Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer Excursion

[Eaglecw]

Has anyone done the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer excursion from the cruise ship up in Tracy Arm. A few years ago we were on the Star Princess when the tour boat came up alongside the Star and picked up the passengers. I looked at the Princess web site and it looks like it’s a 6 hour tour that gets up closer to the Glacier than the big cruise ship does and drops off back in Juneau.

[Budget Queen]

Yes, many times. This is an add on tour, that I always recommend as "necessary" since it is grossly superior to any cruise ship transit. On average only about 25% of the cruise ships make the full 30 mile dead end transit to the glaciers. Reason enough for the add on, in my opinion. :)

[mikaula]

I have done this tour. It was fabulous. The guides were good & we had a great time. So many passengers on the ship were disappointed that they didn't get to see the glacier because of too much ice in the water for the ship. We got up close & saw lots of wild life too. I highly recommend it.

[bonvoyagie]

I have also done this tour and agree with the above two posts.

[kayleighgirl]

We are going on Celebrity solstice next week, will it be too early for this tour to be available, I don't see if offered on the list.

[Budget Queen]

We are going on Celebrity solstice next week, will it be too early for this tour to be available, I don't see if offered on the list.

 

Yes, very likely too early and a good chance you will go to Endicott Arm instead. I never bother go with Tracy Arm tours, before the third weel of May.

[Eaglecw]

On the advice given here we booked the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer excursion this morning. We are looking forward to this excursion.

[chipmaster]

Remember to agave a hearty meal before the excursion and bring snacks and warm and waterproof clothing so you can be outside. It is a long excursion on a smaller boat and once you pare out of the fjord will have some free time. As others have noted a great experience if you value what the excursion provides.

[hollon]

If we go the first week in June, is it likely to go to Tracy Arm?

[hollon]

Also, does anyone have any pictures they can post of T.A.?

[Cool Breeze Cruiser]

Also, does anyone have any pictures they can post of T.A.?

 

We did the Tracy Arm Fjord excursion from the Carnival Miracle so it was only about a three hour tour but it was AMAZING! We went on a beautiful sunny day last August so the ship was able to get fairly close to the second glacier but on the small boat excursion we were able to get close enough to feel the rocking of the boat when the glacier calved & we got so close to the majestic waterfalls we could actually feel the spray from them. I would HIGHLY recommend it!

There is a link to my Alaskan review in my signature with a lot of pics of Tracy Arm Fjord & a youtube video of the glacier calving if you are interested.

[Budget Queen]

If we go the first week in June, is it likely to go to Tracy Arm?

 

Maybe. But unless you go with the add on tour, you still have a low chance of the cruise ship making the full transit.

[DougH]

Also, does anyone have any pictures they can post of T.A.?

 

Here is a link to a thread I started that has photos of some of my visits to Tracy Arm. These were with Adventure Bound but it is very similar to the one from the cruise ship, just a longer ride since its both ways from Juneau

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1283269&highlight=blue+album

 

I was going to repeat again this year but Adventure Bound has a large group booked the day I'm in port

[DougH]

Just finished watching my old albums and if you do the same you will see the vast difference between a visit to Tracy Arm on a cruise ship and the experience on a small boat tour. I've been on the small boat 5 times and each has been absolutely fantastic. I can't recommend this highly enough.

[dateacher]

What is your experience between the two? I know generally it is better to do a private tour excursion but wondered if it was that much better for this one. If private is better, any suggestions?

[DougH]

I've never been on one of the ship excursions, its never been offered on any of my cruises. Adventure Bound does not aim at the cruise ship passenger and very few cruises have enough port time in Juneau to allow it. You need to be in port at a minimum from 8am to 7pm.

 

Princess Northbound cruises are in port from 8am-9pm and they are my preferred line so it happens to work out for me. The ship excursion might be better as it would allow you some time in Juneau afterward. It only has to sail one way and I believe their boat is also faster.

The AB tour is an all day affair but I love the time on the water.

[Budget Queen]

What is your experience between the two? I know generally it is better to do a private tour excursion but wondered if it was that much better for this one. If private is better, any suggestions?

 

I have gone with Adventure Bound and Allen Marine. My preference is definately Allen Marine for their expansive deck space. The Adventure Bound boat is smaller and if "full" crowded. Last time, the boat was really packed and the inside seating, not enough. There were some chair hogs that didn't get it to move over, but the staff didn't advocate either.

[Eaglecw]

The Tracy Arm excursion starts up in Tracy Arm at 8:30 am, the tour boat comes alongside the cruise ship and picks up passengers and ends in Juneau at 2 pm, about the same time the Grand docks in Juneau. We are looking forward to it, should be good day.

[ikirumata]

Also, does anyone have any pictures they can post of T.A.?

 

There are some pics of Tracy Arm at the link in my signature.

 

Here are a couple samples:

 

IMG_5142 by ikirumata, on Flickr

 

IMG_5121 by ikirumata, on Flickr

 

IMG_5103 by ikirumata, on Flickr

 

Lots more if you go to the link in my signature. Lots of wildlife to be found out there as well! We saw...2 bears, mountain goats, eagles, whales, seals, and all kinds of birds. The excursion the week before us saw a wolf! The pics were amazing. We were not so lucky.

 

Anyway, I highly recommend taking a smaller boat out there. Tracy Arm is beautiful especially if you can make it all the way to BOTH glaciers!

 

Have fun!

[Hard-habit-to-break]

I just want to add my thanks to everyone's helpful comments and the fantastic pictures.

 

Based on the recommendations, we too have book a Tracy Arm tour. We are on Volendam at the beginning of September and it is a ship tour, so we are really looking forward to it.

[utahtea]

I would do this excursion again in a heart-beat. It was my favorite excursion of our 2010 Alaska Cruise! We did it off the Zuiderdam and we would have been so disappointed with how far the ship got into Tracy Arm if we hadn't done the excursion. We also saw a black bear on the shore line and they stopped the catamaran so everyone could see and we even saw whales which they also stopped so we could watch.

 

 

 

 

 

Utahtea

[Party Teacher]

Those pictures are absolutely stunning! Cannot wait to do this excursion in July. It was the first one I booked. Thanks to all of you for the recommendation!

[aarrcc2]

Princess Northbound cruises are in port from 8am-9pm and they are my preferred line so it happens to work out for me. The ship excursion might be better as it would allow you some time in Juneau afterward. It only has to sail one way and I believe their boat is also faster.

The AB tour is an all day affair but I love the time on the water.

 

Have been down Tracy Arm twice by ship and would love to do the AB tour. We are on Crown Princess and the port time is 8am to 9pm, however, AB website says boarding at 7:45am and leaves at 8:30am. Have you ever had a problem getting to AB in time to board/leave? Seems like it's cutting it very close if the ship doesn't arrive in Juneau until 8:00AM. Please advise.

[DougH]

Tell them what ship you are on and AB will usually work with you. Make sure you are in line early so you are one of the first off the ship. If you have a cell phone contact them as soon as you can, sometimes they may even send a car to pick you up, I usually just run down to their boat. Last trip they had sent a crew member up the dock looking for me and another couple off another ship. In every case as soon as I have boarded the AB boat they have immediately taken off. Just be aware that they are probably holding their tour just for you and there is a need to be off the Crown immediately, they don't have 15 minutes to wait if you are stuck in line getting off the ship. It is a fantastic tour.

 

They have a large group booked they day I'm in port this year so will probably miss out this time. Unless someone cancels I'm out of luck.

[aussiecruzer]

We are booked on this excursion from the Celebrity Solstice which will then be tendered in Juneau. Does anyone know if the smaller vessel will take us to Juneau dock or return us to the Solstice, and if we will then need to tender to the dock?