Tracy Arm Inlet

[buelah111]

I'm hoping someone can assist me with a HAL specific Alaska question. We are booked on the May 17 Inside Passage sailing out of Vancouver and I see Tracy Arm Inlet listed on the itinerary the morning before the ship arrives at Juneau. We would really like to go on the Tracy Arm small boat excursion that I believe this service call is usually for, but it is not listed on shore excursions for our sailing yet. I saw on another thread that it has started appearing as an option to book for at least some 2017 sailings, so I'm beginning to become worried that our cruise is too early in the season for that excursion. If that is the case, however, I'm not sure why the inlet stop would be included on the itinerary.

 

Life goes on and we'll have a wonderful trip regardless of whether we get to go on this particular excursion or not. I'm just trying to figure out whether I should be checking everyday so I can book as soon as the excursion is listed or if I should turn my focus to finding alternative options for Juneau. If anyone has any insight, I would appreciate it!!

 

Thanks!

Stacy

[xlxo]

In theory.... if the 31 mile Tracy Arm is ice congested..... nearby Endicott Arm is substituted.

 

2016 was very bad for ice congestion in Tracy Arm. Large ships could not enter until late August. Not sure when small boat excursions started.

[freestyling]

HAL does this excursion out of Juneau. There may still be too much ice further up the inlet to offer this excursion. The ship itinerary will always show Tracy Arm Inlet as a "cruising" period. It will just not be able to cruise up the inlet as far. We look forward to taking the first cruise of the season of this 7 day itinerary in April of next year!

[RuthC]

HAL does this excursion out of Juneau. There may still be too much ice further up the inlet to offer this excursion. The ship itinerary will always show Tracy Arm Inlet as a "cruising" period.

That is true for some ships on some of the itineraries. Other ships have a different itinerary where there is a brief stop at Tracy Arm, passengers transfer to a catamaran, and the ship continues on to Juneau. The catamaran sails Tracy Arm, if possible all the way to at least one of the glaciers.

The catamaran then returns the passengers to the ship, docked in Juneau mid-afternoon.

 

So, the question is will this excursion run in early May. It's probably too early in the season for the catamaran to get up the fjord. However, just in case I would keep checking the excursion offerings, but not so often. It's unlikely to be sold out (if offered) in a day or two.

[freestyling]

Thanks for the additional info. I did not realise this! Good to know for future Alaskan cruises.

[xlxo]

Other ships have a different itinerary where there is a brief stop at Tracy Arm, passengers transfer to a catamaran, and the ship continues on to Juneau. The catamaran sails Tracy Arm, if possible all the way to at least one of the glaciers.

The catamaran then returns the passengers to the ship, docked in Juneau mid-afternoon.

Some of the HAL ships offer this mid-ocean transfer. If your sailing mentions Tracy Arm in the morning and Juneau in the afternoon. Seek out this excursion! It's a definite sell-out before the ship leaves Vancouver.

 

Tracy Arm from Juneau means retracing 50 miles of water from Juneau to the mouth of Tracy Arm to begin the 31 miles to seek out Sawyer. Starting your journey mid-ocean from your ship saves you hours and gives you more Juneau port time.

 

To ensure the ship gets to Juneau for the afternoon.... you are admiring Tracy Arm from the distance.... never entering the 31 mile arm. The Tracy Arm excursion will allow you to double your glacier viewing experience.

 

@buelah111: What ship and sailing date are you on?

Edited November 16, 2016 by xlxo

[mskaufman]

We were on a HAL sailing with T.A. in the morning and Juneau in the afternoon. We hung around in T.A. for a couple of hours but did not go very far in. People did transfer to the small boat excursion. What made it frustrating was that we saw a Celebrity ship sailing out so am guessing that ice wasn't the issue.

[buelah111]

We are on the Volendam leaving Vancouver May 17. I'm clear the itinerary is not sailing up the fjord, but is showing the 30 minute service call that normally drops passengers off for the excursion (with a later Juneau arrival time of 1pm if I remember correctly). I'm hopeful that means they'll still be adding the excursion to the website at some point, but with it still being May I'm not as confident as I would be with a later sailing. I'd be content with wherever the small ship ended-up going (Tracy Arm or Endicott).

 

Thank you all for your quick replies!

Edited November 16, 2016 by buelah111

[Heartgrove]

We were on the May 28 Niew Amsterdam cruise of this year. The service call for Tracy Arm Inlet was in early morning being met by the St. Nicholas catamaran.

 

Edited November 16, 2016 by Heartgrove

[VennDiagram]

We are on the Volendam leaving Vancouver May 17. I'm clear the itinerary is not sailing up the fjord, but is showing the 30 minute service call that normally drops passengers off for the excursion (with a later Juneau arrival time of 1pm if I remember correctly). I'm hopeful that means they'll still be adding the excursion to the website at some point, but with it still being May I'm not as confident as I would be with a later sailing. I'd be content with wherever the small ship ended-up going (Tracy Arm or Endicott).

 

Thank you all for your quick replies!

 

I think it is Allen Marine that is the operator for this. You might want to contact Allen Marine and see if they have any information about when the plan is for them to start running it next year.

[VennDiagram]

..... The Tracy Arm excursion will allow you to double your glacier viewing experience.

 

....

 

Even taking the small boat excursion is no guarantee that passengers will see the glacier. Ice conditions vary day by day, hour by hour, throughout the season. We have seen the excursion boat forced to turn back because of ice, and miss glacier viewing.

[xlxo]

Here's details on the Tracy Arm excursion from the ship.... http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/ExcursionDetails.action?excursionCode=100030935

[xlxo]

Even taking the small boat excursion is no guarantee that passengers will see the glacier. Ice conditions vary day by day.

Very true.... however the small boat goes much deeper into Tracy Arm than the cruise ship that is rushing to Juneau for the afternoon.

[Sequim88]

Interesting tour description. I was wondering about wheelchair access but that answered that. I suspect due to steps down to catamaran deck. Fortunately my wife can walk a bit and do some steps. Even more curious the requirement to bring passport.

 

Aside from glaciers and float ice how does the scenery in T.A. compare to Misty Fjords?

[Heartgrove]

Interesting tour description. I was wondering about wheelchair access but that answered that. I suspect due to steps down to catamaran deck. Fortunately my wife can walk a bit and do some steps. Even more curious the requirement to bring passport.

 

Aside from glaciers and float ice how does the scenery in T.A. compare to Misty Fjords?

 

The reason that you will need your passport is, if you embarked from Vancouver, you are re-entering the USA and need to go through Immigration. The excursion boat will disembark the excursion on the opposite side of the ship from the pier. You walk through the ship to be cleared by the Immigration officers.

[RuthC]

The reason that you will need your passport is, if you embarked from Vancouver, you are re-entering the USA and need to go through Immigration.

:confused: But you have already cleared US Immigration in the Vancouver terminal, so that doesn't make sense.

Also, upon return to the ship, you re-board from the catamaran, and don't have to clear any Immigration there, either.

 

I have never understood the need to bring my passport on that excursion. You are back in the US when you leave the ship, there are no stops on the catamaran, as far as I can tell you don't leave the US and re-enter while on the water, and if there were some sort of emergency, you wouldn't leave the US to tend to it.

I wasn't able to get any lucid answer when I pressed the question, either.

 

But I did have my passport with me, as required. It never left my pocket until I put it back in the safe.

[Heartgrove]

:confused: But you have already cleared US Immigration in the Vancouver terminal, so that doesn't make sense.

Also, upon return to the ship, you re-board from the catamaran, and don't have to clear any Immigration there, either.

 

.

 

I just checked my notes and the "On Location" for that day. The passports were required to be shown disembarking in Juneau. That is why the excursion passengers need to disembark from the ship, not the excursion boat. Perhaps regulations in effect for 2016.

[RuthC]

The passports were required to be shown disembarking in Juneau. That is why the excursion passengers need to disembark from the ship, not the excursion boat.

Which does not explain why the passport was required on the excursion.

 

When I took this excursion there was no request for the passport. It also was not needed when disembarking in Juneau (or any other Alaska port).

The reason why the passport is required for the excursion remains a mystery for which no satisfactory answer has ever been presented.

[Heartgrove]

Which does not explain why the passport was required on the excursion.

 

Maybe it is as simple to save the excursion passengers the time to go back to their cabin, or in case something occurs in transit, etc., so that they are in possession of their documents. There must be some valid reason for it. Here is the St. Nicholas returning the passengers to the Niew Amsterdam. They are not dropped off on the pier.

 

[Italy52]

We are taking the Tracy Arm excursion that off loads from the ship and drops us off in Juneau. I can't find anything that says we need our passports.

[RuthC]

There must be some valid reason for it.

Having spent decades working under government regulations, I don't know that to be true. Often we had regulations for the sake of having a regulation. :rolleyes:

 

If there is some "valid" reason, I just would like to know what it is, as I can't fathom what it could be. Your suggestion of saving me the trouble of returning to my cabin doesn't make sense as a regulation for everyone.

[RuthC]

We are taking the Tracy Arm excursion that off loads from the ship and drops us off in Juneau. I can't find anything that says we need our passports.

I suppose it's possible the requirement has been lifted. It's also possible you'll be notified once on the ship. I don't recall how/when I learned of the necessity to have my passport with me for the excursion; it's been a couple of years.

[Heartgrove]

We are taking the Tracy Arm excursion that off loads from the ship and drops us off in Juneau. I can't find anything that says we need our passports.

 

At the bottom, if this is your excursion.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/ExcursionDetails.action?excursionCode=100030935

[Heartgrove]

The use of the passport may be one way that Juneau verifies the head tax it imposes on each cruise passenger passing through. They collect a total of $8.00 per passenger.

[RuthC]

The use of the passport may be one way that Juneau verifies the head tax it imposes on each cruise passenger passing through. They collect a total of $8.00 per passenger.

So, the excursion passenger takes the passport out of the safe, and places it in the zippered jacket pocket. Then, the passenger boards the excursion boat, takes the tour, returns to the ship, and heads for the cabin. Next the passenger takes the passport out of the zippered jacket pocket and returns it to the safe.

And somehow that is the reason for the requirement that the passport go on the excursion. Because somehow that connects to collecting the head tax?

 

Ah, no. :rolleyes: