On the Wonder Now

[TestingH2O]

How close is that compared to where the ship usually gets? Especially in Alaska perspective can make a lot of difference.

(And what is a "before" picture from the same position? Hard to compare without those facts...)

According to the crew, we were at the same spot they always get. The photographer indicated that the ice used to go all the way to those black rocks in the front right.

Doug Jones was talking about it receding in terms of many miles per year.

 

[TestingH2O]

Who are the Cruise Staff Team members?

I'll try to get names.

 

[Geomom]

Thanks for all the updates @TestingH2O Glad you're having a good trip! Enjoy all your ports/port adventures!

After seeing these pics, very glad we went down Endicott last year as Dawes Glacier was very impressive, especially on a cloudy day. I was a Geology major in college and seeing glaciers was a highlight of the trip for me--I'd have been disappointed if this was as close as I could get!

 

[bbel]

Here's the photo someone posted on another group I'm on of Tracy Arm yesterday. That's the glacier way back there.

View attachment 249179

This is my photo from almost the exact same spot from two years ago if anyone wants to compare...
Sorry it's not as good quality....

 

[bbel]

Here's some others from the same Alaska season...

 

[Dug720]

Here's some others from the same Alaska season...

View attachment 249215 View attachment 249216 View attachment 249217

See, those look a LOT closer than the others.

 

[Prose]

This is the view in June of 2011

 

[jrabbit]

Yes, some of those picture shown is way BEFORE the island (you can see it!!)

Here are a couple of my pictures from August 2011 - we were past the Island ...
View attachment 249236

as a side note - see the different color blue on the right side of the glacier. I believe that is where a big chunk broke off earlier in the day. After I got home, I saw a YouTube video from the "excursion boat" that Carnival was using that day, where they were close enough to the glacier where the wave came up over the front part of that boat (not ship).

 

[jrabbit]

and below is one of my favorite "icebergs" that we saw that day.

 

[swooshbear]

Wow, it's very different from when I went in 2013 and 2014.

These are from the exact same spots, where the ship comes to stop and we sit for awhile for everyone to take pictures.

This is from 2013



Same spot in 2014.



Also in 2014, we were lucky to see some calving!

 

[KayKayJS]

Wow... we were on the first cruise this year and went to Endicott... I guess I'm glad we went to Endicott. We got so close! Tracy Arm still looks beautiful, just different.

 

[Shanti]

I'd rather go to Endicott next year than Tracy Arm, after seeing this.

 

[anricat]

That's my photo.

Oh yay! I wasn't sure if you were in both places and the photo was public so I popped it over here.

 

[KayKayJS]

I'd rather go to Endicott next year than Tracy Arm, after seeing this.

Just for comparison (how close you get) here was our view of Dawes from the top deck and our room on May 24, 2017.

 

[Shanti]

Just for comparison (how close you get) here was our view of Dawes from the top deck and our room on May 24, 2017.

I hope Disney sees the light and decides to change the destination permanently to Endicott.

 

[bbel]

I hope Disney sees the light and decides to change the destination permanently to Endicott.

In crew areas, last year, I'm pretty certain they were advertising the Alaska itineraries with Endicott (when the announced itineraries a year ago), so I was a little shocked when they put the itinerary out as Tracy Arm to the public.
I remember thinking that it made sense as they had spent more time at Endicott than TA the previous season.
Granted, I wasn't on the Wonder and it was nothing DCL official, as in from shore side, just from Magic CMs.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

So sad to see the change and such drastic receding of the glacier. I know a guide in Juneau said similar things about the changes he's noticed in the Mendenhall Glacier during his lifetime.

I was bummed at the time that Tracy Arm was a complete wash for the whole season last year when we went, but Endicott Arm was amazing and it doesn't even matter to me now. Our cruise had many highlights and amazing memories, but the day in Endicott Arm was our favorite.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

Also, it looks like Endicott must be closed again today. On cruisemapper.com, a site I just like to look at for fun sometimes, there are boats in Tracy Arm.

 

[ironz]

We made it to Tracy Arm but the glacier has receded so much. Still an amazing day though. I'll upload photos either when I have cell service or when we get back.

Wow--that's crazy. So the smaller excursions were cancelled? (I guess with the uncertainty of where you were going to end up, for one reason.)
Glad you got to go into one of the arms-- sad to see the glacier was so far back.
I am happy that you are having a good time, though... it's an amazing cruise. We've only been home 5 weeks and I want to go again!
Thanks so much for the updates.

 

[terrybsw]

On our June 19' 2017 cruise, there was talk of Disney perhaps changing the itinerary from Tracy Arm to Endicott. I absolutly loved Endicott Arm and hope the change happens. From what I have read, seen and heard Sawyer Glacier is receding quickly and is smaller than Dawes and there are frequent changes due to ice anyway. If you get a chance, go to the Doug Jones presentation on glaciers and ice fields. If you miss it, they re-show them on the cabin tv's.