Anyone do the Hubbard Glacier excursion?

[f1jon]

We just got off the Amsterdam 14-day Alaska Explorer cruise (Aug 12-26). We were curious what people thought of the Hubbard Glacier excursion. I felt our captain was plenty close to Hubbard this time (although there was not much calving that day) and wouldn't think the extra $130/person would be worth the expense. Maybe someone had a good experience on another cruise?

[CruiserBruce]

There is a huge discussion of this here:

 

 

[Loreto]

I saw the excursion boat when we were at the Hubbard Glacier on the Oosterdam in July.  Having done a similar excursion in the Tracy Arm I was interested.  Watching weather reports before we began the cruise, and during the cruise, the forecast was for foggy conditions with rain, so we didn't do it. it would have been $900 for the 3 of us.  Glacier viewing was ok (I have seen it under optimum conditions.)  I watched the excursion boat go beyond where the ship could go, which would have been fascinating, but it wasn't a great day.  I too would be interested to hear how it went.

Karen

[RuthC]

I took the excursion from the Maasdam on the June/July 21-day cruise, and thought it a fabulous addition to the offerings. 
Now, I have been to Hubbard Glacier several times over the years, so was ready for a change of viewpoint in the area. The transfer to the excursion boat (and later, back again) was very easy. The boat was spacious, comfortable, and had snacks available. There were indoor and outdoor viewing areas. 
Luckily, we had great weather that day. 

I thought we got a lot closer to the glacier than the ship did. We saw a few very small boats even closer---too close, I think. We saw the calving from a much lower level, and felt it differently than we would have from the ship. 

I am so glad I had the opportunity to take this excursion, and would do it again. 

[Italy52]

7 minutes ago, RuthC said:

I took the excursion from the Maasdam on the June/July 21-day cruise, and thought it a fabulous addition to the offerings. 
Now, I have been to Hubbard Glacier several times over the years, so was ready for a change of viewpoint in the area. The transfer to the excursion boat (and later, back again) was very easy. The boat was spacious, comfortable, and had snacks available. There were indoor and outdoor viewing areas. 
Luckily, we had great weather that day. 

I thought we got a lot closer to the glacier than the ship did. We saw a few very small boats even closer---too close, I think. We saw the calving from a much lower level, and felt it differently than we would have from the ship. 

I am so glad I had the opportunity to take this excursion, and would do it again. 

Ruth, thanks for the great perspective.  We were on the Royal Princess this June and had booked this same excursion.  Unfortunately, we were fogged out.  Like you, we have been to Hubbard numerous times and wanted a different experience.  I know this excursion can be easily dismissed due to cost.  For us, it like seeing a play on TV vs. seeing a play in person -- the thrill is in the experience.  We have booked the Hubbard excursion for next year in the hopes that it will be a "go."  Again, thanks again for your comments.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I did this excursion on Cunard in June. I don't know if it was considered full. There were a lot of people, but there was enough space so it didn't seem overcrowded. We were a bit jammed together at the rail, but we photographers were considerate about sharing space and I got lots of good pictures.

 

When I woke up in the morning to dense fog, I thought great, $130 to get a close look at fog. But it was just a fog bank at the entry to the channel, and the day turned out to be gorgeous. The ship got closer to the glacier than I expected, closer than on my previous cruise. So we didn't get a lot closer to the glacier than the ship did, but we were able to move along the face of it to be closer in more places. And, as Ruth said, it's a different viewpoint if you've seen it from the ship. 

 

Am I glad I did it? Yes, definitely. Would I do it again? Probably not. This was my second time to Hubbard, so if I get there again, I'll most likely be content to stay on the ship. 

 

[epanchenko]

Someone who did it from the Oosterdam I talked to last week thought it was a ripoff.  He said he paid $250 for it.

[Italy52]

2 hours ago, epanchenko said:

Someone who did it from the Oosterdam I talked to last week thought it was a ripoff.  He said he paid $250 for it.

Can you expand on why he thought it was a ripoff?  Making a blanket statement does not give us any cause for understanding why he didn't like the excursion.

[epanchenko]

I believe he said he didn’t think it went close enough to justify the extra expense.

[Italy52]

Just now, epanchenko said:

I believe he said he didn’t think it went close enough to justify the extra expense.

Thanks.  I wonder what his expectations were.  Oh well, everyone has their reasons for liking or disliking an excursions.  I am sure some people would not agree with the money we spend on our excursions just as I don't agree with some of the money others spend on their excursions.  Whatever makes one happy and enhances their experiences works for me.

[panoramaofthepast]

We did this type of excursion on Princess and consider it one of the best excursions we have ever done. Not only did we get closer to the glacier, but also to other inlets along the way; lots of wild life was evident - we thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Italy52]

I see a lot of comments for the Hubbard excursion on this thread.  If you haven't already done so please take a moment and go to the Alaska board and incorporate your comments on your experience.  I know other cruisers would love to hear your thoughts and your contribution helps keep all the comments in one reference area.  I have provided the link below for your convenience.  Thanks so much for taking the time to help other cruisers out.

 

 

[davis0056]

We did this tour off the millennium two weeks ago.  The glacier was calving everywhere we looked.  It was one of the highlights of our cruise.  We’d do it again in a heartbeat.  Worth every penny.  It gets you sooo close.  

[Emu2302]

The HAL website does not give this excursion option for our Hubbard Glacier day. Was it something only offered onboard? I'm sailing Oosterdam 9/22 - perhaps too late in the season for them to offer it?

[RuthC]

12 hours ago, Emu2302 said:

The HAL website does not give this excursion option for our Hubbard Glacier day. Was it something only offered onboard? I'm sailing Oosterdam 9/22 - perhaps too late in the season for them to offer it?

I booked it on-line well before the cruise. You may be right that it has something to do with the lateness of your cruise. 

[VermeulT]

I have two choices for Hubbard Glacier...

Up-Close Exploring: Hubbard Glacier & Enchanting Disenchantment Bay ($259pp) and Excursions by Zodiac: Hubbard Glacier ($169pp)

Which is the one you guys are most talking about?

Can anyone clarify the difference?

 

There are two choices also for Tracy Arm...???

Edited September 2, 2019 by VermeulT

[RuthC]

I've done the catamaran tour at both Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm. 
I've never seen either place offer a tour by zodiak. It sounds neat, but I would have a terrible time trying to get in/out of one. 

[utahtea]

On 9/2/2019 at 8:43 AM, RuthC said:

I've done the catamaran tour at both Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm. 
I've never seen either place offer a tour by zodiak. It sounds neat, but I would have a terrible time trying to get in/out of one. 

 

I'm thinking of doing these two excursions on our upcoming Alaska trip on the Maasdam.  At Tracy Arm did you do both North & South Sawyer Glaciers?  Did the ship get close or stay back because they had the excursions?  Is this a Catamaran or just one of the ships tenders? 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Utahtea 

[RuthC]

13 minutes ago, utahtea said:

 

I'm thinking of doing these two excursions on our upcoming Alaska trip on the Maasdam.  At Tracy Arm did you do both North & South Sawyer Glaciers?  Did the ship get close or stay back because they had the excursions?  Is this a Catamaran or just one of the ships tenders? 

In both instances they are catamarans, not ship tenders. You transfer from the ship to the boat. 

At Tracy Arm I can't recall if we got to both glaciers, or just one; I do remember getting to North Sawyer Glacier; we got very close. The ship dropped us off at the entrance to Tracy Arm, then proceeded to Juneau. The catamaran brought us back to the ship, and we transferred directly back. 

At Hubbard Glacier we got a lot closer to the glacier than the ship did. Being on a small boat, we were able to feel the movement of the boat from calving a lot more than those on the ship would have. Since I've been to Hubbard Glacier several times, I am sure of this. 

[DaveOKC]

I think that the time of year impacts the "value" of taking the smaller boat excursion.  We were on the Amsterdam in mid-Sept and IMO got very close to the glacier (of course the excursion boat got closer).  To me it did not appear that the cost would have justified it.  However, I could see where earlier in the season it might, depending how close the excursion boat got versus the ship.

 

[utahtea]

On 1/6/2020 at 7:47 PM, RuthC said:

In both instances they are catamarans, not ship tenders. You transfer from the ship to the boat. 

At Tracy Arm I can't recall if we got to both glaciers, or just one; I do remember getting to North Sawyer Glacier; we got very close. The ship dropped us off at the entrance to Tracy Arm, then proceeded to Juneau. The catamaran brought us back to the ship, and we transferred directly back. 

At Hubbard Glacier we got a lot closer to the glacier than the ship did. Being on a small boat, we were able to feel the movement of the boat from calving a lot more than those on the ship would have. Since I've been to Hubbard Glacier several times, I am sure of this. 

 

Ruth,

 

Thank you for the quick response.  This really helps in my planning.  We will be on the 14 day Alaska cruise and we won't be going to Juneau or any other port on the same day as Tracy Arm so I think we will be loading and unloading at sea.  We've done two other of Holland America's 14 day Alaska cruise and we've gone either up to South Sawyer Glacier or Dawes Glacier when Tracy Arm was filled with ice.  Ship gets pretty close but I know the catamarans get even closer.  

 

 

Utahtea

[VintageGeo]

We visited Hubbard on the Oosterdam in June and decided against doing the excursion, based to some degree on the cost, which if memory serves was around $259/pp. We watched the excursion boat emerge from circling Haenke Island, and shortly after a very large calving event, estimated to be approximately the size of a 15 story building occurred directly in front of them. It was impressive from our vantage point, surely more so from theirs, and was only one of many calvings that day. Perhaps it would have been worth it...

 

Lori & George

 

 

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, utahtea said:

We will be on the 14 day Alaska cruise and we won't be going to Juneau or any other port on the same day as Tracy Arm so I think we will be loading and unloading at sea. 

I have done the 14-day Alaska cruise three times on HAL, and none of them have had the catamaran tour up Tracy Arm. In every case it was the ship itself that went up, and got as close as a large ship can get. 
I was on a different HAL Alaska cruise when the catamaran tour was offered. 

If I were you, I would check to be sure there is a tour offered for Tracy Arm before I made plans. 

[VennDiagram]

4 hours ago, utahtea said:

We will be on the 14 day Alaska cruise and we won't be going to Juneau or any other port on the same day as Tracy Arm so I think we will be loading and unloading at sea. 

 

The itinerary shows that as a full day of scenic cruising up Tracy Arm.  In my experience, as RuthC said, the catamaran up Tracy Arm isn't offered if the ship is cruising Tracy Arm.

[PSR]

We are on the Maasdam 14-day cruise in June 2020 and I just checked the Shorex and they do show a catamaran trip through Tracy Fjord that is boarded from the ship. As far as I can tell, that is in addition to the ship itself cruising the fjord. This appears to be something new. I also checked Ketchikan Shorex the day before and they don't offer the usual 6hr (?) catamaran trip to Tracy Fjord, which makes sense.