Alaska - Which Ship?

[Budget Queen]

I do apologize in advance for my "geographical ignorance" - Some of the Itins talk of TRACY"S ARM? What is this?

 

I am really leaning twds an aft. Are the balconies on the Caribe deck fully covered? They are the PS's across the back.

 

 

Just offering some tips. :) Tracy Arm is a 30 mile fjord that ends with the Twin Sawyers glaciers. It's not a given you will see the glaciers and almost never until after the first week of June. The best option is with NCL and their add on shore excursion.

[Bowlersbus]

OK, Alaska is very foreign to me. Caribbean I can tell you when, where why and what not to do. Alaska is like learning a new language. SO here are some more "dumb" questions.

 

Why would you not see the glaciers until later in June?

Aren't they always there? Is the middle to end of May a good time to go?

 

Thanks for all of you that are being soooo helpful and patient.

 

 

[Coral]

Why would you not see the glaciers until later in June?

Aren't they always there? Is the middle to end of May a good time to go?

 

At Tracy Arm - there is potential for lots of ice (especially in May) in the fjord that blocks the ships from getting close and/or in view of the glaciers. Tracy Arm is pretty curvy (with S and N Sawyer glaciers at the end) and unless you make it near the end - you won't see the glaciers.

 

Here is a good picture of Tracy Arm and the route the ships make:

 

http://www.explorenorth.com/articles/images/tracy_arm-aerial.html

 

The end of May would not be a good time to go to Tracy Arm. Most ships do not make it to the glaciers at the end of the route. End of May is a great time to go to see Hubbard and Glacier Bay.

[DougH]

Wow, great photo of Tracy Arm Coral! Where would you guess we got to on our excursion? My guess is the fork just right of 12 o'clock center, under the "without" on the top disclaimer.

 

Doug

[Coral]

Wow, great photo of Tracy Arm Coral! Where would you guess we got to on our excursion? My guess is the fork just right of 12 o'clock center, under the "without" on the top disclaimer.

 

Doug

 

I was wondering that same thing when looking at the map (thanks Yukon for the map). My uneducated guess would be under "is not" - I am not sure we made it past that curve but who knows. Sort of makes me want to fly to Juneau to repeat that excursion!

[DougH]

I'm pretty sure we made it past there, I've got some photos looking up what I think is the valley on the bottom side :)

 

I'd also love to do that excursion again

[Bowlersbus]

WOW - Coral thanks for the pic and advice.