Another Alaska cruise thread

[Disneyland1084]

Recently I posted here on Dis that DH and I are planning a cruise to Alaska in three years for our 25th wedding anniversary. A lot of you were quick to recommend going on one that goes to Glacier Bay National Park. After some research, I see that both Princess and Holland Cruise line goes there. I'm a little confused. Bare with me, I'm 44, never been on a cruise so I really have no idea what I'm doing. When the cruise mentions Glacier Bay, do you actually get off at a port there, or do you just enjoy the scenery from the ship,with a guide that talks about the history of the area?

 

[jimmymc]

Princess, Holland America, and Norwegian own all the large cruise ship permits for Glacier Bay. You just enjoy the scenery from the ship, while National Park Rangers board the ship and will give lectures about the park and sometimes narrate what you're seeing. You usually park in front of 2 glaciers for about an hour each and have the scenic cruising going in and out of the park.

Other cruises will visit other glaciers not in the national park and do the same thing, where they park there for an hour or two and everyone stays on the ship. But Glacier Bay has the best views and a lot of glaciers in a small area, allowing your ship to visit more than one in a single day.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

We did NCL in 2010 and you sail through it. They do not dock. There was a ranger on board who explained things as we went along. It’s breath taking. We went in May and the weather was beautiful. It was 80 degrees and we sat out on our balcony with bathing suits on in the sun while watching the beautiful scenery. You will never forget it.

 

[kdonnel]

Glacier Bay is a cruising day with a park ranger giving commentary.

I have been to Glacier Bay and Endicott Arm and Tracy Arm Fjord.

I can't say that I felt one was so much better than the other for that one port to dictate the selected cruise.

 

[Meriweather]

We went to Glacier Bay on our first Alaskan cruise (we have been on 9 with another in Sept,).
It is beautiful, but the glaciers have shrunk a lot since our first time.
We are happy now with just cruising by one of the other glacier sites.
In Juneau you can go up close to a glaciers on an excursion.

 

[barkley]

In Juneau you can go up close to a glaciers on an excursion.

we did one in juneau when we cruised some years ago. the helicopter ride was worth the price in and of itself-seeing the views from up above was amazing. getting down with the glaciers was incredible.

alaska was my favorite place to cruise-so much stunning scenery. any other cruise we were looking for things to do on board while the ship was traveling through miles of empty sea but with alaska i was happy to just sit and watch the views.