Hubbard Glacier Cruising questions

[Look2Sea]

Hubbard Glacier Cruising 6am - 10am

dumb questions but I am clueless :confused:

 

Does this mean that you will possibly see glaciers only from 6am - 10am?

So if you sleep in, you will miss the glaciers?

Can you see the glaciers from your balcony?

 

 

I am debating visiting Mendenhall Glacier (in Juneau)

 

Is there a view of Mendenhall Glacier from top of Mount Robert?

If so, is it a long hike to the viewing area?

 

If I view Hubbard Glacier from ship,

what do you think about skipping Mendenhall?

[trixietx]

You will love Hubbard glacier. The captain will get the ship in close and then turn it so people on both sides of the ship can see the glacier. You can see it from you balcony and it is amazing, but also go to the top of the ship to see the entire glacier. It is just awsome to see so much blue ice.

 

I can't help you with Juneau. We chartered a floatplane in Juneau and he flew us all over. It was awsome also.

 

You will have a great time! We loved Alaska and thinking of going back this summer.

[KRN]

You're only near the Hubbard Glacier for the hours specified - then you sail on. So yes, it is often an early morning. You probably won't be there for 4 hours - they'll let you know on the ship what time you'll be there. And yes, you can usually see it from your balcony. We had an aft balcony (really large), so the extended family are gathered there to see the glacier.

 

You can't see the Mendenhall Glacier from Mt. Roberts. We took both the tram up Mt. Roberts, and the bus out to Mendenhall. I don't remember it being a very far walk from the bus to the best viewing areas.

 

Mendenhall and Hubbard are really different. I liked seeing both. There's so much great stuff to do, it's difficult to pick.

[judynorth]

Hubbard Glacier is beautiful and HUGE! The view is best from up on deck so be sure to go up there for at least part of the time.

 

If I had to choose between Mt. Roberts and Mendenhall I would go to Mendenhall. It was much more impressive than the pictures that you see of it.

 

I have pictures of both glaciers at the link below if you care to look.

[GranMona]

You will probably start approaching Hubbard at 6AM. Our first time there, we didn't realize that it takes a couple of hours to get to the glacier and we were on the bow of the boat bright and early to get a good place on the rail! I got really cold. You will stay in position for about an hour and the captain will turn the ship around for all to see from any place on the ship. It is huge and you will want to see and hear the calving, so make sure you don't sleep through this one! Another ship probably has that area for the afternoon so you will be out of there by 10AM.

[Mrs Charmin]

Hi Judynorth, Your photos are beautiful. I've saved them to my favourites to enjoy anytime. Hubbard Glacier looks spectacular! I'm curious how you got pictures of the ship when you don't leave the ship while cruising in this area? I'd like to do that too.

 

Thanks for sharing your pictures.

[judynorth]

Hi Judynorth, Your photos are beautiful. I've saved them to my favourites to enjoy anytime. Hubbard Glacier looks spectacular! I'm curious how you got pictures of the ship when you don't leave the ship while cruising in this area? I'd like to do that too.

 

Thanks for sharing your pictures.

 

Thanks. Just wait until you see the real thing, The pictures just can't show how spectacular Alaska is! The ship that you see in the pictures is the Celebrity Millinium. On the cloudy day we had to wait for her to leave so that we could get up to the glacier. On the sunny day we got there first and she had to wait on us. Did you look at the video of Hubbard calving? My voice shows how awed I was by the glacier. (It also shows how southern I am. :-))

[Look2Sea]

Thanks for the great information :)

 

I assume the captain's announcement can be heard in your cabin,

and may be loud enough to wake someone up?

 

I am planning cruise for a couple (under 30).

[Napi's Mom]

Thanks for the great information :)

 

I assume the captain's announcement can be heard in your cabin,

and may be loud enough to wake someone up?

 

I am planning cruise for a couple (under 30).

BE aware of the fact that you go thru Yakatuk (SP/) Bay to get to the Glacier, and you will pass near the 2nd highest Mt peak in the US, Mt. Logan I think, which should be visible if not raining or cloudy & foggy. And a BIG plus....it's home to a pod of Beluga whales (the smaller white ones that "sing" very loudly, and can be heard without those undersea mics) actually a member of the Dolphin family, as are the Orca. You might see them if up early!:D

[Texas Tillie]

Thanks for the great information :)

 

I assume the captain's announcement can be heard in your cabin,

and may be loud enough to wake someone up?

 

I am planning cruise for a couple (under 30).

 

On most ships you must to have the television turned on to a specific channel (with the volume up!) in order to hear the captain's announcements.

 

Perhaps this is a "tacky" comment, but I just don't understand anyone spending the time and MONEY to go on an Alaskan cruise and be too lazy to get their patootie out of the sack to see the gorgeous scenery.:eek::eek:

[judynorth]

I assume the captain's announcement can be heard in your cabin,

and may be loud enough to wake someone up?

 

Announcements are seldom broadcast into the cabins unless it is an emergency. As the previous poster stated, you have to turn your TV on to the proper channel (they will tell you what that is) in order to hear the commentary.

 

Get up early every day and stay up late. Try not to miss a thing. Sleep when you get home. :rolleyes:

[Look2Sea]

On most ships you must to have the television turned on to a specific channel (with the volume up!) in order to hear the captain's announcements.

 

Perhaps this is a "tacky" comment, but I just don't understand anyone spending the time and MONEY to go on an Alaskan cruise and be too lazy to get their patootie out of the sack to see the gorgeous scenery.:eek::eek:

 

 

Texas Tillie,

Not a tacky comment.

When I posted thread, I thought that it gave the impression of being lazy. I would definitely get up early and get on deck. I would also do all the walking tours at ports. But I am planning cruise for a couple in mid twenties, and you never know. :)

[Jana White]

Several years ago we were on an Alaskan cruise with another couple. They slept through all of the glacier viewing. They knew when it was and it was their choice. To my husband and I this was unbelievable, but it was their vacation. It didn't seem to bother them.

[nativetexan]

KRN - We're on the Millenium in a corner aft balcony. Will that be sufficient for viewing Hubbard or do you need to be in a spot where you can go from side to side? Not sure if that makes sense but just trying to see how many people will fit on our balcony! HA!! There's our family of 4 and another family of 3. Our balcony will hold 7 but we're hoping we get a good viewing spot!

 

Did you order room service that morning?

 

THANKS!!!!!!!

[Chenega]

Any glaciers in Alaska are worth seeing. Here's a shot of Surprise Glacier in Barry Arm (an extension of College Fjord) taken last summer on a field trip with my college geography class.

[Napi's Mom]

KRN - We're on the Millenium in a corner aft balcony. Will that be sufficient for viewing Hubbard or do you need to be in a spot where you can go from side to side? Not sure if that makes sense but just trying to see how many people will fit on our balcony! HA!! There's our family of 4 and another family of 3. Our balcony will hold 7 but we're hoping we get a good viewing spot!

 

Did you order room service that morning?

 

THANKS!!!!!!!

We had an aft..not FV, and I'd say that if it's the corner FV you have a view of 270o or more so at least part of the time it would be ideal. Coming up to the glacier of course the best view is to the front, I've heard them say they turn the ship around to give all the balconies a view. We had an inside on Hal and HAd to be topside to see it. (Was bloody cold!! and raining even tho it had been 80o in Juneau the day before! Served FREE hot choc.)

[BKFlowerMound]

Hubbard is spectacular. Sailing in (if the weather is clear) you will see Mt. St. Elias (which is the second tallest mountain in both the U.S. and Canada). It's shaped like a pyramid.

 

You will also be able to see Mt. Logan, which is the highest mountain in Canada and the second highest in North America. Mt. Logan is behind the Hubbard Glacier. Mt. St. Elias will be visible as you sail in to Yakutat Bay. It's very close to the shore and is just beautiful.

[mochuck]

We had an aft balcony (really large), so the extended family are gathered there to see the glacier.

 

We have an aft balcony as well, so is it just as good a view as up on deck?

[judynorth]

We have an aft balcony as well, so is it just as good a view as up on deck?

 

I don't think the view from the aft balcony will be very good for Hubbard. You will want to be at the bow as you sail into Yakutat Bay and approach the glacier. Once you are there the captain will turn the ship around a time or 2 so you might want to be on your balcony part of that time. The view is just so much better on deck because you can move from side to side to see all the views. Of course, as the ship sails out of the bay your view will be great!

[ellbon]

I was in glacier bay a few years ago-started on the balcony and then went up top and watch-being a sunny day I also enjoyed the hot tub as well as took pictures from all over the decks.

looking at the millie i decided to go south so i could sleep in and still lenjoy the glacier. by going S it starts around 2 pm.

[Look2Sea]

I was in glacier bay a few years ago-started on the balcony and then went up top and watch-being a sunny day I also enjoyed the hot tub as well as took pictures from all over the decks.

looking at the millie i decided to go south so i could sleep in and still lenjoy the glacier. by going S it starts around 2 pm.

 

Good idea.

Why didn't I think of that? :)