Oosterdam - Tracy Arm

[cruisinjudy]

View out the dining room window as the ship turned around in Tracey Arm

[dfish]

My first cruise was Alaska and I was totally excited about Tracy Arm. I don't think we saw the glacier - don't remember it if we did and I would remember it if we did since I'm into glaciers, but I still found it to be wonderful. The scenery is spectacular and I loved the valleys that dropped to the sea. I do remember that it was really cold when we were there (September) and we later docked in Juneau where it was sunny and warm. The temperatures can vary greatly during the day depending on where you are.

 

I loved Ketchikan. We didn't do an excursion. Since it was September the salmon were running and we spent hours watching them. We then scoped out the independent locally owned stores and had a great time talking to the owners. I did a lot of Christmas shopping in those stores.

[erewhon]

cruisinjudy,

Great photo.

Thank you for sharing.

[MR NW GUY]

The year we went to Alaska, we had a heat wave and it was over 90 every single day for our B2B. Not a very likely occurrence, but check the weather before you go.

Intersting comment... According to this web site, the last time it was 90 degrees in Juneau was in 1975.

 

http://coolweather.net/statetemperature/alaska-temperature.htm

 

Juneau 47.3 34.6 41.0 20 137 90/1975 -22/1968

[kjw869]

Sail, I will scan the menus of the Oosterdam and upload when I return. Tonight, was the first night of a new program, a single large menu with four International regional offerings, inclusing the appetizers and desserts. It was one of the best dinners we've ever had in the MDR. Canaletto is now $10 and includes a glass of wine. We don't go there often.

 

Ken

[sail7seas]

Sail, I will scan the menus of the Oosterdam and upload when I return. Tonight, was the first night of a new program, a single large menu with four International regional offerings, inclusing the appetizers and desserts. It was one of the best dinners we've ever had in the MDR. Canaletto is now $10 and includes a glass of wine. We don't go there often.

 

Ken

 

 

Oh my, Ken.

That sounds fabulous.

Is this being tested on Oosterdam, do you know, or is it for the foreseeable future?

 

So kind of you to scan them. I'm excited to see those menus. :)

 

Thank you.

 

[sail7seas]

Judy,

 

GORGEOUS photo.

Thanks so much for sharing.

 

Sure looks quite spectacular to me!!!!

Hope we get to see that view, too. :)

 

[mtiffany24]

In 2006 I was on a small expedition-style ship that went from Juneau to Tracy Arm. We encountered the Volendam but went much closer to the Sawyer Glacier than the HAL ship could manage. The excursion leaves too early on the AM for any cruise ship passengers that arrive in Juneau. The icebergs were spectacular.

 

Mary Ann

[sail7seas]

Wonderful photos.....

 

That iceberg with HAL ship nearby is fabulous!

 

[mtiffany24]

Wonderful photos.....

 

That iceberg with HAL ship nearby is fabulous!

 

 

Thanks!

[kjw869]

Oh my, Ken.

That sounds fabulous.

Is this being tested on Oosterdam, do you know, or is it for the foreseeable future?

 

So kind of you to scan them. I'm excited to see those menus. :)

 

Thank you.

 

 

I will find out tonight for you. Many people remarked how much they enjoyed their dinner.

There are four sections on the large single menu, North & South America, Asia & Australia, Europe and Afria and Chef Rudy's Tour Around the World which each features has separate desserts. Interesting selction which I've never seen on HAL ships.

[Jade13]

You are not really missing anything and your observation is correct. The thing is that each year there are less and less ships granted access/permits to Glacier Bay same with Hubbard Glacier. Hubbard is down to small hand full now. These permits are quite costly, the alternative is Tracy Arm. Five years ago HAL basically did not have that many going to Tracy Arm it was more as an additional stop when cruising out of Vancouver. It was ships like NCL, RCI/CEL and PCL that would have Tracy Arm but HAL round trip Seattle was always one Hubbard and the other Glacer Bay. It was not till this season that they no longer had the permit for Hubbard. Of course they knew a few years in advance this was coming :o

The averager person looking to do an Alaska cruise do not want to take on the additional expense of sailing out of Vancouver not just becauset the cruise itself is slight more but based on cost of flights or hassle factor getting to Vancouver and or not wanting to invest in getting a US Passport.

 

HAL no longer has any ships going to Hubbard Glacier, or just round trip from Seattle? That is the one that will get me back to Alaska as we have been to Glacier Bay. And was only considering round trip from Seattle since we have traveled from Seward to Vancouver.

[sail7seas]

Maybe I misunderstand your question, Jade, but Oosterdam does seven days round trip Seattle.

That is the cruise we are doing.

 

What about Westerdam...... I think she may also.

[MilliesMom]

HAL no longer has any ships going to Hubbard Glacier, or just round trip from Seattle? That is the one that will get me back to Alaska as we have been to Glacier Bay. And was only considering round trip from Seattle since we have traveled from Seward to Vancouver.

 

There are still round trip cruises from Seattle to Alaska.

 

The Westerdam includes Glacier Bay.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?voyageCode=W242&destCode=A

 

The Oosterdam includes Tracy Arm

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?voyageCode=O244&destCode=A

 

We have cruised Tracy Arm and it was gorgeous!!! No regrets. We have never seen Glacier Bay, so we are booked on the Westerdam roundtrip out of Seattle for May 2013. Our cruise includes Glacier Bay then too.

 

Hubbard Glacier, from what I can tell, is not on any of the Seattle roundtrip itineraries for HAL this year or next.

[jimd909]

Maybe I misunderstand your question, Jade, but Oosterdam does seven days round trip Seattle.

That is the cruise we are doing.

 

What about Westerdam...... I think she may also.

 

 

Westerdam does round trip and includes Glacier Bay. This is the one I picked since HAL has an excursion from Juneau that takes you to Tracy Arm (Sawyer Glacier).

[MilliesMom]

I just received a 2012 HAL brochure in the mail today.

 

MS Amsterdam does round trip out of Seattle. It is a 14 Day cruise that is called 14 Day Alaska Explorer ... via Hubbard Glacier & Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glaciers.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?voyageCode=A222&destCode=A

click on this for cruise details.

[vbmom87]

Sorry, I have not read through this entire thread, so if I am repeating what someone else has said, I apologize.

 

Last year in doing my research, I discovered that the various cruise ships, spent a different amount of time in Tracy Arm. Some as little as 2.5 hours and the longest was 7 hours. the average seemed to be 4 hours. If your ship will have 4-5 hours in Tracy Arm, you should still have a great experience. However, with it being the dinner hour, you will miss some of it. If it were me, I would have a snack before 4:00 p.m., be out on deck the entire transit and then come in for a late dinner. Not everyone is willing to give up their dinner hour, but I sure would. I can eat anytime. I can't view the majestic scenery of Alaska anytime. JMHO

[Himself]

I have been on cruises where Tracy Arm was cancelled because an ice burg was blocking the entrance channel. That would be an operational problem. The Captain is not going to put the ship in danger as that would put passengers and crew in danger.

[sail7seas]

I have been on cruises where Tracy Arm was cancelled because an ice burg was blocking the entrance channel. That would be an operational problem. The Captain is not going to put the ship in danger as that would put passengers and crew in danger.

 

 

Yes, of course.

 

ALways, safety first!!!!

[kjw869]

Oh my, Ken.

That sounds fabulous.

Is this being tested on Oosterdam, do you know, or is it for the foreseeable future?

 

So kind of you to scan them. I'm excited to see those menus. :)

 

Thank you.

 

 

Sail, I found out tonight from the MDR manager it is fleet wide. When I return home later this week, I'll send the link to the menus.

 

Ken

[Jade13]

Maybe I misunderstand your question, Jade, but Oosterdam does seven days round trip Seattle.

That is the cruise we are doing.

 

What about Westerdam...... I think she may also.

 

Hubbard Glacier round trip from Seattle.

[Jade13]

There are still round trip cruises from Seattle to Alaska.

 

The Westerdam includes Glacier Bay.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?voyageCode=W242&destCode=A

 

The Oosterdam includes Tracy Arm

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?voyageCode=O244&destCode=A

 

We have cruised Tracy Arm and it was gorgeous!!! No regrets. We have never seen Glacier Bay, so we are booked on the Westerdam roundtrip out of Seattle for May 2013. Our cruise includes Glacier Bay then too.

 

Hubbard Glacier, from what I can tell, is not on any of the Seattle roundtrip itineraries for HAL this year or next.

 

 

Right, I asked about Hubbard Glacier round trip from Seattle.

[Jade13]

I just received a 2012 HAL brochure in the mail today.

 

MS Amsterdam does round trip out of Seattle. It is a 14 Day cruise that is called 14 Day Alaska Explorer ... via Hubbard Glacier & Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glaciers.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?voyageCode=A222&destCode=A

click on this for cruise details.

 

 

What about 2013 or 2014? We would be looking for Hubbard Glacier round trip from Seattle.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This is the last year that the 14 day Amsterdam cruise round trip from Seattle will be offered. It was very popular in 2010 and 2011. But for some reason the sales dropped off quite a bit for this year -- so HAL ended thise cruises after this year.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have been on cruises where Tracy Arm was cancelled because an ice burg was blocking the entrance channel. That would be an operational problem. The Captain is not going to put the ship in danger as that would put passengers and crew in danger.

 

Several times we have nt gotten to Tracy Arm because of iceburgs and very heavy ice flows.

Last summer we made it all the way into Tracy Arm.

But for the first time we did not make it into Hubbard Glacier because of the ice flows.