Confused about Tracy Arm Excursion and Glacier Bay

[usermom]

I keep second guessing our excursions. We will be sailing on the Zuiderdam on August 25th with an itinerary that includes a day to Tracy Arm and Juneau. Initially we planned to do the Mendenhall Lake Native Canoe Adventure in Juneau but recently realized the ship offers the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer Excursion directly from the ship in Tracy Arm. We would love to do both, but wondering if it will be too long a day and will we deprive ourselves of time to explore Juneau. Which would you recommend? We thought we could do the TA excusion and then take the bus to Mendenhall. The ship also cruises to Glacier Bay, so do we need to spend extra money on the Tracy Arm excursion? We'd love to hear your suggestions.

[Coral]

I would skip Mendenhall.

[TheCalicoCat]

I keep second guessing our excursions. We will be sailing on the Zuiderdam on August 25th with an itinerary that includes a day to Tracy Arm and Juneau. Initially we planned to do the Mendenhall Lake Native Canoe Adventure in Juneau but recently realized the ship offers the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer Excursion directly from the ship in Tracy Arm. We would love to do both, but wondering if it will be too long a day and will we deprive ourselves of time to explore Juneau. Which would you recommend? We thought we could do the TA excusion and then take the bus to Mendenhall. The ship also cruises to Glacier Bay, so do we need to spend extra money on the Tracy Arm excursion? We'd love to hear your suggestions.

 

With the caveat that i have not done it yet, I have purchased the Tracy Arm excursion. I like the idea that in a smaller boat that we will be able to get closer to the glacier & we will be closer to the water as well on a catamaran than on the ship = different perspective.

 

My only plan for Juneau is Mendenhall Glacier (on my own) & I am positive that there will be enough time for us to do both.

[Budget Queen]

I would not cut back in any Juneau touring of interest. You can easily continue with your canoe choice AND take the Tracy Arm add on excursions (you won't be swimming there, so you could relax on the tour boat :) ) The Tracy Arm add on tour is grossly superior to anything seen from the cruiseship. But, no, you do not "have" to take it, if you don't want to, certainly.

[usermom]

Thanks for your thoughts. Just figured we didn't want to duplicate with the cost of excursions, but also realize this may be a once in a lifetime trip so we want to see and do as much as possible. Wondering if walking the trails or canoeing would be better? Will it be really cold canoeing Mendenhall Lake if the excursion doesn't start until 4:15? Also trying to figure out when we will be able to eat. Looks like the Tracy Arm excursion will be back around 3:15 and the canoeing starts at 4:15. Do we board the ship from the Tracy Arm catamaran if it is a Holland America vendor? Will we have time to grab a quick bite to eat on the ship?

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for your thoughts. Just figured we didn't want to duplicate with the cost of excursions, but also realize this may be a once in a lifetime trip so we want to see and do as much as possible. Wondering if walking the trails or canoeing would be better? Will it be really cold canoeing Mendenhall Lake if the excursion doesn't start until 4:15? Also trying to figure out when we will be able to eat. Looks like the Tracy Arm excursion will be back around 3:15 and the canoeing starts at 4:15. Do we board the ship from the Tracy Arm catamaran if it is a Holland America vendor? Will we have time to grab a quick bite to eat on the ship?

 

Yes you load directly on the cruiseship. Have you been given the times of these tours? The canoe runs in all weather. There is no way to predict anything in Alaska. IF you don't want to canoe in potential cold, then this tour is not for you.

 

You can purchase snacks on the Tracy Arm tour. IF touring is your priority then fill in for the meals where you can.

[chipmaster]

Tracy Arm on a small boat is a unique experience where you get closer and lower to the cliff walls, waterfalls, wildlife and glacier. IMHO if buget is tight you might consider skipping, if I had Glacer Bay on the same cruise I would.

 

I did the Tracy Arm, was nice, but it is a long excursion where you are on a small boat with few amenties. YOu aren't roughing it but no sit down food for that long excursion. The views and prospective are neat, but you get 80% of it on the big cruse ship.

 

TA and glaicer is a good combo.. but just be aware you'll be on that smaller boat for many hours and miss likely one meal, so eat well before boarding the ship.

 

I keep second guessing our excursions. We will be sailing on the Zuiderdam on August 25th with an itinerary that includes a day to Tracy Arm and Juneau. Initially we planned to do the Mendenhall Lake Native Canoe Adventure in Juneau but recently realized the ship offers the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer Excursion directly from the ship in Tracy Arm. We would love to do both, but wondering if it will be too long a day and will we deprive ourselves of time to explore Juneau. Which would you recommend? We thought we could do the TA excusion and then take the bus to Mendenhall. The ship also cruises to Glacier Bay, so do we need to spend extra money on the Tracy Arm excursion? We'd love to hear your suggestions.

[usermom]

Yes you load directly on the cruiseship. Have you been given the times of these tours? The canoe runs in all weather. There is no way to predict anything in Alaska. IF you don't want to canoe in potential cold, then this tour is not for you.

 

You can purchase snacks on the Tracy Arm tour. IF touring is your priority then fill in for the meals where you can.

 

The Tracy Arm excursion starts at 9:45 and lasts 5 1/2 hrs. The Canoe excursion starts at 4:15 and lasts 3 1/2 hrs. So if I understand you correctly, the TA excursion will pick us up from the ship and drop us back at the Juneau port? Or will we dropped back on the ship and have to disembark again?

 

Just wondering if anyone did the canoe excursion, and if so, how cold it gets on the water so we can dress accordingly.

 

Thanks everyone for your iput

[cruzdaddy]

We will also be sailing on the Zuiderdam but on July 25th and were thinking of going on the Tracy Arm excursion. I'm wondering what recommendations people have for later that day. Would we still have time for whale watching with Harv and Marv? Would we see whales while we're on the TA catamaran and therefore a second ww excursion might prove redundant and needless? Again, this will probably be our one and only Alaskan trip so we want to make the most of it. --thanks

[DizzyDallasDi]

We will also be sailing on the Zuiderdam but on July 25th and were thinking of going on the Tracy Arm excursion. I'm wondering what recommendations people have for later that day. Would we still have time for whale watching with Harv and Marv? Would we see whales while we're on the TA catamaran and therefore a second ww excursion might prove redundant and needless? Again, this will probably be our one and only Alaskan trip so we want to make the most of it. --thanks

 

I've done the Zuiderdam Alaska cruise twice and you will have more than enough time to do whale watching and more when you get to Juneau. Think of it this way -- you'll arrive in Juneau the same time as the folks who stayed on the ship while cruising Tracy Arm. Most of those "stayed on the ship folks" are probably doing excursions in Juneau and have plenty of time to do them.

 

For instance, on my first visit to Juneau I went whale watching, hiked a lovely trail at Mendenhall and took the tram up to Mt. Roberts. I made it back to the ship with time to spare.

 

Enjoy your trip to the Great Land. There's nothing else on earth like it!

[vbmom87]

I have done both the small boat tour in Tracy Arm and cruised it on the big cruise ship. They are two different experiences, but I loved them both. As great as it is to be down low crunching through the ice making your way to a glacier, it is also pretty amazing to be out on an upper deck of the cruise ship viewing the cliffs from so much higher up and seeing the floating ice bergs from up high. Both experiences are great in their own way. If you want to have a better chance of seeing a glacier up close and personal, you may want to take the add on tour. It is an expensive tour though and only you can decide if it is in the budget. The thing is, until you do it, you won't really know if it was worth it to you. Unfortunately, no one can predict the conditions on the day you will be there.

[TheCalicoCat]

Will we have time to grab a quick bite to eat on the ship?

 

With the caveat that I don't have anything planned (excursion with a time) after the Tracy Arm excursion, I definitely plan on eating on the ship after!

[TheCalicoCat]

Think of it this way -- you'll arrive in Juneau the same time as the folks who stayed on the ship while cruising Tracy Arm.

 

Are you sure, according to my calculations, My husband & son (Stayed on the ship folks) will arrive in Juneau at 1:00. My Tracy Arm excursion is not due back to the ship until 3:30. 2.5 hours is far from "the same time."

[rayliang]

Are you sure, according to my calculations, My husband & son (Stayed on the ship folks) will arrive in Juneau at 1:00. My Tracy Arm excursion is not due back to the ship until 3:30. 2.5 hours is far from "the same time."

 

I wonder if Allen Marine is the ones doing your excursion? maybe you can call the vendor directly and ask regarding the time.

[TheCalicoCat]

I wonder if Allen Marine is the ones doing your excursion? maybe you can call the vendor directly and ask regarding the time.

 

Good idea though I am not worried. My husband has been directed to go into Juneau & buy me a silver charm for my bracelet as a gift from my 3.5 year old son.:) Could be a good time waster for them while waiting for my excursion to return. (Or they can stay on the boat.)

[usermom]

I've done the Zuiderdam Alaska cruise twice and you will have more than enough time to do whale watching and more when you get to Juneau. Think of it this way -- you'll arrive in Juneau the same time as the folks who stayed on the ship while cruising Tracy Arm. Most of those "stayed on the ship folks" are probably doing excursions in Juneau and have plenty of time to do them.

 

For instance, on my first visit to Juneau I went whale watching, hiked a lovely trail at Mendenhall and took the tram up to Mt. Roberts. I made it back to the ship with time to spare.

 

Enjoy your trip to the Great Land. There's nothing else on earth like it!

 

The TA excursion starts at 9:45 and states it is 5 1/2 hrs, and the Zuiderdam is suppose to arrive in Juneau at 1p. That only leaves an hour if the small boat arrives on time. That's why I was wondering if we will enter back on the Zuiderdam after the excursion or be delivered to the port. If we have to have to get back on the ship and disembark again for a second excursion, that could be time consuming.

[TheCalicoCat]

The TA excursion starts at 9:45 and states it is 5 1/2 hrs, and the Zuiderdam is suppose to arrive in Juneau at 1p. That only leaves an hour if the small boat arrives on time. That's why I was wondering if we will enter back on the Zuiderdam after the excursion or be delivered to the port. If we have to have to get back on the ship and disembark again for a second excursion, that could be time consuming.

 

I believe that you have to get back on the ship & debark officially - so that they can track who is on & off the ship...

[Budget Queen]

I believe that you have to get back on the ship & debark officially - so that they can track who is on & off the ship...

 

Yes you do.

[Budget Queen]

I believe that you have to get back on the ship & debark officially - so that they can track who is on & off the ship...

 

Takes a couple minutes. Just walk across the hall to an open gangway.

[bonvoyagie]

I would also bet that Allen Marine is the vendor for this tour - as well as the similar ones for the other lines. A quick call to them might answer all of your questions.

 

I have taken a look at how NCL describes this tour and because their ship, the Jewel, does Tracy Arm after Juneau the tour boat leaves Juneau just ahead of the ship and due to it's higher speed it reaches TA before the ship. You then re-board the cruise ship near North Saywer Glacier.

 

Because HAL does TA prior to Juneau the process is reversed and it would appear that you would loose some time in Juneau - about 2 hrs

 

As far as embark/disembark you will need to pass through security before you get on the tour boat (think of it like a tender) therfore you have offically left the ship, when you get back on in Juneau you will offically embark.

[Budget Queen]

I would also bet that Allen Marine is the vendor for this tour - as well as the similar ones for the other lines. A quick call to them might answer all of your questions.

 

I have taken a look at how NCL describes this tour and because their ship, the Jewel, does Tracy Arm after Juneau the tour boat leaves Juneau just ahead of the ship and due to it's higher speed it reaches TA before the ship. You then re-board the cruise ship near North Saywer Glacier.

 

Because HAL does TA prior to Juneau the process is reversed and it would appear that you would loose some time in Juneau - about 2 hrs

 

As far as embark/disembark you will need to pass through security before you get on the tour boat (think of it like a tender) therfore you have offically left the ship, when you get back on in Juneau you will offically embark.

 

Yes Allen Marine is the Tracy Arm vendor, there isn't anyone else who can accomdate the numbers with ship tours.

[usermom]

Thanks for clarifying that we have to embark the ship again after the excursion. It may work to our advantage to get back 2-2 1/2 hrs later than the ship in Juneau. Many people may already have disembarked. All our experiences are so valuable.

[mouse0217]

Since the NCL Pearl does not go to TA ..... will we board on shore or from the boat as well? It is stated as a 7 hour tour. Not sure .... any help will be great!

[bonvoyagie]

The TA tour on the Pearl is a Juneau to Juneau excursion and will take most all the time in port. The ship get in around 2:00 PM and the excursion leaves at 2:15 and returns around 9:30 - the ship leaves at 10:00 - the extra time on the excursion is spent going RT to and from TA.

Allen Marine also runs a similar tour starting at 8:30AM with a 3:30PM return for the general public - the 2:15 excursion is just for cruise ships that leave late.

 

The tour where the ship does TA after Juneau (ie the Jewel) the tour boat leaves with or just a bit before the cruise ship and tours TA then meets the cruise ship at Sawyer Glacier where you ride out of TA on the cruise ship. For ships that visit TA first the tour is run in reverse where they pick up the passengers at Sawyer Glacier and drop them off at Juneau.

 

While I don't necessary doubt BQ as she has done AK many more times than any of us - I don't understand why you would have to check in with the ship - and then check out again to do another tour. I have tendered at ports and you swipe your card as you leave the ship to board the tender and then again when you get back. To me this excursion is just like a tender operation - even if they don't swipe the card they know exactly who is on the tour. Now if the tour is departing from Juneau then I could see where you would need to board the ship and then check out for the tour - that makes sense - but for the ones where the tour starts at Sawyer Glacier - like the one the OP is on - they should not have to return to the ship until it is ready to set sail.

[mouse0217]

Thank you for the information! Have you been on the one from the Pearl (the round trip to TA?) .... is it worth it? I thought this would be the best thing to send my parents on so they can get close to the glaciers with minimal physical activity (and since we do not cruise TA it would be a neat experience). Thanks ahead for any opinions!