NCL Alaska cruise sawyer glacier question

[JP-Cruise]

Hi, I will be on the norwegian sun to Alaska July 10 - 17. So excited!

 

On the last day at sea I will be cruising through sawyer glacier. I heard you can disembark the ship onto a smaller boat that goes closer to the glacier. Does anyone know any details of this? Like how much this costs? How far advance do you have to reserve this ?

[shadowmeboy]

Hi, I will be on the norwegian sun to Alaska July 10 - 17. So excited!

 

On the last day at sea I will be cruising through sawyer glacier. I heard you can disembark the ship onto a smaller boat that goes closer to the glacier. Does anyone know any details of this? Like how much this costs? How far advance do you have to reserve this ?

 

Sawyer Glacier day is the second half of your day in Juneau, not the last sea day on a southbound cruise.

[JP-Cruise]

Sawyer Glacier day is the second half of your day in Juneau, not the last sea day on a southbound cruise.

 

It shows on my itinerary that it is the second last day of my cruise. I'm doing the 12 day Denali/alyeska explorer. Doing the cruise portion southbound

[shadowmeboy]

It shows on my itinerary that it is the second last day of my cruise. I'm doing the 12 day Denali/alyeska explorer. Doing the cruise portion southbound

 

 

It should be:

Land tour

Embarkation: Seward

Sea day/Hubbard Glacier

ISP

Juneau/sawyer Glacier <- these are on the same day

Skagway

Ketchikan

Sea day

Vancouver

 

 

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[JP-Cruise]

It should be:

Land tour

Embarkation: Seward

Sea day/Hubbard Glacier

ISP

Juneau/sawyer Glacier <- these are on the same day

Skagway

Ketchikan

Sea day

Vancouver

 

 

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Oh my gosh I'm so stupid I just looked at the itinerary again. You're absolutely correct. Explains why I'm in Juneau for a shorter time. The sea day after Ketchikan it says cruising the inside passsge. Any advice for what to do and look for during cruising the inside passage? Anything spectacular I should know about ?

[shadowmeboy]

Oh my gosh I'm so stupid I just looked at the itinerary again. You're absolutely correct. Explains why I'm in Juneau for a shorter time. The sea day after Ketchikan it says cruising the inside passsge. Any advice for what to do and look for during cruising the inside passage? Anything spectacular I should know about ?

 

 

I loved standing on deck 6 or great outdoors and just enjoying the inside passage. I loved seeing the little fishing communities dotted along the way. It was just beautiful!

 

 

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[JP-Cruise]

I loved standing on deck 6 or great outdoors and just enjoying the inside passage. I loved seeing the little fishing communities dotted along the way. It was just beautiful!

 

 

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Awesome, thanks! I definitely look foreword to having a coffee or hot chocolate outside great out doors :). So you've done the Denali/alyeska cruise tour?

[shadowmeboy]

I have done a southbound Seward to Vancouver trip last June with a DIY land tour with family before.

 

 

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[pizzalady1]

I have done a southbound Seward to Vancouver trip last June with a DIY land tour with family before.

 

 

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I've been told that the small boat cruise fills up quickly.However, when we did it, the small ship was only about 1/3rd full. Because of lots of ice, the big ship could not get into Tracy Arm, so both the big and little ship went down Endicott Arm. The small boat got within 1/2 mile of the glacier and the big ship was 5 miles back. Also, when wildlife was spotted, the little ship stopped for all of us to see and snap pics. I was told that the big ship just pointed out the wildlife and kept trucking.

[The Other Tom]

The little ship is the way to go. You won't see much (if any) of the glacier from the large ship. I'd book now if I were you.

[JP-Cruise]

The little ship is the way to go. You won't see much (if any) of the glacier from the large ship. I'd book now if I were you.

 

Thanks tom: I will call NCL and see if this is offered

[JP-Cruise]

Thanks tom: I will call NCL and see if this is offered

 

Just called. Unfortunately this is not offered on my itinerary. That's ok, next Alaskan cruise :). Is it another norwegian ship that offers this? Or another cruise line ?

[slapulator]

I am on the Jewel in two weeks and have this booked. I have been on it a few years ago and it was such a awesome experience I am doing it again. Cost is $249 person and one of the best excursions I have been on. Highly recommend to those that it is offered to.

[JP-Cruise]

I am on the Jewel in two weeks and have this booked. I have been on it a few years ago and it was such a awesome experience I am doing it again. Cost is $249 person and one of the best excursions I have been on. Highly recommend to those that it is offered to.

 

Alright, good to know. And you're getting on the small boat directly from the ship?

[slapulator]

Alright, good to know. And you're getting on the small boat directly from the ship?

 

Yup, you get on the small boat at the pier, right before the ship leaves and start your journey. After the excursion the small boat docks with the ship a little bit after it sails away from the glacier.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I've done this excursion on a different cruise line. The ship entered Tracy Arm and we transferred from the ship to the small boat. Then the ship followed behind and we got much closer to the glacier and saw lots of wildlife including Orcas. It was fantastic! The glacier was very active that day with lots of calving. We then go back on the ship and another group transferred to the small boat. We were then on the ship on the way out of Tracy Arm and the small boat caught up with us and those on the second excursion reboarded the ship. There was no pier involved. One of the advantages of doing it that way was that we didn't miss any time in Juneau. We were in Juneau the following day. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. :D

[JP-Cruise]

I've done this excursion on a different cruise line. The ship entered Tracy Arm and we transferred from the ship to the small boat. Then the ship followed behind and we got much closer to the glacier and saw lots of wildlife including Orcas. It was fantastic! The glacier was very active that day with lots of calving. We then go back on the ship and another group transferred to the small boat. We were then on the ship on the way out of Tracy Arm and the small boat caught up with us and those on the second excursion reboarded the ship. There was no pier involved. One of the advantages of doing it that way was that we didn't miss any time in Juneau. We were in Juneau the following day. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. :D

 

Wow that's amazing! What cruise line was this? I would definitely do this!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Wow that's amazing! What cruise line was this? I would definitely do this!

 

 

It was Carnival. That excursion sold out quickly, and it was worth every penny!

[JP-Cruise]

It was Carnival. That excursion sold out quickly, and it was worth every penny!

 

I believe it

[bonvoyagie]

Allen Marine is the provider of all of the Tracy Arm small boat tours for all the cruise lines. Some lines offer the small boat tour that starts at the mouth of the fjord and ends in Juneau. Others have the small boat follow the cruise ship in and/or out of the fjord. Allen Marine also does RT tours out of Juneau - we did one of these on the Pearl in 2012 - best $$ we spent on a tour. Sawyer Glacier was the only place where we saw calving up close - we also got to compare what 10yrs had done to the Glaciers as that was the last time we visited the Sawyer Glaciers.

 

I am not sure why NCL does not offer some type of small boat tour for the Sun but perhaps it is because the boats are tied up with other cruise lines.

[Amanda_14wa]

We just cruised Ketchikan and Alaska (inside passage) last week, make SURE you bring a really good pair of binoculars and a good camera.

Keep an eye out for whales, we saw a couple in Ketchikan and Juneau and our glacier bay day. We also hopped up to the top deck of the ship and as it turned in circles, we went from one rail to another and had the best view point. Have fun!

 

Oh my gosh I'm so stupid I just looked at the itinerary again. You're absolutely correct. Explains why I'm in Juneau for a shorter time. The sea day after Ketchikan it says cruising the inside passsge. Any advice for what to do and look for during cruising the inside passage? Anything spectacular I should know about ?