Details for Tracy Arm Tour roundtrip from Juneau

[NoobCruise]

Hi Everyone,

 

We're cruising on the Westerdam in September and I had booked the Tracy Arm Fjords and Glaciers Explorer excursion through HAL. In several different posts around CC, people questioned how good this particular trip would be since 1) it's round trip from Juneau, we do not board directly from the ship at Tracy Arm, 2) it's 7 hours and due to distance to Tracy Arm, maybe that wouldn't be enough time for really viewing the glaciers, 3) the website for this tour says they leave at 8:30 am, but our ship doesn't arrive until 1pm. So all the doubters had me really questioning our booking, though no one said they had actually been on this particular tour. I thought I'd post this info for anyone else considering this tour.

 

I sent an email to Allen Marine Tours:

 

"We will be sailing on the Westerdam Sept 1st and will by in Juneau on Sept

3. *I booked the Tracy Arm Fjord and Glaciers Tour through HAL. *HALs

description of the tour says we pull in port at 1pm and the tour leaves at

1:15 and it's a 7 hour trip. *They give a link to your site, which says this

tour leaves at 8:30 am and returns at 3:30. *Can you please clarify times

for me for Sept 3rd? *I frequent Cruise Critics and a number of people have

questioned this tour because of times and the distance to Tracy Arm.

Although none of them have actually been on the tour, they have me second

guessing my booking. Could you tell me what to expect when we disembark the

Westerdam and where to board your tour? Thanks!"

 

The response was fairly quick and thorough :)

 

"On September 3rd, that tour will leave Westerdam at about 1:15 pm and will

look like as follows:

 

1:10 Tour meets on pier, 200 feet Westerdam gangway, then departs Westerdam

at 1:15 for a 5 minute tour bus ride to Tracy Arm dock / boat.

 

1:30 Tracy Arm boat gets underway

(box lunch included for all paying passengers)

 

8:15 Tracy Arm boat gets back, 5 minute tour bus ride back to Westerdam

 

I think some of the confusion on message board's such as cruise critic comes

from the fact that it really does depend (for our tour anyway) which date

one is thinking of going on the tour. We have some trips that leave in the

morning and some trips that leave in the afternoon. Best to check direct

with us regarding ones specific date(s) of interest.

 

Our website (which is poor) reflects just the Saturday Tracy Arm trip but

the information for Saturday's is accurate.

 

Also, I am guessing that some people on cruise critic message board may be

comparing this tour to the only other tour that is similar to ours,

"Adventure Bound".

 

I have been on both tours and I think both tours do a good job at what they

do.

 

Tracy Arm (the entrance to it) is about 46 miles south of downtown Juneau.

 

Some pro's & con's of each tour:

 

Adventure Bound:

They spend a very lengthy time viewing the glacier(s) but the boat(s) they

use are slower so it makes for a longer day / tour on getting to from Tracy

Arm.

 

Allen Marine:

Uses a much faster boat so makes for a much shorter time getting to / from

Tracy Arm. Because of the need to align the tour length proportionally with

the length of a typical cruise ship visit in Juneau, this tour usually

spends what we consider the appropriate amount of time viewing the glaciers.

+/- 45-60 minutes viewing glacier(s) depending on ice conditions & wildlife

viewings.

 

I hope this info helps and please feel free to contact me if I can assist

with any other questions or info."

[rayliang]

Thanks a ton NoobCruise :) I can honestly say I didn't know this before.

[NoobCruise]

No problem :) I can't find very many reviews on this tour. I've seen a few and they've been positive - possibly from people who don't know any better, but then I don't know any better either lol I'm excited to see Tracy Arm and get close to glaciers :) and for the day/times we're in port, this is our option.

 

We'll do the tour and I'll post a full review of it when we get back....although it's September, so don't hold your breath ;)

[mickeysgal]

Thank you for taking the time to post this. No doubt this will help others in their planning.

[bonvoyagie]

I am taking the same tour from the NCL Pearl in June - I presume that since NCL uses Allen Marine for other tours that this one is also through them. We arrive in Juneau around 2:00 PM on a Tuesday and leave around 10:00 - the NCL book says that this tour is only offered in late may through aug due to the need of extended daylight. I went through NCL because I could not find another company that offered the same trip at the same time.

 

I'll try to remember to post a review here and in the NCL board as well.

[Budget Queen]

I have sailed Tracy Arm many times, between three different operators. For some, the transit can offer a LOT of wildlife and scenic stops- time is still that- what the tour allows. MORE time, is going to have more options for searching along the way for wildlife. This is a far lessor option, with a tour that claims they go faster. I've been parked in the South Sawyer ice for hours. But for me, the slower transit and the wildlife is what I prefer.

 

Tours are all about choices, and there aren't any bad ones depending on the interests. The details are what is important and having the accurate information.

[snoopy two]

No problem :) I can't find very many reviews on this tour. I've seen a few and they've been positive - possibly from people who don't know any better, but then I don't know any better either lol I'm excited to see Tracy Arm and get close to glaciers :) and for the day/times we're in port, this is our option.

 

We'll do the tour and I'll post a full review of it when we get back....although it's September, so don't hold your breath ;)

Thanks for your hard work on this tour. we are sailing June 1st on the northbound to Seward, then doing an inland for a week ending in Fairbanks. We're fortunate the day we're in Juneau is from 7:00am to 8:30pm. Just have to see who we want to book through. Did you see the videos on u tube?