kalliea Posted July 19, 2007 #1 Share Posted July 19, 2007 I just returned from my 1st Alaska cruise and we plan on returning next summer. I am looking at HAL and they have 2 iteneraries I am looking at. 1)includes Hubbard Glacier, Sitka and Skagway 2)includes College Fjord, Glacier Bay and Haines The rest of the ports are the same on both. I would love your opinions of which is better. I most interested in which gets the best glacier viewing and wildlife. Thanks, Kallie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyIL Posted July 19, 2007 #2 Share Posted July 19, 2007 I believe you're looking at the southbound Veendam and the Zaandam/Volendam. Both Glacier Bay and College Fjord are beautiful, and Hubbard Glacier is supposed to be awesome. If you choose the Zaandam or Volendam, you'll have two glacier sailing days. On the other hand, you can see College Fjord without doing so by large cruise ship, as there are several small companies that have small boat tours out of Whittier. You can also get a good view of at least one glacier on a Kenai Fjords cruise out of Seward before boarding your ship. Since you you went to Skagway on Vision, have you considered the northbound Veendam, which goes to Ketchikan, Haines, Juneau, Sitka, and Hubbard Glacier? That would be my personal choice, but I've already been to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and College Fjord on the northbound Coral Princess. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted July 19, 2007 #3 Share Posted July 19, 2007 I would choose option 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fti Posted July 20, 2007 #4 Share Posted July 20, 2007 You have already received input from the board's resident itinerary expert. I don't know how NancyIL keeps all the itineraries straight! I would probably choose 2) just because I really enjoy Glacier Bay and Haines is kind of off the beaten path (well, so is Sitka). But I am sure you can't go wrong with either itinerary. I am going to Hubbard Glacier next month for the first time. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allentownahoy Posted July 20, 2007 #5 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I would go for Glacier Bay. Much more time spent scenic cruising the glaciers. Hubbard, by some accounts is more dramatic b/c of its size but there are more issues re not getting close enough to it. When we went to Hubbard we supposedly got to within 1/4 mile but could not see it at all due to heavy fog. I am sorry I couldn't see it but Glacier Bay was amazing, also active calving, and a full day in Glacier Bay National Park with scenery beyond words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Italy52 Posted July 20, 2007 #6 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Two glacier views are better than one (or none). We have been on two Alaska trips and our third will be next year. The first one we didn't make it into Tracy Arm and it was a disappointment for us. So, we booked our second cruise and decided that we would do the itinerary with College Fjords and Glacier Bay. We were very happy we did. Next year, we are gambling and doing Hubbard because we have never seen it and heard that the calving is spectacular. As I have learned this year, that is not always the case. Given all the facts, DH still wants to do Hubbard next year. I said OK, BUT we are doing a Kenai Fjords glacier tour as a backup just in case we can't get close to Hubbard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalliea Posted July 20, 2007 Author #7 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Thanks so much to everyone who has posted. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but it sounds like I can't go wrong either way. On the cruise we just returned from we didn't see Mendenhall up close because we thought we would get a good look at glaciers when we went to Tracy Arm Fjord, unfortunatly we didn't get very close to either glacier that day either. Kallie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted July 20, 2007 #8 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Have done those HAL cruises several times. JMO - we love Hubbard Glacier better -- bluer ice. And we love Sitka better than Haines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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