Inside Passage?? Glacier Bay...Hubbard Glacier...Tracy Arm...Sawyer Glacier??

[PandaBear62]

I am trying to plan a trip for myself and two other couples. They will do what I choose. Out parameters are flying in and out of Seattle (preferably) or Vancouver and we need Saturday or Sunday departures.

 

This limits us to the NCL Jewel, ms Eurodam or Celebrity Solstice or Infinity.

 

Only the Infinity sails the Inside Passage.

Only the Eurodam does Glacier Bay. Can someone explain this day (it says its from 7-4). Is it primarily sailing around and hearing a travelogue?

The Jewel sails by Sawyer Glacier after Juneau while the Solstice has Tracy Arm and the Infinity Hubbard Glacier.

 

It sounds like Skagway has neat excursions but only the Solstice and Jewel stop there.

 

My mind is going round and round, as I have the responsibility to choose this cruise! I am the "trip planner", so they want me to research and choose the best option for the group.

 

Ports, Glaciers and cruising the Inside Passage aside, we prefer the Jewel or Eurodam for the Saturday departure and the free drink packages! I like the Jewel for the stop at Skagway and Victoria in the afternoon into evening (2:30-9:30). The Eurodam has Glacier Bay and Sitka and evening in Victoria (6-midnight).

 

Can anyone give me any advice?

[Kamloops50]

I am trying to plan a trip for myself and two other couples. They will do what I choose. Out parameters are flying in and out of Seattle (preferably) or Vancouver and we need Saturday or Sunday departures.

 

This limits us to the NCL Jewel, ms Eurodam or Celebrity Solstice or Infinity.

 

Only the Infinity sails the Inside Passage.

Only the Eurodam does Glacier Bay. Can someone explain this day (it says its from 7-4). Is it primarily sailing around and hearing a travelogue?

The Jewel sails by Sawyer Glacier after Juneau while the Solstice has Tracy Arm and the Infinity Hubbard Glacier.

 

It sounds like Skagway has neat excursions but only the Solstice and Jewel stop there.

 

My mind is going round and round, as I have the responsibility to choose this cruise! I am the "trip planner", so they want me to research and choose the best option for the group.

 

Ports, Glaciers and cruising the Inside Passage aside, we prefer the Jewel or Eurodam for the Saturday departure and the free drink packages! I like the Jewel for the stop at Skagway and Victoria in the afternoon into evening (2:30-9:30). The Eurodam has Glacier Bay and Sitka and evening in Victoria (6-midnight).

 

Can anyone give me any advice?

 

Glacier id only done by ships that have a permit to enter . It is an all day cruise . National park Rangers board in the morning. One will narrate the cruise . Others will have presents for adults and a junior ranger in kids club. At around 4PM the rangers will disembark and the ship will continue to the next port of call.

Check for ships that stop at Haines. There is a high speed ferry to Skagway .

[epixx]

I think you already ruled out the Solstice for its Friday departure, but why have you not included the two Princess ships, the Ruby and Emerald, which depart from Seattle on Saturday and Sunday, respectively?

 

If you select an itinerary that includes either Sawyer Glacier or Tracy Arm, factor in an additional $200 to $250 for the small boat excursion to see the glacier, otherwise the chance of getting a good view of a glacier is low.

 

We went on the Jewel this summer. I do not recommend this itinerary for first timers (this was our 4th Alaska cruise), because of the limited time in some of the Alaska ports, which allows more time in Victoria. We did go on the small boat trip to the glacier ($249), and we thought it was fantastic.

[xlxo]

@PandaBear62: What month are you going to sail?

 

It's been mentioned pre-August trips have trouble navigating into Tracy Arm due to ice congestion to meet up with Sawyer 31 miles into the Arm. This year.... the ice was a problem until late August.

 

I recommend Glacier Bay for a first time Alaska visit for glacier seekers.

 

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Edited September 21, 2016 by xlxo

[Coral]

Go with the itinerary that includes Glacier Bay, especially if it is your first cruise.

 

Tracy Arm was widely restricted this year and Hubbard was also missed quite a bit or one was within 9 plus miles in viewing (which isn't very good).

 

Glacier Bay is pretty much guaranteed and is amazing! And it is a huge disappointment to miss a glacier on your first cruise there (been there, done that).

[4774Papa]

We did Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier on the NCL Sun and both were fantastic. Glacier Bay is not to be missed. Our ship was in the bay from 7am until about 1pm. There was the one huge glacier that the ship was very close to as well as a couple of smaller glaciers.

[TheCalicoCat]

 

This limits us to the NCL Jewel, ms Eurodam or Celebrity Solstice or Infinity.

 

Only the Infinity sails the Inside Passage.

 

They all sail the Inside Passage.

[TheCalicoCat]

Glacier Bay is a world heritage site for a reason & I personally would not consider an AK cruise that does not include it.

[sherryf]

The Jewel sails by Sawyer Glacier after Juneau while the Solstice has Tracy Arm and the Infinity Hubbard Glacier.

 

Sawyer Glacier (there are actually 2) is in Tracy Arm. These are essentially the same location.

 

I also agree that you should be considering Princess. The Ruby Princess will be sailing from Seattle on Saturdays next year, going to both Skagway and Glacier Bay.

[Sacto Rick]

I would choose the cruise that does Glacier Bay and Sitka.

[Upper Deck Dad]

I am trying to plan a trip for myself and two other couples. They will do what I choose. Out parameters are flying in and out of Seattle (preferably) or Vancouver and we need Saturday or Sunday departures.

 

This limits us to the NCL Jewel, ms Eurodam or Celebrity Solstice or Infinity.

 

Only the Infinity sails the Inside Passage.

Only the Eurodam does Glacier Bay. Can someone explain this day (it says its from 7-4). Is it primarily sailing around and hearing a travelogue?

The Jewel sails by Sawyer Glacier after Juneau while the Solstice has Tracy Arm and the Infinity Hubbard Glacier.

 

It sounds like Skagway has neat excursions but only the Solstice and Jewel stop there.

 

My mind is going round and round, as I have the responsibility to choose this cruise! I am the "trip planner", so they want me to research and choose the best option for the group.

 

Ports, Glaciers and cruising the Inside Passage aside, we prefer the Jewel or Eurodam for the Saturday departure and the free drink packages! I like the Jewel for the stop at Skagway and Victoria in the afternoon into evening (2:30-9:30). The Eurodam has Glacier Bay and Sitka and evening in Victoria (6-midnight).

 

Can anyone give me any advice?

 

The NCL Pearl spends one day in Glacier Bay and does cruise the Inside Passage. The other stops are Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria.

 

Just like all NCL cruises you'll get a choice of 4 free options, one of which is the beverage plan. The Pearl is Sunday-Sunday out of Seattle.

[Gardyloo]

Nomenclature time...

 

"Inside passage" is a term the cruise lines use a bit haphazardly. There are basically two parts to the "inside passage" as most of us who live in the region think of it (not cruise line marketing people) - the Canadian portion and the Alaska portion.

 

Cruises departing Seattle travel to the west of Vancouver Island, on open ocean, and basically bypass the Canadian portion of the inside passage. The ships then turn east in order to follow a portion of the Alaska "inside passage," which allows them to advertise it in their promotions.

 

Ships departing Vancouver travel to the east of Vancouver Island, on sheltered waters, and thus cover both the Canadian and Alaskan portions of the inside passage. Obviously the Vancouver itineraries offer better scenery as the Seattle ships tend to stay far enough offshore from Vancouver Island that you can't see much.

 

Note too that the large cruise ships don't traverse parts of the "true" inside passage used by smaller craft, such as the Wrangell Narrows, because the channels are too narrow and navigation can be an issue. Smaller boats like the Alaska ferries do travel through these incredibly scenic passages.

 

So Seattle departures and Vancouver departures are quite different on the scenery front, even if they visit some of the same destinations in Alaska, like Glacier Bay. The route up (and back) makes a big difference.

[LoriPhil]

Emerald Princess is doing a 7-day Round Trip out of Vancouver leaving May 13, 2017 (3 other dates for RT Vancouver, May 3 and two in September - don't know the ships for those); the May 13th cruise goes to Glacier Bay, and replaces the usual Skagway stop with Sitka - though another sailing may include Skagway instead of Sitka. LOVE sailing out/into Vancouver - scenery is glorious right from the start.

[PandaBear62]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. Our final decision was to sail on the NCL ship Pearl. I just paid the deposit yesterday! For us, the major factors in the decision were:

• sailing out of and back to Seattle
  
• going to Glacier Bay
  
• weekend departure (We originally thought Saturday, but decided that Sunday was better for us....allowing travel to Seattle on Saturday and returning home Sunday)
  

Another factor, although not a primary one, was the "free" beverage package for NCL. We like the idea that we can pay a flat rate (basically $100) and not worry about liquor charges.

 

Now to start planning excursions!

Thanks again.