Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer Qs

[keishashadow]

Really seems like a wonderful tour (up close, waterfalls, better animal sightings maybe a whale or 2!) from what i read here via a search:)couple Qs:

 

1) Does the glacial viewing 'out-do' mendenhall...in that, if we skip it & do the mt roberst tram, then the catamaran tour will i be sorry:confused:

 

2) How rough 'usually' ;) r the waters out to the fjord itself? have some back issues would hate to kick them up with really rough water/swells

 

3) Appears as though excursion leaves somewhere around 1 pm ish. Have eating machine (teenage son in tow) do they still sell food aboard?

 

4) When would be a good time to make a dinner res that night upon our return? Have read anywhere from 5 to almost 7 hours duration of excursion

[Budget Queen]

You are on NCL Star?? Yes this tour, definately way outdoes Mendenhall. You have all morning to do both that and Mt. Roberts, if you wish.

 

This isn't a "rough" area to sail, but you're on the water. :)

 

Yes, Allen Marine does have a limited snack bar.

 

You have EXTREMELY scenic sailing all afternoon through evening. (I was out, way late), so it really doesn't matter, when you reserve. However, I found no problem with any walk up alternative dinner (pay) reservations on the Star a few weeks ago. Aqua wasn't that busy either.

[keishashadow]

yes, the Star; glad to hear that alternative dining shouldn't be an issue upon our return.

 

happy to report the mr is now onboard w/this excursion-he went out & bought new camera this weekend (24x zoom):)

[brunolvr]

yes, the Star; glad to hear that alternative dining shouldn't be an issue upon our return.

 

happy to report the mr is now onboard w/this excursion-he went out & bought new camera this weekend (24x zoom):)

 

Hi, keishashadow! We did this excursion on our May 30th cruise on the Star and enjoyed it tremendously, even though we went to Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier instead of Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glaciers.

 

Since our excursion met at 12:30 PM in the Stardust Theater, we got back on the Star early in Juneau and had our butler (or room service) deliver lunch at 11:30 AM. Once everyone was there, we went down to Deck 4 and boarded the excursion boat about 12:45 PM.

 

The excursion boat is very comfortable and we made a couple of stops along the way to view whales and a bear along the shore. Once we got to Dawes Glacier, we spent about 45 minutes as close to the face of the glacier as we could, watching and waiting for her to calve for us. We saw and heard a few small calvings, but nothing spectacular. We met the Star in the Endicott Arm and reboarded her around 6:15 PM.

 

Make sure you dress warm!!! When we left Juneau it was in the upper 70's, but by the time we reached the glacier it was freezing cold and very windy!!! Bring gloves, a warm hat and a warm jacket. I should have worn my lined windpants as my legs got cold standing out on deck watching and waiting for the glacier to calve.

 

Hope this helps you!:)

 

Here's some pictures. #1 - This was where we sat and there was another deck below us. #2 - Speeding past the Pearl who was on her way to Juneau. #3 - Dawes Glacier #4 - On our way to meet up with the waiting Star.

[keishashadow]

brunolvr-hi, thanx for the info:)

 

was worried re the timing, lunch is very important to my teen;)need to allow ample time lol. I'll plan on being on deck 4 by 12:30 pm to try & grab a good seat. Thinking the upper level would be best?

 

we hadn't had much hope seeing a bear this trip, it would be such a bonus!

 

glad u mentioned the difference in temp from juneau, i'd have probably been lulled into thinking we didn't need to dress as warm. im thinking underarmour (tops & bottoms) sweats (or jeans) & WP jacket jik it's raining/misty. Have our hats & gloves @ the ready too;)

[brunolvr]

brunolvr-hi, thanx for the info:)

 

was worried re the timing, lunch is very important to my teen;)need to allow ample time lol. I'll plan on being on deck 4 by 12:30 pm to try & grab a good seat. Thinking the upper level would be best?

 

we hadn't had much hope seeing a bear this trip, it would be such a bonus!

 

glad u mentioned the difference in temp from juneau, i'd have probably been lulled into thinking we didn't need to dress as warm. im thinking underarmour (tops & bottoms) sweats (or jeans) & WP jacket jik it's raining/misty. Have our hats & gloves @ the ready too;)

 

You need to meet with the rest of your excursion in the Stardust Theater, where they take your tickets & mark you off, then you go as a group down to deck 4 to board the excursion boat.

 

We liked the upper deck seating area because it was easier to pop in and out to the outside decks for viewing & picture taking. I spent most of my time outside when possible! Lots of good viewing areas but windy & cold!

[keishashadow]

okay, thanx for clarifying, the theater it is 1st

 

wow, the boat is very small, gulp lol:)

[Budget Queen]

okay, thanx for clarifying, the theater it is 1st

 

wow, the boat is very small, gulp lol:)

 

Nope, not really, it's three decks (2 passenger seating) with plenty of room.

[brunolvr]

okay, thanx for clarifying, the theater it is 1st

 

wow, the boat is very small, gulp lol:)

 

Don't worry!:) It's only small next to the Star.;) It really is a pretty big boat and we enjoyed our time on it. Allen Marine does a great job!

[keishashadow]

:)all things being relative;)thanx

[brunolvr]

:)all things being relative;)thanx

 

Did you see "mooline's" review of this excursion on the NCL boards? She's currently on the Star (in the GV):

 

"I owe a deep debt of gratitude to all you here on CC who encouraged me to take the Tracy Arm jet boat excursion. THIS TOUR WAS AN EXPERIENCE WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

 

The ice did not permit a Tracy Arm transit, so we headed up Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier.

 

On the way to the glacier, we saw much wildlife: hundreds of seals (moms and newborn pups), at least 6 whales, and eagles. We saw waterfalls, centuries–old trees, rock formations that began to take shape in prehistoric times and two other breathtaking sights:

 

1) We saw the glacier calve – twice, about 30 minutes apart, in completely different locations. Huge chunks crashed into the sea, sending large waves toward the boat. The second calving was so large as to generate a very clear round of white thunder.

 

2) Just as we were leaving Dawes Glacier, a rainbow formed over it and became increasingly more vivid until each of the bands of color shone with perfect distinction.

 

The folks who run this tour – Allen Marine – are a first class outfit, providing a highly informative tour while caring for every creature comfort."

[suzyed]

yes, the Star; glad to hear that alternative dining shouldn't be an issue upon our return.

 

happy to report the mr is now onboard w/this excursion-he went out & bought new camera this weekend (24x zoom):)

We just got back from the Star and did this excursion.....it was amazing! We went to Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier too...this is Capt. Lars call on which you will sail to.

 

The water is not rough in the least, but it is COLD up on top as you approach the glacier, so dress warmly. The boat is probably 60 ft. long, so don't worry about it being too small.

 

We got to experience several calvings..so amazing...the sound of thunder is so loud! We were also lucky enough to experience a shooter! This is when the glacier calves below the water and this huge chunk of ice literally shoots out of the water almost halfway up the glacier and then falls back down to the water!! Spectacular!!! The capt and the naturalist on board have only seen this happen 2-3 times in the several years that they have been doing this tour!

 

They provide coffee, tea, hot cocoa and water. They had some munchkin donut holes and then a small salmon snack later on. There are other things you can purchase if you are hungry.

 

When we returned to the ship (I think the tour was about 5 1/2-6 hours), we just walked up to the Endless Summer, which was on the way to our Cabin and they sat us right away...no prob.

 

You will love this tour...this is what Alaska is all about!!!

[etluv2cruise]

We just got back from the Star and did this excursion.....it was amazing! We went to Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier too...this is Capt. Lars call on which you will sail to.

 

The water is not rough in the least, but it is COLD up on top as you approach the glacier, so dress warmly. The boat is probably 60 ft. long, so don't worry about it being too small.

 

We got to experience several calvings..so amazing...the sound of thunder is so loud! We were also lucky enough to experience a shooter! This is when the glacier calves below the water and this huge chunk of ice literally shoots out of the water almost halfway up the glacier and then falls back down to the water!! Spectacular!!! The capt and the naturalist on board have only seen this happen 2-3 times in the several years that they have been doing this tour!

 

We were on the same excursion with suzyed. When we were at the glacier, with the moving ship and wind blowing, my face did feel pretty COLD. Aren't you glad you have your 3 in 1 jacket from Land's End, Susan?

 

It is DEFINITELY an excursion worth going and $ well-spent. All the comments from Budget Queen to brunolvr, mooline and others that have gone on this excursion would do you no justice until you experience it yourself. In fact, prior to our cruise, suzyed and I communicated whether we should cancel the booked excursion, when we learned that on the earlier sailings, Star was able to get into Tracy Arm and reached

rather close proximity to the glacier. Sensing from her comments, we have absolutely NO REGRETS.

 

keishashadow, as this is our first trip to Alaska, IMHO, I would love to have a couple more hours in Juneau, we ran out of time! Fortunately, it was foggy on our day at Juneau, if not, I would hate missing out on the opportunity to take the tram up to Mount Roberts for the paranomic view.

 

Let me share with you our experience, I have arranged to have Shaun from Evergreen Cab picked us up at 8 a.m. right at the pier and take us directly to Mendenhall Glacier. he fills us in with information of Juneau enroute. We spent three hours exploring Mendenhall Glacier (no hiking, other than climbing over some rocks to get to the beach by the waterfall), my DH just loves to take pictures. We stopped the Visitor Center ($3 pp entrance fee), watched a short film about Mendenhall, viewed the exhibits and spoke to the ranger at the center. When we about ready to leave, we called Shaun to inform him and he met us at the parking area in 10 minutes. We were able to maximize our time, without waiting in line to get on the shuttle to and from the pier, and feel that with the four of us, the difference is less than $10 each way is well-spent. We got back on Star slightly before noon, grabbed a quick bite at the Market Cafe, before heading back to our cabin to put on our extra layers, "3 in 1 jacket", gloves, and hat. The entire group left Stardust Theater at approximately 12:45 p.m. and march down to deck 4 to board the catamaran (parked side-by-side with Star), woo-hoo, we left before Star set sail and saw Pearl in the harbor heading into the terminal. I wouldn't go into the experience of the next 5+ hours on board, as I have mentioned, YOU MUST EXPERIENCE it to feel its GREATNESS! But word of advise, if you are planning to eat at the specialty restaurant that evening, don't make dinner reservation prior to 7:30 p.m., that will give you time to shred the extra layers and freshen up for dinner. We were transferred back to Star slightly after 6:45 p.m. (Don't know if there is any relations that we went to Endicott in lieu of Tracy Arm, and therefore, might have need to travel a longer distance?) We made reservation with La Trattoria for 7 p.m., and called the resturant upon returning to our cabin and informed them that we will be 15 minutes late, and they were very accomodating.

 

IMHO, freestyle dining is the way to go with Alaska cruise. Yes, I do miss having a specific sever every night that knows of your likes and habits, but the trade-off is that we can maximize on our activities, and no longer needs to worry about scheduling activities around mealtimes.

[suzyed]

We just got back from the Star and did this excursion.....it was amazing! We went to Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier too...this is Capt. Lars call on which you will sail to.

 

The water is not rough in the least, but it is COLD up on top as you approach the glacier, so dress warmly. The boat is probably 60 ft. long, so don't worry about it being too small.

 

We got to experience several calvings..so amazing...the sound of thunder is so loud! We were also lucky enough to experience a shooter! This is when the glacier calves below the water and this huge chunk of ice literally shoots out of the water almost halfway up the glacier and then falls back down to the water!! Spectacular!!! The capt and the naturalist on board have only seen this happen 2-3 times in the several years that they have been doing this tour!

 

We were on the same excursion with suzyed. When we were at the glacier, with the moving ship and wind blowing, my face did feel pretty COLD. Aren't you glad you have your 3 in 1 jacket from Land's End, Susan?

 

It is DEFINITELY an excursion worth going and $ well-spent. All the comments from Budget Queen to brunolvr, mooline and others that have gone on this excursion would do you no justice until you experience it yourself. In fact, prior to our cruise, suzyed and I communicated whether we should cancel the booked excursion, when we learned that on the earlier sailings, Star was able to get into Tracy Arm and reached

rather close proximity to the glacier. Sensing from her comments, we have absolutely NO REGRETS.

 

keishashadow, as this is our first trip to Alaska, IMHO, I would love to have a couple more hours in Juneau, we ran out of time! Fortunately, it was foggy on our day at Juneau, if not, I would hate missing out on the opportunity to take the tram up to Mount Roberts for the paranomic view.

 

Let me share with you our experience, I have arranged to have Shaun from Evergreen Cab picked us up at 8 a.m. right at the pier and take us directly to Mendenhall Glacier. he fills us in with information of Juneau enroute. We spent three hours exploring Mendenhall Glacier (no hiking, other than climbing over some rocks to get to the beach by the waterfall), my DH just loves to take pictures. We stopped the Visitor Center ($3 pp entrance fee), watched a short film about Mendenhall, viewed the exhibits and spoke to the ranger at the center. When we about ready to leave, we called Shaun to inform him and he met us at the parking area in 10 minutes. We were able to maximize our time, without waiting in line to get on the shuttle to and from the pier, and feel that with the four of us, the difference is less than $10 each way is well-spent. We got back on Star slightly before noon, grabbed a quick bite at the Market Cafe, before heading back to our cabin to put on our extra layers, "3 in 1 jacket", gloves, and hat. The entire group left Stardust Theater at approximately 12:45 p.m. and march down to deck 4 to board the catamaran (parked side-by-side with Star), woo-hoo, we left before Star set sail and saw Pearl in the harbor heading into the terminal. I wouldn't go into the experience of the next 5+ hours on board, as I have mentioned, YOU MUST EXPERIENCE it to feel its GREATNESS! But word of advise, if you are planning to eat at the specialty restaurant that evening, don't make dinner reservation prior to 7:30 p.m., that will give you time to shred the extra layers and freshen up for dinner. We were transferred back to Star slightly after 6:45 p.m. (Don't know if there is any relations that we went to Endicott in lieu of Tracy Arm, and therefore, might have need to travel a longer distance?) We made reservation with La Trattoria for 7 p.m., and called the resturant upon returning to our cabin and informed them that we will be 15 minutes late, and they were very accomodating.

 

IMHO, freestyle dining is the way to go with Alaska cruise. Yes, I do miss having a specific sever every night that knows of your likes and habits, but the trade-off is that we can maximize on our activities, and no longer needs to worry about scheduling activities around mealtimes.

 

YES! The 3 in 1 jackets were perfect for Alaska! Really warm with both layers and just right for rain with just the outside...nice looking quilted inside jacket for just a little chilly times...so glad we got them!

 

This was by far the best excursion we have ever taken...in fact, I would do it again if/when we go to Alaska again!

 

In the earlier part of the day, we did the Mendenhall Glacier and Salmon Bake...great lunch, toasted some marshmallows and back to the ship...picked up our gloves, scarves, etc. for the Endicott Arm excursion!

 

 

After we got back on the Star we ran to our cabin, dropped off our jackets and freshened up and walked back out to Endless Summer and they sat us right by the window and we had a very nice dinner!

 

What an absolutely perfect day!!!