Video of Glacier Bay

[lmintzer]

My family and I recently cruised on the Pearl (July 24 sailing). Had a wonderful trip--only bummer was the weather in Skagway--rain and low cloud cover grounded all helicopters, so our heli/glacier landing was cancelled. Otherwise, it was a fabulous first cruise experience. I will try to write/post a review. For now, here is a brief video I created using my footage from Glacier Bay (set to an excerpt from Debussy's "Reverie." (Should I cross post on the "Ports of Call, Alaska" forum? Not sure what the etiquette is.)

 

Edited August 19, 2016 by lmintzer

[perkydebrajean]

Thanks for posting the video. Alaska is on my bucket list and this makes me want to go so bad! Loved the Pearl! Cruised her in 2014 and going on her again next year.

[caseykees]

Totally awesome! We are sailing on the Pearl in EIGHT days!! Was that shot from the Pearl or from a tour boat??

[lmintzer]

You're welcome, perkydebrajean. Glad to hear you liked the Pearl, too, and that you are sailing on her again! : ) Definitely hit up Alaska if and when you can!

 

caseykees: 8 days! You are in the final countdown period! I didn't know what to imagine at that point--I was just so excited (and admitedly a little nervous about doing something really new). And, from your signature, I think a happy early birthday is in order! : ) What a great way to celebrate a milestone birthday! The footage was all shot from the Pearl. I believe all (if not, then most) was shot on my Canon D70. I had a Tamron 16-300 lens on the camera, so I could get some fairly wide shots and zoom in pretty close, too. No tripod, so thus a little wobble here and there. I mostly was on Deck 7--a great place to view the glaciers, as there was always space at the railing, and it was easy to run across to the opposite side when the captain rotated the ship. I started off the morning on Deck 8, forward (they opened this deck up just for Glacier Bay viewing--usually it is not accessible to passengers). I was a little disappointed in how crowded it got there--not always room at the railing, and there were some "railing hogs" who felt their photography experience superseded everyone's view. Also, I felt the railings were extra high there--not good for short people (I am 5'2"). I shot a little of the footage from my mid-ship balcony room (mini-suite on Deck 11). Views from there were great, but there is an overhang that gets in the way of some shots. For viewing purposes, it was pretty, and nice to be able to sit for a little bit. At one point I ran up to the deck above the pool deck (13?) to see what things looked like from even higher. It was also fairly crowded up there, so I headed back down to 7; I found I liked the slightly lower vantage point.

 

HTH. And enjoy your cruise!

[momoftwinteens]

Absolutely beautiful. I am on this cruise next summer. We will be in one of the forward suites so I am hoping that will help with the view hogs. Thank you so much for sharing your video!

[lmintzer]

Thanks, momoftwinteens. When I was on deck 8, I looked up at those balconies, and thought, "It would be great to be watching from up there." You will have a fantastic view! Wonderful for watching as you enter Glacier Bay. Still, I would recommend watching for a while from up there, but then heading down to a deck like 7 where you can move between the port and starboard sides. You will see twice as much of Margerie glacier that way.

 

I also think it might have been interesting to watch the exit from Glacier Bay from The Great Outdoors (all the way aft). So many vantage points, so little time. Really, you can't go wrong--it's all so incredible!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[MandyMommyof2]

Great video! Thank you for posting! Alaska is on my bucket list!! Seeing this makes me want to go sooner, than later.

[SlayerFan]

Thanks for posting the video. My wife and I were on the same cruise the previous week. Our first cruise and it was fantastic, we loved Glacier Bay. My only regret is not taking a good camera. I had a GoPro and my cell phone pictures turned out pretty nice but I wish I had taken a "real" camera with a zoom lens with me. Oh well, I guess we are going to have to go back!

[lmintzer]

SlayerFan--I know what you mean about those regrets (The "I wish I hads . . ."). I have some of those regarding my trip, too (like I wish I had brought my real camera with me ziplining in Ketchikan--I didn't realize we were going to see a mama bear and her cub right below us! The point and shoot I had brought up there with me took some awfully blurry bear photos). I think it's just hard the first time: Alaska is simply awe-inspiring, and there is so much to take in--there are definitely some pieces missed, either because of having the wrong equipment or merely focusing on one thing while something else that's wonderful is happening around the corner. For example, I didn't see much wildlife from the ship--but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough (or sitting still long enough--that's what happens when you travel with kids, I guess). You are right! We all will just have to go back! : )

Edited August 20, 2016 by lmintzer

[easyboy]

Thanks for sharing the video.

[jimswims]

Fantastic video. Thank you for sharing it. Glacier Bay is one of my favorite places. There is something special about it. We were there 6 years ago on the Pearl. Our balcony was on the aft, Deck 10 and it was a spectacular view and felt like we could almost reach out and touch Margerie Glacier.

[spidybabe]

Just off the Pearl 8 / 7 / 16 sailing. During Glacier Bay...leave your balcony and go on deck 7. The sights, sounds and views are AMAZING!! Way too limiting from your balcony. And the widlidelife sightings from the Great Outdoors leaving Glacier Bay were unbelievable. There was plenty of space for all.

Alaska is Mother Nature at her finest

Safe sailing

Edited August 21, 2016 by spidybabe