Starboard side at Glacier Bay...?

[lianaks]

I am sailing Northbound from Vancouver to Whittier (July 31), my mini-suite is on Starboard side. I am planned to do the Ultimate Breakfast on the balcony at Glacier bay around 8 am. I just read on the past posts that when entering the Glacier bay all the good views are on the Port side, eventually the ship will turn around but not until much later.

 

My questions are,

1. In the morning when entering the Glacier for breakfast on my balcony what will I see on the Starboard side?

 

2. If the Port side only has the Glacier views should I go up on the deck to view the Glacier first and when the ship turn around then spend more time on my balcony?

 

Thank you.

 

Lianaks.

[Budget Queen]

Correct, all glacier views are on the port side, with the commentary. What is your Glacier Bay timing??? If it's 6am- then you will not be at the "glacier areas" most likely by 8am. But I would suggest a 7:30am breakfast perhaps, if the breakfast is that important to you??? Your viewing on the starboard side will be trees.

 

I do suggest you do spend the time after your breakfast up on a forward facing deck. This is the best viewing. :) Then as you already suggest, head back to your cabin after leaving Margerie. IF they turn down toward the Hopkins, get back outside as the views are port again.

[alaswhales]

Yes, we had a balcony on the starboard side last month. We stayed on our balcony the entire time and watched. I think I enjoyed staying there and waiting in anticipation of seeing the glaciers when the ship was turned. I was also keeping my boyfriend company, since he woke up sick. At that time, we had no idea that he had the norovirus!!! We got to see the glaciers for quite a while and I can't give an exact time, but I know that the time on the camcorder while watching a huge piece calf off of Margerie was 10:36am. So, it depends what you want. For more viewing time, I would offer to go to a deck and hang out watching and then if you would like more privacy or better non-crowded viewing, return to your cabin when it starts to turn around. I am sure that we missed some good views staying there, but depends on what you would like to do. Sorry, probably not too much help.:o

[fti]

I too think that being out on deck is best. You can move from one side of the ship to the other with ease. And on the Diamond Princess there really were not that many people on the deck that we were on (promenade). We were outside even though we had a minisuite with balcony.

 

It ends up being a matter of personal preference. Note that the commentary going into Glacier Bay is much more exhaustive than when heading out of Glacier Bay.

[lianaks]

My ship will entering the Glacier Bay around 6 am and leave around 3 pm. At which point the commentary start? And at approximate time the ship turn around?

 

How about College Fjord? My ship schedule to arrive 5:30 pm, should I skip my dinner traditional seating at 6:00 pm or I still have time to view after dinner if I finish around 7 pm?

 

Liana.

[Budget Queen]

My ship will entering the Glacier Bay around 6 am and leave around 3 pm. At which point the commentary start? And at approximate time the ship turn around?

 

How about College Fjord? My ship schedule to arrive 5:30 pm, should I skip my dinner traditional seating at 6:00 pm or I still have time to view after dinner if I finish around 7 pm?

 

Liana.

 

 

The commentary starts by 7am, but if you want some good viewing of humpbacks, be up at dawn and out on an open front deck. The ship is essentially stalling in Icy Strait awaiting entrance so you get great extended whale viewing. You generally are at the Grand Pacific glacier about 10-11am with about 45- 1 hour there, then a stop at Reid, Hopkins Inlet, if you didn't stop there on the way in.

 

I already responded to your College Fjords question, but you have to decide- food or glacier. My opinion only, skip the dining. This is several hours of fantastic scenery, well before your College Fjords time and through dusk after. It all depends on your priority??? I also mentioned, you will NOT be out of the dining room at 7pm with a 6pm start. Lucky if it's 7:30pm. Only you can decide is an hour is enough for you???

[lianaks]

Thank you Budge Queen.

 

With your answer for College Fjord we will make reservation for later dinning at the specialty restuarant. I do want to view all the scenery.

 

Since I am on Starboard side going North (Vancouver - Whittier) which day would be a good day to enjoy the Ultimate Breakfast Balcony with any views? Since the Glacier Bay start early and could take the whole day are there any other day that would be good day for the Ultimate Breakfast?

 

Liana.

[ibfern]

Hi Liana,

 

I am going to have the Breakfast the next day as we are sailing up to College Fjords, I know I won't enjoy during glacier Bay because I am on the wrong side, and I won't to be on deck.

 

Getting excited?

Amelia

[lianaks]

Hi, ibfern:

I am on Starbord side (right side of the ship facing front) which is not a good side for Glacier bay viewing, I think you are on the Port side which is a good side for view Glacier bay. Since I don't want to miss the Glacier and I am on the wrong side I might do the breakfast the next day like you suggest.

 

Liana.

[CabinForFour]

We had five balconies on starboard side for our May cruise. We went to the front of the ship for the best views when actually approaching the first glacier (Margerie for our ship) and snapped a few photos there. When the ship began to turn around, we went back down to our cabins and viewed the rest from there. We had room service bring lunch to eat on our balconies. Since the ship turned all the way around, I don't believe we missed anything from our starboard view. It was spectacular.

[lianaks]

What kind of views do you see when you return to your cabin before the ship tourn around?

 

Liana.

[Techie]

Okay, a sort of stupid question, but approximately what time would dawn be around Aug 24th?

[lianaks]

Hi Techie,

Check this website http://www.sunrisesunset.com/usa/Alaska.asp you can select the city in Alaska it will tell you the sunset and rise. I hope this will answer your question.

 

Liana.

[CabinForFour]

What kind of views do you see when you return to your cabin before the ship tourn around?

 

Liana.

 

We actually stayed on the upper deck that morning until the ship actually started turning, but the views opposite the glaciers were usually of very beautiful mountains. If you look at my photos from the trip ( http://theleslies.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?ap=&a=67b0de21b33ed1032586&pg=0 ), the first two were taken from our balcony as we sailed into Glacier Bay. As we ate breakfast in the main dining room, we could hear the park ranger talking about the area, and most of the points of interest that she talked about were on the starboard side (wouldn't you know that our table was on the port side!). Pictures 8-19 were taken from deck 13 at the bow of the ship, picture 22 was taken from deck 7 port side, and all the rest were taken from our balcony. At each glacier, we sailed in, sat for about 20-30 minutes, slowly turned the ship around, and sat for a while longer before sailing to a new location. At Marjerie Glacier (the first one), we saw calving from every location, as it happened quite frequently. Also, sailing in and out of each inlet offered an opportunity to see the mountains on both sides either as we went in or as we left. Hope this makes sense! I really don't think we missed a thing being on the starboard side rather than port.

[lianaks]

CabinForFour:

Thank you very much, your pictures are wonderful. Now I know what to expect from Starboard side views, it is very nice I love this kind of views and looking foward to it next week. :) Thank you! thank you! thank you!

 

Liana.

[mike2000]

If you are on a ship that is same class as the Diamond and it rains you will get wet on balcony unless you have a balcony on top 14 floor. If raining deck 7 is covered and views are good from there also.We had a balcony on deck 9 and rain was just to wet to stay on balcony.Got some great shots from deck 7. Mike

P.S. That was the only day it rained on our cruise.