Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay?

[sail7seas]

Why does no one mention Mendenhall Glacier in this thread?

We fully enjoyed our Juneau tour viewing Mendenhall and the national forest. It was a beautiful sunny day, the glacier had just calved and the blue ice was sparkling. That is a tour where one can count on seeing a glacier ...... and then enjoying a tasty salmon bake. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

No on mentions Mendenhal Glacier on this thread because the OP is asking viewing Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm while on the ship.

[NoobCruise]

Why does no one mention Mendenhall Glacier in this thread?

We fully enjoyed our Juneau tour viewing Mendenhall and the national forest. It was a beautiful sunny day, the glacier had just calved and the blue ice was sparkling. That is a tour where one can count on seeing a glacier ...... and then enjoying a tasty salmon bake. :)

 

Mendenhall Glacier is not an itinerary destination like Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay. While the cruise ship stops in Jueau, I don't think they do the "scenic cruising" that they do in Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm.

[NoobCruise]

sorry, double post

[sail7seas]

Mendenhall Glacier is not an itinerary destination like Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay. While the cruise ship stops in Jueau, I don't think they do the "scenic cruising" that they do in Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm.

 

 

True. But it is a 'promise' you'll see a glacier whereas Tracy Arm cannot promise that.

I don't know if Glacier Bay can?

[Mary Ellen]

In Glacier Bay one sees multiple glaciers. Tracy Arm is beautiful, but if between the two, I'd choose Glacier Bay in a heartbeat. In Glacier Bay (or at Hubbard Glacier) one can pretty much count on seeing calving. That can't be said for Tracy Arm or Mendenhall Glacier. I see Tracy Arm as a beautiful supplement to either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier, but a poor substitution.

[RuthC]

Tracy Arm is a scenic cruise up a gorgeous fjord, with the sight of a glacier as a fringe benefit.

Glacier Bay is the sight of glorious glaciers, with a scenic bay as a fringe benefit.

[McMer]

Oh, my gosh what a decision! Thank you all for so much valuable input. You all are a wealth of information. DH, our sons and I went up to Seward (not sailing) several years ago to visit family. We went on a fjords tour and saw several glaciers while there. Years later we now have daughters-in-law and grandchildren who have never been there. I know they would love it all, but would they be likely to see more wildlife in Glacier Bay?

[MilliesMom]

Oh, my gosh what a decision! Thank you all for so much valuable input. You all are a wealth of information. DH, our sons and I went up to Seward (not sailing) several years ago to visit family. We went on a fjords tour and saw several glaciers while there. Years later we now have daughters-in-law and grandchildren who have never been there. I know they would love it all, but would they be likely to see more wildlife in Glacier Bay?

 

http://www.nps.gov/glba/planyourvisit/enjoying-your-cruise-ship-visit.htm

Will I spot wildlife?

Bring binoculars! Binoculars can bring you closer to the landscape. You may want to search for wildlife, take a closer look at the texture of the glacier ice, or investigate the fields of pink flowers in the beach meadows. Remember, it can be difficult to estimate size when searching the shore from a ship. The mountains, shorelines, and waterways of Glacier Bay are massive, dwarfing even the largest cruise ship. Wildlife is abundant, yet often appears smaller than you expect. Can YOU spot the Glacier Bay wildlife? Ask the National Park Service Rangers for help in searching for wildlife. It can take patience and determination, but sharp-eyed cruise passengers regularly spot grizzly bears, bald eagles, harbor seals, humpback whales, mountain goats, and even puffins!

There is a video towards the bottom of this page about "Enjoy Your Glacier Bay Visit" ... really good and is taped on a cruise ship in Glacier Bay.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g31020-d630993-r115082228-Tracy_s_Arm_Fjord-Juneau_Alaska.html

Reviews show many sitings of wildlife.

 

In Tracy Arm you are fairly close to land on both sides through much of the cruise. It is amazing what you will see, but with any adventure there is no guarantee. Keeping your eyes open and being observant is a must.

 

Here's a video taken cruising Tracy Arm (not my video)

 

One of my biggest thrills was walking out on deck one day just as a whale flipped it tails up in the air. It seemed so close. Throughout the cruise you can see animals, birds etc. I remember walking into town in Juneau and being amazed how many bald eagles were perched in the trees watching us. On the trails at the top of the tram, they mentioned to watch for bears ... make noise as you walk which will allow them to move away rather than walking up on them and surprising you both. I've read about bear sitings too by Mendahall Glacier visitor center.

[dakrewser]

Tracy Arm is a scenic cruise up a gorgeous fjord, with the sight of a glacier as a fringe benefit.

Glacier Bay is the sight of glorious glaciers, with a scenic bay as a fringe benefit.

 

Excellent description.

[vbmom87]

Why does no one mention Mendenhall Glacier in this thread?

We fully enjoyed our Juneau tour viewing Mendenhall and the national forest. It was a beautiful sunny day, the glacier had just calved and the blue ice was sparkling. That is a tour where one can count on seeing a glacier ...... and then enjoying a tasty salmon bake. :)

 

As mentioned, the OP was asking about scenic sailings from a cruise ship itinerary.

 

Although Mendenhall is very pretty, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would based on comments made by other posters on the AK forum, it does not compare to the glaciers of Hubbard, Glacier Bay or even the Sawyer Glaciers. It is surely worth a visit in my mind.

[vbmom87]

Oh, my gosh what a decision! Thank you all for so much valuable input. You all are a wealth of information. DH, our sons and I went up to Seward (not sailing) several years ago to visit family. We went on a fjords tour and saw several glaciers while there. Years later we now have daughters-in-law and grandchildren who have never been there. I know they would love it all, but would they be likely to see more wildlife in Glacier Bay?

 

Wildlife spotting from a cruise ship does happen. As mentioned, you need good binoculars and lots of patience. It will not be like your tour out of Seward which was a wildlife tour with a stop at a glacier in a small boat close to the water level. Glacier Bay is not about wildlife, although you may spot some. Glacier Bay is all about a scenic cruising experience. When we went to Tracy Arm in June we saw a fair amount of wildlife, however, when we went in August, we did not. No one can promise you anything.

[NoobCruise]

True. But it is a 'promise' you'll see a glacier whereas Tracy Arm cannot promise that.

I don't know if Glacier Bay can?

 

Sails, considering how dubious you felt about Alaska before you sailed and how in awe and enthusiastic you were on return....and now hearing everyone rave about Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm and Mendenhall, any thoughts going through your head on returning?

[sail7seas]

Sails, considering how dubious you felt about Alaska before you sailed and how in awe and enthusiastic you were on return....and now hearing everyone rave about Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm and Mendenhall, any thoughts going through your head on returning?

 

 

I've learned to not say never but I will say it is highly unlikely.

 

We flew first class on mile points, non-stop, and still both travel days were so horrid I don't wish to repeat them. Sadly. If we could get to Alaska without the torture of the airport experiences we endured, maybe we'd go again but we cant so I probably will not return. DH is making 'let's go back noises'. :)

 

 

[spacepotatoes]

Wildlife depends on time of year and weather, I think. We didn't see much. There were harbour seals in Tracy Arm. In Glacier Bay, there were a couple of bears and a group of puffins. Make sure you bring binoculars, though, we had a hard time spotting them even with binocs! We saw some whales in the distance just after we left Glacier Bay.

[fleckle]

[quote name='McMer'].......DH, our sons and I went up to Seward (not sailing) several years ago to visit family. We went on a fjords tour and saw several glaciers while there. Years later we now have daughters-in-law and grandchildren who have never been there. I know they would love it all, but would they be likely to see more wildlife in Glacier Bay?[/quote]We have seen more wildlife on the Kenai Fjords tours out of Seward than at Glacier Bay, Hubbard, or Tracy Arm.

So I would recommend a Kenai Fjords cruise for the wildlife with the glaciers as a fringe benefit, or Glacier Bay for the glaciers with the wildlife as a fringe benefit.


Regardless of whether or not your cruise ship visits Glacier Bay, you can take a flightseeing tour over Glacier Bay from one of the nearby ports and get to see much more of Glacier Bay than what can be seen from a cruise ship.

The drawback is that it would be very expensive to do with such a large family.