Tracy Arm excursion?

[suzyed]

I would love to do the Tracy Arm excursion, but it does not seem to offered. When I did track down the description of it on NCL, it said it was only being offered on the Star and the Sun in 2007. What gives? Anyone know?

[Poconolady]

Do a search on the Alaska Board, this trip is mentioned a lot there. You most likely will have to do this excursion with a private company--time is the problem, most ships are not in port long enough to make this trip possible.

[keybiscaynerat]

We sailed on the NCL Spirit three years ago on June 9th through Tracy Arm and it was amazing. My parents have done several Alaska itineraries and said that was the best one ever. It took almost 4 hours for the ship to meander the narrow passage of the arm, dodging huge icebergs and hearing the calving until we reached the glacier. Only 1 ship could fit at a time. When we reached the end, the ship had to turn itself on a dime to get out of the "dead end".

 

I recommended this itinerary to a friend and she went 2 years ago. She was dissapointed because they could not go into the passage. Due to the warm temps in mid-July, the ice flow was increased to a point where the ships could not maneuver through them. Therefore, they diverted them to another location with a less impressive glacier. This may be why they changed or do not offer the itinerary. Check in the earliest part of summer, possibly the first cruise in May.

 

Hope this helps and have a great anniversary!

[CC Help Michell]

I would love to do the Tracy Arm excursion, but it does not seem to offered. When I did track down the description of it on NCL, it said it was only being offered on the Star and the Sun in 2007. What gives? Anyone know?

 

It's still offered -- http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/shorexDetails.html?groupId=JNU_15 --

 

but last year in Alaska it wasn't offered until June, so perhaps it's your May sailing date which is the issue?

[Toyz711]

some time, in the last month (?) ..on the alaska boards (?)...someone asked about this. seems they aren't doing this tour in the early part of the season. last year in it mid-june before any ship got to enter tracy arms. it's very narrow and the ice will block the ship or slow the ship down to the point that they can't get to the glaciers. (time limit, they have to be out of the area without a certain time)

they were going to endicott glacier, instead.

but as to the 2007 part...typo?

[brunolvr]

I would love to do the Tracy Arm excursion, but it does not seem to offered. When I did track down the description of it on NCL, it said it was only being offered on the Star and the Sun in 2007. What gives? Anyone know?

 

Hi, suzyed! May 30th is the date of our cruise to Alaska on the Star and when I didn't see the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer listed as one of the excursions available on our cruise, I called the phone number listed for the excursion department (1-866-625-1167).

 

They booked us on this excursion and I received email confirmation.

[suzyed]

Hi, suzyed! May 30th is the date of our cruise to Alaska on the Star and when I didn't see the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer listed as one of the excursions available on our cruise, I called the phone number listed for the excursion department (1-866-625-1167).

 

They booked us on this excursion and I received email confirmation.

Thanks so much..I will call that number tomorrow. No matter how hard I searched, I didnt see this tour as being available for our June 6th sailing.

[ute_fan]

Thanks so much..I will call that number tomorrow. No matter how hard I searched, I didnt see this tour as being available for our June 6th sailing.

 

Not that this means it's available this year, but it was definitely offered in 2004 when we sailed on June 6th. One of the two best excursions I've ever done, along with whale watching in Juneau (privately through Harv & Marv). If we end up doing another cruise with NCL that includes Sawyer Glacier, I'd definitely plan on doing this excursion again.

[Jenbo57]

Here is what Jim Collins, of Allen Marine Tours (the tour operator), relayed to me via e-mail in August of last year when I was considering this one:

 

"In 2009 we will be operating this Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer for Norwegian Cruise Lines but only for the Norwegian ships that call into Juneau on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (currently that is scheduled to be respectively Norwegian Star and Norwegian Sun).

 

It is important to note that this tour is not conducted for the whole Alaska season. The early part of the season it is not run due to unusually heavy ice conditions and the end part of the season due to fading Alaska daylight.

 

This year our first Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer was conducted on May 27th and our last will be conducted on August 20th.

 

We anticipate something similar for 2009 season: May 26 - August 19.

 

We will have our 2009 tour schedule for Norwegian Cruise line by August 22, 2008.

 

Please call me toll free (888) 289-0081 ext. 18 so I can go over some of the other FAQ's that people who are highly interested in Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer should know."

 

I did give Jim a call; the main point he wanted to make was that if there's too much ice in Tracy Arm, the boat visits Endicott Arm instead (which, interestingly enough, he said he prefers).

 

We booked this one the day we were able to; I expect it'll be one of the high points of our cruise! :D

[terrymtex01]

Also I do not believe it is offered if you sail on the Pearl. What happens is if you are on the Star you board the excursion 30 minutes before the Star leaves port. While you are wisking away at a faster speed, the Star is following behind the excursion at a much slower speed. The excursion will take you to the glacier and get really up close to the glacier. You will have about an hour to an hour and a half there at the glacier watching it calve, listening to it crackle, etc. The the Star will catch up with you, but not come nearly as close. When we went the Star was about a mile away when it finally caught up with us. Then your excursion will move towards the Star where you will board the ship and then you are all on your way to the next port of call. If you are on the Pearl, it doesn't leave Juneau until late evening. like 9PM or so and it is too late to do tha excursion. I believe you can not take that excursion if you are on the Pearl.