Tracy Arm Fjord

[caber]

This is our first time to Alaska. We are on a HAL cruise. On our tour list Tracy Arm has one tour, the catamaran from the ship. My question is, is it worth the money for the tour and if we stay on the ship what will we see? The itinerary states only half an hour for Tracy Arm, presumably just enough time to board the catamaran from the ship.

[ms1badtk]

I cant speak for HAL but when I did this excursion on Carnival it was very much worth it. We were able to see a bear walking on the land and got pretty close to the Glacier and they brought a chunk of ice on the boat so you could see. When we were close to the Glacier we were lucky enough to see it calving. We went on the first boat out so I am not sure what the people from the ship saw but when we got back on board it had already turned around and was slowly heading back out while the second group made the trip out to see. As far as time limit it was longer than 30 mins for us but again different cruise line hopefully someone who has done this excursion with HAL will be able to help with their opinion.

Edited February 1, 2017 by ms1badtk

[xlxo]

This is our first time to Alaska. We are on a HAL cruise. On our tour list Tracy Arm has one tour, the catamaran from the ship. My question is, is it worth the money for the tour and if we stay on the ship what will we see? The itinerary states only half an hour for Tracy Arm, presumably just enough time to board the catamaran from the ship.

Thoughts...

• which month are you cruising? Early in the season.... The 31 mile Tracy Arm may be ice congested and substituted with Endicott arm. In 2016, the boats did not enter until mid-August.
  
• the HAL cruise ship will only be at the mouth of Tracy Arm for the 30 minute transfer. The cruise ship will make NO attempt at the 31 mile trip up the arm.
  
• book the ship excursion the first chance you get.... of all the excursions, the Tracy Arm catamaran will be sold out FIRST.
  
• For those visiting Tracy Arm from Juneau, they need to retrace the 50 miles the cruise ship already covers. This seriously wipes out their Juneau port time.
  

[caber]

Thanks. We go in September. The ship carries on to Juneau from there. I wasn't sure whether to book that tour or another from Juneau.

[xlxo]

Book the ship tour....

• you save time in not retracing 50 miles of water between Juneau and Tracy arm three times
  
• you will have more time in Juneau. I'll let others confirm if there is a whale watch or Mendenhall opportunity.
  
• you might even find savings as tours from the ship will be cheaper than from Juneau
  

Try to book the ship tour ASAP. As mentioned... it will be the first excursion to sell out. Don't be surprised to find a waitlist at guest services for any passengers for empty seats.

[Coral]

Book the ship tour....

• you save time in not retracing 50 miles of water between Juneau and Tracy arm three times
  
• you will have more time in Juneau. I'll let others confirm if there is a whale watch or Mendenhall opportunity.
  
• you might even find savings as tours from the ship will be cheaper than from Juneau
  

Try to book the ship tour ASAP. As mentioned... it will be the first excursion to sell out. Don't be surprised to find a waitlist at guest services for any passengers for empty seats.

 

The ship tour is more expensive than the tour from Juneau (AdventureBound). You seem to make a lot of assumptions that are not accurate.

 

I have never found the time "wasted" out of Juneau as they often stop to see whales and bears that the ship tour often doesn't have time for. I don't find this wasted. I have always seen more whales than I have on whale watching tours out of Juneau. When you go out of Juneau, you are picking a day when it is long anyway and I still find time to spending in Juneau.

[Budget Queen]

This is our first time to Alaska. We are on a HAL cruise. On our tour list Tracy Arm has one tour, the catamaran from the ship. My question is, is it worth the money for the tour and if we stay on the ship what will we see? The itinerary states only half an hour for Tracy Arm, presumably just enough time to board the catamaran from the ship.

 

You do not go into Tracy Arm at all, unless you book the ship excursion. You have some thinking and more research to do to determine what your choice is going to be??? Your time is shortened in Juneau with the Tracy Arm add on, so look at your- entire day and what you wish to accomplish with this visit.

[TheCalicoCat]

This is our first time to Alaska. We are on a HAL cruise. On our tour list Tracy Arm has one tour, the catamaran from the ship. My question is, is it worth the money for the tour and if we stay on the ship what will we see? The itinerary states only half an hour for Tracy Arm, presumably just enough time to board the catamaran from the ship.

 

YES!

My first cruise to AK was also on HAL, I took the Catamaran tour - the rest of the ship went to Juneau. (They did not enter the fjord at all.)

 

FWIW It was my most favorite excursion on any of the cruises that I have been on.

 

Book it before you get to the ship - it sells out.

[Coral]

YES!

My first cruise to AK was also on HAL, I took the Catamaran tour - the rest of the ship went to Juneau. (They did not enter the fjord at all.)

 

FWIW It was my most favorite excursion on any of the cruises that I have been on.

 

Book it before you get to the ship - it sells out.

 

This ranks as one of the top excursions for me also.

[Eaglecw]

Here's a couple of pictures from our last trip up Tracy Arm on the Allen Marine boat that picked us up near Sawyer Island.