Question about alaska

[cruisinmeme]

What is the difference between Sawyer glacier and glacier bay, both have same ports of call (other than the two glacier's) I did notice the glacier bay cost more. We are wanting to cruise in may, so is one better than the other.

[sdmike]

Lots of threads on this. Most prefer Glacier Bay (which is west of Juneau) because of the higher probability of seeing several glaciers. The weather in Tracy Arm can be iffy, and if there are seal pups, icebergs or fog the ship may not make its way up the fjord to Sawyer

[bonvoyagie]

I have been to Sawyer twice. The trip up the Tracy Arm fjord is wonderful and you wonder how the ship is going to make some of the twists and turns. The problem comes when you reach the Glacier - you are lucky to get within a mile usually due to ice or seals on ice floes. On our first trip in 2002 the captian sent the ships photographer in a zodiac to take some photos of the glacier, the ship and the seals. The next year we did the same trip and got about the same place but no photos. On the first trip, the captain also explained that the smaller boats did not have to worry as much about the seals as he did.

 

This June we are going to Glacier Bay - I know there is a much better chance of seeing the tidewater glaciers there.

 

We are also going to take one of the small boat tours to see Sawyer Glaciers more up close. So we are paying more for the Glacier Bay trip and paying more for the trip to see Sawyer but hopefully will be getting the best of both worlds. The small boat tour is only available in late May, June, July and early Aug due to light and ice conditions.

[rosey1946]

I've sailed on both Glacier Bay and Sawyer cruises. Glacier Bay was wonderful-you spend a long time there and a ranger boards the ship and explains everything as it is a National Park. For Sawyer, we took an excursion where we went by small boat to Tracey Arm and the Sawyer glaciers. For us, the Sawyer trip was magical. I'll never forget going so close to the glacier, all the ice around us and the different blue colors of the ice. We also went almost under a waterfall, saw seals, ducks and winter terns.

You will enjoy either one. Alaska is a joy. There is a myth that if you go to Alaska, you will return. I did.

Linda