Hubbard Glacier catamaran worth it?

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Princess has one excursion when we do mostly scenic viewing of the Hubbard Glacier, which is a catamaran that goes very close to the glacier.  Unfortunately it is sold out before I had even found out about it.  Is it worth it to join the waitlist?  I'm aware I'll still see the glacier from the ship.  I also have planned a glacier dog sledding excursion so will walk on a glacier, but I'm aware that those often don't happen due to weather.

[Italy52]

If this is the Hubbard Glacier Wilderness Explorer excursion here is my response:

 

This particular excursion started around 2019 and was offered by Allen Marine to the cruise lines. We booked the excursion on two different cruise lines and both times it was cancelled.  Our first trip was cancelled due to pea soup fog and the other was cancelled by the vendor for some unknown reason.  We are going to try again this June and hopefully we will have better luck. 

 

Wish I could offer you more information but I can't at this time.  You might want to post this question on the board for your cruise line -- perhaps someone there might have some information.  I have found over the years that cruisers tend to share on their cruise line board rather than come back to the Alaska board and fill us in on their experiences.

 

[Dancing Shoes]

I looked at this excursion and can't say because I have not been. Per CC rules.  As to the question. "Is it worth it"?  That is hard to answer.  If you want to see Hubbard closer than the ship then yes.  I wanted to spend my excursion $ doing something else.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I have done this excursion. You do get closer to the glacier than your ship does, but I'm not sure it's worth the high price, as your ship might get almost as close. That can vary day to day, and you won't know the value of the tour until it's over. On the day I went, QE got almost as close to the glacier as we did.

 

If you're serious about taking pictures, as most of us were that day, I'd say yes. It was crowded at the railing, but experienced photographers know how to share space and shoot past each other. I could have got similar glacier pics from the ship. The one pic I could not have taken without that tour was a fabulous shot of my ship against the backdrop of the glacier. 

[5waldos]

I've done a similar excursion and was glad that we did- we got a lot closer to the glacier and sailing among the small icebergs was amazing. The price is an issue of course- but yes, we thought it worth while. 

[MBP&O2/O]

It had better be worth it 👌  I have just booked it with another company.

Cost me an arm and a leg but it will be a once in a lifetime experience? 

[Amtrack Springfield]

How do you get off the ship to do a private catamaran cruise not offered by the Princess. I thought we were just cruising that day.

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

It is offered by Princess.  There is only one excursion listed for the Hubbard Glacier day, when almost everyone is still on the ship, and it is this one catamaran.  That's probably why it sold out so quickly, since it was the only offering.  I'm on Majestic Princess.

[5waldos]

20 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

It had better be worth it 👌  I have just booked it with another company.

Cost me an arm and a leg but it will be a once in a lifetime experience? 

Did you book the excursion from Juneau or the one directly off the ship at the glacier? I have never seen one at the glacier that is not booked through the ship. 

[MBP&O2/O]

Booked via the ship and boarding direct from the ship.

[Glaciers]

We’ve been to Hubbard Glacier 5 times and have gotten past Haenke Island to the face twice. Although the excursion includes some extras, or so they say, it seems if you do spend the $290 per person (Princess rate) you’re betting the cruise ship won’t make it.  Just not worth the excursion cost for us.  

 

The excursion details also indicate the conditions need to be right for them to make it to the face as well.  If you have unlimited excursion funds this is a good opportunity and a better chance to make it to the face.  A better choice would be to use those funds to do a small ship cruise where everything is included. 600 bucks for two people, I think that’s a bit ridiculous for a 2 hour excursion.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Betting the ship won't make it to the face, is a good way to say it. I did the excursion and the ship did get to the face, so I guess I lost the bet. But we got a nice close look at the island and its birds. If there were extras (food or drink?) I wouldn't know because I stayed on the top deck taking pictures the whole time. 

 

I'm glad I did it because it was a beautiful bright day and I got fabulous pictures. But I wouldn't spend the money again. 

[Coral]

I wish I had personal experience. A friend did it and the cruise ship was closer - she was so disappointed. I think each day can be different.

[texasweather]

These responses are all very helpful, I'm trying to decide whether or not to do it!  I appreciate everyone who chimed in.

[5waldos]

I don't think that the ship gets nearly as close as the catamaran even on a good day. We took the catamaran and were glad we did, despite the fact that we didn't get that close because of the number of icebergs. Which was part of the fun- sailing through icebergs at nearly sea level. Yes it was pricey but for my two guests, this was to be a once in a lifetime visit. I am on number 4 and this time am booked on the long day out of Juneau to the glaciers through Misty Fiords. That is another option (and somewhat cheaper) is you will be in Juneau for long enough and don't have other plans there.  

[Coral]

45 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

I am on number 4 and this time am booked on the long day out of Juneau to the glaciers through Misty Fiords. That is another option (and somewhat cheaper) is you will be in Juneau for long enough and don't have other plans there.  

I think you mean Tracy Arm?

 

Misty Fjords is near Ketchikan and an entirely different experience. Not one on a boat that I would recommend.

Edited May 13, 2022 by Coral

[5waldos]

3 hours ago, Coral said:

I think you mean Tracy Arm?

 

Misty Fjords is near Ketchikan and an entirely different experience. Not one on a boat that I would recommend.

Yes- sorry I knew it was some Fjord or another. 

[SharonN]

We did this tour on a HAL cruise back in 2019 and are looking forward to doing it again this summer. It was totally worth it and we definitely got much closer to the glacier than the ship did. And we got this great closeup of a massive calving. 

 

Video of Hubbard Glacier Tour

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, SharonN said:

It was totally worth it 

 

A great video!  Thanks for posting it.  When Hubbard decides to "perform", it puts on quite a show, much more so than any glaciers I have seen anywhere else.