Tracy Arm in HAL 7 day inside passage

I have a question for those who took this HAL IT before, being first time Alaska cruisers, we booked HAL's inside passage in late Sept over other cruise lines just because it is the only 7 day IT that has both Tracy Arm and Glacial Bay in the IT...(so said their promo video and their published website IT)..for the remainder of this year, 2 ships, Volendan and Zuiderdam are doing this route.

But upon closer look, we will only spend 30 mins at Tracy Arm as a service call, while other cruises that has only Tracy Arm in their IT will spend 4 hours in it.

Is this some sort of false advertising to list Tracy Arm if going just to spend there 30 mins just to drop off passengers going for the Tracy Arm Explorer cruise? They could just have removed them in the IT.

That's why needing help from those who took this before, are we really going to spend enough time in Tracy Arm on this IT? With a possibility of seeing one of the 2 Sawyer glaciers in Sept?

e.g. morning is Tracy Arm and afternoon in Juneau starting at 1pm, and the 30 mins listed there is just a 30 min stop to unload passengers for the excursion.

and another thing.. the Tracy Arm Explorer excurison is no longer avail on our sailing date as it is already late sept, I contacted Allen Marine tours and they confirmed that it is no longer avail due to the possible foul weather in late Sept.

so with no more 30 min service call stop, why still list Tracy Arm service call? Or does this mean, we will explore Tracy Arm more as we don't have that 30 min service call stop already?

Inputs from past cruisers will be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

We were on the volendam 7 day inside passage in June and the Tracy arm stop was just long enough to let the passengers off that were on the excursion. The ship did not go into the passage or see the glaciers. When I booked this cruise I also thought we would see some of Tracy Arm, but realized long after I booked that it was not the case. The excursion only has a limited number of passengers and books early. I have no idea what they do in bad weather, but I think you just go on into Juneau.

I should have investigated closer, but in the end it was a wonderful cruise. Right after Tracy Arm was Juneau, we went whale watching with Harv and Marv which was fun and we got dropped off at the Mendenhall glacier and walked to Nugget Falls which was amazing. That was one of my favorite things.

Our Sept 2009 Inside passage cruise went to Tracy Army and Glacier Bay, also.

Tracy Arm, we went all the way in, I mean, allllll the way in. I don't recall any excursions getting off there. We were there about 4 hours (from the time we entered to exiting).

:)

Not sure, but if the above cruisers were NOT on the LAST sailing, of their cruises, their information does not pertain.

Last sailings third/forth week of Sept, can indeed have altered schedules and bypass areas sailed in season.

Specifically what sailing and ship are you on? Does this sailing, have a separate- itinerary on the HAL board, or is the date included with all the in season itineraries??

Our Sept 2009 Inside passage cruise went to Tracy Army and Glacier Bay, also.

 

Tracy Arm, we went all the way in, I mean, allllll the way in. I don't recall any excursions getting off there. We were there about 4 hours (from the time we entered to exiting).

 

:)

Is that HAL?

In our case, the excursion is no longer avail so not sure why the ship is passing there if there are no passengers to drop.

...But upon closer look, we will only spend 30 mins at Tracy Arm as a service call, while other cruises that has only Tracy Arm in their IT will spend 4 hours in it.

 

Is this some sort of false advertising to list Tracy Arm if going just to spend there 30 mins just to drop off passengers going for the Tracy Arm Explorer cruise? ...

It's unfortunate that Allen Marine has indicated to you that they won't do this excursion on your September cruise. Maybe you could keep checking the HAL website and again once you're on board to see if the situation changes. We were able to partially transit Tracy Arm on HAL Amsterdam last September, so if conditions are favorable, I'd imagine the catamarans could do much better. Hope it works for you, but if not, you'll still have the wonders of Glacier Bay!

Roquejo, I don't think this is false advertising. All HAL Inside Passage voyages this season show a Service Call at Tracy Arm from 10:00am-10:30am. This is to allow time for passengers who chose to take the optional shorex into Tracy Arm to board an Allen Marine catamaran. Once these passengers are disembarked, the HAL ship continues onto Juneau. It was never scheduled to transit Tracy Arm. As you rightly point out, other HAL ships on different itineraries do spend time going into Tracy Arm up to the Sawyer Glaciers.

 

It's unfortunate that Allen Marine has indicated to you that they won't do this excursion on your September cruise. Maybe you could keep checking the HAL website and again once you're on board to see if the situation changes. We were able to partially transit Tracy Arm on HAL Amsterdam last September, so if conditions are favorable, I'd imagine the catamarans could do much better. Hope it works for you, but if not, you'll still have the wonders of Glacier Bay!

Thank you for this information. I will stop recommending this cruise from now on. Just another example of HAL watering down their cruise itineraries. I have been following trip reports this year and have noticed that cruisers are saying they did not go into Tracy Arm, nor did their ship detour to Endicott Arm. Thanks for clearing this up. This is a big disappointment. I did not realize the cruise was being advertised this year as just having a service call at Tracy Arm. I wonder how many people are catching that, especially since the last few years this itinerary did go into Tracy Arm.

Thank you for this information. I will stop recommending this cruise from now on. Just another example of HAL watering down their cruise itineraries. I have been following trip reports this year and have noticed that cruisers are saying they did not go into Tracy Arm, nor did their ship detour to Endicott Arm. Thanks for clearing this up. This is a big disappointment. I did not realize the cruise was being advertised this year as just having a service call at Tracy Arm. I wonder how many people are catching that, especially since the last few years this itinerary did go into Tracy Arm.

Aren't these cruises still sailing Glacier bay?? The ships are not listed above, so I can not tell for sure. But if Glacier Bay is sailed, I won't stop "recommending' it.

It's false advertising.. esp in their promo video that specifically say that HAL is the only cruise line that has both Tracy Arm and Glacial Bay on its IT.

If you want further proof, here is a video of HAL's 7 day inside passage IT.

Check out day 3, it even shows the ship approaching Sawyer Glacier..

Such false advertising considering it is only a service call in reality.

Reg Tracy Arm excursion, actually I'm not booking it even if this is avail, since it's our first time in Alaska. I rather concentrate on Juneau and Mendenhall glacier first. We already booked and paid for the Photo Safari by Land and Sea.

I plan to go back to Alaska, and that is the time I will book the Tracy Arm excursion and I will definitely avoid early May or late Sept to be able to go to this excursion on my next visit

OP,

Having done both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay, I don't think you will be disappointed once you have been to Glacier Bay. It totally blows Tracy Arm away. Glacier Bay is a National Park & Preserve for a reason.

Tracy Arm is some pretty scenery, but once you see it going in, it's kind of boring going back out, and I was really concerned with all the ice in the water. I kept praying that the Captain knew what he was doing. I didn't breathe easy until we were back out.

JMO though.

Concentrate on Alaska, and don't sweat the small stuff!

OP,

 

Having done both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay, I don't think you will be disappointed once you have been to Glacier Bay. It totally blows Tracy Arm away. Glacier Bay is a National Park & Preserve for a reason.

 

Tracy Arm is some pretty scenery, but once you see it going in, it's kind of boring going back out, and I was really concerned with all the ice in the water. I kept praying that the Captain knew what he was doing. I didn't breathe easy until we were back out.

 

JMO though.

 

Concentrate on Alaska, and don't sweat the small stuff!

of course, it is already a given that glacial bay beats tracy arm.

but how about college fjord? how does it compare with glacial bay?

just curious as none of the round trip 7 day IT passes through it

of course, it is already a given that glacial bay beats tracy arm.

 

but how about college fjord? how does it compare with glacial bay?

 

just curious as none of the round trip 7 day IT passes through it

It is Glacier Bay.

College Fjords is extremely scenic as well. I certainly enjoy the multiple glacier views. Every trip is different. :)

Roind trips don't sail here, Take a look at a map, the area is up by Whittier, Prince William sound.

Aren't these cruises still sailing Glacier bay?? The ships are not listed above, so I can not tell for sure. But if Glacier Bay is sailed, I won't stop "recommending' it.

Yes, they still go to Glacier Bay, but I was always recommending it because you got both scenic areas in one. HAL was the only cruiseline I am aware of that had both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay on the same itinerary. I considered it a "jackpot scenic cruise." Although it still includes Glacier Bay so do others. No longer does it stand out in my mind as a step above the other itineraries.

of course, it is already a given that glacial bay beats tracy arm.

 

but how about college fjord? how does it compare with glacial bay?

 

just curious as none of the round trip 7 day IT passes through it

I found College Fjords more similar to Glacier Bay. It is a beautiful scenic area, but not one I long to go back to. Now Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm, I would return to over and over and over again. To me, Hubbard was just okay and we did get within 1/4 mile according to the Ranger. Everyone has a different take on these scenic areas. Until you see them all you can't make an opinion. I was anxious to see Hubbard last year, because there are a good number of posters who say it is their favorite scenic/glacier area. For me it was not. Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm are almost a close tie, with Glacier Bay edging out Tracy Arm just a bit. Next comes Hubbard, followed by College Fjords. Someone else, however, will rank them differently. Any way you look at it, they are all beautiful areas. I am just so disappointed that HAL is no longer including the transit into Tracy Arm on this itinerary. I am feeling so horrible, because I have recommended it over and over again and I feel some of the people who may have taken my advice will now be disappointed.

Not sure, but if the above cruisers were NOT on the LAST sailing, of their cruises, their information does not pertain.

 

Last sailings third/forth week of Sept, can indeed have altered schedules and bypass areas sailed in season.

 

Specifically what sailing and ship are you on? Does this sailing, have a separate- itinerary on the HAL board, or is the date included with all the in season itineraries??

Our cruise was the last cruise of the season (for all cruiselines, not just HAL).

:)

Is that HAL?

 

In our case, the excursion is no longer avail so not sure why the ship is passing there if there are no passengers to drop.

Yes, it was on the Zuiderdam. We sailed Sep 19-26, 2009.

:)

I thought when I looked at this cruise it listed Tracy Arm as SC (service call). We have booked the catamaran cruise that embarks during that service call at Tracy Arm.

If they had just listed the catamaran excursion without listing the stop at Tracy Arm, there would have been a lot of questions on how you are suppose to get back to take the tour.

I'm sure HAL does everything they can to get you the best scenery that they safely can. After the Condordia...how close do you want them to get to icebergs for your viewing pleasure?

I thought when I looked at this cruise it listed Tracy Arm as SC (service call). We have booked the catamaran cruise that embarks during that service call at Tracy Arm.

We just returned from Volendam and did the optional shorex into Tracy Arm. It was outstanding, but Glacier Bay is every bit as stunning, albeit very different.

I do appreciate Vbmom's angst if HAL used to include both on a single itinerary, but that was never the case this year.

I was quite sure HAL did include both Glacier Bay and Tracy arm in the past, but to be sure I went to the review section on CC and did find a review of this itinerary and last year it did include the transit into Tracy Arm. This is from a Volendam review. Here is what one review had to say about it:

"On the morning of entering Tracy Arm, our group assembled in the Crow's Nest because we were interested in hearing the commentary advertised in the ship's daily newsletter. Many others were also assembled there to hear the commentary. Well, we heard only loud music and we were disappointed to hear later that the commentary was heard on the outside deck, but did not reach the Crow's Nest. What a disappointment! We had been looking forward to learning about Tracy Arm on the public address system, but someone had neglected to channel the commentary into the Crow's Nest. Why advertise falsely in the daily newsletter and disappoint so many people? No apologies were given."

Found this comment from a Zuiderdam review from last summer:

"The scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm was awesome. "

So, yes, it does appear that last year HAL had more than a service call scheduled for Tracy Arm. Just another example of HAL watering down its itineraries. :(

Yes, they still go to Glacier Bay, but I was always recommending it because you got both scenic areas in one. HAL was the only cruiseline I am aware of that had both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay on the same itinerary. I considered it a "jackpot scenic cruise." Although it still includes Glacier Bay so do others. No longer does it stand out in my mind as a step above the other itineraries.

Sorry, but HAL still has an excellent round trip Vancouver itinerary, with a add on Tracy Arm tour available. they often have superb ship naturalists, and the cpts, overall, do make more of an effort for scenic coastal sailing vs some other lines.

Gee, I guess the OP should have booked the Volendam last year. The cruise this year says Tracy Arm is a service call.

Volendam is a smaller ship that Zuiderdam so maybe it did go a ways into Tracy Arm. I've read that other ships that list it have to cancel frequently because they can't transit due to ice. So, I guess I'm happy that HAL marks it as a SC and offers an excursion.

On our upcoming cruise I'll check with people who stayed on the ship at Tracy Arm and find out what the ship did after we left for our excursion and report back.

If anyone is booked on another line that offers Tracy Arm, maybe they can report on what happened while they were there on their ship.

Gee, I guess the OP should have booked the Volendam last year. The cruise this year says Tracy Arm is a service call.

 

Volendam is a smaller ship that Zuiderdam so maybe it did go a ways into Tracy Arm. I've read that other ships that list it have to cancel frequently because they can't transit due to ice. So, I guess I'm happy that HAL marks it as a SC and offers an excursion.

 

On our upcoming cruise I'll check with people who stayed on the ship at Tracy Arm and find out what the ship did after we left for our excursion and report back.

 

If anyone is booked on another line that offers Tracy Arm, maybe they can report on what happened while they were there on their ship.

Not in our case, since there is no more Tracy Arm Excursion on our sailing date, Allen Marine confirmed it...

So if there is no excursion, there is no SC.. so one alternative is the ship might go into Tracy arm...

And yes, we are taking Volendam.. its last sailing for 2012, for Sept 19-26.. if on Sept, 2009. Zuiderdam was able to enter Tracy Arm all the way on almost the same period.. how much more Volendam, being a smaller ship, can enter Tracy Arm?

It might be that Sept has less ice already..so that s what I'm hoping

Funny, the excursion is still showing for that cruise on their website.

This has been discussed in various scattered places. Last year, we were on the Zuiderdam, 7 day inside passage, in early June. We went INTO Tracy Arm and, of course, into Glacier Bay. We were in Tracy Arm a couple of hours.

HAL have discontinued going into Tracy Arm this year--they are just dropping off people taking the excursion into Tracy Arm, just inside the entrance. We were surprised to see that, and didn't actually realize it until after we had booked the Zuiderdam, leaving in a couple of weeks. There has definitely been a change between last year and this.

Probably, they haven't updated their promotional materials yet.

Funny, the excursion is still showing for that cruise on their website.

Go to the actual sailing date, Sept 19 volendam. Go to the IT, download the PDF file for the shore excursion for this cruise, it is no longer there.