Sawyer Glacier Question

[I'manewbie]

Hi everyone - I'm new at posting but I've been reading for months now. My family and I are headed to Alaska on the Pearl on 8/22. I read a thread last night about folks on the Star taking an excursion to Sawyer Glacier when the ship stops at Juneau. Is this not possible for the passengers on the Pearl? We are in Juneau from 2-10pm. The Adventure Bound company leaves in the morning. Does anyone know if there are excursions that geared for the Pearl passengers? Is this excursion not as important for the Pearl because we go to Glacier Bay? I still think the chance to go on the small boat and get thisclosetotheglacier would be awesome.

 

Thanks for all your help - this board is great!

[SeattleCruiselover]

Hi everyone - I'm new at posting but I've been reading for months now. My family and I are headed to Alaska on the Pearl on 8/22. I read a thread last night about folks on the Star taking an excursion to Sawyer Glacier when the ship stops at Juneau. Is this not possible for the passengers on the Pearl? We are in Juneau from 2-10pm. The Adventure Bound company leaves in the morning. Does anyone know if there are excursions that geared for the Pearl passengers? Is this excursion not as important for the Pearl because we go to Glacier Bay? I still think the chance to go on the small boat and get thisclosetotheglacier would be awesome.

 

Thanks for all your help - this board is great!

 

Pearl takes a Glacier Bay route. The two areas are geographically different. On this particular excursion (except on my sailing.....darn it (because we are the last cruise of the year)) you disembark and get onto the smaller vessel, which takes the same route as the big ship into Tracy Arm, but can usually get closer to the glacier than the big ship (unless there is a lot of free floating ice that could endanger the smaller boat, then they will not). There is nothing similar offered for Glacier Bay.

[I'manewbie]

I know that the Pearl goes to Glacier Bay, I was wondering if there was an excursion for Pearl passengers that takes them on a smaller boat to Sawyers Glacier. If so, what company runs it and is it out of Juneau?

 

Thanks!

[korgano]

I know that the Pearl goes to Glacier Bay' date=' I was wondering if there was an excursion for Pearl passengers that takes them on a smaller boat to Sawyers Glacier. If so, what company runs it and is it out of Juneau?

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

Because of the Pearl's mid-afternoon arrival into Juneau, and the relatively short time in port, I'm unaware of any companies that offer afternoon excursions from the port down to Sawyer or Tracy Arm that get back in time for the ship's departure.

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

I know that the Pearl goes to Glacier Bay' date=' I was wondering if there was an excursion for Pearl passengers that takes them on a smaller boat to Sawyers Glacier. If so, what company runs it and is it out of Juneau?

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

 

The tour you have in mind was the highlight of our 2004 cruise, but the previous respondant is correct; there is no such option for you. You see, the jet boat for this tour bops on up the Tracy Arm well ahead of the cruise ship, and takes you up close to the glaciers, up the TWO arms. The cruise ship lumbers along, and gets as far as the junction of the two arms, with both glacier heads about a mile or so distant. They transfer you from the jet boat back to the cruise ship, and the jet boat then deadheads its way back to Juneau. Because the Pearl doesn't go up the Tracy Arm (Sawyer Glacier), you are SOL.

 

Another aspect of why this doesn't work out so well is the time of day. You would be arriving at the glaciers awfully late. It stays light 'til late I guess, but I would think that the shadows would be pretty long, and the whole place kind of gloomy.

 

Yet another aspect is that the Tracy Arm has been largely unnavigable in recent years, due to the increased rate of glacial erosion. They frequently have to ashcan this whole element of the cruise.

 

You might investigate plane tours though. DW and I are doing one in Ketchican; she's never been in a floatplane before, whereas I've been in them, visiting various hamlets in the tundra parts of the Northwest Territories.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

InThe

[I'manewbie]

for the responses but I'm bummed:(. I guess I'll have to plan my next cruise with the other itinerary so I can take the small boat excursion.

[korgano]

One option you might consider for an excursion in Juneau is a helicopter ride that takes you up over the Juneau ice field, lands, and lets you walk out onto the glaciers. Although it can be considered pricey, it was, by far, our favorite shore excursion on the Pearl. Simply breathtaking.

[OceanDreaming2]

Is the Sawyer Glacier excursion on a catamaran out of Juneau? I see one called Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer for 5 hours. We're on the Star next month and I want to book the right excursion.

 

Thank you!

[SeattleCruiselover]

Is the Sawyer Glacier excursion on a catamaran out of Juneau? I see one called Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer for 5 hours. We're on the Star next month and I want to book the right excursion.

 

Thank you!

 

That's the one, you lucky people.....:D