Glacier Bay National Park on Golden Princess Alaska cruise

[Wpooh1968]

We are staying on deck 14 and I see there is a viewing deck forward. Is that a good area to view GB? I'm guessing since we are there all day, people will tire and leave the decks after a while.Thanks

[idahospud]

We are staying on deck 14 and I see there is a viewing deck forward. Is that a good area to view GB? I'm guessing since we are there all day, people will tire and leave the decks after a while.Thanks

You'll find that all of the upper decks are crowded when the ship is near the glaciers and it clears out when away from the glaciers.

 

For those who mentioned Promenade Deck, it's is always less crowded and views of glacier calving are great. Here are some photos I took last week of the Margerie Glacier from the Promenade Deck on the Golden.

Edited June 2, 2018 by idahospud

[ggprincess2004]

I have to agree with those recommend Promenade Deck, and don't forget it wraps completely aft, so you can view unimpeded from the back of the ship, climb the stairs to the bow on Deck 8, duck inside to quickly warm up, and easily walk inside to the other side of the ship as the captain turns the ship. On some cruises, it has been a pretty lively place, on others a hidden gem that was not at all crowded. Santuary is not a good value on Glacier Bay day IMHO. The open deck area above the bridge is great, too, if it is unlocked and the weather is good.

Do NOT count on people tiring out and leaving the decks at the day wears on, nope. And do take along some excellect binoculars, my rule is one pair for each person in your group.

[donaldsc]

Some people opt for the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast on Glacier Bay day - huge full breakfast spread with half bottle if champagne to enjoy while taking in the scenery on arrival.. Lovely start to an amazing day. Assuming you have a balcony...

 

What happens if you are sitting on your balcony eating breakfast and there are really good views or maybe even whales on the other side of the ship?

 

DON

[moki'smommy]

What happens if you are sitting on your balcony eating breakfast and there are really good views or maybe even whales on the other side of the ship?

 

DON

You don't know about them because you aren't looking there.

[Coral]

You don't know about them because you aren't looking there.

 

Yep - you are eating cold eggs. Yuk.

[Wpooh1968]

We decided to go with an inside cabin because we don't spend much time there and would prefer to linger on random outside space. Balcony in the Caribbean is a must for me, but not Alaska.

[Steelers0854]

We decided to go with an inside cabin because we don't spend much time there and would prefer to linger on random outside space. Balcony in the Caribbean is a must for me, but not Alaska.

 

 

 

We actually very much enjoyed our balcony on our Alaska cruise. Sometimes the public spaces can get so crowded it was nice to have a space all our own we didn’t have to fight anyone for. Yes, you are limited to only seeing stuff on your side of the ship, but it was great to have the option and we will definitely book it again in our next Alaska cruise.

[Wpooh1968]

You'll find that all of the upper decks are crowded when the ship is near the glaciers and it clears out when away from the glaciers.

 

For those who mentioned Promenade Deck, it's is always less crowded and views of glacier calving are great. Here are some photos I took last week of the Margerie Glacier from the Promenade Deck on the Golden.

 

Thank you for the photos. Off subject, I noticed the laundry...we are two adults, can the washer/dryer accommodate 8 pair of jeans in one wash?

[RDC1]

Thanks so much for your reply! Will note the promenade deck, and definitely will be moving around. The glacier bay day on my itinerary says from 9:15am - 7:30pm. Will wanna see if I can spot some whales early in the morning. What time do you recommend I should be outside for? An hour or two before 9:15?

 

 

Prior to the actual entry into the bay. The area around the entrance is a prime whale area. So I would say 7 or 8.

[JP-Cruise]

Prior to the actual entry into the bay. The area around the entrance is a prime whale area. So I would say 7 or 8.

 

Thanks so much! I’ll probably Be up at like 5am because I’ll be so excited! :D

[GREGS1GIRL]

Thanks coral and to everyone for the wealth of information! This will be my second Alaska trip. Last year I did not see glacier bay but saw Tracy arm Fjord and Hubbard. This time I’ll be seeing Hubbard again. I can’t remeber if it’s the day after or before glacier bay but so excited!

 

What is aft view?

Hi! You have returned from your cruise and I wondered what you could share with us trying to plan our Alaskan cruise?

 

Thoughts on the different Glacier experiences- Glacier NP, Hubbard, Tracy Arm. Having seen them all which are must on itineraries in your opinion?

 

And what are your thoughts on the Golden?

 

Thanks!

[JP-Cruise]

Hi! You have returned from your cruise and I wondered what you could share with us trying to plan our Alaskan cruise?

 

Thoughts on the different Glacier experiences- Glacier NP, Hubbard, Tracy Arm. Having seen them all which are must on itineraries in your opinion?

 

And what are your thoughts on the Golden?

 

Thanks!

 

Hi there! I would be more than happy to share my experience with you and give you VITAL Pointers for you to get the most out of this experience :)

 

So in short, having seen GB, Hubbard and Tracy Arm. glacier bay turned out to be the most life changing, spectacular experience and day out of the whole entire cruise. Yes I loved Tracy Arm, going through the fjords, seeing the cascading waterfalls was very beautiful, and I cherished that moment. But in my opinion, that day just doesn’t even compare to Glacier Bay. There is a ton more wildlife in GB, whales, seals, tons of sea birds etc. In Tracy Arm there are no whales. In GB you go by the same beautiful cascading waterfalls, beautiful cliffs, as well as seeing spectacular landscapes that look like heaven! I swear that’s how I felt like. I was in a heavenly paradise, it was almost otherworldly at places. What makes GB also unique is the morning of, the rangers climb aboard the cruise ship which is super cool. In the morning they give a presentation on the route the cruise will go through as well as other amazing info. This takes place in the main theatre. THIS IS NOT TO BE MISSED. I was deeply moved by this presentation because the ranger was so passionate about the park( you can feel her enthusiasm, excitement and passion. Another suggestion I highly highly recommend going up on deck in the morning, about 8am to spot whales. I dunno if I just got lucky but I woke up early at 6am (yes i was just way too excited for this day as I was looking forward to it for a long time) has breakfast. Went out on deck at around 8am. And I saw a pod of 12 Orcas!! Right after I spotted them immediately after the captain made an announcement there is a pod of orcas at the front of the ship. And of course if you’re inside on a different level by the time you get up on deck they’re gone. It was truly a mesmerizing sight. This is why I highly recommend spending the time being patient just looking out there

 

The golden princess. It was the most beautiful ship I’ve been on so far out of all the ships I’ve been on. With regards to Hubbard glacier. Choose an itinerary that offer both glacier bay and Hubbard glacier. I think a lot of itineraries offer both.

 

Anyone else feel free to add to my comments and suggestions:)

[Coral]

 

The golden princess. It was the most beautiful ship I’ve been on so far out of all the ships I’ve been on. With regards to Hubbard glacier. Choose an itinerary that offer both glacier bay and Hubbard glacier. I think a lot of itineraries offer both.

 

Anyone else feel free to add to my comments and suggestions:)

 

I think for a first cruise - these combination glacier days are the best. Glacier Bay is never missed and if you can also see Hubbard Glacier - it is icing on the cake! Save Tracy Arm on a cruise for a later time if you return. If you have time to do Tracy Arm on a small boat from Juneau - it is amazing from the small boat but the SB trips don't have enough time for that now.

[moki'smommy]

We did our second Alaska cruise in August 2018 on the Golden. Glacier Bay was definitely the best (our first cruise didn't do this). You'll want to be free to move around. One of the rangers will narrate what is happening and point out wildlife. The views are amazing. Skip the Sanctuary--waste of money and better views elsewhere. We liked the open decks. You'll be there for about 6 hours...so you will move around the ship. We actually did a B2B. On the first leg, there was a huge line for the Ranger set up area, so I skipped it. Second leg, no line at all. It was worth feeling the pelts, etc.

[Wpooh1968]

Thanks so much! I’ll probably Be up at like 5am because I’ll be so excited! :D

 

Just to give you guidance, I was out on deck at 515am and immediately started seeing otters as we neared the entrance. I did not see whales at all in the Bay. Saw many otters, seals and pups. We sailed mid August.

[JP-Cruise]

Just to give you guidance, I was out on deck at 515am and immediately started seeing otters as we neared the entrance. I did not see whales at all in the Bay. Saw many otters, seals and pups. We sailed mid August.

 

I’m sorry to hear you didn’t see whales at all in the bay. That’s your excuse to go back again ;). I saw a pod of orcas near the entrance. And humpback whale in the bay. You have to keep in mind that this is wildlife, you can’t predict where a whale will be at any given time. It’s just being at the right place place at the right time. You can’t predict what you will see on any wildlife tour. It’s a lot like going to the casino lol. I think this is one of the reasons why people keep going back to Alaska. The landscapes and wildlife keep calling people back :).

 

Like John Miur the famous naturalist said “the mountains are calling, and I must go” :)

[Kartgv]

We were just on the Golden in Glacier Bay in mid-September and did not see any whales or other wildlife. It was still a gorgeous, not-to-be missed experience. The most amazing, and devastating, part of the day was comparing what the glacier looks like now compared to our last visit in 2005 - it's barely half the size it was then, and the 'icebergs' floating in the bay were tiny compared to what we saw then. If you want to see glaciers, go soon!

 

We did see plenty of whales on a tour in Juneau - a beautiful day with a half-full tour boat and lots of close-up encounters.

[JP-Cruise]

We were just on the Golden in Glacier Bay in mid-September and did not see any whales or other wildlife. It was still a gorgeous, not-to-be missed experience. The most amazing, and devastating, part of the day was comparing what the glacier looks like now compared to our last visit in 2005 - it's barely half the size it was then, and the 'icebergs' floating in the bay were tiny compared to what we saw then. If you want to see glaciers, go soon!

 

We did see plenty of whales on a tour in Juneau - a beautiful day with a half-full tour boat and lots of close-up encounters.[/quote

 

Excellent advice! Agree with 100%

[Katies12]

We were on the Golden, the first week of September.

In Glacier Bay, we saw two pods of Orca’s, a breaching humpback whale (I think he was showing off). Also saw lots of otters, Stellar sea lions and two puffins! It was the most beautiful day without a cloud in the sky and sailing on sea glass. It was awesome!

 

 

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[Wpooh1968]

Oh, we saw plenty of whales, even off the bow of our ship, during the trip. And when I saw the grizzly bears in Denali, I cried. I did love Alaska like no other place we have travelled and will make it back one day.