Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm

Which do you think is best for scenic cruising or are they about the same?

scenery, I give the edge to Tracy Arm.

You're going to get the "Glacier Bay is a must" claims, but I don't agree. (perplexing when it's stated by people who haven't been there, or "best" claimed when they haven't been to all glacier areas)

Alaska is all about scenery. You will find rave reviews about every cruise. :) Every visit is unique. Cruise selection is always a compromise- I say enjoy it all. :)

Based on the input we've been given, we decided only "both" will do.

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scenery, I give the edge to Tracy Arm.

 

You're going to get the "Glacier Bay is a must" claims, but I don't agree. (perplexing when it's stated by people who haven't been there, or "best" claimed when they haven't been to all glacier areas)

 

Alaska is all about scenery. You will find rave reviews about every cruise. :) Every visit is unique. Cruise selection is always a compromise- I say enjoy it all. :)

I agree with you!

Glacier Bay is for the glaciers imho. It's a huge bay with multiple glaciers to view but you don't get really close to shore much. Tracy Arm Fjord is more about the scenery. You are closer to the shore in Tracy Arm Fjord, with the possibility of seeing a glacier at the end.

We visited both places this past year and are planning to do so again in 2018. If you look at my 2017 pictures below my signature you can see a sampling of both places. We have been to Alaska many times and each time the scenery is different and always leaves us wanting more.

Tracy Arm was not very accessible via cruise ships in 2016 and 2017.

I would suggest Glacier Bay if you want to see glaciers as it is pretty much a guarantee. It is a gorgeous national park with a lot of scenery.

I had several emails from people who wished they had gone with Glacier Bay as they were iced out of Tracy Arm and didn't get close to Endicott Arm (substitute). There are people on this board who go several times a year or have been several times and if they miss a glacier, they will see it the next week or have seen it before. If you are only going once, don't miss a chance to see a glacier! My first cruise, we missed Hubbard and it was very disappointing. It took me several years to get my Mom back to Alaska to see Glacier Bay.

If you can do both, definitely. Tracy Arm is best scene by a small boat. If you look at past few years posts, you will see the large ships did not get to it until very late in the season. There are ships that have enough time in Juneau so you can do Tracy Arm with Adventure Bound. Small ships have a better chance. BTW - I have attempted Tracy Arm 4x and have yet to get to the glaciers at the end. It has been blocked by ice - do you want this to be your experience? 2x were in July.

If you want to see a glacier go with Glacier Bay. I think it is a MUST. I have been iced out more times of Tracy Arm then I have seen it. Or as others have suggested -- find an itinerary that allows you to go to both.

This summer when in Alaska -- our Naturalist told us that they had not been to Tracy Arm for the previous 8 weeks on the ship. Two months before our sailing and our sailing, our ship did not go to Tracy Arm. I had already been so it wasn't a big deal for me. I was disappointed for others as we did not get close to Endicott Arm --Dawes glacier either. The people on our sailing really missed out. This seems to be more and more common in Alaska with Tracy Arm the past few years. I also wouldn't recommend it for a first cruise to Alaska. I would advise my friends to go with Glacier Bay. It is stunning and you will see it!

If you want to see a glacier go with Glacier Bay. I think it is a MUST. I have been iced out more times of Tracy Arm then I have seen it. Or as others have suggested -- find an itinerary that allows you to go to both.

I agree!

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If you can do both all the better.

If you are like us you will return on additional Alaska cruises so if you can do one then next time do the other one.

Keith

Thoughts....

• I'm another Glacier Bay lover.... I recommend GB for a first visit to Alaska
  
• Tracy Arm is a better example of glacier extinction. The Sawyer has retreated 31 miles up the Fjord and has become so tiny.
  
• As mentioned early season will mean ice congestion that forces cruise ships Endicott
  
• Some cruise itineraries offer both (HAL and Princess).... where the glacier scenic cruise is Glacier Bay, but the Juneau day is split with part of the day in Tracy Arm with a separate excursion.
  

 

• Some cruise itineraries offer both (HAL and Princess).... where the glacier scenic cruise is Glacier Bay, but the Juneau day is split with part of the day in Tracy Arm with a separate excursion.
  

Princess doesn't but you can take a small boat to Tracy Arm with Adventure Bound Alaska in Juneau. Really -- this is the best way to see Tracy Arm. Chances of seeing it on a large ship is minimal for the majority of the summer on most recent years.

We did both on the same cruise: Tracy Arm via a small-boat excursion that left from the ship and Glacier Bay on the ship (HAL). My wife and I thought Tracy Arm was remarkable. It was like cruising through the land that time forgot (minus the dinosaurs, although we wouldn't have been shocked!). We were also fortunate to get very close to Sawyer Glacier (icebergs prevented us from getting near the other glacier, which I think is also Sawyer). Icebergs, wildlife (we saw several bears), lots of waterfalls. Gorgeous and memorable.

Our Glacier Bay day was a big foggy and we didn't see much wildlife, but we did see plenty of icebergs, and the fog cleared the closer we got to the glaciers. So, for us, Tracy Arm was about scenery and glaciers while Glacier Bay was just about the glaciers. I wouldn't have wanted to miss either one, but I would love to return to Glacier Bay on a smaller boat on a clear day.

We actually went with the Tracy Arm one and will hope for the best. We went several years ago on a Holland ship and it went to Hubbard Glacier so at least this will be something different.

• Some cruise itineraries offer both (HAL and Princess).... where the glacier scenic cruise is Glacier Bay, but the Juneau day is split with part of the day in Tracy Arm with a separate excursion.
  

The above is not clear. Only HAL offers both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay on the same sailing itinerary, with Tracy Arm as an extra charge.

Most of the lines do offer a full day in Juneau- with at least an 8am arrival that allow the add on Adventure Bound cruise. I think NCL offers a gem of an itinerary for those who book 2 b2b one ways, which offer 3 glacier sailing opportunities, and 4 of the 6 inside passage Alaska ports.

We actually went with the Tracy Arm one and will hope for the best. We went several years ago on a Holland ship and it went to Hubbard Glacier so at least this will be something different.

I higly recommend you purchase the add on ship tour. This is FAR superior compared to the cruise ship transit.