Glacier Bay Excursions

[sundownlow]

I'm desperately researching the best shore excursion to Glacier Bay from helicopters, airplanes, seaplanes, etc. However, does anyone have any knowledge/information on boat excursions out of Juneau or Skagway? I would love to get up close and personal especially for photos which is my primary reason for being there.

 

In addition, since we didn't research which cruise to take which got me into this in the first place.... are there any chances of seeing any sort of glaciers during our cruising of the inside passage from Vancouver to Skagway? We'll be on the Carnival Spirit from 4-10 May. If not, what exactly can we expect to see?

 

I appreciate any and all advice. Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers

Rebecca

[mapleleaves]

Glacier Bay Lodge doesn't open until May 30 so that could mean fewer vendors will be going to Glacier Bay or Gustavus. Google 'Gustavus visitor'. The town web site will probably include info on how to get to Gustavus, and the names of charter companies.

[Itasca]

Seward Glacier in Tracy Arm, excursion from Juneau.

Mendenhall Glacier at Juneau.

 

Also White Pass railroad in Skagway, consider a one-way.

 

Gorgeous scenery!!

[Yukon]

Glacier Bay Lodge doesn't open until May 30 so that could mean fewer vendors will be going to Glacier Bay or Gustavus. Google 'Gustavus visitor'. The town web site will probably include info on how to get to Gustavus, and the names of charter companies.

 

She's on a cruise, and you can't day-trip Glacier Bay.

[mapleleaves]

She's on a cruise, and you can't day-trip Glacier Bay.

 

OP said by helicopter, airplane, seaplane. Juneau to Gustavus is an hr.

[Chenega]

Wife and I did Glacier Bay last summer independently through the concessionaire. There is an outfit in Juneau that advertises day trips; their name is Air Excursions and the website is http://www.airexcursions.com

 

The problem with Glacier Bay is that the airport (Gustavus) is weather-dependent. We flew over on Alaska Airlines and had to circle the airport twice for an opening to occur in the clouds to allow landing. Air Excursions flies small prop planes that often go below the clouds.

 

The concessionaire boat trip goes once a day and leaves early in the morning for an 8 hour excursion from Bartlett Cove. There might be a way to do it on a long one day trip from Juneau; probably best to contact Air Excursions.

[InternetAgeTraveler]

The Spirit will not really allow for much time to do Glacier Bay. You are in Juneau from 2pm -11pm and Skagway from 7am - 4:30pm. There are helicopter glacier tours (of the Juneau Ice field) from both, but not Glacier Bay that I know of. These will also have a probability of weather cancelation early in May. Both of these can be booked independently or through Carnival.

 

In Juneau, there is also the Mendenhall Glacier, which is impressive but not as much so as Glacier Bay or the Ice field.

 

If you do the Yukon in Skagway, that early in the season you will see a lot of impressive snow covered mountains but not glaciers.

[sundownlow]

Wow! thanks everyone for your wonderful advice! I'm going to research everything! GBNP does not sound to promising so I'm going to make the best of it and see whatever glacier I possibly can! I'm going to have to plan another trip where the ship does go through the glaciers!

We are looking at renting a car and driving the Klondike Highway where I hope to get some great shots. Also a floatplane and helicopter tour. I hope to see some animals... Orca's, bald eagle, possibly a bear..... I promise to post pictures and I will do a trip report on all of this!

[Budget Queen]

I'm desperately researching the best shore excursion to Glacier Bay from helicopters, airplanes, seaplanes, etc. However, does anyone have any knowledge/information on boat excursions out of Juneau or Skagway? I would love to get up close and personal especially for photos which is my primary reason for being there.

 

In addition, since we didn't research which cruise to take which got me into this in the first place.... are there any chances of seeing any sort of glaciers during our cruising of the inside passage from Vancouver to Skagway? We'll be on the Carnival Spirit from 4-10 May. If not, what exactly can we expect to see?

 

I appreciate any and all advice. Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers

Rebecca

 

Frankly, if your priority is glaciers, you couldn't have purchased a worse cruise. This one has NO glacier sailing, which all the regular itineraries do. I would suggest you look at what other sailings are in this timeframe. Otherwise, add several flights out of Juneau and Skagway so to get your glacier viewing.

[sundownlow]

Frankly, if your priority is glaciers, you couldn't have purchased a worse cruise. This one has NO glacier sailing, which all the regular itineraries do. I would suggest you look at what other sailings are in this timeframe. Otherwise, add several flights out of Juneau and Skagway so to get your glacier viewing.

Budgetqueen! Unfortunately, I know this now. I am at peace with it all and it will be a GREAT trip! I am looking at flights out of Juneau and Skagway. I truly do believe that the views from a boat would just be much more incredible (for photography) so I'm still trying to find a boat tour even if it's not through Glacier Bay national Park. If you have any recommendations, I would love to know about them.

On another note, I spent a couple of hours last night going through many of your posts/reponses. Thank you so much for all of your advice and help. It was invaluable in my planning of this cruise.

[vbmom87]

There is a boat tour in Ketchikan of Misty Fjords. Not sure if it will be available on your cruise or not. You will have to check your ship excursion list for Juneau. From what I have read, this tour is done by Allen Marine and someone said if you were on a cruise they would not book independently. Call or email to verify. Here is the link to their Ketchikan tours:

 

http://www.allenmarinetours.com/sightseeing/ketchikan/index.html

 

 

Although many say the best way to see Misty Fjords is on a float plane, I have read many reviews of people who did enjoy their Misty Fjords experience via boat. It might give you that small boat experience you are looking for so you can have those photo ops.

 

Good luck!!!

[sundownlow]

There is a boat tour in Ketchikan of Misty Fjords. Not sure if it will be available on your cruise or not. You will have to check your ship excursion list for Juneau. From what I have read, this tour is done by Allen Marine and someone said if you were on a cruise they would not book independently. Call or email to verify. Here is the link to their Ketchikan tours:

 

http://www.allenmarinetours.com/sightseeing/ketchikan/index.html

 

 

Although many say the best way to see Misty Fjords is on a float plane, I have read many reviews of people who did enjoy their Misty Fjords experience via boat. It might give you that small boat experience you are looking for so you can have those photo ops.

 

Good luck!!!

Thank you for the information! I will definitely check them out!

[PennyAgain]

For your 2nd trip to Alaska, I would do a fly-in and land tour with a stop for a few days at Gustavus (have done that) and specialty boat tours and air tours.

 

Save your money, but it is worth it.

 

Also tour companies like Smithsonian Journeys do small boat trips in that area that include your accommodation of the boat for overnights and plenty of glacier time.

 

Consider Trip #1 a sample of things to come in future and enjoy!

[whale-watcher]

There is one option for seeing glacier bay from Skagway... Called glacier country flightseeing, and involves a scenic 1.5 hour or so flight in a fixed wing aircraft with large viewing windows over the east arm of glacier bay (weather permitting).

 

The scenery was just stunning...amazing views of glaciers and sculpted bays and ruffed mountains; we felt it was more impressive than misty fjords in Ketchikan

 

With a long port time in Skagway you should be able to combine this with the white pass railway for a memorable day of spectacular scenery; add a helicopter landing in Juneau if your budget allows as well.

[Budget Queen]

Budgetqueen! Unfortunately, I know this now. I am at peace with it all and it will be a GREAT trip! I am looking at flights out of Juneau and Skagway. I truly do believe that the views from a boat would just be much more incredible (for photography) so I'm still trying to find a boat tour even if it's not through Glacier Bay national Park. If you have any recommendations, I would love to know about them.

On another note, I spent a couple of hours last night going through many of your posts/reponses. Thank you so much for all of your advice and help. It was invaluable in my planning of this cruise.

 

There is Glacier Bay flightseeing out of Skagway, and a glacier helicopter landing out of Juneau, would give you a nice range of glacier flightseeing. Add a float plane to Misty Fjords, will be snow covered, but no glaciers, unless you upcharge the itinerary.

 

But, doing all three, will also offer you the three different aircraft experiences, if you haven't done any of them before.

[BIG_Steve]

There is a boat tour in Ketchikan of Misty Fjords. Not sure if it will be available on your cruise or not. You will have to check your ship excursion list for Juneau. From what I have read, this tour is done by Allen Marine and someone said if you were on a cruise they would not book independently. Call or email to verify. Here is the link to their Ketchikan tours:

 

http://www.allenmarinetours.com/sightseeing/ketchikan/index.html

 

 

Although many say the best way to see Misty Fjords is on a float plane, I have read many reviews of people who did enjoy their Misty Fjords experience via boat. It might give you that small boat experience you are looking for so you can have those photo ops.

 

Good luck!!!

 

Took the Allen Marine boat tour. I think it's makes a wonderful second choice if you can't/won't do flightseeing.

 

Sundown, I hate to bring up the obvious..... But depending on when you sail, is there any chance you can cancel and rebook a cruise with an itinerary more to your liking?

[vbmom87]

Sundown, I hate to bring up the obvious..... But depending on when you sail, is there any chance you can cancel and rebook a cruise with an itinerary more to your liking?

 

I believe she has also posted on TA, and it sounds like it might be some kind of pre-paid non-refundable deal.

[sundownlow]

Thanks everyone for your advice and recommendations! You can bet I'm looking at all options and I really appreciate your suggestions! I'm going to go ahead with this trip because EVERYTHING is already planned and paid for! Well except for my upcoming excursions. I'm already planning the second cruise that WILL go to the glaciers! That will happen next year since I have other trips planned for the rest of this year.

 

Budgetqueen, I will definitely look into the flightseeing out of Skagway. Another option I was "researching" was a boat tour or something out of Juneau to the Tracy's Arm Fjord. So far it seems that our time in Juneau wont work out for one of the boat charters that takes 10 hours. If anyone has any info on that, please let me know.

 

All of you are wonderful! Thanks for all of your help!

Cheers

Rebecca

[Budget Queen]

Thanks everyone for your advice and recommendations! You can bet I'm looking at all options and I really appreciate your suggestions! I'm going to go ahead with this trip because EVERYTHING is already planned and paid for! Well except for my upcoming excursions. I'm already planning the second cruise that WILL go to the glaciers! That will happen next year since I have other trips planned for the rest of this year.

 

Budgetqueen, I will definitely look into the flightseeing out of Skagway. Another option I was "researching" was a boat tour or something out of Juneau to the Tracy's Arm Fjord. So far it seems that our time in Juneau wont work out for one of the boat charters that takes 10 hours. If anyone has any info on that, please let me know.

 

All of you are wonderful! Thanks for all of your help!

Cheers

Rebecca

 

Yes, for Tracy Arm, you do need to have at least a 7am-7pm port time.

 

Another well recommended excursion out of Skagway is the Glacier Point tour. Only available via the cruiseline.