Tracy Arm Fjord???

[crazycruzer68]

First of all, is an excursion needed? From what I understand you pass through this so, is that right?

 

When looking up Tracy Arm a lot of excursion company list this as Juneau, can you explain?

[JimAOk1945]

First of all, is an excursion needed? From what I understand you pass through this so, is that right?

 

When looking up Tracy Arm a lot of excursion company list this as Juneau, can you explain?

 

The answer to this depends on which cruise line and itinerary you are taking.

 

For example, on our 2009 Star Princess cruise, our ship sailed up the Tracy Arm fjord to the glacier, spent some time turning around so both sides of the ship saw the glacier, then it left the fjord and went on to the next port.

 

Other cruise lines offer excursions.

 

Which cruise line and itinerary are you going on?

[peety3]

First of all, is an excursion needed? From what I understand you pass through this so, is that right?

 

When looking up Tracy Arm a lot of excursion company list this as Juneau, can you explain?

The excursion gets you much closer to the glaciers than the ship can do itself, and I'd say it's a phenomenal experience. We've done it twice, and it can be a bit of a drag in moderate rain (or worse) but drizzle or sun is fantastic.

 

The excursion usually comes in two distinct forms: for the ships that actually go into Tracy Arm Fjord, the excursion is almost always booked direct through the cruise line ONLY as a unique "one-way" excursion, where you'll board the tour boat from the cruise ship while at rest/coast in Tracy Arm Fjord, and finish at the cruise ship in Juneau. For the ships that do not visit TAF, the excursion is normally sold independently as a round-trip from Juneau, and likely takes up your whole day since another ~2 hours is needed for the transit to TAF.

[crazycruzer68]

We are on Carnival August 16th.

[JimAOk1945]

We are on Carnival August 16th.

Judging from the brief description I saw on the Carnival website, it appears that your ship will only be cruising in the fjord to view the glaciers and does not offer any excursions. However, you may want to call Carnival just to confirm this.

Edited May 11, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[peety3]

We are on Carnival August 16th.

From what I see, you're on the Carnival Legend 8/16->8/23, a Tuesday to Tuesday cruise. "Day 3" is spent in TAF. You should look in your cruise personalizer at excursions offered that day, and if there is one available, book it now, as it's probably only big enough for 5% of the ship's passengers and can easily fill fast, long before the cruise starts.

 

Day 5 is spent in Juneau, from 7:00 to 3:00, or 8 hours. That is most likely too short to accommodate the round-trip excursion from Juneau into TAF; it's usually 7 hours or more and it would be cutting things FAR too close.

[crazycruzer68]

I checked and there are no excursions offered that day, I guess we will just float that day!

 

 

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[flatlander321]

You may want to check excursions listed for Juneau also. We're on the Carninval Legend May 16-24 this year (5 days away!) and it also has a separate Tracy Arm day. In our case, the ship actually cruises the fjord for the afternoon. It doesn't just unload passengers to the smaller boat then head straight to Juneau like many other cruises seem to do. The small boat excursion loads and unloads at the cruise ship within tracy arm fjord. It's only a 3 hour trip that way. Juneau is a separate day for us.

 

See if you have a Juneau excursion listed like this one: http://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/juneau-ak/tracy-arm-fjord-and-glacier-explorer-171053#

Note that it is reserved via email only, unlike most other excursions listed by Carnival.

Edited May 12, 2016 by flatlander321

[bonvoyagie]

First of all, is an excursion needed? From what I understand you pass through this so, is that right?

 

When looking up Tracy Arm a lot of excursion company list this as Juneau, can you explain?

 

The small boat excursion of Tracy arm is a great supplement to the cruise ship transit. The small boats can get closer to South Sawyer Glacier and up the small passage to what is left of North Sawyer Glacier. The Fjord seems much larger in the small boat and at water level - compared to the giant cruise ship and 12 decks up.

 

Remember that in May it is possible that the cruise ship may go into another fjord and glacier due to ice floes in Tracy arm.

 

Ships that do Tracy Arm just before or just after Juneau can option for a small boat tour that either leaves Juneau before the ship and re boards the ship up by the glacier, or leaves the ship at the glacier and meets it back in Juneau.

 

If your ship does not follow this itinerary then all bets are off for a small boat excursion.

 

If you have enough time in Juneau - and arrive early enough you could book a roundtrip tour with Adventure Bound.

[crazycruzer68]

You may want to check excursions listed for Juneau also. We're on the Carninval Legend May 16-24 this year (5 days away!) and it also has a separate Tracy Arm day. In our case, the ship actually cruises the fjord for the afternoon. It doesn't just unload passengers to the smaller boat then head straight to Juneau like many other cruises seem to do. The small boat excursion loads and unloads at the cruise ship within tracy arm fjord. It's only a 3 hour trip that way. Juneau is a separate day for us.

 

See if you have a Juneau excursion listed like this one: http://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/juneau-ak/tracy-arm-fjord-and-glacier-explorer-171053#

Note that it is reserved via email only, unlike most other excursions listed by Carnival.

 

 

It does look like this option is available for our sailing, are you doing this? I would love to hear your thoughts on it if you are.

 

We are another excursion that will take us to the base of the Mendenhall Glacier, I wonder which excursion would be better. Any thoughts?

[flatlander321]

It does look like this option is available for our sailing, are you doing this? I would love to hear your thoughts on it if you are.

 

We are another excursion that will take us to the base of the Mendenhall Glacier, I wonder which excursion would be better. Any thoughts?

 

We are doing the small boat excursion at Tracy Arm next week. I have no idea about the other excursion. This is the only excursion we have through Carnival.

[crazycruzer68]

We are doing the small boat excursion at Tracy Arm next week. I have no idea about the other excursion. This is the only excursion we have through Carnival.

 

 

If you would please come back and let me know how it was. I never use Carnival excursions but I am not having much luck with anyone else. What companies are you using?

[flatlander321]

If you would please come back and let me know how it was. I never use Carnival excursions but I am not having much luck with anyone else. What companies are you using?

This one is only available through Carnival. If you have an interest, you should reserve it via email now. You could cancel later, but you might not be able to reserve it later.

 

I won't be back online for a few weeks, so don't wait on me.

 

Others have reviewed it. There is only one company (Allen Marine) that does the small boat trips for all the cruise ships at Tracy Arm.

[Budget Queen]

If you would please come back and let me know how it was. I never use Carnival excursions but I am not having much luck with anyone else. What companies are you using?

 

I have sailed Carnival in Alaska 4 times in the last 2 years. The add on Tracy Arm tour is grossly superior to the ship transit- IF that is of interest to you?

 

Carnival is not known for getting past Sawyer Island. At that point, you get only a distant partial view of the South Sawyer Glacier. the add on boat tour, gets you much closer to a glacier/s and wildlife.

 

I caution you to take a good look at any "tour" of Mendenhall. Usually they are too limited in time- IF you wish to walk Nugget Falls= which is a very popular activity. for many people, it is superior to be there on your own time, by just taking a shuttle or cab. IF you are also doing flights or a whale watch- cobook so you have direct transfer between the two. You don't want to waste an hour backtracking in transit.

[whitedog]

My DW and I are on carnival 2 weeks before you. I read thru alot of post here on CC and everyone who has went on this excursion gives rave reviews. So we are booked to go on it on our day in TRACY ARM. Everyone talked about how beautiful the fjord is from the small boat besides getting so much closer to the glacier which everyone almost always describe as breathtaking .I hope they are right. I also read about it on trip adviser, although some of those were the ones that were round trip out of Juneau. From what I have read it is some of the same boats that does the Legends Excursion so i would think their experience inside TA would be very similar .

[crazycruzer68]

My DW and I are on carnival 2 weeks before you. I read thru alot of post here on CC and everyone who has went on this excursion gives rave reviews. So we are booked to go on it on our day in TRACY ARM. Everyone talked about how beautiful the fjord is from the small boat besides getting so much closer to the glacier which everyone almost always describe as breathtaking .I hope they are right. I also read about it on trip adviser, although some of those were the ones that were round trip out of Juneau. From what I have read it is some of the same boats that does the Legends Excursion so i would think their experience inside TA would be very similar .

 

 

Did you book thru Carnival? These excursions are beginning to add up! Any advice on outside vendors that might save some money?

[whitedog]

This particular excursion is only available thru carnival, as for other ports I have booked thru outside vendors to save a little money and also to have a smaller group in the tours. IN Skagway we booked with CHILKOOT CHARTERS & TOURS and in Juneau with Harv and Marv's Outback Alaska just going to wing it in Ketchican . Know what you mean about $$ adding up fast . But the way we are looking at this is a once in lifetime trip for us so we are willing to spend a little more to see what we hope is some things we we will remember for the rest of our lives ,we'll just have to be tight with our money when we get home to make up for what we splurged on the trip:):(!!

Edited May 12, 2016 by whitedog

[peety3]

Did you book thru Carnival? These excursions are beginning to add up! Any advice on outside vendors that might save some money?

If you're doing the excursion that starts in Tracy Arm, you will NOT have the option to book independently. The cruise line has contracted with the boat for a wholesale price, so the capacity is theirs to sell. There are also some moderate logistics that the cruise line has to manage: they need to reserve a gathering point (for a bit of hurry-up-and-wait), then move ~150 people to a tendering platform to board the small boat. The ship will also have to open the tendering platform for return, and manage a security checkpoint for the passengers. All of that adds together to a situation where you can't book independently.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

You may want to check excursions listed for Juneau also. We're on the Carninval Legend May 16-24 this year (5 days away!) and it also has a separate Tracy Arm day. In our case, the ship actually cruises the fjord for the afternoon. It doesn't just unload passengers to the smaller boat then head straight to Juneau like many other cruises seem to do. The small boat excursion loads and unloads at the cruise ship within tracy arm fjord. It's only a 3 hour trip that way. Juneau is a separate day for us.

 

 

This is exactly what we did. It was the highlight of the cruise!!

 

See if you have a Juneau excursion listed like this one: http://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/juneau-ak/tracy-arm-fjord-and-glacier-explorer-171053#

Note that it is reserved via email only, unlike most other excursions listed by Carnival.

 

It does look like this option is available for our sailing, are you doing this? I would love to hear your thoughts on it if you are.

 

We are another excursion that will take us to the base of the Mendenhall Glacier, I wonder which excursion would be better. Any thoughts?

 

 

Tracy Arm, IMHO, if far superior. I did the small-boat excursion in Tracy Arm--on and off and back on the ship in Tracy Ar--and it was fantastic! It's part of the review I did, and if you look at it you'll see that we got close enough to see the glacier calving. A much better experience than staying on the ship!

Edited May 12, 2016 by Quilting_Cruiser

[dhmom99]

like many other posters have mentioned, it depends on your itinerary. We went with Princess cruiseline. It had an itinerary that actually goes into the tracy arm. We picked a cruise late in the season. The ice was melt enough so the ship can reach all the way to the front of the glacier.

[Budget Queen]

There are only 2 vendors- that day passengers use with Tracy Arm. IF the cruise ship has "Tracy Arm" ON the itinerary- the ONLY way to get the small boat tour, is to go through the ship excursions. BIG difference- as it loads/unloads, direct from the cruise ship. No other option available. With some HAL cruises- the cruise ship does NOT even enter Tracy Arm- and will have a "service stop" listing and short "port time". You have to take the ship excursion.

 

A few cruises do allow for, what I consider the "best", independent option with Adventure Bound. You need at least a 7-7 port time. Allen Marine (ship contractor) Tracy Arm runs a shorter tour- BUT realize- "time" is essential with this tour, in my opinion. IF the boat is rushing point to point, you are going to see less, and have less opportunity for "more", (wildlife, glaciers).

Edited May 13, 2016 by Budget Queen

[TheCalicoCat]

It does look like this option is available for our sailing, are you doing this? I would love to hear your thoughts on it if you are.

 

We are another excursion that will take us to the base of the Mendenhall Glacier, I wonder which excursion would be better. Any thoughts?

 

YMMV, but Mendenhall was disappointing after Tracy Arm & the Sawyer Glaciers.

[Budget Queen]

like many other posters have mentioned, it depends on your itinerary. We went with Princess cruiseline. It had an itinerary that actually goes into the tracy arm. We picked a cruise late in the season. The ice was melt enough so the ship can reach all the way to the front of the glacier.[/quote)

 

This is not consistent. Plenty of ships, including Princess do NOT make it past Sawyer Island. You were lucky. :) But being in a small boat still gives a superior view of glaciers and wildlife.

[joanskid]

Any opinions on the morning or afternoon excursion for this on the Legend in mid July?