How much is there time for at Mendenhall?

[CruisingSince2012]

So split up and do your own thing? There's no law that says you have to stay together in port.

 

There also is no law we have to ride buses instead of taxis but Mom won't listen to any suggestion she should spend more money than necessary.

 

Yes, we absolutely do need to stay together. If we could split up, I would not be complaining about how little time we have at Mendenhall.

[Budget Queen]

There also is no law we have to ride buses instead of taxis but Mom won't listen to any suggestion she should spend more money than necessary.

 

Yes, we absolutely do need to stay together. If we could split up, I would not be complaining about how little time we have at Mendenhall.

 

What about the car rental? That is the cheapest of all?

 

There is something very wrong, with you being so miserable. You are resentful with the one sided choices. Maybe it's time, for you to equal the touring out.

[judynorth]

BQ has a great suggestion. A rental car would allow you to start earlier and visit everything on the tour. It would be cheaper in the long run and would offer much more flexibility. We have rented from Juneau Rental Car and it worked out very well. Unfortunately because of a change of itinerary we had to cancel the rental car on our upcoming cruise but it was going to cost us less than $70.

[CruisingSince2012]

What about the car rental? That is the cheapest of all?

 

There is something very wrong, with you being so miserable. You are resentful with the one sided choices. Maybe it's time for you to equal the touring out.

 

Equal the touring out? I never heard of that.

 

Listen, I already have this tour booked. I am only asking what I have time to do while on the tour, not how to get more time there. It seems nobody understood this because all I am getting are suggestions for making more time to be at the glacier. Let me repeat: The question is about how to spend time at Mendenhall, not how to have more time there.

[CruisingSince2012]

BQ has a great suggestion. A rental car would allow you to start earlier and visit everything on the tour. It would be cheaper in the long run and would offer much more flexibility. We have rented from Juneau Rental Car and it worked out very well. Unfortunately because of a change of itinerary we had to cancel the rental car on our upcoming cruise but it was going to cost us less than $70.

 

How would Mom get the car? With the late hours in port, there is no time to get a car from the airport.

[judynorth]

How would Mom get the car? With the late hours in port, there is no time to get a car from the airport.

 

I realize that you are not interested in this option but FYI the rental car agency is at the pier not at the airport.

 

I am sorry that I misunderstood you. I thought that you wanted more time at Mendenhall so that you could do more while you are there. Apparently others thought the same thing. Several of us offered you alternatives to make better use of your time in port. I was speaking from person experience and that is what Cruise Critic is all about: experienced cruisers sharing their experience with people new to cruising or new to an itinerary.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[CruisingSince2012]

I realize that you are not interested in this option but FYI the rental car agency is at the pier not at the airport.

 

I am sorry that I misunderstood you. I thought that you wanted more time at Mendenhall so that you could do more while you are there. Apparently others thought the same thing. Several of us offered you alternatives to make better use of your time in port. I was speaking from person experience and that is what Cruise Critic is all about: experienced cruisers sharing their experience with people new to cruising or new to an itinerary.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

I did want more time at Mendenhall - and tried very hard to get it. Right now all I am trying to do is figure out how I should spend the little time I have because staying at Mendenhall longer is impossible.

[emeybee]

Equal the touring out? I never heard of that.

 

Listen, I already have this tour booked. I am only asking what I have time to do while on the tour, not how to get more time there. It seems nobody understood this because all I am getting are suggestions for making more time to be at the glacier. Let me repeat: The question is about how to spend time at Mendenhall, not how to have more time there.

 

I don't mean to be rude, but you seem to have made up your mind that you are going to be miserable, so I'm not sure what anyone here could say to change that. The time the tour allows in Mendenhall isn't enough, period. So your options are to either change your plans to allow more time, or make peace with the limited time you'll have.

 

There have been plenty of helpful, realistic suggestions given for the former, and you have dismissed all of them out of hand. Tours can be cancelled/changed. Travel mates can be persuaded. If your mom insists on the tour then, I would say, "good, they'll take care of you, have fun" and then take the shuttle to Mendenhall on my own. In fact, that's basically what I'm doing when I travel with my mom and a family friend to Juneau in August. The tour would pretty much hold her hand for the entire day, so I don't understand why you dismissed the idea of splitting up so emphatically. I guess if she has some sort of physical limitations and absolutely can't tour on her own, then I'd sit down with her and explain all the pros and cons of the rental car vs shuttle vs tour.

 

Regardless, going along with her plans when you're obviously bitter about it isn't going to do either of you any good. I don't understand why anyone would go into a trip with that as their plan. It's just setting yourself up to be miserable.

[Langley Cruisers]

Listen, I already have this tour booked. I am only asking what I have time to do while on the tour, not how to get more time there. It seems nobody understood this because all I am getting are suggestions for making more time to be at the glacier. Let me repeat: The question is about how to spend time at Mendenhall, not how to have more time there.

 

Wow. OK. I feel sorry that you have chosen to be so rude to those people who genuinely misunderstood your question, and for all of them who tried to help you. Maybe you could just calm down a little and take a deep breath. OK? Please?

.

[Budget Queen]

How would Mom get the car? With the late hours in port, there is no time to get a car from the airport.

 

Avis- is WALKABLE from 3 cruise docks. IF you are at the AJ dock, Juneau Car rental it located near there.

[Budget Queen]

I did want more time at Mendenhall - and tried very hard to get it. Right now all I am trying to do is figure out how I should spend the little time I have because staying at Mendenhall longer is impossible.

 

You have been given all the information. Since you claim it's "impossible", I'm done at suggesting ways for you to better use your time. You've been given accurate information by some very expert Alaska visitors.

 

Your frustration is alarming. Not sure, but you may be a minor and certainly have much more to deal with personally.

Edited July 26, 2015 by Budget Queen

[CruisingSince2012]

What's going on here is people don't understand where I am coming from. I am only asking for advice on how to spend the little time I have at Mendenhall that is based on my situation. All of the advice certainly would be good if what if was asking for was how to have more time available but that has nothing to do with it. I am not shooting down any advice to be rude, just telling people that they are answering the wrong question. Does that make sense?

 

If people are unable to understand stuff like this, I can't talk about ports of call. Is that what you want?

[Budget Queen]

Despite reading many complaints that 75 minutes is not nearly enough time for the Mendenhall Glacier on ship tours, I will do just that in Juneau. Unfortunately there is no other way to also see both the salmon hatchery and Glacier Gardens because of the late hours in port. So what I want to know is how much we have time to do during the short Mendenhall stop?

 

This is what we want to do:

 

Photo Point Trail

Steep Creek Trail

Visitor Center exhibits, movie, and gift shop

 

Obviously there is not time for all of that so something must be deleted. We are huge natural history buffs and don't want to feel rushed at the visitor center but also are looking forward to hiking there.

 

Skip Steep Creek Trail, UNLESS, you have reports of bear sightings. Flip a coin for what you do first of the other two.

[CruisingSince2012]

Skip Steep Creek Trail, UNLESS, you have reports of bear sightings. Flip a coin for what you do first of the other two.

 

I would love to see a bear on Photo Point Trail.

[orca lover]

Can bears be seen on all of the trails, or is one better than the others?

[Budget Queen]

Can bears be seen on all of the trails, or is one better than the others?

 

Pure chance, yes they "can" be seen anywhere. But- Steep Creek has a slight edge since, it's by a "creek", and if salmon running.

 

It's not a zoo, and there is a LOT of cover there that a bear could be feet away and hidden.

[orca lover]

Thank you for all of the useful information. Sounds like I need to add Steep Creek to the Nugget Falls trail. I would love to see a bear catching fish!

[mek]

This will be our 3rd attempt at Tracy Arm. I hope we get to Sawyer Glacier this time. There was too much ice before.

 

It looks like we were really lucky last year when we sailed into Tracy Arm - the glacier isn't huge, but the trip in and out is beautiful. I didn't realize at the time that so many cruises can't make into the area. ( We were late in the seaon, so I guess that is what made it possible.)

Edited July 26, 2015 by mek

[Langley Cruisers]

It looks like we were really lucky last year when we sailed into Tracy Arm - the glacier isn't huge, but the trip in and out is beautiful. I didn't realize at the time that so many cruises can't make into the area. ( We were late in the seaon, so I guess that is what made it possible.)

 

You know what - I'll counter that (with no offense intended!) and say that on Solstice this past May, first Alaskan cruise of the season, we got pretty much all the way in. You're right, the scenery is phenomenal. It was absolutely peaceful and quiet... just glorious. :)

[CruisingSince2012]

You know what - I'll counter that (with no offense intended!) and say that on Solstice this past May, first Alaskan cruise of the season, we got pretty much all the way in. You're right, the scenery is phenomenal. It was absolutely peaceful and quiet... just glorious.

 

Several people told me the Volendam's half hour anchorage is to let passengers transfer to catamarans because the fjord is too small for cruise ships to enter it. I can't imagine why the season would affect whether the ship is able to get to it or not.

Edited July 27, 2015 by CruisingSince2012

[Langley Cruisers]

I can't imagine why the season would affect whether the ship is able to get to it or not.

 

The number of icebergs in the water is the factor.

[Budget Queen]

The number of icebergs in the water is the factor.

 

Not the major reason- which is time. I have personally, been way up to glaciers- with packed ice all around the boat. This is a feature of the Columbia Glacier, which you don't go there for the "glacier", you go there to travel among the ice burgs, which are significantly larger- multi story building size, compared to the small stuff on the inside passage.

 

There is a certain time, that the cruise ships are on, with their fixed schedules. They sail half way, then come on the announcements- "too much ice", safety, etc" which are readily accepted. But NOT the reason they are turning back- their time ran out.

[Budget Queen]

I would love to see a bear on Photo Point Trail.

 

Bears are not on Photo Point trail, this is a dead end open, continuously loaded with people trail. IF a bear is there, this trail will be closed, since you would be blocking one exit for the bear, and too much risk to people.

[Budget Queen]

Several people told me the Volendam's half hour anchorage is to let passengers transfer to catamarans because the fjord is too small for cruise ships to enter it. I can't imagine why the season would affect whether the ship is able to get to it or not.

 

This is HAL's specific schedule. MANY other cruise ships enter and sail Tracy Arm, usually at least to Sawyer Island. You do not have any glacier view until this point.

 

Sailing though ice, DOES slow a cruise ship down. They already are on very tight fixed schedules, so some ships will divert to the "next door" Endicott Arm, since the glacier is easily seen.

[orca lover]

Just curious. We are doing 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier during the land portion. We are not doing Tracy Arm because we are doing whale watching instead. We are also missing Glacier Bay. How does 26 Glacier Cruise compare to Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm? Starting my 2nd cruise itinerary in the future.