Do other cruiseships block viewing in GLacier Bay?

[Sailkeywest]

Silly question, but with 2 cruiseships in Glacier Bay, does the first one that enters block any viewing for the second or vice versa for aft-views?

 

Thank you for any insight, as always :)

[mr green]

If you do see another ship in Glacier Bay, it will look tiny. It is possible that one ship may delay another ship by a few minutes, but that does not matter at all. You will have all the time that you need, and there is a lot to see.

Have never seen more than one other large cruise ship in the bay.

 

john

[Coral]

You will usually pass the other ship way before you get to the main glaciers at Glacier Bay.

 

They time them in such a way that one will go earlier and the other will go later.

[Toyz711]

can't get to that photo, but it's in the alaska file on my webshot page (link in my signature)

yes, it can happen. we had a HAL ship following us, most of the time we couldn't see it. BUT at menganie glacier, as our ship did it's turn (to allow starboard side to see the glacier), the HAL ship pulled up between us and the glacier. instead of pausing, as our ship turned, it just pulled away and left. didn't happen at john hopkins glacier. our ship started out close to the glacier, the port side got great, close views. the starboard side did not...

[Sailkeywest]

Thank you all for the information, and for the great photos, Toyz!

[nurse@sea]

hi just got off the golden princess. when we were traveling through glacier bay the parks service ranger stated that only two cruise ships per day were allowed in the bay. there could be a few other tour ships, ( i forgot how many, but they were no more than a few). the cruise ships sail quite a ways apart and the glaciers are so massive nothing gets in the way :). the scenery was fabulous!

[Putterdude]

No, the ships are in different fiords at different times.

[Toyz711]

usually.

why this ship caught up with us and got between us and the glacier i will never know. but it can happen.

i was wrong, it was john hopkins...the last glacier of the day. guess we were going too slow and the other ship was under a time issue to make sure they got out of the park on time?

[Budget Queen]

There are at least 4 glaciers sometime 5 seen in Glacier Bay, by cruiseship. Usually their timing is "off", and they are not viewing the same area at the same time.

 

Exceptions, like the above are rare.

[Budget Queen]

usually.

why this ship caught up with us and got between us and the glacier i will never know. but it can happen.

i was wrong, it was john hopkins...the last glacier of the day. guess we were going too slow and the other ship was under a time issue to make sure they got out of the park on time?

 

The John Hopkins is a totally different story. And completely up to the cpt,. I've been on sailings that did transit in Sept all the way up to the face, along with in season sailings that didn't even give a look. What is a given is the other 4 and "time" given" each ship for excellent viewing.

[MercedMike]

The John Hopkins is a totally different story. And completely up to the cpt,. I've been on sailings that did transit in Sept all the way up to the face, along with in season sailings that didn't even give a look. What is a given is the other 4 and "time" given" each ship for excellent viewing.

 

Johns Hopkins (yes, Johns not John) glacier in the left arm of the bay, is the primary seal breeding area, and full of ice floes often. When we have been there in mid season the Captain has told us that they are not allowed far into that arm in order to avoid disturbing the seals.

 

When we were there in September, the ship did cruise up to the face of the glacier. The ice in front of the ship was full of seal pups. The naturalist told us that all the mothers were gone, and the pups had been left on their own and were living on their fat. We could see them hop off the ice, swim around a bit to get their bearings, and then hop back on the ice.

 

It is a different experience than Grand Pacific and Margerie, the most famous glaciers. One reason that cruising in September can be a very good trip.

[trophy_23]

I think they opened Johns Hopkins on Sept 1 (roughly) in 2008 when we were up there. We were on the Ryndam and went right to the face, it was spectacular. A year later (May 2009) the whole bay was full of Ice as we passed by the entrance. Two trips to Glacier Bay and only saw one other ship (Westerdam) at a distance.

[Jen1000]

We saw the other ship mostly at a distance. We were told that they plan the visits to the glaciers so the two ships are not viewing the same glacier at the same time. Heading to Johns Hopkins Glacier we did pass the other ship, HA I believe, and it was heading out.

 

We were very lucky as it was after Sept. 1 so we could go to Johns Hopkins glacier, we were also told our ship went closer than usual. It was great. Seeing the other ship during the day was not a problem.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

Silly question, but with 2 cruiseships in Glacier Bay, does the first one that enters block any viewing for the second or vice versa for aft-views?

 

Thank you for any insight, as always :)