Tracy Arm cruise vs Kenai Fjords cruise

[indiesmom]

We have the opportunity to do either the Tracy Arm cruise with Adventure Bound out of Juneau or the Kenai Fjords National Park cruise out of Seward. I need recommendations as to which one to do. I am assuming these two tours are very similar. If not, will you explain how they are different. Appreciate any input!

[Chat Noir]

Tracy Arm is more about scenic beauty and icebergs, my opinion, and Kenai Fjords is more about wildlife. Both give an opportunity to sit in the quiet and watch and listen to glacier's calving.

 

Aialik Glacier (KFNP) is a more beautiful glacier than either of the Sawyer Glaciers (TA) , my opinion, but the icebergs are not the dramatic blue found in Tracy Arm. I love sailing Tracy Arm. It is spectacular.

 

I also loved our KFNP tour. We saw orca's, many seals or sea lions, a black bear, and birds, birds, birds. It is more open water sailing, and I did get seasick, so take precautions if you're prone.

 

Personally, I really wouldn't recommend one over the other. They are both very worthwhile, very different, and the excursion costs are reasonable given what you'll experience. Especially if you like to get away from the ports and people and glimpse the Alaskan wilderness. If I had to recommend the top 2 excursions we've taken in 4 cruises, these would be my top picks.

[NWWanderer]

I would agree with the previous poster--both are great in their own ways and they are different.

 

But I particularly enjoyed the combination of wildlife viewing and scenery on the Kenai Fjords trip so if you HAVE to pick just one, that would be my choice.

[vbmom87]

We are all different. I went on the 9 hour Northwestern Fjords tour and also the Adventure Bound Tracy Arm tour. My DH and I both agree, that our preferred tour was the Adventure Bound to Tracy Arm Fjord. With the 9 hour Kenai Fjord tour we saw the Northwestern Glacier and it did not impress us at all. We got very close to the South Sawyer Glacier with Adventure Bound and saw some amazing calving.

 

We found Tracy Arm fjord to be surreal. I have a difficult time describing it. It was beautiful, peaceful and just so scenic. The large, floating, deep blue icebergs were amazing!!! This is the only place we saw anything like it. The Adventure Bound Tour and Glacier Bay were the two highlights of our 18 day cruise and land tour.

 

If we were to go back to Alaska, I could easily skip the Kenai Fjords tour, but would want to go back to Tracy Arm Fjord, if we had the time. Don't get me wrong, the Kenai Fjords tour was a great tour. It was just not our favorite. It is hard to say what your favorite would be.

[Chat Noir]

:) You have 3 answers... one vote for both, one for KFNP, one for TA.

 

Something to consider. Not many cruises offer time in port to take advantage of using Adventure Bound. That's an opportunity that I would use in a heartbeat. Then again, not all cruises will get you to Seward, especially not if you choose a round-trip cruise (if you return to Alaska), so you do have that advantage this year.

 

Having been to both, TA is one I would like to do again with Adventure Bound... I sailed it again via ship, it was spectacular, but still doesn't compare to the small boat experience. I doubt I'd go on the KFNP again, mainly because of my issue with motion sickness.

 

I still say both.

 

Have fun deciding!

[indiesmom]

Were you taking anything for seasickness when you got sick on the Kenai Fjords cruise? I had asked the cruise company and they indicated that seasickness shouldn't be a problem.

[Chat Noir]

Were you taking anything for seasickness when you got sick on the Kenai Fjords cruise? I had asked the cruise company and they indicated that seasickness shouldn't be a problem.

 

I honestly don't remember now. I didn't get horribly sick, but definitely queasy. One of my sons was pretty miserable, and another passenger near us was so sick she never sat up to even look out at anything the entire cruise. That said, the remainder of people in our group had no issues at all. Just the 2 of us out of 7, and many people thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

 

I don't know what company you're considering, but whoever indicated to you that seasickness shouldn't be a problem is just wrong....! :eek: If you're prone to it, this cruise has the potential (not that it will, but it does have the potential) to really turn a person green.

[springfire]

I called up and was going to take the Tracy Arm cruise with Adventure Bound Tours. My ship, Saphire Princess arrives at 8am and the tour leaves at 8am so we would not be able to make it. They advised they have another boat that will leave at 9am, but they advised they do not wait for cruise ship passengers. Has anyone had any experience with this. The trip seems great but I guess I am fearing my ship coming in late and missing the boat, also does anyone have any info on their other boat. Thanks

[vbmom87]

I called up and was going to take the Tracy Arm cruise with Adventure Bound Tours. My ship, Saphire Princess arrives at 8am and the tour leaves at 8am so we would not be able to make it. They advised they have another boat that will leave at 9am, but they advised they do not wait for cruise ship passengers. Has anyone had any experience with this. The trip seems great but I guess I am fearing my ship coming in late and missing the boat, also does anyone have any info on their other boat. Thanks

 

We went on the 9:00 am. tour last year and had a wonderful time. This excursion was our favorite in Alaska. As long as they will refund your money if you don't make it, go ahead and book it. If you are running a tad late, do call them. I think as long as you get t here by 9:00 they will wait. However, if everyone has boarded and it is before the scheduled departure, they will actually leave early.

[sportsmum]

We did the Kenai Fjord trip with Renown tours last June. It was the best excursion of the trip and we still talk about it. We saw lots of wild life, breaching whales, had Dahl's (sp) dolphins playing with our boat along the way. Incredible. The glacier we saw was active and we were the only ones there. Would do it again in a heartbeat. The people were great.

 

I usually get sick (violently) but took one Bonamine on this excursion and had a blast- I even had lunch onboard. I tried Bonamine at home first- took two, slept for 14 hours. Took one, it was fine. I have tried other medications but nothing has worked as well. Taking it along with me again this year but we aren't going as far as Seward this time.

[Chat Noir]

I called up and was going to take the Tracy Arm cruise with Adventure Bound Tours. My ship, Saphire Princess arrives at 8am and the tour leaves at 8am so we would not be able to make it. They advised they have another boat that will leave at 9am, but they advised they do not wait for cruise ship passengers. Has anyone had any experience with this. The trip seems great but I guess I am fearing my ship coming in late and missing the boat, also does anyone have any info on their other boat. Thanks

 

I would risk this booking as it is definitely worth trying to make. Going into Juneau, your ship should really have no reason to be late IF all circumstance are normal otherwise. Just be ready to disembark as soon as allowed. I have only sailed the 8am sailing, and this was before they purchased the competition's boat and began the 9am tours...again, it's a top favorite tour of ours.

[Budget Queen]

I have done both several times, they are very different. YOU need to determine what your priority is?? For me, it's wildlife, so it's Kenai Fjords for me. :)

[springfire]

We went on the 9:00 am. tour last year and had a wonderful time. This excursion was our favorite in Alaska. As long as they will refund your money if you don't make it, go ahead and book it. If you are running a tad late, do call them. I think as long as you get t here by 9:00 they will wait. However, if everyone has boarded and it is before the scheduled departure, they will actually leave early.

 

Thanks for the info, the family has decided to do the 9am trip.

[springfire]

I would risk this booking as it is definitely worth trying to make. Going into Juneau, your ship should really have no reason to be late IF all circumstance are normal otherwise. Just be ready to disembark as soon as allowed. I have only sailed the 8am sailing, and this was before they purchased the competition's boat and began the 9am tours...again, it's a top favorite tour of ours.

 

Thanks, I will do this trip!

[vbmom87]

Thanks for the info, the family has decided to do the 9am trip.

 

I am sure they already told you, but they want you at their office at 8:30 a.m. If it looks like you will later than that, make sure you call them to let them know you are on your way. Get down to the gangplank as soon as you can...and be off the ship quickly. From where we were docked with HAL, it was a quick ten to fifteen minute walk.

[springfire]

I am on the Sapphire Princess, we are scheduled to arrive at 8am. I hope to get off and go straight to my excursion. Hope everything works out, I surely don't want to stress about this. I will call them when I arrive on my cell so they know I am coming.

[Napi's Mom]

I have done both several times, they are very different. YOU need to determine what your priority is?? For me, it's wildlife, so it's Kenai Fjords for me. :)

When we did the Kenai Fjord tour we saw exactly 2 whales for a very short while, only the humps, about 20 sealions, 1 Mt. Goat+ Kid very high up... And a host of puffens, 2 eagles roosting. From what others have reported they've seen same (not puffins I admit) on the Tracy Arm plus bears onshore and Mt Goats upclose on shore. Not sure either is better than other...the one is a longer tour, & we've already done Kenai. I also am curious...with the whole world out ther why do so many of you on this forum...go back to Alaska all the time. We Rarely return anywhere.(Seen every continent but Antarctica) We don't like the Carib. too much and are taking 3 Grand-daughters to Bahamas for their sake, needed it cheap for just a few days. (NOT made out of money by any means) But otherwise we've been ther done that. This trip to Alaska is a repete but are trying to do all new things, and enjoy it thru my sisters eyes too. It was too good a deal to pass up!!

[Budget Queen]

When we did the Kenai Fjord tour we saw exactly 2 whales for a very short while' date=' only the humps, about 20 sealions, 1 Mt. Goat+ Kid very high up... And a host of puffens, 2 eagles roosting. From what others have reported they've seen same (not puffins I admit) on the Tracy Arm plus bears onshore and Mt Goats upclose on shore. Not sure either is better than other...the one is a longer tour, & we've already done Kenai. I also am curious...with the whole world out ther why do so [u']many[/u] of you on this forum...go back to Alaska all the time. We Rarely return anywhere.(Seen every continent but Antarctica) We don't like the Carib. too much and are taking 3 Grand-daughters to Bahamas for their sake, needed it cheap for just a few days. (NOT made out of money by any means) But otherwise we've been ther done that. This trip to Alaska is a repete but are trying to do all new things, and enjoy it thru my sisters eyes too. It was too good a deal to pass up!!

 

I have traveled Tracy Arm several times, bears are not a given, although did see one in Endicott Arm for 10 seconds last week. And I have seen bears on Kenai Fjords trips. Kenai Fjords is not a whale watch and what you saw was common. It's varied wildlife, which in my experience has always been more out of Kenai Fjords vs Tracy Arm.

 

I travel frequently to Alaska- because I can. :) I too, travel many other places. Will be a month in Europe this summer, already have been a week in New Orleans and NYC, 2 weeks in Austrailia/New Zealand, this year, going to Boston and NYC for a week end of June. Traveling 12 weeks/year.

[SoBaycruiser]

We did the Kenai trip just 2.5 weeks ago. The excursion was through the ship, but with Kenai Fjords Tours who is operating a 1 year old 85 foot catamaran which is much more stable than the old mono-hull boat. That said, we were there on a windy day and when we exited Resurrection Bay it was somewhat rough water until we got into the fjords. During that time, some people did get sick. I think this was unusual, but someone prone to motion sickness might want to not take a chance. We had a terrific day. BTW, the link is: http://www.kenaifjords.com/

We saw puffins, seals, and 3 bears on the way to Aialik Glacier. We were very lucky because of the wind, the floating ice (which is pretty thick in May) had blown off to one side letting us approach really close to the glacier. We sat their in the quiet watching the calving. The captain then took us to see two humpback whales followed by orcas. The latter was spectacular. At first there were about 6 whales in the pod. They were then joined by 7 more. The captain positioned the boat ahead of them (they aren't allowed to approach them more than 100 yds ) and they came to us! We could look over the sides of the boat and see them underwater as well as travelling by us. Unfortunately none breached but it was a spectacular day. The captain said these were resident pods so unless they've gone out to sea for a while, they usually can find them. Anyway, I've heard Tracy Arm is spectacular also and you can be more certain of calm waters. Sounds like you can't go wrong with either.

[Chat Noir]

I also am curious...with the whole world out ther why do so many of you on this forum...go back to Alaska all the time. We Rarely return anywhere.

Alaska is not the only place we travel. We try to take 3 trips a year... Alaska is only one. Alaska simply offers a wonderful place to cruise, and is a very relaxing 7 days for us... offering so much scenic beauty with both mountains and ocean. Personally, I have no interest in traveling overseas at the moment. We enjoy traveling North America and in a lifetime couldn't really see all there is to see here. Maybe when we retire we will look at overseas travel, until then, there are many places we've been in the USA/Canada that I could return to again and again, and never tire of...

 

Our Kenai Fjord trip provided us with wonderful bear viewing. A beautiful black bear was ambling up the hillside and the captain of the boat allowed us plenty of time to watch and photograph. We also saw many orcas. Maybe not the norm, I don't know as we've only been once. That said, I was mesmerized by the Tracy Arm icebergs. Maybe because wildlife can be seen so many places, including the 'Lower 48', but icebergs just aren't something seen everywhere you go.

[Jana White]

As always I seem to agree with Budget Queen, her and I are BIG Seward fans! I have only been on the Tracy Arm tour once, but I have been on the Kenai Fjords tour 4 times. My husband and I are more wildlife oriented also so I would always opt for the Kenai Fjords tour if I needed to choose. Though Kenai Fjords is not slated as a whale watch tour, on our tours we have seen many pods of orcas, several humpbacks, a minke and a fin whale along with the normal sightings of puffins, stellar sea lions, otters, and dahl porpoise. That is not always the case though, but each and every cruise has been spectacular with glacier calving included! We have been on the water when it was an absolutely calm tour and also when nearly everyone was sick. If you are prone to seasickness by all means take Bonamine, the Kenai Fjords Tour office sells it. That is not to take anything away from the Tracy Arm tour. The scenery and glacier activity on this tour is absolutely magnificent and I would take that tour again in a heartbeat.

 

We leave in less than 2 weeks for our 5th Alaskan cruise and we can hardly wait. We do not go to Seward (of which I am very sad about) or Tracy Arm this time, but we do go to Sitka, and that is also one port I am a big fan of.

 

Enjoy, which ever way you choose!

[Budget Queen]

but with Kenai Fjords Tours who is operating a 1 year old 85 foot catamaran which is much more stable than the old mono-hull boat. That said, we were there on a windy day and when we exited Resurrection Bay it was somewhat rough water until we got into the fjords. During that time, some people did get sick. I think this was unusual, but someone prone to motion sickness might want to not take a chance. We had a terrific day.

.

 

No, this was not "unusual". It is common to have rough sailing on every Kenai Fjords boat tour. I've seen sick passengers every trip. I always recommend prevention, if prone.