Tracy Arm Fjord 5-9 am?

[snoopy5386]

Our ship (Ruby Princess) is scheduled to be in Tracy Arm from 5-9 am and then in Juneau at 12:30. Does that mean we will be completely out of Tracy Arm by 9 am? I have two small kids that I want to be able to see the scenery, but at the same time I don't want them up at 5 am to see it. We have a long day in Juneau planned too and will be off the boat from 12:30-8 pm so I need them not to be awake quite that early. If I wake them at 7, will they get to see quite a bit of Tracy Arm still? I'm assuming we'll sail as far as we can for the first two hours and then sail out the last two? And yes I am aware we may end up in Endicott Arm instead which is fine too. Will the ship's naturalist or captain be making announcements in the hall or in the room starting at 5 am? Just trying to figure out how this morning will work.

[sherryf]

Do you have a balcony so that you can watch the scenery, even if they are still sleeping? Depending on how young they are, I wouldn't really worry about them getting to see it, but you should definitely get to see it! You will see more if you can get out on the open decks, but seeing part of it from your balcony is better than not seeing it at all.

 

On my first cruise to Alaska, my kids were 2, 5, and 8. I took them out on deck for a little while during our glacier sailing days (our cruise did Hubbard and College Fjord) but they really didn't care. Only the oldest remembers any of it. The little ones whined about being cold. Honestly, I ended up taking them back to the kids club, where they were much happier. :o

[snoopy5386]

They are 6 and 10 and we do have a balcony. My plan is to get up myself (maybe not a 5 am yawn!) and sneak out of the room to shower at the gym and then watch from the open decks. I plan to wake them around 7-7:30 with breakfast from the HC and let them watch from the balcony or watch tv if they get bored. I think the 10 year old will enjoy it and the 6 year old will be popping in and out and only really interested if we see wildlife.

[sherryf]

Oh, you said "small kids" so I was thinking preschool age. 10 is well out of the "small kid" range and will definitely be able to enjoy and remember it. The 6 year old might even appreciate it.

 

First, you aren't going to leave them alone in the cabin, are you? I'm assuming there will be another adult with them?

 

I also wouldn't wait until 7:30 to wake them. IF you get in far enough to see the glacier, you don't want them to miss that. By 7:30, you may have already turned around and left the glacier. I'd have them out more like 6:30 if they want to see the glacier.

 

I am a bit surprised at your timing for Tracy Arm. When I have been on that exact itinerary in the past, we have been in Tracy Arm 6 - 10 AM.

[snoopy5386]

Yes my husband will be sleeping in the cabin with them, he is of the mind to choose sleep over scenery. I plan to wake them once we get to the glacier but was hoping it wouldn't be till around 7 am. It's going to be a long day for all of us - Tracy Arm, visit to Mendenhall, Whale Watch, back on the ship around 8 and then an early morning in Skagway again the next day. I agree the timing is cruddy, I wish it was 6-10 am!

[peety3]

Most likely, your ship will enter Tracy Arm Fjord around 5am, arrive at the glaciers around 6:45 or 7:00, spend ~30 minutes there (maybe a bit more), then depart, exiting the fjord around 9:00 or 9:15. At the ship's comfortable sailing speed, it's still 2.5-3 hours to Juneau, and they like to be early so they can deal with surprises and generally just let everyone hop off and do their thing.

[snoopy5386]

Most likely, your ship will enter Tracy Arm Fjord around 5am, arrive at the glaciers around 6:45 or 7:00, spend ~30 minutes there (maybe a bit more), then depart, exiting the fjord around 9:00 or 9:15. At the ship's comfortable sailing speed, it's still 2.5-3 hours to Juneau, and they like to be early so they can deal with surprises and generally just let everyone hop off and do their thing.

 

Thanks that's very helpful.

[Budget Queen]

Getting up at 5 am and earlier is a significant benefit for me, humpback watching. :)

 

I'd just get them up when you see the glacier. IF you take a look starboard, you will see it, at Sawyer Island. A lot of ships don't go any further, unfortunately, but if you notice yours taking the turn, and heading toward it, then perhaps get the kids up then. Otherwise, you could get them up for the last hour to see the tight twists and turns of the arm, coming out of the fjord and heading to Juneau.

 

This is assuming you are going before mid August?

[snoopy5386]

Yes we are going in Mid-July

[cvpends]

I wouldn't miss Tracy Arm to go take a shower. Since you have a balcony, just wrap yourself up and enjoy the natural beauty. Your kids may be old enough to enjoy the beauty also.

 

That said, I have taken two cruises that included Tracy Arm. One didn't even enter the Arm at all (early August.) The other only went partway up and then left because, the captain claimed, there was too much ice (late June.) This summer (early July) we will try again -- I really would like to see what is up there :) My point is that you should make sure that, if your ship doesn't go to another glacier viewing area, you have a backup plan to see a glacier -- such as Mendenhall. You don't want to go to Alaska and not see any glaciers.

[notentirelynormal]

This was a similar issue (okay not too similar but I'm telling it anyway) I had when we went through the Panama Canal. I had my then 18 YO son and his 18 YO cousin and my 23 YO daughter and my 23 YO nephew in the other cabin. I have a few cruise rules. One of them is: I don't care what you do the night before but if I book and pay for a tour for you guys, you better be on it. I don't care how tired you are. If you choose to stay up all night at the disco then you have to suffer the next day. Your attitude will also reflect how much fun you are having. Since my kids have been cruising since they were 7 they knew the rule.

 

So, I tell all 3 kids (the nephew was traveling with his parents but sharing a cabin) I'm paying for that we will hit the canal around 5 in the morning. I want you all on deck to witness the event. Whine complain, whine complain. Finally I told them to give me back the money I spent on the cruise. Every dime of it. Now I'm pissed. I told them to stop being spoiled little brats and be grateful that they will get to see one of the wonders of the world. If they have a problem with it they can sleep in and repay me for the Panama Canal cruise. You know, the canal that I am getting them up to witness.

 

My DH gets up, goes to the buffet to gather food and sets up a place on deck. Once the kids start to wander up he is there with breakfast foods and blankets. They see and head back to the cabin for more sleep. As they are walking back to their cabin they encounter a cruise friend. The other kids looks at them and says "your parents made you get up too?".

 

So, my take on it is regardless of whether they will get anything out of it, you will never know until you are in the situation. Wake them up and at least try. If it doesn't work out then at least you tried.

 

Next year I am taking my grandkids. They will be 6, 8, 10 and 12. I will have each kid on that balcony. They will have a blanket and hot chocolate to watch what we can see. Then back to bed. Hopefully though, we will be able to get the excursion of getting on a smaller boat and seeing the glaciers up close and personal. Since there is no guarantee about that, early morning balcony it is.

[steenie]

In case it helps with your morning planning, our ship did go to Endicott Arm instead of Tracy Arm, and the port side had a full view into the fjord from about 6:20-6:30am. The captain then did a 180 with the ship so that the starboard side had a full view. By 7am or so, the ship was turning to retrace its path out and towards Juneau.

 

I woke up DH from deep sleep at 6:30am, so he could at least look out the balcony for a few minutes before knocking out again.

 

View from a port-side balcony cabin in Endicott Arm.

[Coral]

In case it helps with your morning planning, our ship did go to Endicott Arm instead of Tracy Arm, and the port side had a full view into the fjord from about 6:20-6:30am. The captain then did a 180 with the ship so that the starboard side had a full view. By 7am or so, the ship was turning to retrace its path out and towards Juneau.

 

I woke up DH from deep sleep at 6:30am, so he could at least look out the balcony for a few minutes before knocking out again.

 

View from a port-side balcony cabin in Endicott Arm.

 

Is that as close as you got to Dawes glacier?

[limoncello07]

In case it helps with your morning planning, our ship did go to Endicott Arm instead of Tracy Arm, and the port side had a full view into the fjord from about 6:20-6:30am. The captain then did a 180 with the ship so that the starboard side had a full view. By 7am or so, the ship was turning to retrace its path out and towards Juneau. View from a port-side balcony cabin in Endicott Arm.

 

Beautiful photo, and a very helpful explanation of what to expect -- thanks steenie!

[Budget Queen]

Is that as close as you got to Dawes glacier?

 

I sure hope not. But the times noted in the post, do not go with the full transit. What a shame if the case.

[Coral]

I sure hope not. But the times noted in the post, do not go with the full transit. What a shame if the case.

 

There is nothing blocking access to the glacier - I hope they got closer!

 

If close enough - Dawes glacier is worth seeing.

[steenie]

Is that as close as you got to Dawes glacier?

 

This photo was taken at the point at which the ship literally almost spun in a circle for viewing purposes and got no closer to the glacier afterwards. I woke up at 6am, so it's possible the ship was closer to the glacier before then, but I doubt that they did.

 

We ordered the balcony breakfast that morning at 7:30am and were outside for a few hours, so there definitely was no closer glacier viewing from the balcony after 7am or so.

Edited July 10, 2016 by steenie

[Coral]

This photo was taken at the point at which the ship literally almost spun in a circle for viewing purposes and got no closer to the glacier afterwards. I woke up at 6am, so it's possible the ship was closer to the glacier before then, but I doubt that they did.

 

We ordered the balcony breakfast that morning at 7:30am and were outside for a few hours, so there definitely was no closer glacier viewing from the balcony after 7am or so.

 

Well - you will have to go back to Alaska to get a better glacier view in the future! :)

[steenie]

Well - you will have to go back to Alaska to get a better glacier view in the future! :)

 

:D I was pretty envious of my uncle's cruise to Glacier Bay the week before mine.

 

He sent me this:

[Coral]

:D I was pretty envious of my uncle's cruise to Glacier Bay the week before mine.

 

He sent me this:

 

I love Glacier Bay and all of my cruises have had pretty good access. It is why I am a big advocate for itineraries that go to Glacier Bay. My first cruise to Alaska had a worse glacier viewing than what you had :(.

[Budget Queen]

This photo was taken at the point at which the ship literally almost spun in a circle for viewing purposes and got no closer to the glacier afterwards. I woke up at 6am, so it's possible the ship was closer to the glacier before then, but I doubt that they did.

 

We ordered the balcony breakfast that morning at 7:30am and were outside for a few hours, so there definitely was no closer glacier viewing from the balcony after 7am or so.

 

This is negatively alarming to me. The previous reason ships went into Endicott Arm was for the glacier access, otherwise, Tracy Arm is a much more interesting sailing.

 

I know people- all the time, claim "Princess" is so wonderful in Alaska, go with Princess. This adds to my suggestions of looking at all the options. My own personal experiences have also been shortchanged with Princess. Twice in Glacier Bay- the ship ONLY did a 180' turn, and LEFT. Starboard had NO view of Margerie. First time was over 10 years ago, but also last year. I also had a sailing of Hubbard- NO ice in the water, but the turn around was over 10 miles away. Now this?

[Chenega]

Ouch on the view! Here's a view of Dawes from the Un-cruise Safari Endeavor taken in early May this year. The bottom picture is a glacier in Blackstone Bay (Prince William Sound - also taken from a small ship). The difference for glacier viewing is significant on a small ship vs. a cruise ship.

Edited July 10, 2016 by Chenega

[Coral]

Here are 2 pics I took - one from a Princess ship and another from Adventure Bound. I did use a zoom but my camera didn't have one of the ultra zooms like now.

[Coral]

I did not use a zoom on this one though I don't remember if that was the closest we got (small boat):

Edited July 10, 2016 by Coral

[steenie]

Wow!! Now those are all real glacier viewing. Strangely, I feel better about the reaction from DH (after waking him up) of "Is that it?!" :)