Hubbard Glacier vs Tracy Arm Fjord

Cruise going to both in late July in 2017. Which is better for viewing etc?

Glacier Bay - it is pretty much guaranteed viewing.

Tracy Arm has been pretty much inaccessible for cruise ships this summer (almost August!), and over all, can easily be skipped due to ships not making the transit due to ice on most years.

Hubbard Glacier, while magnificent is also often missed due to fog, etc....

If you had to choose between the two, it would be Hubbard Glacier but I would choose Glacier Bay just to make sure you do see a glacier on your cruise.

We have been to Glacier Bay twice & Hubbard Glacier in June of this year. I did not think anything could top Glacier Bay but I was wrong - Hubbard was magnificent!!

IF you are going to both- I'm perplexed about a "better" question? Simply- enjoy BOTH. :)

Hubbard Glacier is magnificent, check out the link from my latest review and our visit to Hubbard. Hubbard starts at post 174.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2376089&page=9

Great pics. When did you go on the cruise?

Cruise going to both in late July in 2017. Which is better for viewing etc?

They are both good but very different. At Tracy Arm be sure and take the small boat excursion. At Hubbard the ship will get close enough so that you have a great view, but realize that Hubbard is huge, almost 8 miles across and if you get too close you miss the best parts.

At Hubbard the ship will get close enough so that you have a great view, but realize that Hubbard is huge, almost 8 miles across and if you get too close you miss the best parts.

Very misleading with the "will". Sorry no, around 1/4 of my trips haven't gotten "closer" than 10 miles. AND no ice was "involved".

What seems to be assumed with some recommendations- is their ship experience is the "norm". Instead it can be a HUGE range of possibilities at Hubbard, each trip is unique and won't be repeated. :)

Very misleading with the "will". Sorry no, around 1/4 of my trips haven't gotten "closer" than 10 miles. AND no ice was "involved".

 

What seems to be assumed with some recommendations- is their ship experience is the "norm". Instead it can be a HUGE range of possibilities at Hubbard, each trip is unique and won't be repeated. :)

Hubbard glacier is "barely visible" at 10 miles. We got 9 miles once and could barely see it but only because someone told me it was there.

Cruise lines - if they are committed to Alaska, really need Captains who are committed to making it to the glaciers, barring any real obstructions or weather. It is so sad to hear how many ships are missing these glaciers. These trips are once in a life time trips for so many people.

Hubbard glacier is "barely visible" at 10 miles. We got 9 miles once and could barely see it but only because someone told me it was there.

 

Cruise lines - if they are committed to Alaska, really need Captains who are committed to making it to the glaciers, barring any real obstructions or weather. It is so sad to hear how many ships are missing these glaciers. These trips are once in a life time trips for so many people.

In my opinion, Hubbard is clearly seen at 10 miles out. On the water, 10 miles, isn't as far as you think? Think the look at the John Hopkins Glaicer from the Inlet, which is 5 miles, many people guess it at 1. :) Interesting in my experiences, Princess has been the biggest offender in my case, including, again last year. I'll still attribute it at least partially to the time factor. There were talks the year before on fuel conservation and slower cruising. You do not see those "once in a lifetime" as frequently as proclaimed. :)

In my opinion, Hubbard is clearly seen at 10 miles out. On the water, 10 miles, isn't as far as you think? Think the look at the John Hopkins Glaicer from the Inlet, which is 5 miles, many people guess it at 1. :) Interesting in my experiences, Princess has been the biggest offender in my case, including, again last year. I'll still attribute it at least partially to the time factor. There were talks the year before on fuel conservation and slower cruising. You do not see those "once in a lifetime" as frequently as proclaimed. :)

We could not see it when we were 9 miles out. We did have excessive fog that week but it didn't seem to be foggy in front of us at that moment. Maybe closer to Hubbard it was. I will post a picture later but all I saw was something "white".

We could not see it when we were 9 miles out. We did have excessive fog that week but it didn't seem to be foggy in front of us at that moment. Maybe closer to Hubbard it was. I will post a picture later but all I saw was something "white".

This is what we saw 9 miles out:

I guess technically you can see it but nothing like being close. I think we stayed for 5 minutes. Maybe it was farther out and I was told wrongly.

Cruise going to both in late July in 2017. Which is better for viewing etc?

Last month we were able to get close to Hubbard for the first time in 3 attempts. It is, indeed, spectacular although my choice would be Tracy Arm if it was in a small boat.

Kind of like choosing between two really good bottles of wine. There isn’t a bad choice. Look at how both would fit into your itinerary.

We plan on cruising to Alaska in late May because we will be tying the cruise in with a Transpacific on Explorer OTS from Australia. We have not yet decided on which ship. Likelyhood is that we wont get to take another Alaskan cruise so it will be a "once in a lifetime" thing for us.

With our cruise being so early in the season will this severely reduce our chance of getting near any glaciers?

 

With our cruise being so early in the season will this severely reduce our chance of getting near any glaciers?

Glacier Bay is almost always accessible.

Hubbard glacier is a coin toss. We got really close on my May cruise but 9 miles on my July cruise. It is a gamble.

Tracy Arm is another odd one. This year, very few ships have gotten in. In past years, I know people who got in in May. I have tried 2x in May and 2x in July and missed it all 4x. One time we entered via small boat but we never got far enough to see the glacier. This is often blocked at beginning of the season but I know several who have gotten close at the beginning of the season.

If it is a once in a life time, go to Glacier Bay or pick an itinerary that goes to Glacier Bay and another glacier. Some go to 2.

They are both good but very different. At Tracy Arm be sure and take the small boat excursion. At Hubbard the ship will get close enough so that you have a great view, but realize that Hubbard is huge, almost 8 miles across and if you get too close you miss the best parts.

IMHO there is no such thing as too close. Hubbard is spectacular but viewing distance varies spectacularly also. I don't consider it close unless you are past the island and can see al the way along the glacier face down to the right. Last three trips were 14 miles, 9 miles and totally fogged out.

I was spoiled on my first visit on the old small Island Princess back in 1997. Down to the far right where the glacier face curves around the entire face broke off with a splash higher than the glacier itself. We were probably within 1/2 mile of the face and when the current brought the new iceberg floating along the face between the ship and the glacier it was longer than the ship. Very spectacular.

IMHO there is no such thing as too close. Hubbard is spectacular but viewing distance varies spectacularly also. I don't consider it close unless you are past the island and can see al the way along the glacier face down to the right. Last three trips were 14 miles, 9 miles and totally fogged out.

 

I was spoiled on my first visit on the old small Island Princess back in 1997. Down to the far right where the glacier face curves around the entire face broke off with a splash higher than the glacier itself. We were probably within 1/2 mile of the face and when the current brought the new iceberg floating along the face between the ship and the glacier it was longer than the ship. Very spectacular.

Yes- get a look down Russell Fjord. :) Both of my sailing, there this year, got there. :) Plus got all the way to North Sawyer Glacier. Jackpot this year, so far for me.

Yes- get a look down Russell Fjord. :) Both of my sailing, there this year, got there. :) Plus got all the way to North Sawyer Glacier. Jackpot this year, so far for me.

Yes Jackpot :) Back in 2004 on the last Alaska trip before the Dawn Princess was sent "Down Under" the Captain wanted to see the glaciers and actually took us to the face of the North Sawyer. Very nice bonus. Capt Steve with Adventure Bound has headed there a couple of times also when we had time after visiting South Sawyer.

Like you the can't be enough glacier viewing time for me :)

This was my first visit to Hubbard Glacier in July 2008. I don't know how far we were from the glacier:

This is a Celebrity ship in front of the glacier while our ship waited. We never did move in to get closer:

I was on HAL Amsterdam in mid-August 2011, and had a very good view of Hubbard Glacier. I'm glad I'll be on b2b cruises next May, with 2 chances to see Hubbard Glacier. I'm also going to be on Adventure Bound, and I hope to get through the ice to Tracy Arm!

Great pics. When did you go on the cruise?

June 21st we were at Hubbard.

June 21st we were at Hubbard.

I know I'm a little late to this thread...

I was on Radiance on July 9. We got within about half a kilometer from the Hubbard Glacier. The weather was magnificent. The water was amazing. The guy on the loud speaker did mention that our visit was as good as it gets as far as viewing. The captain spun the ship in front of the glacier for 45 minutes or so, like 8 full revolutions.

I did put together a video of it.

[YOUTUBE]I-JNw1BWcmo[/YOUTUBE]