JUNEAU...TAKU LODGE FEST AND GLACIER SEAPLANE DISCOVERY VS TRACEY ARM FJORD EXCURSION

[etravel]

Will be on the Bliss end of June, for Juneau we are down to these two tours...They both look incredible and so not sure which to choose! Has anyone done both or either and have any feedback on the tours? Thanks! 

[pizzalady1]

2 hours ago, etravel said:

Will be on the Bliss end of June, for Juneau we are down to these two tours...They both look incredible and so not sure which to choose! Has anyone done both or either and have any feedback on the tours? Thanks! 

Is this the small ship tour that meets up with the Bliss? Tracy Arm is beautiful but the big ship frequently can't get down due to ice. If that happens they will substitute Endicott Arm which is also very scenic. When we went, the small boat got within 1/2 mile of the glacier. The big ship got to the 5 mile mar.

[etravel]

2 minutes ago, pizzalady1 said:

Is this the small ship tour that meets up with the Bliss? Tracy Arm is beautiful but the big ship frequently can't get down due to ice. If that happens they will substitute Endicott Arm which is also very scenic. When we went, the small boat got within 1/2 mile of the glacier. The big ship got to the 5 mile mar.

yes, PL1, I believe it is the smaller ship that meets up with Bliss so that looked pretty cool....but the seaplane to the lodge also looked pretty incredible....thanks! 

[Budget Queen]

Yes,  I have done both.   Certainly-   both excellent.     IF you are doing the NCL add on tour, you may be able to do both?    Depending on your port time?    

[etravel]

12 hours ago, Budget Queen said:

Yes,  I have done both.   Certainly-   both excellent.     IF you are doing the NCL add on tour, you may be able to do both?    Depending on your port time?    

Budget Queen..no time for both darn it!!!! So will have to choose! Which would you go with if you had to pick one? And then maybe save the other for the next Alaska trip!!!

[Budget Queen]

1 hour ago, etravel said:

Budget Queen..no time for both darn it!!!! So will have to choose! Which would you go with if you had to pick one? And then maybe save the other for the next Alaska trip!!!

Doesn’t matter what I’d choose.   Equally- excellent.   
 

Take a hard look at your-  entire- trip-  determine the best options for your priorities as a whole.     

[Crew News]

I have done both excursions a number of times.  My last Taku Lodge experience did not have the bears showing up for pictures.  All plane passengers have window seats and headphones describing the lodge as well as surrounding terrain.  The king salmon was caught the day before and the iced tea made with glacier ice.

 

Here is a link to my photo review of the lodge experience:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/juneau-2/taku-lodge

 

 

The Tracy Arm excursion was a chance for great photos of the huge ice flows as well as the many waterfalls.  If you depart from Juneau, there is a lot of just "riding" time to get the the fjord.  The box lunch was really good.  Lots of wildlife to enjoy.  Here is a link to what you might see:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/juneau-2/tracy-arm

 

[rkacruiser]

I have done the Taku Lodge and 7 Glaciers Tour.  It is one of my favorite Alaskan tour experiences.  I am glad that I chose that one when I last visited Juneau.

 

Tracy Arm, I have cruised in that area, but the small boat option has not available at that time.  While we got close to the glacier and the area itself is scenic, I would not rate this experience as highly as some others and certainly not as good as or better than the Take Lodge tour.

[Coral]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

Tracy Arm, I have cruised in that area, but the small boat option has not available at that time.  While we got close to the glacier and the area itself is scenic, I would not rate this experience as highly as some others and certainly not as good as or better than the Take Lodge tour.

Actually the small boat is a great experience - way better than a large ship experience which is not great at all. I preferred it to Taku Lodge but Taku Lodge is always fun.

[Budget Queen]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

Tracy Arm, I have cruised in that area, but the small boat option has not available at that time.  While we got close to the glacier and the area itself is scenic, I would not rate this experience as highly as some others and certainly not as good as or better than the Take Lodge tour.

Your not talking about the same thing.    Very very different and no comparison to the cruise ship transit-  which you’re referring to.   

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, Budget Queen said:

Your not talking about the same thing.    Very very different and no comparison to the cruise ship transit-  which you’re referring to.   

 

Just trying to offer my opinion.  

[Budget Queen]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Just trying to offer my opinion.  

It’s a fine line🤩.     When it’s not the same-      Which in this,  example,  is significant.  
 

 I see that sometimes leading to inaccurate assumptions.    

[Coral]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Just trying to offer my opinion.  

Apples to oranges. I have done both by large ship and also by small boat. Completely different experiences.

 

I personally do not recommend Tracy Arm by large ship unless you can do the small ship experience. Believe me - if you have read my posts, I am not a fan of Tracy Arm by large ship.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Coral

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, Coral said:

Apples to oranges. I have done both by large ship and also by small boat. Completely different experiences.

 

I personally do not recommend Tracy Arm by large ship unless you can do the small ship experience.

 

5 minutes ago, Coral said:

Apples to oranges. I have done both by large ship and also by small boat. Completely different experiences.

 

I personally do not recommend Tracy Arm by large ship unless you can do the small ship experience.

 

Are we quibbling?  If so, why?  I have never had the opportunity for a small ship excursion  near the Tracy Arm.  

 

It was my impression of the OP's original post that they wanted feedback.  I provided mine and I stand by it.  Are the experiences comparable?  No.  A flightseeing trip over the glacier field near Juneau is totally different than what one would see on a small boat trip near a glacier.  I found the Taku Lodge experience to be unique.  The appearance of the bear "dining" on the remains of the grilled salmon on the grill made it more so.  For an Alaskan first time guest, if one's Alaska trip includes visits to Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord, one may become "glacier-full" and desire something just a bit different.  

[Coral]

10 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

Are we quibbling?  If so, why?  I have never had the opportunity for a small ship excursion  near the Tracy Arm.  

 

It was my impression of the OP's original post that they wanted feedback.  I provided mine and I stand by it.  Are the experiences comparable?  No.  A flightseeing trip over the glacier field near Juneau is totally different than what one would see on a small boat trip near a glacier.  I found the Taku Lodge experience to be unique.  The appearance of the bear "dining" on the remains of the grilled salmon on the grill made it more so.  For an Alaskan first time guest, if one's Alaska trip includes visits to Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord, one may become "glacier-full" and desire something just a bit different.  

The OP asked about Tracy Arm excursion (small boat) which you did not do. How can you compare to answer?

 

Honestly - a small boat experience to a glacier is much different than visiting GB/Hubbard or College Fjord in a large ship. Again, apples to oranges. Maybe one day you will try it and know what I am saying.

 

If they asked about Tracy Arm by large ship - you can stand by your opinion. I don't think you can stand by it when it refers to a small boat experience.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Coral

[Budget Queen]

21 hours ago, Coral said:

The OP asked about Tracy Arm excursion (small boat) which you did not do. How can you compare to answer?

 

Honestly - a small boat experience to a glacier is much different than visiting GB/Hubbard or College Fjord in a large ship. Again, apples to oranges. Maybe one day you will try it and know what I am saying.

 

If they asked about Tracy Arm by large ship - you can stand by your opinion. I don't think you can stand by it when it refers to a small boat experience.

coral,   you and I have seen too many,  wrong assumptions that were gotten by a shred of a comment that was generalized.       Bottom line,   details in Alaska are vitally important.    common examples-  I see over and over are with Denali and Kenai Fjords-   people think  there is 1 tour,   or just "going there" is the selection.     There are big mistakes made all the time.     

 

I mention getting off the boat in Seward last year and someone, Didn't bother with any touring,  but taking the train.  Then  having reservations at Denali-  leaving the next day and them planning to  fly home that night=   they were driving.        And unfortunately  had no details and made some extremely poor plans   

 

Alaska isn't a common trip for many-   even 1/year can be lacking.   🙂       I know both Coral and I wish wonderful opportunities for others-  at a place we are both  very fond of.   🙂   

[etravel]

On 7/30/2020 at 6:36 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

 

Are we quibbling?  If so, why?  I have never had the opportunity for a small ship excursion  near the Tracy Arm.  

 

It was my impression of the OP's original post that they wanted feedback.  I provided mine and I stand by it.  Are the experiences comparable?  No.  A flightseeing trip over the glacier field near Juneau is totally different than what one would see on a small boat trip near a glacier.  I found the Taku Lodge experience to be unique.  The appearance of the bear "dining" on the remains of the grilled salmon on the grill made it more so.  For an Alaskan first time guest, if one's Alaska trip includes visits to Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord, one may become "glacier-full" and desire something just a bit different.  

rkacruiser...yes, I thank you so much for your opinion!!! Those are exactly what I needed!!!! I certainly didn't mean to cause any squabbles, yikes!!! This is a great forum to help make decisions on which excursions to choose!!! Thanks for the advice, it is appreciate it! 

[etravel]

On 7/29/2020 at 12:52 PM, Crew News said:

I have done both excursions a number of times.  My last Taku Lodge experience did not have the bears showing up for pictures.  All plane passengers have window seats and headphones describing the lodge as well as surrounding terrain.  The king salmon was caught the day before and the iced tea made with glacier ice.

 

Here is a link to my photo review of the lodge experience:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/juneau-2/taku-lodge

 

 

The Tracy Arm excursion was a chance for great photos of the huge ice flows as well as the many waterfalls.  If you depart from Juneau, there is a lot of just "riding" time to get the the fjord.  The box lunch was really good.  Lots of wildlife to enjoy.  Here is a link to what you might see:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/juneau-2/tracy-arm

 

wow Crew News..those are incredible photos!!!! Thanks for your opinions and info..really helpful!!!