Tracy Arm Fjord/glacial-excursion -star Or Sun

[DALLIEDOG]

This summer which ship will offer the TRACY ARM FJORD/GLACIAL-EXPLORER EXCURSION -the Norwegian Star or the Norwegian Dun --we are about to book our cruise and we don not want to miss this !

 

 

Thanks

[Don Haynes]

Both. I would rather see Glacier Bay National Park on the Pearl though. Sawyer Glacier has calved too much lately, sometimes forcing the cruise ships to turn around before reaching the glacier in the inlet..

[DALLIEDOG]

I don't think you answered my question --I did not ask if the ship itself would go through Tracy Arm but rather if the Catamaran Excursion through Tracy Arm would be offered from the Sun or the Star or both.

[electricron]

I don't think you answered my question --I did not ask if the ship itself would go through Tracy Arm but rather if the Catamaran Excursion through Tracy Arm would be offered from the Sun or the Star or both.

 

Don replied "Both." I believed he meant both ships. ;)

 

Then he went on to suggest you might like the Pearl better because it sails to Glacier Bay instead.

 

At least, that's the way I read it.

 

The Sun and the Star visit Juneau and Sawyer Glacier on different days of the week. Therefore, there's plenty of room on the Explorer Excursion.

[DALLIEDOG]

Are each ship's Excursions listed on any website ?

[Cruise_More_Often]

Yes, on NCL's website. Here's a link for the Tracy Arm excursion: http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/shorexDetails.html?groupId=JNU_15

 

In past years, this excursion was discontinued around mid-August (either because the operator had to have his boat somewhere else or because the ice got too thick, I've heard both reasons), so be sure to book early in the season if you are really interested in this one. It's a great excursion. We were on the first cruise of the season when we went, and the ice was too thick to get all the way to the glacer. It was still a really nice excursion.

[Atomica]

We did this excursion on the Sun and did not regret it - it was easily the highlight of our cruise. The Sun only made it about halfway through Tracy Arm, whereas the Catamaran got us almost right up to the North Sawyer Glacier. Even then, there was a considerable amount of ice in May.

 

It's expensive, but I'd do it again in a second.

[ute_fan]

I know this wasn't your original question, but if I was choosing between the Sun and the Star, I'd choose to sail on the Sun from Vancouver. Both ships should be doing the catamaran excursion, and if you sail from Vancouver you get the added benefit of the beautiful "inside passage" saiing up the east side of Vancouver Island.

 

We did the catamaran excursion when we sailed on the Sun in June, 2004. It was a one of the two best excursions I've ever experienced (the other one was whale watching in Juneau). As mentioned above, you still won't be guaranteed getting clear to the end of Tracy Arm and seeing the glaciers, but it does improve your chances.

 

Also, you do realize that the ship follows the same path that the catamaran does -- at least until it's stopped by ice -- don't you? One poster on the Alaska board last summer was quite upset to have paid money for an excursion that went the same route as the cruise ship did.

[DALLIEDOG]

Yes, on NCL's website. Here's a link for the Tracy Arm excursion: http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/shorexDetails.html?groupId=JNU_15

 

In past years, this excursion was discontinued around mid-August (either because the operator had to have his boat somewhere else or because the ice got too thick, I've heard both reasons), so be sure to book early in the season if you are really interested in this one. It's a great excursion. We were on the first cruise of the season when we went, and the ice was too thick to get all the way to the glacer. It was still a really nice excursion.

 

Thank you very much for the answer----to my question ---you are the only one to answer me with a sane answer--as Yes I have been on this excursion twice from the Sun in 2003-2006 when only the Sun would offer this trip --now with two ships doing Sawyer Glacier I did not know if both or only The Sun would offer this and I did not want to go thru Vancouver.

 

Thank You