Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm Fjord

[golfb4cruzing]

Both out of Seattle. Both Inside Passage. GB on the Golden and TAF on the Grand. Opinions please. Thanks

[Colo Cruiser]

Glacier Bay all the way! :D

[gooch47]

My husband and I were just talking about this last night.

 

We'd choose Glacier Bay but only because we saw dozens of sea otters there the last time we visited.

[Putterdude]

No question Glacier Bay is a must!

[RickEk]

Both out of Seattle. Both Inside Passage. GB on the Golden and TAF on the Grand. Opinions please. Thanks

 

Both are spectacular, but you'll spend a full day cruising Glacier Bay. If this is going to be your only Alaskan voyage, then certainly Glacier Bay is the way to go.

[Musky Ike]

One more for Glacier Bay.

[golfb4cruzing]

Thanks, sounds like a no brainer. Wife couldn't get enough time for Panama Canal so Alaska is Plan B. Is September still fairly warm enough to still enjoy the experience?

[Mingus]

We'd choose Glacier Bay but only because we saw dozens of sea otters there the last time we visited.

No contest.....Glacier Bay, but for the humpback whales and glacier calving.

[MKEcruiser]

Have done Alaska twice.

Spent a day in Glacier Bay both times.

Did Tracy Arm as an excursion.

Best Alaskan memory-Tracy Arm.

So close to the glacier. If calved...and you felt it !

Saw tons of seals close up.

Way cool pics and it looks like glacier is right behind us.

A truly amazing sight.

[Mikeyto]

Add another vote for Glacier Bay! Did it two years ago and going again August 2015!!!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Have done Alaska twice.

Spent a day in Glacier Bay both times.

Did Tracy Arm as an excursion.

Best Alaskan memory-Tracy Arm.

So close to the glacier. If calved...and you felt it !

Saw tons of seals close up.

Way cool pics and it looks like glacier is right behind us.

A truly amazing sight.

 

But that was from a small excursion boat that could get close to the Glacier. Grand Princess won't be able to do that.

[Tapi]

Glacier Bay!!

 

 

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[Pam in CA]

Another vote for Glacier Bay.

[golfb4cruzing]

Thanks everyone.

[more cruises]

Our first cruise was supposed to go to Tracy Arm but there was too much ice in the channel so we never got to the glacier. Such a disappointment. We heard later that the ships have to skip Tracy Arm pretty often because of the ice.

 

So we vote for Glacier Bay too. We've been there 3 times and it's truly amazing.

[2disneydads]

We did both 2 summers ago with Holland America. Tracy Arm was very cool, with close approach to the glaciers. But it cannot complete to Glacier Bay. There is so much to see in Glacier Bay. It is simply amazing. The variety of wildlife is incredible, too. Go for Glacier Bay.

 

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[Itasca]

Take the ship to Glacier Bay, do the Tracy Arm excursion. They're both great, but very different.

 

The ice in Tracy Arm can be a problem, it took me five tries to get to

see Sawyer Glacier.

[pompeii]

Take the ship to Glacier Bay, do the Tracy Arm excursion. They're both great, but very different.

 

The ice in Tracy Arm can be a problem, it took me five tries to get to

see Sawyer Glacier.

 

That is exactly what we did and it turned out great! We took a small boat excursion from Juneau to Tracy Arm, which was the best excursion on the trip. We got up close and personal with the glacier. Then a couple days later we cruised Glacier Bay on the ship. Spectacular!

 

But if you can't do both, then Glacier Bay.

[Coral]

4 attempts at Tracy Arm to see the glaciers there and have yet to see them (2 attempts on small boat).

 

I have been to Glacier Bay a lot and love it! Glacier Bay is never missed.

[geoherb]

Here's another vote for Glacier Bay. Our two cruises that went to Tracy Arm were fun. On the first one (2003), the captain was able to get our ship fairly close to the glacier. It's retreated since then. Our second cruise there did not get as close. The scenery along the way is spectacular in Tracy Arm. But nothing beats the view we had of Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay. Our cabin was a deluxe ocean view on the Sapphire. They're the cabins with balconies that don't have furniture. The best part was that we had a great view of the glacier the whole time, even as the captain turned the ship to give the other side a chance to view it.

[fishin' musician]

Very different experiences; Glacier Bay is very open/vast, Tracy Arm Fjord/Sawyer Glaciers is very up close and personal/intimate (even if you don't make it the glaciers, the fjord is spectacular). I give a slight nod to Tracy Arm, but in a pinch, flip a coin... both are highlights.

[J&KCruisers]

Cruising through the fjord is the best in cruising. Glacier Bay is a huge long bay which is very similar to much of the cruising through the inside passage.

 

The Margerie Glacier is an amazing experience, but we really love going through Tracy Arm with huge icebergs and ice floating around the ship. You do not get the icebergs in Glacier Bay.

 

Go for Tracy Arm.

 

Happy Cruising:D:D

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree that Tracy Arm is somtimes not possible because of ice.

Last time we went there in May 09 we had 70 degree weather on the Golden. If I remember the Star turned back the same day because of changing ice conditions so we were really lucky. It is beautiful sailing through the Fjord.

[Gimer]

Been to Alaska 5 times. We saw more Glacial Ice in Tracy Arms. But both at great venues.

[sherryf]

Thanks, sounds like a no brainer. Wife couldn't get enough time for Panama Canal so Alaska is Plan B. Is September still fairly warm enough to still enjoy the experience?

 

Depends on what you consider "warm enough". Expect highs in the 50s. The biggest drawback is that you will have much less daylight that time of year, with sunsets around 7 PM.