Tracy Arm cruise by Adventure Bound

[Charles4515]

No one ever said one size fits all. You keep misinterpreting what BQ and I are saying.

 

We are simply stating that the round trip out of Juneau with Allen Marine is three hours shorter than the round trip with Adventure Bound. That is ALL WE ARE SAYING!!!!

 

AMEN!!!!

 

I don't think I am misinterpreting what either of you are saying! Or that I am disagreeing with what you are saying! Do you have an issue with anyone other than you or Leary discussing this subject? None has all the answers.

[frugaltravel]

None has all the answers.

 

LOL. You'd never know it from some of the posts on the forum :D

[Chat Noir]

My .02 on Adventure Bound. We sailed back in 2005 with them and it remains a favorite excursion after 4 trips to Alaska.

[Budget Queen]

It is Apples to Apples. It may be a smaller Apple, but it is the same Tracy Arm Fjord they are doing.

 

One size does not fit all. Some might want to do the shorter round trip tour and do some other excursion or site seeing in Juneau. Or their ship might not be there long enough for the long Adventure Bound tour. Or maybe they don't want to be on a small boat for as many hours as the Adventure Bound tour. The shorter Allen Marine tour of the same Fjord could be right for some.

 

A factor is- all the "stops", that this transit "requires". There are countless coves, hidden wildlife, waterfalls etc etc etc. that a reduced timed tour is NOT going to get. Have you been on this tour?? We are looking for first hand reports. :)

[Charles4515]

A factor is- all the "stops", that this transit "requires". There are countless coves, hidden wildlife, waterfalls etc etc etc. that a reduced timed tour is NOT going to get. Have you been on this tour?? We are looking for first hand reports. :)

 

Like you I have not been on the Allen Marine tour. I have read reports from those who have been on it. There were all good reports. I read the reports before I booked it. I always research ahead of time. I did not pick the Allen Marine excursion over the Adventure Bound excursion. In the case of the sailing I am on which is in Juneau from 12 to 7 it was either hope the ship would be able to enter the fjord as scheduled or book the ships excursion which is done by Allen Marine. Since I want to ensure seeing the fjord I booked the excursion. The Adventure Bound tour was not possible.

 

If I was the other person who asked the question I likely would not book the Adventure Bound excursion because of that 15 minute connection. If they miss the connection what are they going to do? Then they will have to improvise their plans for the day. Don't you think that is a factor? If I were in that situation I would book something else, not necessarily the Allen Marine excursion and leave the Adventure Bound tour for another time.

 

Of course I will give a first hand report when I get back in September. :)

 

Of course I won't be able to compare it to the Adventure Bound tour which I am sure is a wonderful tour. I will be able to compare it to the Norwegian Fjords :) Have you been able to do those? Spectacular! At one of the Fjords, at Stavanger, we had a boat trip booked independently where like the OP we had to get right off the ship. And we did but unfortunately Rodne overbooked and even though we were there on time and had a reservation the boat was full when we got to the tour dock. They added another boat for us that we had to wait an hour for but that meant our tour had to be shortened to make it back to the ship on time. So now I will be careful about short connects.

[Texas Tillie]

Charles 4515 -

 

You are doing the SHIP'S tour with Allen Marine NOT the independent tour with Allen Marine. The point (made repeatedly by several people on this thread) is that the Allen Maine INDEPENDENT tour that is 3 hours shorter than the Adventure Bound tour has to short-change you somewhere as there's not enough time to do/see everything. This does not apply to you at all - you are not doing the INDEPENDENT tour. You are getting on the Allen Marine boat at the entrance to Tracy Arm....the independent tour is a round trip from Juneau.

[Charles4515]

Charles 4515 -

 

You are doing the SHIP'S tour with Allen Marine NOT the independent tour with Allen Marine. The point (made repeatedly by several people on this thread) is that the Allen Maine INDEPENDENT tour that is 3 hours shorter than the Adventure Bound tour has to short-change you somewhere as there's not enough time to do/see everything. This does not apply to you at all - you are not doing the INDEPENDENT tour. You are getting on the Allen Marine boat at the entrance to Tracy Arm....the independent tour is a round trip from Juneau.

 

Geeze louise (or tillie). I know all that. Some people might not want to take a ten hour tour. They might prefer the shorter tour even though they won't see everything that could be seen on the longer tour. But in this case the short connect is what concerns oceanflower. The ships itinerary arrival time is a problem. Oceanflower even started another thread with the same question. For their peace of mind the Allen Marine round trip shorter tour that was raised by others might be an alternative. It might not be as good as the Adventure Bound tour but that does not mean it is bad. But as Budgetqueen says only oceanflower can decide.

[CruiseCoot]

If they are willing to refund your money, and you get that IN WRITING (they did for me), I would go for it, if it is something you really want to do. As mentioned, get by the gangplank very early. Study the port schedules ahead of time to learn where you will be docking, so you can have an idea of how far your walk will be. (We were about a 15 minute walk.) I would suggest you get information on cabs and find out if any will be at the pier as you get off. If not, get phone numbers of cabs. You should be able to call them from the ship before you get off and ask for a pick up at 8:00 a.m. (I know on our Juneau trip, I was able to get a port cell phone tower well before we docked). I also suggest you call Adventure Bound as you are getting off the ship to let them know you are on your way. Also call if you are going to be late. I had to call them because our ship docked an hour late. Fortunately they were running the second boat that day and we were able to get on the next tour. I have a feeling they have some real Type A personalities there because they like to leave before their scheduled times. We were on the 9:00 a.m. tour, but we left at 8:45 a.m. We actually just left the dock and were called back to pick up two people who were late. They do ask you to be at the dock a half hour ahead of time. If they told you that they thougth you would be fine, and they will refund your money if you don't make it, I think you are okay. Just keep in good touch with them that day. Don't forget to program their number into your phone.

 

Just my own 2 cents here, but this account seems to dovetail with some of the negative reviews of Adventure Bound over on TripAdvisor. I cannot understand why they would leave 15 minutes early if there was still a possibility of more people getting onboard. This is the kind of thing that could completely ruin a person's day. Maybe their tour is 3 hours longer, but that does not do you much good if you are left standing on the dock.

[vbmom87]

Just my own 2 cents here, but this account seems to dovetail with some of the negative reviews of Adventure Bound over on TripAdvisor. I cannot understand why they would leave 15 minutes early if there was still a possibility of more people getting onboard. This is the kind of thing that could completely ruin a person's day. Maybe their tour is 3 hours longer, but that does not do you much good if you are left standing on the dock.

 

 

They know who has booked the tour. I do not understand why they leave early. However, they do make it VERY CLEAR that they expect you to be at the pier 30 minutes before the scheduled tour time. I will say that when my cruiseship docked an hour late, they couldn't have been nicer.

 

In spite of myself have a minor issue with booking, and reading of other's issues, I would still book them in a heartbeat. The tour was simply magnificent and our top excursion from what we did in Alaska.

 

I am curious as to how long it takes the Allen Marine boat to get to the mouth of the Tracy Arm Fjord. Once someone comes back with that report, then we will know better if the Allen Marine Round Trip tour is shorter than the Adventure Bound. Someone reported their boat was faster, but I have not read any first hand reports. It took us between 2 and 2 1/2 hours to get to the mouth of the fjord, which left us with at least a full five hours in the fjord. To get an equivalent tour with Allen Marine, they would have to be able to get between Juneau and the fjord in an hour.

 

If my cruiseship was not visiting Tracy Arm and it was a priority, I would surely consider Allen Marine's round trip. No matter how you see Tracy Arm Fjord, it is going to be a pretty amazing experience. I would think even those who stay on the cruise ship will enjoy it. I just can't imagine anyone not loving the experience of cruising into the fjord whether on a cruise ship or a small boat. The small boat was pretty amazing. At times we were literally crunching our way through the ice with the harbor seals sunning themselves on the ice chunks. You are definitely more up close and personal with the small boat experience. Those whose cruiseships offer the tour as an add on are fortunate because they only have to go one way between the mouth of the fjord and Juneau, saving time.

[Budget Queen]

Like you I have not been on the Allen Marine tour. I have read reports from those who have been on it. There were all good reports. I read the reports before I booked it. I always research ahead of time. I did not pick the Allen Marine excursion over the Adventure Bound excursion. In the case of the sailing I am on which is in Juneau from 12 to 7 it was either hope the ship would be able to enter the fjord as scheduled or book the ships excursion which is done by Allen Marine. Since I want to ensure seeing the fjord I booked the excursion. The Adventure Bound tour was not possible.

 

If I was the other person who asked the question I likely would not book the Adventure Bound excursion because of that 15 minute connection. If they miss the connection what are they going to do? Then they will have to improvise their plans for the day. Don't you think that is a factor? If I were in that situation I would book something else, not necessarily the Allen Marine excursion and leave the Adventure Bound tour for another time.

 

Of course I will give a first hand report when I get back in September. :)

 

Of course I won't be able to compare it to the Adventure Bound tour which I am sure is a wonderful tour. I will be able to compare it to the Norwegian Fjords :) Have you been able to do those? Spectacular! At one of the Fjords, at Stavanger, we had a boat trip booked independently where like the OP we had to get right off the ship. And we did but unfortunately Rodne overbooked and even though we were there on time and had a reservation the boat was full when we got to the tour dock. They added another boat for us that we had to wait an hour for but that meant our tour had to be shortened to make it back to the ship on time. So now I will be careful about short connects.

 

Being that Adventure Bound is rarely full, I would have their number, and if in port in time. I would call them and book it. It is necessary- that those who wish to consider this, be accepting of being up early, ready to go and in line at the gangplank. THEN hightailing it to their dock. I had the opportunity to do this in May, and did tell another passenger about excellent- (they had missed the ship and boarded in Ketchikan). They did make the trip with our ship getting in early- had a 8am port call.

 

I am not sure- are you booking Allen Marine independent?? During your port time??? There is so much that is not clear.

 

Yes I have been to Norway, sailed NCL on their one time North Cape trip in 2008. I went to Pulput Rock out of Stavanger. Overall the scenery doesn't touch Alaska, and certainly is WAY lacking for glaciers and wildlife. Now, the Chilian fjords and Strait of Magellen, which I sailed this year, are on par.

[Charles4515]

 

I am not sure- are you booking Allen Marine independent?? During your port time??? There is so much that is not clear.

 

Yes I have been to Norway, sailed NCL on their one time North Cape trip in 2008. I went to Pulput Rock out of Stavanger. Overall the scenery doesn't touch Alaska, and certainly is WAY lacking for glaciers and wildlife. Now, the Chilian fjords and Strait of Magellen, which I sailed this year, are on par.

 

The Allen Marine tour is thru the cruise line. It is during the time the ship is doing Tracy Arm and is not during port time. The tour gets to Juneau about the same time as the ship. The only way to do this tour which meets the ship is thru the cruise line. There is not enough port time on my sailing to do a round trip Tracy Arm tour with Adventure Bound or Allen Marine. The ship is in Juneau from 12 to 7.

 

The Norway cruise I did was one that went to the North Cape. I went to Pulpit Rock at Stavanger too. I hope the scenery is better than Norway because the friend I am traveling to Alaska did not want to do Alaska and insists that Norway is better than Alaska because Celebrity's Captain Captain Ioannis Papanikolaou told him so. I want Alaska to be better.:)

[Budget Queen]

The Allen Marine tour is thru the cruise line. It is during the time the ship is doing Tracy Arm and is not during port time. The tour gets to Juneau about the same time as the ship. The only way to do this tour which meets the ship is thru the cruise line. There is not enough port time on my sailing to do a round trip Tracy Arm tour with Adventure Bound or Allen Marine. The ship is in Juneau from 12 to 7.

 

The Norway cruise I did was one that went to the North Cape. I went to Pulpit Rock at Stavanger too. I hope the scenery is better than Norway because the friend I am traveling to Alaska did not want to do Alaska and insists that Norway is better than Alaska because Celebrity's Captain Captain Ioannis Papanikolaou told him so. I want Alaska to be better.:)

 

Then this IS, totally different than what was discussed above, and has nothing to do with your trip. The points made above, by myself and VB and disputed by you, were about the ROUND trip Juneau, shortened Tracy Arm tour by Allen Marine.

 

The cruise contracted Tracy Arm add on tour, is the FULL tour, just like the round trip Juneau tour offered by Adventure Bound. It is always highly recommended by me, and a "necessary" in my opinion, since it is so much more enhanced than the ship transit.

 

Forget about your "friend". With their- proclaimations about Norway being better, it will be to them. :) Enjoy your trip. Did you climb Pulpit Rock- I just made the ferry connection for the bus hook up, :) and it was a great adventure. There were also boat tours that people I spoke with also enjoyed.

[Charles4515]

Then this IS, totally different than what was discussed above, and has nothing to do with your trip. The points made above, by myself and VB and disputed by you, were about the ROUND trip Juneau, shortened Tracy Arm tour by Allen Marine.

 

The cruise contracted Tracy Arm add on tour, is the FULL tour, just like the round trip Juneau tour offered by Adventure Bound. It is always highly recommended by me, and a "necessary" in my opinion, since it is so much more enhanced than the ship transit.

 

Forget about your "friend". With their- proclaimations about Norway being better, it will be to them. :) Enjoy your trip. Did you climb Pulpit Rock- I just made the ferry connection for the bus hook up, :) and it was a great adventure. There were also boat tours that people I spoke with also enjoyed.

 

I was not disputing you. My point is that if they can not make the Adventure Bound connection that the Allen Marine was a possible alternative even though it is shorter and might not do as much. They were concerned that making Adventure Bound was risky. Now it is mentioned that it may be possible to walk on. As you have said they have to decide if they want to risk it.

 

As for climbing Pulpit Rock, I am too old for that !