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Glacier Bay Cruising - Port or Starboard


The Tsar

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I am a HAL cruiser, trying Star Princess Alaska Cruise, June 2014 for the first time.

 

My wife and I are taking my daughter and her husband on this cruise. It will be their first cruise. We plan to book adjoining Mini Suites, but uncertain as to which side would offer best viewing from the cabin balconies during the Glacier Bay cruising.

 

Port or Starboard ???

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

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As Chrysalis says, either side is fine when cruising the Bay. That being said, when the ship approaches the Marjorie Glacier, it will initially be on the port side. The Captain will bring the ship to a stop and then begin a slow spin (on our cruise to Glacier Bay, the ship spun to port). As the ship leaves the area, the Glacier will be on the starboard side. Therefore, you may have a bit more sightseeing time from the port side... but YMMV. I certainly do agree that the upper decks (especially the forward bridge wings) and the Promenade will afford better views than your balcony.

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Port is far superior. The ship will enter Glacier Bay early in the morning. Like around 6:00 a.m. At that hour, the starboard side will be in the shade as the mountains on the starboard side will block the sun. The port side will receive a welcoming glow of early morning sun which is great for taking pictures. All of the glaciers that you will want to see will be on the port side as you sail in to the Bay. When you get to Margerie Glacier at around mid-morning, the sun and light will be great and if you have an open air or half-covered balcony, you can catch all of this glory from your balcony without having to rush up to the top deck and try to elbow your way in to a rail location. The ship will eventually turn around at which time it will be late morning and you can head over to the Promenade on the starboard side or make your way up top at your leisure. The sail out of Glacier Bay will put the better viewing on the starboard side, but the light of day will be far less favorable. As anyone who has ever taken photos knows, your best light is between 5:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., and things deteriorate from there. You are better off capturing the "better" side of Glacier Bay with the early morning light from the port side than with the mid-day light from the starboard side.

 

See posts # 83, 84, 85, 99, 101, 102, 103 and 104 from this thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1903541

 

Each and every picture was taken from a port side balcony. Being up on top of the ship would have been just as good, but not better, since the best viewing was directly off of the port side. Using the bow of the ship as a "12:00 indicator", all of the best viewing is between 7:00 and 12:00. There is nothing at 1:00-3:00 that one needs to see from the bow of the ship. And being on your balcony provides privacy and breakfast without having to be "presentable" at 7:00 to your fellow passengers.

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Port is far superior. The ship will enter Glacier Bay early in the morning. Like around 6:00 a.m. At that hour, the starboard side will be in the shade as the mountains on the starboard side will block the sun. The port side will receive a welcoming glow of early morning sun which is great for taking pictures. All of the glaciers that you will want to see will be on the port side as you sail in to the Bay. When you get to Margerie Glacier at around mid-morning, the sun and light will be great and if you have an open air or half-covered balcony, you can catch all of this glory from your balcony without having to rush up to the top deck and try to elbow your way in to a rail location. The ship will eventually turn around at which time it will be late morning and you can head over to the Promenade on the starboard side or make your way up top at your leisure.
I agree. Relax on your port side balconies until the ship starts turning around. Then, go anywhere on the ship.
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Port is far superior. The ship will enter Glacier Bay early in the morning. Like around 6:00 a.m. At that hour, the starboard side will be in the shade as the mountains on the starboard side will block the sun. The port side will receive a welcoming glow of early morning sun which is great for taking pictures. All of the glaciers that you will want to see will be on the port side as you sail in to the Bay. When you get to Margerie Glacier at around mid-morning, the sun and light will be great and if you have an open air or half-covered balcony, you can catch all of this glory from your balcony without having to rush up to the top deck and try to elbow your way in to a rail location. The ship will eventually turn around at which time it will be late morning and you can head over to the Promenade on the starboard side or make your way up top at your leisure. The sail out of Glacier Bay will put the better viewing on the starboard side, but the light of day will be far less favorable. As anyone who has ever taken photos knows, your best light is between 5:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., and things deteriorate from there. You are better off capturing the "better" side of Glacier Bay with the early morning light from the port side than with the mid-day light from the starboard side.

 

See posts # 83, 84, 85, 99, 101, 102, 103 and 104 from this thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1903541

 

Each and every picture was taken from a port side balcony. Being up on top of the ship would have been just as good, but not better, since the best viewing was directly off of the port side. Using the bow of the ship as a "12:00 indicator", all of the best viewing is between 7:00 and 12:00. There is nothing at 1:00-3:00 that one needs to see from the bow of the ship. And being on your balcony provides privacy and breakfast without having to be "presentable" at 7:00 to your fellow passengers.

 

Plus it can be quite COLD early on! Nice if you have port side balcony to be able to duck back in and warm up. Once the sun is up, better to be topside.

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You want to be on deck or someplace where you can see both sides.

 

Upper decks where you can wander from side to side or to the bow are best to view, hear the commentary and enjoy this special place.

 

I totally agree. Being able to move from side to side as well as seeing straight ahead has huge benefits. You can often see wildlife in the bay and I can guarantee you it doesn't all hang out on the port side of the ship :)

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I am a HAL cruiser, trying Star Princess Alaska Cruise, June 2014 for the first time.

 

My wife and I are taking my daughter and her husband on this cruise. It will be their first cruise. We plan to book adjoining Mini Suites, but uncertain as to which side would offer best viewing from the cabin balconies during the Glacier Bay cruising.

 

Port or Starboard ???

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Viewing glacier bay from up on deck is definitely the best place. The magnitude of the bay is unbelievable. Wear gloves, hats, layers of sweatshirts and windbreakers and go to the top of the ship and experience the sheer beauty of glacier bay. Viewing from your balcony doesn't do it justice. I cruised 5 years ago on the Sapphire going southbound. My TA, Jeff, who was also on the cruise as our escort for the 7 day land tour pre cruise, booked all 150+ on the starboard side. We had the sun and warmth on the balcony until at least 9:30 pm when the sun finally set. One day it was so warm on our balcony that we wore shorts while we ate lunch , passing the huge ice valleys and glaciers of the inside passage. This city girl was truly amazed!!

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The best viewing of the Glacier will not be from your own room but will be from the open deck which will provide much more panoramic views but also allow you to quickly go from one side of the ship to the other. Be sure to dress in layers. It can get chilly but is well worth it.

 

Keith

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Viewing from your balcony doesn't do it justice.

 

Sorry, but I don't agree. The people up top will be glued to the rail on the port side 90% of the time because that is where the action is. On Princess, you can get an open air baclony that affords the same view as being up top.

 

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Sure= most of the time BOTH sides do get a view. I have personally been on one Princess sailing, that the cpt did NOT give the starboard side any view. Did a 180 and LEFT.

 

This question comes up every week. Then the my side, both side comments come up, to support what that particular poster did.

 

Clear for consideration with this decision is, the commentary matches up- with the glacier views from the port side and NOT the starboard side. The other feature, people don't mention is the bountiful wildlife for at least the first two hours of this sailing. The glaciers are NOT seen for about 3 hours after entry. Bonus is prior to that time, again several hours for a lot of wildlife potential.

 

SO if you ONLY are going to park yourself on your balcony, a port side is superior. Port side IS many times a longer view. I have sailed Glacier Bay, 5 times in the last 2 years and was the case on every one of these. A couple times only 10 minutes less. BUT once you see a massive calving that lasts 30 seconds, then you are glad for that extra time. I also find that the decks aren't all that crowded, the traffic is on the constant move. I personally like the lower covered promenade type deck, which is just about always wide open with rail space. Yes, a slight inconvenience going through two doors for a run to the other side, less than a minute. Standing near the back offers staying outside and going around the back. Depending on the ship, may have front access.

 

It can be cold, having the proper attire is essential, which you can plan on plenty of people who will not.

 

I am one, who would never consider not being on the move. I am out the entire day, starting prior to dawn and then staying out due to my priorities and my enjoyment. This is a plan for few people. :) Depends on YOU and what you hope to see and do.

 

So the basic question, needs the person to consider the points above, perhaps, which could direct toward the answer for them.

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This is the Coral Princess in front of Margerie Glacier, along with that kayaker. They pulled up and rotated 180 and stayed starboard towards Margerie for close to an hour and then left. They don’t always continually rotate.

Coral%2520Princess.jpg

 

If you look closely at the top deck, (or enlarge the photo if your device permits), you will see that ALL of the people there are at the rail toward midship. No one is positioned so that they can see what is on the other side of the ship. They are all looking directly perpendicular to the ship. That is exactly the same view that you get from a balcony. This notion that you have to be situated so that you have a 360° view is overblown. If you are going to strare at the side of the ship where the glaciers are, you can do that just fine from a port side balcony first, and then move toward the starboard side after the ship turns. There is no great urgency to head up top early in the morning unless you have a starboard side or inside cabin. If you book a port cabin, you can enjoy the comfort of your own cabin for several hours before moving. Doing so will afford you the same view as all those people up top in the photo. Sure, the people up top have easier access to walk across the ship to see the other side. But when they do, they will walk back saying: "Nothing much to see on the other side". Having greater convience to a lesser view isn't much of a trade compared to the comfort, warmth and space of one's own balcony. At least until the ship spins around.

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If you look closely at the top deck, (or enlarge the photo if your device permits), you will see that ALL of the people there are at the rail toward midship. No one is positioned so that they can see what is on the other side of the ship. They are all looking directly perpendicular to the ship. That is exactly the same view that you get from a balcony. This notion that you have to be situated so that you have a 360° view is overblown. If you are going to strare at the side of the ship where the glaciers are, you can do that just fine from a port side balcony first, and then move toward the starboard side after the ship turns. There is no great urgency to head up top early in the morning unless you have a starboard side or inside cabin. If you book a port cabin, you can enjoy the comfort of your own cabin for several hours before moving. Doing so will afford you the same view as all those people up top in the photo. Sure, the people up top have easier access to walk across the ship to see the other side. But when they do, they will walk back saying: "Nothing much to see on the other side". Having greater convience to a lesser view isn't much of a trade compared to the comfort, warmth and space of one's own balcony. At least until the ship spins around.

 

Fine for you. That is your opinion. On the way into the bay and for a long during during the transit, you can see EVERYTHING from the front when you can also easily move from side to side. Tell me that is possible from your balcony - sorry it just ain't so. Sure once you are at the glacier the balcony might be as good as on an open deck, but only for a while. Then you take 15 minutes to get from your balcony to an open deck and haven't scoped out in advance where is best so you get stuck behind others on the deck. Remember, the ship is sailing through the bay for a couple of hours or more before it even parks itself at the glacier. Not all scenic and wildlife views are from the port side in these cases.

 

When I was in Glacier Bay I found spots on the open decks that had virtually no one else there. I was able to easily move around the open deck and was not limited with a view basically straight out from my room/balcony. I had much greater peripheral vision.

 

All I can say is that I hope most people on CC and elsewhere believe you. That will continue to make the open decks less crowded. Thank you!!

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Fine for you. That is your opinion. On the way into the bay and for a long during during the transit, you can see EVERYTHING from the front when you can also easily move from side to side. Tell me that is possible from your balcony - sorry it just ain't so.

The first three pictures posted above were taken during the sail in to the Bay. You tell me. What was I missing? Brown, unforested, shaded mountainside. Look again at the second photo. The ship in the distance was directly in front of us. You absolutely can see in front of you from a balcony. Again, this is on a Princess, open top balcony. If you have a roof over your head, things will differ. I'm not saying that this vantage point is superior. But the idea that things improve measurably up on top is overstated. I took lots if photos from every angle. The only keepers and everyone I have posted here and in my review were taken from my cabin balcony. Go back to the original post. The question asked is that if one is going in to Glacier Bay and looking at the scenery from a cabin balcony, which side is better. The question wasn't, "Is going up top better". Answering the question posed, port side is better.

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