Tracy Arm Viewing

[DisneyDream2B]

Any suggestions on an area to view the scenery at Tracy Arm? No small children in our group, but Grandpa needs to sit. We have a photographer in our group who will want to get photos. Any advice?
Thanks

 

[mmouse37]

Any suggestions on an area to view the scenery at Tracy Arm? No small children in our group, but Grandpa needs to sit. We have a photographer in our group who will want to get photos. Any advice?
Thanks

We found our best viewing was on Deck 4...didn't really matter which side as the ship turned during the viewing so you can see from either side. Plus, all you had to do was go through the doors, walk a few steps and come out the other side of the ship to see something on the other side. There are those comfy steamer chairs and they provide blankets so it was the perfect place for us. Goofy and Minnie made appearances on Deck and it was hardly crowded at all. We had a group of 12 adults and spent most of Tracy Arm Day on Deck 4 camped out near the doors for easy access to cross through the ship to the other side. Tracy Arm was just gorgeous!!! Got the best photos from that area. We were right up to the railing most of the time. Bring binoculars !

MJ

 

[comet1]

Any suggestions on an area to view the scenery at Tracy Arm? No small children in our group, but Grandpa needs to sit. We have a photographer in our group who will want to get photos. Any advice?
Thanks

We had great luck on deck 4. Not very busy lots of chairs close to the water.

 

[disgreat]

Can your hear the narration on deck 4?

We are going on the Wonder in 13 days!

 

[clarefb]

Can your hear the narration on deck 4?

We are going on the Wonder in 13 days!

You can hear narration on 4, we also spent a lot of time upstairs in the coffee place, get seats next to the window & you can see both sides of the ship. We were there for hours! It was warm & we could run outside to take pics. Eventually we left to wander deck 4. It was truly beautiful. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Have a wonderful cruise!

*suffering the cruise blues for 7 long days

 

[lisettemac]

We were in several places - deck 9, deck 4, deck 10, Promenade lounge or the atrium lounge area on 4. Depends on how cold it is and how long you've been outside.

 

[richmo]

The fascinating thing about Tracy Arm is that people start claiming chairs on deck 9 and 10 right after breakfast, even though you don't get to Tracy Arm until sometime early-mid afternoon. That's all well and good, but as soon as the ship gets as far as its going to go and turn around, everything empties out. I remember on the return trip being almost alone on deck 9. (Plus those in the early dinner seating need to get back so they can get to their dinner)

The trip back is the same as the trip in...of course the weather can change fast up there.

 

[jmkdparks]

We are going on the same cruise- July 29th? Thanks for the advice.

 

[misseulalie]

Sidebar, but those who did this cruise, is early or late dining better? We have early dining booked, but weren't sure to change to late.

We plan to put the little one in the nursery during dinner, so we don't have to plan around him.

 

[richmo]

We liked late, but we didn't have little kids.

Keep in mind it'll stay light outside until 10:30-11:00...

 

[Magic3forme]

we were on Port side from the early morning on.... I wish we would have done starboard side.

we were up on Deck 10, but we literally were standing/ sitting on the deck the whole time. right by the basketball court
I would try a different location

it gets super crowded right as you approach the glacier.. then boom the crowds disappear...

 

[guarn3md]

We leave in 6 days!! How about the room verandah? We have a cat 5C on the 6th floor and it is an open verandah (not navigators or white panel)...
Debbie

 

[smoof]

We were on deck for a long time, claiming a spot early, then we went down to our room and our veranda for a time. We actually thought from the level of our veranda, it was better viewing, different perspective. When we go to the glacier, everyone was very polite on deck and people took turns getting pictures.

 

[eblong]

We leave in 6 days!! How about the room verandah? We have a cat 5C on the 6th floor and it is an open verandah (not navigators or white panel)...
Debbie

I'm a camera freak, and took hundreds of photos on our cruise. We were o the first Alaska cruise last year, and we saw Endicott arm, because Tracy Arm wasn't safe yet.

I lived on our veranda - and listened to the narration on the TV. We also went to the hidden veranda on Deck 7 Aft, a GREAT place for photos, if you can tolerate smelling the food cooking above you.

When the ship started turning to have the Bow face the glacier, I ran up to deck 10 and ran to the bow to get photos of the glacier with the Mickey Flag in the foreground.

Here is a photo from our veranda. The boat you see has 3 decks, which helps put some perspective on the size of the glacier.

And one from the Aft hidden balcony .

Enjoy! It is great!

 

[DisneyDream2B]

Thanks for all the great advice!

 

[clarefb]

Sidebar, but those who did this cruise, is early or late dining better? We have early dining booked, but weren't sure to change to late.

We plan to put the little one in the nursery during dinner, so we don't have to plan around him.

We did late with a 6 & 9 year old & it was perfect! No rushing around for early dinner, plus late breakfast on debarkation day!!! They napped a couple of days & did great! So jealous, have a super time!

 

[dsnydaddy]

I'll throw in my two cents since I was just there two weeks ago. Deck 10 is good for all 360 degree views. It's impressive to see those mountains towering above what is already a massive cruise ship. However, if there is inclement weather, you'll bear the brunt of the rain there. The bow is cool but CROWDED!!!! Deck 9 is worthless. Even if it is clear weather, the glass usually has enough distortion in it to make viewing poor. Outlook café was BUSY and in my opinion not worth having to look through first the glass there and then the people on the deck. Deck 4 was great because you were covered and it tends to be much less busy than the upper decks. But with Deck 4 you only see what is in front of you so you only have about a 180 degree view.

Now here's what I found on my cruise. Once the Ship started to turn about (which actually took quite a while) the people on deck figured that the show was over and disappeared! Really. Gone. Empty Deck 10. I could stand anywhere I wanted to and I got the best photos at that point.

Here are two that I took AFTER all the people went away.

 

[disgreat]

Thanks to everyone for the great discussion on Tracy Arm.

The pictures are fantastic and I got some great tips for where to view.

I guess that we will plan to spend some time on our verandah, some time on Deck 4 and the "secret aft deck 7" and move up to deck 10 when the crowds leave.

I think that it will be a very busy day!

Can't wait to board on July 29th!

One question - do you recommend hats, gloves and the warmest clothes that we packed for the day?

What did you wear and how cold did it get?

Thanks!

 

[dsnydaddy]

Hats 'n gloves. It was the coldest day if the cruise. My wife, who continually assured me as we planned the packing that such would not be needed, was miserable. Tracy Arm day is COLD!

 

[richmo]

One question - do you recommend hats, gloves and the warmest clothes that we packed for the day?

What did you wear and how cold did it get?

Thanks!

Of course, it all depends on the weather, but the farther in you go, it gets a lot colder.

We actually started out in t-shirts and shorts that day...it was high 60's, 70ish. Then it felt like you were slowly walking into a refrigerator. I'd guess in the low mid-40's, with loads of ice chunks floating in the water. We went back to the stateroom and changed. I think they even had some blankets on deck...