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Is Glacier Bay a sure thing in May


happygirl72
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We are planning to go on our first and probably only Alaskan cruise next May. We were planning on going on Celebrity which went to Tracy Arm but read here that sometimes that is not possible in May. So we are switching to a cruise that visits Glacier Bay. From what I have read, it seems like Glacier Bay is a sure thing. Is that correct?

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It is probably the best bet for May. I am guessing the worst thing would be fog or rain.

 

Actually not really the case. With glaciers, and "fog" all the cpt has to do, is get within the window of the glacier lower temps, hot air rises, full views of glaciers. :) Rain- being well prepared in the attire is definitely good advice. But all cruise ships have covered, lower, at least side open decks, that likely would offer wet free viewing. :)

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We are planning to go on our first and probably only Alaskan cruise next May. We were planning on going on Celebrity which went to Tracy Arm but read here that sometimes that is not possible in May. So we are switching to a cruise that visits Glacier Bay. From what I have read, it seems like Glacier Bay is a sure thing. Is that correct?

 

99.9999 likely. I haven't heard of any ship not being able to access in years. Reason for any nonaccess would be due to the particular ship, not Glacier Bay.

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Actually not really the case. With glaciers, and "fog" all the cpt has to do, is get within the window of the glacier lower temps, hot air rises, full views of glaciers. :) Rain- being well prepared in the attire is definitely good advice. But all cruise ships have covered, lower, at least side open decks, that likely would offer wet free viewing. :)

 

I agree. They will make it, I have just spent some wet days there which was less than desirable.

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it seems like Glacier Bay is a sure thing. Is that correct?

We went to Alaska May and June of this year and sailed into Glacier Bay the last week in May. Here is a short video slide show I put together of the Alaskan trip and about five minutes into the video it shows Glacier Bay. The big blue ship that is shown briefly in the background is a HAL ship that was there when we arrived. http://www.tomjed.com/index.php/alaska

 

Tom

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We went to Alaska May and June of this year and sailed into Glacier Bay the last week in May. Here is a short video slide show I put together of the Alaskan trip and about five minutes into the video it shows Glacier Bay. The big blue ship that is shown briefly in the background is a HAL ship that was there when we arrived. http://www.tomjed.com/index.php/alaska

 

Tom

 

I also wanted to say your site is amazing. I would love to someday go to all of the places you have been!

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We went to Alaska May and June of this year and sailed into Glacier Bay the last week in May. Here is a short video slide show I put together of the Alaskan trip and about five minutes into the video it shows Glacier Bay. The big blue ship that is shown briefly in the background is a HAL ship that was there when we arrived. http://www.tomjed.com/index.php/alaska

 

Tom

 

That looks like a geat way to see Alaska. Thanks for posting.

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It is probably the best bet for May. I am guessing the worst thing would be fog or rain.

 

We had no trouble in GB on our August '12 cruise, and got to see two glaciers. However, on our September '10 cruise, fog rolled in after our first glacier viewing, and I remember looking out from the buffet thinking I could barely see past the perimeter glass (and I really hope our radar is good...).

 

I would say therefore fog is a small risk.

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We had no trouble in GB on our August '12 cruise, and got to see two glaciers. However, on our September '10 cruise, fog rolled in after our first glacier viewing, and I remember looking out from the buffet thinking I could barely see past the perimeter glass (and I really hope our radar is good...).

 

I would say therefore fog is a small risk.

 

Just an option, you mention "buffet", this likely was a higher deck? Viewing likely would have been improved lower, if you had gone to the promenade lower open deck. It depends on the cpt, how close they get, but depending on the sailing, getting inside the fog window, opens up the viewing due to the "hot air rises, which is the fog. The coldness from the glacier rises it up.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Been to Alaska several times in May. Have made it into Glacier Bay on all the trips. One thing to add though, we could not get as close to glaciers as sailings later in the year due to the amount and sizes of the ice chunks.

 

I think the calving is not as common early in the year. Too cool to have anything melt off. Still beautiful, but not a lot of "action' to be seen.

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