Dawes Glacier up close tour

[ChanaC]

Has anyone booked an up close glacier tour in Alaska, on DCL or on another line? It looks like when the ship approaches the glacier (in this case Dawes Glacier), instead of viewing it from the ship you get in a smaller boat and get closer to it. On one hand, I kind of like the idea of being on the ship and casually viewing everything from above, maybe with a cup of hot tea or cocoa. It's probably more comfortable to stay on the ship. On the other, getting even closer looks cool, you get to see the glacier better, and by being in the water you really get a better scale of how big the glacier is. Also, I love wildlife so I would love to potentially see some seals in the water or maybe bears on the coast. It's a lot of money, but is it worth it? This Alaska trip may be a one time thing so now I'm getting some pre-cruise FOMO! We already have a whale watch and Mendenhall glacier visitor center excursion booked as well.

 

[JWelch62]

Did it. Loved it. This was Tracy Arm in 2018. These excursions fill up FAST. Make sure you are on-line at midnight eastern to book it.

 

[Drfate102]

I watched a YouTube video review of it and it looks amazing, so we booked it on our upcoming cruise. It was weird, had no issues booking it and we are silver. My Mom was able to book it and this will be her first ever cruise.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

I loved this tour. I wrote a lengthy description of the process of the tour in another post about a month ago, I'll see if I can try and find it. (This post includes my detailed description of how the tour worked https://www.disboards.com/threads/alaska-scheduling-questions-and-dawes-glacier.3871320/#post-63763555) With that said, it does get you closer than being on the Wonder. How much closer depends on the ice conditions that day. During my experience I was able to see 1 baby seal and one bald eagle. The best part was being close up to the ice, smelling the ice, and watching/hearing it calve twice. If this is your one and only time to get up close to glacier, it's completely worth it if you love nature and outdoors. If you have seen glaciers elsewhere (such as Iceland) it probably won't be impressive enough to stand out. This Port Adventure was my first experience with a glacier and where I learned I love glaciers. It sparked other travel adventures for sure.

If your goal is to get up close with a glacier and experience it as fully as you can, this is a good Port Adventure option. It is not your only option during the cruise. I also did the helicopter flight to a glacier and hike the glacier, and a float plane tour over glaciers. All of them allowed for a great experience with glaciers. While the boat is comfortable, the goal is to see the glacier so you end up being "invested" and focused, which can be tiring. The small boat excursion allows you extra time with the glacier because it moves up and down the arm much quicker. So it can maximize your time viewing the glacier

If your goal is to relax and just see some scenery, I'd suggest staying on the Wonder. You'll still see the glacier, just from further away and for less time. But it's still enjoyable.

Whatever you choose enjoy the majesty that is Alaska glaciers.

 

[happycamper47]

And if you decide to stay on the ship this will be your view, from 2019...No matter what you decide you will not be disappointed. And no it's not from December, my camera was in Military Date mode.

 

[Calantha]

These excursions fill up FAST.

Yes, it was gone when I logged on for Silver last week. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it or not...but that made my decision for us!