-ocean transfer.

[Eaglecw]

We just came on Sunday from our latest Alaskan cruise. the Tracy Arm small excursion is definitely a must do excursion. The day before we got to Tracy Arm we told our table mates from the UK at breakfast that was one of the top excursions, after breakfast they went don to the excursion office and got the tour. Later when we saw them they couldn't thank us enough. Princess ran 2 boats off the Ruby last week. Those who didn't go on the small boat tour didn't see much of the glacier, it overcast and foggy from Sawyer Island. We seas coming out of Tracy Arm were calm. If your husband is prone to get sea sick he should get the patch or one of the other sea sick med's as it was a little rough on the first sea day coming out of Seattle, I didn't think it was rough but some people were sick.

[dltodaro2]

We are sailing on the Jewel. It appears that we could see Juneau in the morning and then do the excursion at 1:15pm It appears the boat would catch up to us...LET ME KNOW IF I AM WRONG!!

 

Thanks,

Deb

[Budget Queen]

We are sailing on the Jewel. It appears that we could see Juneau in the morning and then do the excursion at 1:15pm It appears the boat would catch up to us...LET ME KNOW IF I AM WRONG!!

 

Thanks,

Deb

 

You will board the add on boat tour, in Juneau from the ship. You go ahead of the cruiseship. You will reboard the Jewel, at Sawyer Island.

[goduckies05]

Get the tour.... you barely see the glaciers othwer wise. I saw a few Calvings with a breakage the size of a bus amazing!

[spotfish]

We just got off the Jewel this morning and did the tour, the excursion was the high light of the cruise, we were able to get really close to both of the glaciers, with a bonus of the Jewel being late arriving to the glacier which gave us a longer time sitting out in front of the bigger south glacier. As a side note if you go, when you get to the south glacier make sure to find the mountain goats that are behind you as you look at the glacier we counted 8 of them, also after you get back on the ship we seen black bears on the starboard side shore looking for dinner. (If you ask Morgan or one of the other ladies they will pull a chunk of Glacier ice out of the water, wash it off and make you a Glacierita (margarita) from the ice or chill your pop, and will take a picture of you with your camera holding the iceberg.) As for weather, we hit the jackpot! sunny every day except our sea day Thursday. We came home with a great tan!

[Den Leader]

We just got off the Jewel this morning and did the tour, the excursion was the high light of the cruise, we were able to get really close to both of the glaciers, with a bonus of the Jewel being late arriving to the glacier which gave us a longer time sitting out in front of the bigger south glacier. As a side note if you go, when you get to the south glacier make sure to find the mountain goats that are behind you as you look at the glacier we counted 8 of them, also after you get back on the ship we seen black bears on the starboard side shore looking for dinner. (If you ask Morgan or one of the other ladies they will pull a chunk of Glacier ice out of the water, wash it off and make you a Glacierita (margarita) from the ice or chill your pop, and will take a picture of you with your camera holding the iceberg.) As for weather, we hit the jackpot! sunny every day except our sea day Thursday. We came home with a great tan!

 

Hi Spotfish,

 

We are on the Jewel of the Sea in two weeks, July 10th Sailing. What was this Excursion listed under? I cannot locate regarding this type of excursion. Would love to do this.

 

Thank you in advance.

[spotfish]

We were on the NCL Jewel not the jewel of the sea, sorry. You could do it while in port as a round trip excursion but you would then go back to the glacier on the big ship a couple days later. Here's the web site of the company that does the trip. ( I looked RCCL does not offer the trip)

http://www.allenmarinetours.com/holland/juneau/tracy-round-trip.html

Edited June 29, 2015 by spotfish

[chipmaster]

Hi -

 

I have read that the Tracy Arm Excursion (in a small boat) is a must do. Will it get alot closer than the cruise ship in late August?

 

Also my husband gets sea sick. All of the water pictures look calm. Is the water calm?

 

Thanks,

Deb

 

Must do is debatable... I've done it and found it an enjoyable if not a long excursion. You do get a different prospective and do have close up of the walls and ice and such.

 

It was calm and smooth in the Fjord, but on the return to Juneau you are on more open water so YMMV. ON our day it was windy but reasonablly smooth.

[dltodaro2]

Thanks for all the replies. I really want to do this excursion. I am not sure if hubby would be okay with the open water (sea sickness) before the fjord. Also this is a long excursion...I have a 13 year old son....wondering if he would be bored? My son is an outdoorsman so I am assuming he would like it.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for all the replies. I really want to do this excursion. I am not sure if hubby would be okay with the open water (sea sickness) before the fjord. Also this is a long excursion...I have a 13 year old son....wondering if he would be bored? My son is an outdoorsman so I am assuming he would like it.

 

This "open water" that you are concerned with is a poor description. The entire sailing day is inside passage, visible land on both sides of your cruise ship. So hardly- "mid ocean" as described, by this poster, who has repeated and started this "term". Not even sure what it means?

 

If there are sea sickness concerns, then you need to address this for the entire cruise- especially if sailing round trip Seattle- which has the roughest sailing potential of Alaska cruises. I have seen many "motion sick" passengers when sailing Alaska.

 

Again, I will state- especially for first timers- this add on tour- is "necessary". It is far far better than any cruise ship transit. And will get you a closer glacier view.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Budget Queen

[deerhuntingal]

Get some Bonine at any stores drug section. It is better and non-drowsy so your hubby can take it everyday to eliminate any sickness that may happen. (At least it worked for me!) They are relatively cheap and I took 2 pills a day starting a day before my cruise and I had a couple of small boat excursions

one on some pretty rough water and no queasyness was ever noticed for me.

 

Better safe that sorry so get a pack and have them on hand!

 

I'm doing the Juneau round trip Sawyer Glacier tour in August as our ship will be in port all day long so we have the time and I booked independently which saved over $100 for the two of us. If you can get off the ship (mid-ocean transfer) do it! You don't want to regret it later on!

[spotfish]

Another thing is the boat you are on is a 40' Catamaran that is about 18 feet wide. They are a VERY stable boats with the dual hull design unlike a V bottom boat.

[varoo]

There is no "mid-ocean transfer" involved, as Budget Queen correctly pointed out.

Yet that incorrect claim was posted again.

 

Just so that any readers who are considering this excursion will not be misled, rest assured that the transfer actually takes place in a calm, protected inside channel,

not out in mid-ocean at all.

 

For any newcomers to this forum who may have doubts about whom to believe, I can attest that I have been following Budget Queen's advice about Alaska for years (as have many others), and that she provides excellent, reliable information.

 

[jenseib]

I just have to ask...these boats have bathrooms correct? I know my 10 year old...and myself...may need to use one before transferring back to the ship.

 

 

We just got off the Jewel this morning and did the tour, the excursion was the high light of the cruise, we were able to get really close to both of the glaciers, with a bonus of the Jewel being late arriving to the glacier which gave us a longer time sitting out in front of the bigger south glacier. As a side note if you go, when you get to the south glacier make sure to find the mountain goats that are behind you as you look at the glacier we counted 8 of them, also after you get back on the ship we seen black bears on the starboard side shore looking for dinner. (If you ask Morgan or one of the other ladies they will pull a chunk of Glacier ice out of the water, wash it off and make you a Glacierita (margarita) from the ice or chill your pop, and will take a picture of you with your camera holding the iceberg.) As for weather, we hit the jackpot! sunny every day except our sea day Thursday. We came home with a great tan!

 

Is there enough time to do an excursion in the morning as well? I am looking at Whale watching when we arrive and this one. I really want to do both, but may have to choose.

[deerhuntingal]

I just have to ask...these boats have bathrooms correct? I know my 10 year old...and myself...may need to use one before transferring back to the ship.

 

Go here for the info. http://www.allenmarinetours.com/sightseeing/juneau/tours/glacier-fjord/

 

 

Is there enough time to do an excursion in the morning as well? I am looking at Whale watching when we arrive and this one. I really want to do both, but may have to choose.

 

If you are booking through the ship....It usually not let you book if you don't have the time but it may be best to call the cruise line excursion dept to verify.

[Budget Queen]

I just have to ask...these boats have bathrooms correct? I know my 10 year old...and myself...may need to use one before transferring back to the ship.

 

 

 

 

Is there enough time to do an excursion in the morning as well? I am looking at Whale watching when we arrive and this one. I really want to do both, but may have to choose.

 

Yes, Allen Marine boats have bathrooms. and yes you can do a whale watch with this tour.

 

BUT be mindful, that the cruise ship port time and the ship contracted Tracy Arm boat tour, may not be the same times. Being you are in Juneau the same day- generally- the add on tour, cuts into the port time by an hour or so.

[spotfish]

Allen marine also does whale watching tours in the morning, there were several people on the glacier trip last week that also went on a whale excursion with Allen Marine that morning, one couple said of the 3 whale watching trips they had been on in Alaska, that morning trip was the best they ever had. (for what it's worth)

[jenseib]

Thanks everyone!!!

[1stime88]

How do we book this excursion? I am going on star princess

[Budget Queen]

How do we book this excursion? I am going on star princess

 

Is Tracy Arm on your itinerary? IF it is, you would book the add on Tracy Arm tour, though your ship shore excursions.

 

IF you are in port all day in Juneau- ex. 7am- 7pm- you can do this tour through Adventure Bound.

[xlxo]

How do we book this excursion? I am going on star princess

I notice from another post that you are on a Southbound trip... thus you will be in Juneau before you are near Tracy.

 

Otherwise this is the Princess tour you want to be on.....

http://www.princess.com/excursion/exDetails.do?t=A&exType=S&tourCode=TA1-665

 

I notice on some cruise lines... they pick up in Juneau for Sawyer and drop off in Tracy. I wonder if that is an option for your Star trip.