RileyG Posted August 25, 2015 #1 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I was poking around HAL's website this evening and noticed my May 2016 itinerary has changed. Rather than cruising Tracy Arm, we are now cruising Stephens Passage and Hubbard Glacier (on back-to-back days). Our time in Juneau is now 8 hours, rather than 11 hours when I originally booked the cruise and our time in Sitka was reduced by 30 minutes. What are your thoughts on this changed itinerary? I admit that I am not thrilled with the change as I had most of our planning completed (I will have to cancel/reschedule some reservations) and I was looking forward to enjoying Tracy Arm and a full day in Juneau. With that said, this is our first Alaskan cruise and suspect we will be amazed by our experiences in Alaska regardless of the itinerary. How do Stephens Passage and Hubbard Glacier compare to Tracy Arm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonvoyagie Posted August 25, 2015 #2 Share Posted August 25, 2015 The likelihood of seeing Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glacier in May is quite slim to begin with due to ice. Sometimes captains go to Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. Hubbard Glacier is located above Glacier Bay so transit there will take more time than either of the other two fjords. I have not seen it so I don't know how it compares to Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm. I have been to Tracy Arm and it is a nice twisty fjord with steep walls and a glacier at the head. Even in good conditions, the ship does not reach the full front of the glacier - but it often gets close enough to see most of the glacier. Sounds like HAL is tired of fighting Tracy Arm in May and adjusted things to try Hubbard instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEtue Posted August 25, 2015 #3 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Sounds like a great change to me since Tracy Arm is questionable for May. Hubbard Glacier is a much better option. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodmud Posted August 25, 2015 #4 Share Posted August 25, 2015 We did Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay this summer. I can't tell you how Hubbard compares to Tracy Arm, but I much preferred Hubbard Glacier to Glacier Bay. It was truly the most amazing Glacier I saw all week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted August 25, 2015 #5 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Still looks like a very nice itinerary to me. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RileyG Posted August 25, 2015 Author #6 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Thank you for the feedback. It sounds like Hubbard Glacier is a solid substitution. Any thoughts on Stephens Passage? I did a search here on CC and on google and didn't really see much about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted August 25, 2015 #7 Share Posted August 25, 2015 The posts here seem to claim- Tracy Arm is a poor choice in May- I've had several excellent sailings in this timeframe- including the last 2 years. Parking right up in front of the South Sawyer Glacier. :) (3 May sailings) Hubbard isn't any given either- Half my trips over the past 3 years- haven't gotten closer then 10 miles- hardly "superior" as some single trip mentions above. (6) With any itinerary- there are always possibility of changes. Always compromises as well. You have a LOT of notice, and a lot of options to perhaps consider. ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RileyG Posted August 25, 2015 Author #8 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I am very grateful that I have PLENTY of time to adjust our plans to fit the new itinerary. I admit to being disappointed to miss Tracy Arm. Even if we could not have gotten close to Sawyer Glacier, the cruise through the fjord, navigating around icebergs and viewing the scenery, sounded like a wonderful experience and I was looking forward to it. We also intended to book the Tracy Arm Fjord Explorer excursion if it was offered. Hopefully our experience at Hubbard Glacier will make us forget about missing Tracy Arm. I am also disappointed about having less time in Juneau and arriving in the afternoon, rather than first thing in the morning. But again, it is our first trip to Alaska and I don't think we're going to have a bad time, regardless of the itinerary! Our cruise is the last week of May, btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonvoyagie Posted August 26, 2015 #9 Share Posted August 26, 2015 BTW there is nothing special about Stephan's passage it is the main route in and out of Juneau. It looks like the Amsterdam is going to do this itinerary most of the summer. The only other choice would be to sail out of Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RileyG Posted August 27, 2015 Author #10 Share Posted August 27, 2015 BTW there is nothing special about Stephan's passage it is the main route in and out of Juneau. It looks like the Amsterdam is going to do this itinerary most of the summer. The only other choice would be to sail out of Vancouver. Oh funny! I guess that explains why I can't find any real information about it. Thanks for clearing that up. It's a bit funny that HAL put that on the itinerary :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonvoyagie Posted August 28, 2015 #11 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Well they had to do something with the Tracy Arm slot :D If you Google it, the passage, is just prior to Juneau - Look for the Brothers Islands and the entrance to Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm. Also look for Kake. Since they are doing this itinerary for most of the summer, HAL must have felt that they needed to switch things up - maybe they figured Tracy Arm was getting too crowded.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted August 28, 2015 #12 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Well they had to do something with the Tracy Arm slot :D If you Google it, the passage, is just prior to Juneau - Look for the Brothers Islands and the entrance to Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm. Also look for Kake. Since they are doing this itinerary for most of the summer, HAL must have felt that they needed to switch things up - maybe they figured Tracy Arm was getting too crowded.:D Over the years- HAL has had probably the most- cut backs in itineraries. They haven't really added anything, but have taken away a LOT of routes/ports/ they used to take. The round trip Vancouver- don't do Tracy Arm unless you purchase the add on tours, the one ways, gave up College Fjords, The 14 day is way down in highlights compared to what it was. I don't particularly find the current routing that good- with too short of a time in Kodiak, outside Vancouver Island, no Glacier Bay etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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