Will we see enough glaciers???

[lucyddr]

I am waiting for the 2009 dates for Alaska cruises to come out and am seriously leaning towards the Carnival Spirit so that our group can be together across the back of the ship and up both sides (4 balconies and 4 suites). The cruise goes to College Fjord, Prince William Sound, Lynn Canal, and the Inside Passage. Will we see lots of glaciers with this itinerary or should I give up the preferable rooms for another cruiseline? (We do plan to spend 3 full days in Alaska before boarding the ship, so hopefully we'll see a few then.) I hear so much on the boards about Hubbard and Glacier Bay that I am scared to book a cruise that doesn't go to either one. Thoughts???

[fti]

You can see a glacier in Juneau (Mendenhall) if your cruise ship stops there, and Exit Glacier in Seward if you get there before your ship departs, or if you take a small boat tour out of Seward they bring you to a glacier. You can also take a small boat glacier tour out of Whittier which would be my preference to see glaciers - more up close and personal than on the cruise ship. I do like Glacier Bay - so much so that I am going there next year on my own for two nights. But you can't have everything so you need to set your own priorities.

 

John

[NancyIL]

I am waiting for the 2009 dates for Alaska cruises to come out and am seriously leaning towards the Carnival Spirit so that our group can be together across the back of the ship and up both sides (4 balconies and 4 suites). The cruise goes to College Fjord, Prince William Sound, Lynn Canal, and the Inside Passage. Will we see lots of glaciers with this itinerary or should I give up the preferable rooms for another cruiseline? (We do plan to spend 3 full days in Alaska before boarding the ship, so hopefully we'll see a few then.) I hear so much on the boards about Hubbard and Glacier Bay that I am scared to book a cruise that doesn't go to either one. Thoughts???

 

The only glacier sailing day you will have on Carnival Spirit is when you go to College Fjord, which is in Prince William Sound. Lynn Canal is the waterway between Juneau and Skagway, and you'll probably cruise at least one way there during the night. You can take a shuttle bus ($12/pp roundtrip in 2007) to Mendenhall Glacier while you're in Juneau, but you won't see other glaciers just cruising along. If glaciers are a high priority, then I'd recommend a Princess or Holland America one-way cruise that goes to College Fjord as well as Glacier Bay.

[Coral]

While I like College Fiords, I wouldn't book a cruise with just that glacier. I would try to go to GB or Hubbard. Mendenhall, while nice, doesn't compare to GB or Hubbard for viewing.

[Chat Noir]

My thoughts from having been a past Carnival Alaskan cruiser...

IF glaciers are a priority but you prefer the Spirit over other ships, book a Prince William Sound afternoon cruise out of Whittier prior to boarding the ship. You will arrive back in Whittier with plenty of time left to check in before setting sail. Your ship sailing it again the following morning will be icing on the cake. If for some reason the Spirit doesn't get to College Fjord at all (been there, done that, it happens), you won't be completely disappointed, either.

If you are in Seward pre-cruise consider a Kenai Fjords National Park day cruise. Aialik Glacier is typically the glacier visited, and it is fabulous. The entire trip is fabulous for that matter. We saw whales, bear, sea lions feeding on octopus, birds, birds, and more birds, in addition to the beautiful glacier. Oh, and lovely rock formations. One consideration for KFNP -take a bonine if you're prone to motion sickness.

Also, if the Carnival itinerary holds true to what it's been, you will have a full day in Juneau, allowing you to book a Tracy Arm / Sawyer Glacier independent day cruise. Occasionally even the small boats don't get up to the Sawyer glaciers, but it is a FABULOUS trip for seeing spectacular scenery, and the amazing blue icebergs floating along the arm are simply breathtaking... the entire area defies description, really. I have to say, Tracy Arm via small boat is comparable to Glacier Bay via ship, my opinion. Different, but both are spectacular.

While Mendenhall Glacier and Exit Glacier are wonderful well known glaciers, they just don't have the same 'awe!!!' value that the calving tidewater glaciers do, my opinion.:) They are both easier accessed, however, and that's a definete plus.

Hubbard Glacier at this point is likely my least favorite, but only because we were iced out and could only view from quite a distance. I can use my imagination and figure that it is an amazing glacier to visit if your ship can get close. If ours had, it might possibly have been my favorite... it is just so massive, I can't help be be impressed by it!

I'll close by saying... if glaciers are your priority, make sure you have at least one additional (tidewater) glacier excursion planned. Of three sailings to Alaska, our first one missed the only glacier viewing completely due to ship damage (Carnival Spirit - College Fjord), our second held together perfectly (Princess Sapphire - Glacier Bay & College Fjord), our third one was only distant glacier viewing due to ice conditions (Celebrity Mercury - Hubbard Glacier). Haha... maybe it's just me??? :)

[Chat Noir]

Sea otters feasting on octopus... not sea lions (though we saw them too!)... I need to wake up!!!:rolleyes:

[kellywhitehills]

I am waiting for the 2009 dates for Alaska cruises to come out and am seriously leaning towards the Carnival Spirit so that our group can be together across the back of the ship and up both sides (4 balconies and 4 suites). The cruise goes to College Fjord, Prince William Sound, Lynn Canal, and the Inside Passage. Will we see lots of glaciers with this itinerary or should I give up the preferable rooms for another cruiseline? (We do plan to spend 3 full days in Alaska before boarding the ship, so hopefully we'll see a few then.) I hear so much on the boards about Hubbard and Glacier Bay that I am scared to book a cruise that doesn't go to either one. Thoughts???

 

We loved sailing the Spirit in Alaska..Our College Fjord day was foggy and lots of Ice in the water so we could not get all the way to Harvard Glacier..However our port time in Juneau was long enough to book a day trip to Tracy Arm which was the highlight of our trip..The weather was beautiful and we saw so much wildlife ..The tour took us right up to the face of Sawyer Glacier...It was awesome..if youd like take a look at some of the photos I took..most in this album are of Tracy Arm

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/559852870rlducw

 

Also cruiseing with Carnival you will get to see Sitka..Not all cruise lines have Sitka on thier itineraries..

 

Kelly

[nightingail]

Who did you book your Tracy Arm excursion through? Glaciers and wildlife are exactly what I am looking for. We are cruising on the Spirit next Sept. Your pictures are great. But I have to get through another Ohio winter and summer before we go!

[kellywhitehills]

Who did you book your Tracy Arm excursion through? Glaciers and wildlife are exactly what I am looking for. We are cruising on the Spirit next Sept. Your pictures are great. But I have to get through another Ohio winter and summer before we go!

 

Here is the web site

http://www.adventureboundalaska.com/

We were really happy with this company..I told them that opur glacier sailing was pretty much a bust and I was counting on them to get us CLOSE to Sawyer..The guide said they would deliver and they sure did!

 

Is your cruise NB or SB?? The round trip out of Vancouver does not have enough port time to do Tracy Arm..

I dont envy your up comming winter..Living in So. Cal has spoiled me..;)

 

Kelly

[gazingm42]

We been on the Alaska CCL Spirit. We doing it again. We saw enough glaicers

to get our fill. I would recommend it with out a issue. I posted a few pics we

took on the Spirit in Colleage Fjord

 

 

[derf5585]

Because of global warming there may be no glaciers left in 2009

[NancyIL]

Because of global warming there may be no glaciers left in 2009

 

 

Good thing I'm returning in 2008! :rolleyes:

[lucyddr]

Between growing up in Georgia (with their current critical water shortages) and living in Las Vegas (2 days of rain in 14 weeks), I'd have to agree with Derf. Unfortunately, the wallet won't be wide enough in 2008 for me to take the whole group nor will my schedule allow it from May-September (moving back east and starting my brand new practice during those months). So, maybe a few pieces of ice will hang around for us in 2009 ;) . If not...I guess we'll have to cruise somewhere else :D !

[NancyIL]

Between growing up in Georgia (with their current critical water shortages) and living in Las Vegas (2 days of rain in 14 weeks), I'd have to agree with Derf. Unfortunately, the wallet won't be wide enough in 2008 for me to take the whole group nor will my schedule allow it from May-September (moving back east and starting my brand new practice during those months). So, maybe a few pieces of ice will hang around for us in 2009 ;) . If not...I guess we'll have to cruise somewhere else :D !

 

You probably won't see palm trees growing in Alaska any time soon! I think there will be more than a few pieces of ice left in 2009. Even if there were NO glaciers left in Alaska, you'd still see the beautiful mountains.

[derf5585]

You probably won't see palm trees growing in Alaska any time soon! I think there will be more than a few pieces of ice left in 2009. Even if there were NO glaciers left in Alaska, you'd still see the beautiful mountains.

 

And Alaska will become the bread basket of the World

 

And And the Northwest passage is opening. Anyone for that cruise?

[Chat Noir]

I can highly recommend Adventure Bound, too. Steve and Winona Weber are who we sailed Tracy Arm with as well, and it is a fabulous excursion. I always highly recommend anyone on the Spirit consider taking this tour while in port at Juneau as the timing is perfect... our Carnival cruise to College Fjord was a total bust (skipped completely) back in 2005 and the Tracy Arm tour was the highlight of Alaska for us. Without it, we'd've had a glacierless Alaska, global warming or not...;)