Tracy Arm Fjord Excursion and RAIN!

[t4jes]

I'm leaving for Alaska in a week on the NCL Sun. I booked the Tracy Arm Fjord Boat Excursion.

I've been looking at weather reports, and rain is reported up through Monday. We don't get into any ports until Tuesday, so I'm still holding out hoping for sunny days.

I'm curious as to whether people think this excursion is worth going on in the rain. I've heard so many people talk about how great it is to be out on the deck and feel the mist of the waterfalls and hear the calving of the glaciers. What if it rains? Is it still worth the money? I'd love to hear anybody's thoughts.

We're looking forward to having a great time in AK, and are well-prepared for the weather, no matter what it might be like.

[VikkiGarcia]

I took this tour on the NCL Sun July 2008. There is plenty of indoor space for everyone if it is raining. It would be a bit of a bummer, but I would still think it is worth it. We brought umbrellas with us just in case. Make sure you bring extra warm clothes, with gloves and beanie hats. This way you can stay out on deck as much as possible. I was surprised how many people did not do this and kept retreating to the inside to warm up while at the glacier. Bring plenty of extra layers and take off what you don't need and leave on a seat inside. The best thing abut this boat is you see everything at a much different vantage point than the big ship. It is very hard to explain how amazing this tour is. The people on the big ship think we paid to see the exact same thing they did. We stayed on the deck of the Sun on our way out of Tracy Arm, it was still beautiful but completely different.

[rjm1cc]

Since the weather forecase can be wrong I would hope for nice days and take a thin plastic rain coat that you can fold up and put in your pocket. Be sure it has a hood.

[karatemom2]

It rained for much of the morning we did our Adventure Bound trip to Tracy Arm and it didn't stop any of us from enjoying the trip. We were dressed to stay warm and dry so we didn't hesitate to go out on deck when we were in the fjord and enjoy the views. In fact, the cloud cover and mist actually make the ice and glacier even more beautiful and more blue. It got a bit nicer as the day went one, but it didn't really matter. It was an amazing trip, rain or no rain.

[Warrior1]

It is kind of a catch 22. You don't want rain at the glaciers, but you really don't want sun either. The best glacier viewing is when skies are overcast. We got some great pictures at Portage Glacier of ice bergs and their reflection in the water last month(overcast). When the sun is shining on the glacier, it kind of washes it out. Hope for overcast skies and no rain!!

[vbmom87]

We did Tracy Arm with Adventure Bound. It was a raw, cold, rainy day. Yes, it was worth it. Sure, I would have preferred a rain free day and warmer temperatures, but we still had a great time. The fjord was a surreal experience for us. Whether or not it would be worth it to you depends on how much you like beautiful scenery. For some it is a true highlight, others would not agree.

[t4jes]

Thanks everybody for the feedback!

 

The only reason I'm doing this trip is for the amazing scenery, and it sounds like I'll still get a great chance to see it. I'll have my warm clothes and poncho packed.

 

It seems that I'll just have to wait and see what the weather's like, since it's obviously pretty fickle. The weather reports say sunny skies and 0% chance of rain... Now I'm hoping for overcast weather!

[springfire]

Looking forward to seeing everything first hand with Advernturebound. I will dress right and be ready for any kind of weather.