jskinsd Posted June 1, 2022 #1 Share Posted June 1, 2022 I did Tracy Arm (Sawyer glacier) two weeks ago and unless you took a private tour you saw nothing. Anyone getting close to Hubbard? Will be there in three weeks.✌️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don't-use-real-name Posted June 1, 2022 #2 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Hubbard is a much larger glacier and is not located in a (Tracy Arm) fjord that is frequently blocked by ice chunks. Also near the point of viewing the Sawyer glacier is Sawyer Island which is a navigation issue when the ice is caving blocking passage. Hubbard does not have this issue. Hubbard and Glacier Bay are outstanding glaciers that the cruise ships can get rather close and rotate to afford viewing for all on board. You will get close enough to hear the crack of caving ice chunks off the face of glacier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaciers Posted June 1, 2022 #3 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Of 6 trips to Hubbard we've only gotten close twice and that was years ago. We only got to about 9 miles from the face this month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing Shoes Posted June 1, 2022 #4 Share Posted June 1, 2022 9 minutes ago, Glaciers said: Of 6 trips to Hubbard we've only gotten close twice and that was years ago. We only got to about 9 miles from the face this month. What can you see 9 miles away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaciers Posted June 1, 2022 #5 Share Posted June 1, 2022 4 minutes ago, Dancing Shoes said: What can you see 9 miles away? This was 9 miles away. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing Shoes Posted June 1, 2022 #6 Share Posted June 1, 2022 (edited) Thanks. Looks small. 😉 Glad I have seen Glacier Bay. Different day, different experience. Have you done the small boat excursion? Edited June 1, 2022 by Dancing Shoes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted June 1, 2022 #7 Share Posted June 1, 2022 We have gotten within a mile or so of Hubbard in June. Hubbard is huge...much taller than most ships. Sizes of that magnitude can be very deceptive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaciers Posted June 1, 2022 #8 Share Posted June 1, 2022 9 minutes ago, Dancing Shoes said: Thanks. Looks small. 😉 Glad I have seen Glacier Bay. Different day, different experience. Have you done the small boat excursion? Haven’t done the small boat excursion. A bit over our heads at $250+pp for the fairly short excursion. I’d rather do 2 whale watches for the same price which is what I did this month in Juneau. Priorities. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaciers Posted June 1, 2022 #9 Share Posted June 1, 2022 3 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said: We have gotten within a mile or so of Hubbard in June. Was that on Princess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted June 1, 2022 #10 Share Posted June 1, 2022 51 minutes ago, Glaciers said: Was that on Princess? Nope. HAL, June 2019. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogLover Posted June 1, 2022 #11 Share Posted June 1, 2022 On our Celebrity Eclipse cruise in August 2019, we got within a half mile of Hubbard Glacier. Yes, you read that correctly .... it was UNBELIEVABLE! Captain Leo said it was the closest he had EVER been able to get. Conditions were optimal and rare. Leonardos Palaiokrassas (@captainl3o) • Instagram photos and videos 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussNJodi Posted June 1, 2022 #12 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Am I correct in assuming you are more likely to get closer to Hubbard the later in the season you are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted June 1, 2022 #13 Share Posted June 1, 2022 48 minutes ago, RussNJodi said: Am I correct in assuming you are more likely to get closer to Hubbard the later in the season you are? Correct. One time we did a late Sept sailing and got very close, and then the following May on the same ship we were far away from it and many people were disappointed and upset. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaciers Posted June 1, 2022 #14 Share Posted June 1, 2022 50 minutes ago, RussNJodi said: Am I correct in assuming you are more likely to get closer to Hubbard the later in the season you are? There can sometimes be less ice blocking the way later in the season. Although, of our 6 trips, this is the least ice I’ve ever seen. The two times we made it to the face were Celebrity & Oceania, never Princess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted June 1, 2022 #15 Share Posted June 1, 2022 If you do AK on a small expedition type ship you will almost certainly get close. One time that we did that when the glacier calved our boat rocked. There was another smallish sailboat that was even closer than we were. I will bet that they had a glorious time. DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimberlydrzymala Posted June 2, 2022 #16 Share Posted June 2, 2022 We were on the Eclipse as someone mentioned earlier in Aug 2019 and we got within a 1/2 mile of the glacier. It was the most amazing trip ever. We are going back again in August 2022 and hoping for a another close visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted June 2, 2022 #17 Share Posted June 2, 2022 (edited) On 6/1/2022 at 12:12 AM, DogLover said: On our Celebrity Eclipse cruise in August 2019, we got within a half mile of Hubbard Glacier. Yes, you read that correctly .... it was UNBELIEVABLE! Captain Leo said it was the closest he had EVER been able to get. Conditions were optimal and rare. Leonardos Palaiokrassas (@captainl3o) • Instagram photos and videos We got very close on QE in June 2019. As you say, optimal conditions. I hadn't been to Hubbard before so I didn't realize how lucky we were. That same trip, our time in Tracy Arm was a joke. The ship turned into the large area where Tracy and Endicott branch off and then turned and continued on to Juneau. No explanation. The cool thing about Tracy Arm is, if you get far enough in to see the glacier, as we did on our first cruise to Alaska (September), not only do you get the crack sound of the ice breaking, but it echoes down the fjord like thunder. I hadn't expected that. Edited June 2, 2022 by 3rdGenCunarder 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted June 2, 2022 #18 Share Posted June 2, 2022 On 6/1/2022 at 7:12 AM, RussNJodi said: Am I correct in assuming you are more likely to get closer to Hubbard the later in the season you are? One season - no one got even close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quack2 Posted June 3, 2022 #19 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Not at all unusual not to see the face of Sawyer Glacier from the cruise ship. That's why the small boat excursion is nice. They can get closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskinsd Posted June 3, 2022 Author #20 Share Posted June 3, 2022 On 5/31/2022 at 6:26 PM, Glaciers said: This was 9 miles away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskinsd Posted June 3, 2022 Author #21 Share Posted June 3, 2022 12 minutes ago, jskinsd said: Thank you. Yours is the only current 2022 report on Hubbard. All other responses are more than two years old are just guesses. And the Alaskan season is two months old. I have been to Hubbard Glacier over 10 times and ideal viewing was been less that 50%. And on one special time was able to see multiple glacier calving. Fog, ice field, captains knowledge of the area are all factors for poor viewing. Hopefully the NCL Sun will get close later this month. And what are these tours of Hubbard glacier that people are talking about? Where do they start from?✌️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted June 3, 2022 #22 Share Posted June 3, 2022 8 hours ago, jskinsd said: Thank you. Yours is the only current 2022 report on Hubbard. All other responses are more than two years old are just guesses. And the Alaskan season is two months old. I have been to Hubbard Glacier over 10 times and ideal viewing was been less that 50%. And on one special time was able to see multiple glacier calving. Fog, ice field, captains knowledge of the area are all factors for poor viewing. Hopefully the NCL Sun will get close later this month. And what are these tours of Hubbard glacier that people are talking about? Where do they start from?✌️ Your ship may offer a tour to get closer to the glacier. A boat will tie up to your ship so passengers can get on the boat. Passengers return to the ship the same way. This is only through your ship. There are no other companies that you can book with because they wouldn't get permission to get close to your ship. Because you're a "captive audence," it's likely to be expensive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don't-use-real-name Posted June 4, 2022 #23 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Google Map for reference: Google Maps Map can be zooomed in or out for greater lessor detail Top center of image is Hubbard glacier melting into Disenchantment Bay The nearest port for tours is Yakutat - some distance away and not in the shelter of an Inside Passage. Still yet there may be excursions of the small vessel type getting closer to the calving action - check for what is offered with your ship (shore) excursions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskinsd Posted June 4, 2022 Author #24 Share Posted June 4, 2022 No tours offered by the Sun.🙁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted June 5, 2022 #25 Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/4/2022 at 10:35 AM, jskinsd said: No tours offered by the Sun.🙁 When is your cruise? They might arrange it last-minute when they have a good idea of the weather. IIRC, on my 2019 cruise, that tour was not offered online in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now