So No Glacier Bay With DCL - is It A Big Deal?

[BWV Dreamin]

We have our first Alaskan Cruise booked on the Wonder for next May. I know it doesn't go to Glacier Bay. Am I missing that much? We aren't going to Denali either. I know these are huge reasons to visit Alaska but we just don't have the vacation time to be away longer than 8 nights. We are hoping to see wildlife on an excursion. Comments appreciated.

 

[justmestace]

Depending on the excursions you take, you'll see whales and eagles...but most likely not a whole lot more.
We did the combo whale watching/Mendenhall Glacier tour, and it was awesome. I know that NCL also has a "wildlife" viewing excursion that supposedly includes bears, but not sure if DCL has it.

The Railway tour in Skagway is popular, and it was interesting.

Our son took the Crab Fisherman's tour in Ketchikan, while we walked around town, and they not only obviously brought up a lot of crab, they saw a TON of bald eagles and whales.

We did Alaska the year before Disney started going, so we went on Norwegian, and therefore did go to Glacier Bay. I am SO glad we did. It was beautiful. And stunning to see the glacier "calving".

 

[jdb in AZ]

Chances are you'll fall in love with Alaska, then you'll HAVE to return again and again. What you miss on your first trip you can catch another time. You could spend a month there and still not see it all.

When we were driving around in the Phx area today the car thermometer registered 115F. So yeah, we're missing Alaska right now. big time!

 

[kevdo]

If Glacier Bay and Denali are important components, then Disney is not the cruise line for you (Princess would be your bet).

I've been to Glacier Bay but Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm are fairly similar so you won't be missing much.

 

[MillauFr]

I was in Glacier Bay 5 years ago on the NCL Pearl. It was the highlight of the trip in my opinion. We are on the Wonder this August and wanted to try Disney out since my coworkers rave about it.

 

[Chilly]

We did Alaska with Disney this year, it was a wonderful cruise.

We saw Whales, Eagles, Seals, Sealions, and 2 Glaciers.

 

[WDWDeb]

We did the NCL Star and went to Tracy Arm and then again on the NCL Pearl and did Glacier Bay. To me, there was a big difference in the beauty of the two places. Glacier Bay was absolutely amazing with more snowcapped peaks and glaciers. We got right beside Sawyer Glacier (google it...is amazing)for about 1 hour, the captain cut the engines, and all you could hear was the cracking of the ice and we saw ice calving. When we went to Tracy Arm, we couldn't get very close because of the ice flow (we went in July.) When I was in Tracy Arm, I thought, 'wow...this is beautiful' because I didn't have anything to compare it to. When we went to Glacier Bay, I saw the difference and would only choose cruises with Glacier Bay in the itinerary.
Considering DCL was 3000.00 more for the same veranda type room, you didn't go to Glacier Bay, and the NCL ships are much better equipped with dining rooms and lounges with floor to ceiling windows for viewing, we booked the NCL Pearl next year again for Alaska.
Something to keep in mind, when you are on the Alaska cruises, you never know what beautiful site will be around the corner or when you might see a whale or other wildlife. On the other DCL cruises we have been on, you don't watch the water or the scenery as much so you don't think about having public areas with lots of windows. It was really nice to have so many areas on the ship with NCL that you were always able to be watching for wildlife and viewing the scenery even when playing bingo, doing trivia, eating, etc. The DCL ships don't have that.
We love DCL and we are Platinum, but for Alaska, we choose NCL.

 

[NancyIL]

We did the NCL Star and went to Tracy Arm and then again on the NCL Pearl and did Glacier Bay. To me, there was a big difference in the beauty of the two places. Glacier Bay was absolutely amazing with more snowcapped peaks and glaciers. We got right beside Sawyer Glacier (google it...is amazing)for about 1 hour, the captain cut the engines, and all you could hear was the cracking of the ice and we saw ice calving. When we went to Tracy Arm, we couldn't get very close because of the ice flow (we went in July.) When I was in Tracy Arm, I thought, 'wow...this is beautiful' because I didn't have anything to compare it to. When we went to Glacier Bay, I saw the difference and would only choose cruises with Glacier Bay in the itinerary.
Considering DCL was 3000.00 more for the same veranda type room, you didn't go to Glacier Bay, and the NCL ships are much better equipped with dining rooms and lounges with floor to ceiling windows for viewing, we booked the NCL Pearl next year again for Alaska.
Something to keep in mind, when you are on the Alaska cruises, you never know what beautiful site will be around the corner or when you might see a whale or other wildlife. On the other DCL cruises we have been on, you don't watch the water or the scenery as much so you don't think about having public areas with lots of windows. It was really nice to have so many areas on the ship with NCL that you were always able to be watching for wildlife and viewing the scenery even when playing bingo, doing trivia, eating, etc. The DCL ships don't have that.
We love DCL and we are Platinum, but for Alaska, we choose NCL.

Sawyer Glacier is at the end of Tracy Arm. Do you mean the Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay? http://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm

I've cruised to Glacier Bay once, Hubbard Glacier twice, and Tracy Arm twice. The first time I sailed along Tracy Arm - we didn't get to the end to see the glaciers. We made it all the way on my second visit. DCL seems to do a pretty good job of getting to the end of the fjord most of the time, but there are no guarantees. Still - there's nothing like Glacier Bay.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Still haven't paid my deposit and I see NCL has a fabulous price for a suite! Calling another TA today to get that quote!

 

[DreamGirl90]

Disney does a wonderful job and you will enjoy your cruise, but if it's a once-in-a-lifetime visit to Alaska, I'd select a different cruise line with a better itinerary.

 

[NancyIL]

If Glacier Bay and Denali are important components, then Disney is not the cruise line for you (Princess would be your bet).

I've been to Glacier Bay but Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm are fairly similar so you won't be missing much.

Princess and Holland America have the most permits to go to Glacier Bay, but NCL and Carnival also have permits.

Denali can be seen only on a land trip - and that doesn't have to be booked as part of an organized tour with any cruise line. We did two 9-day land trips via rental cars following one-way cruises. The first time we explored the Kenai Peninsula and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park area. We spent 2 nights in the Denali area on the second trip, and I attended a church conference the rest of the time.

 

[jlwhitney]

We have our first Alaskan Cruise booked on the Wonder for next May. I know it doesn't go to Glacier Bay. Am I missing that much? We aren't going to Denali either. I know these are huge reasons to visit Alaska but we just don't have the vacation time to be away longer than 8 nights. We are hoping to see wildlife on an excursion. Comments appreciated.

In May you won't be seeing as much wildlife. If you really want to see alot of wildlife go later in the summer.

We did May and didn't see a whole lot. We did see a ton of eagles in ketchikan, but that is about it.

Bear won't be out yet, and the salmon won't be swimming.

 

[WDWDeb]

Sawyer Glacier is at the end of Tracy Arm. Do you mean the Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay? http://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm

Sorry...YES!....I meant Margerie. That is the one that we got so close to and saw the ice calving.

 

[WDWDeb]

Still haven't paid my deposit and I see NCL has a fabulous price for a suite! Calling another TA today to get that quote!

The Pearl is a great ship. Spinnaker's lounge is on the front of the ship that wraps on both sides and has floor to ceiling windows. It is a huge area where you can just park and read and look through binoculars, and where they hold most of their activities, like bingo, dance lessons, trivia, etc. Here is a video someone posted of it on their Alaska trip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7RIMkygb7g
The dining area that is like Cabana's, Topsiders or Beach Blanket Buffet on the DCL ships has floor to ceiling windows for the entire dining area and the semi-circular booths face the windows and there are tables along the windows so you have great views. Our kids enjoyed the bowling ally and rock climbing wall too. Sure, we missed the DCL 'magic' but for Alaska, it was worth it.

 

[LyndaC]

My first cruise ever was on the NCL Pearl to Glacier Bay, it was phenomenal!

While I like the ambience of DCL much more than the Pearl, there is imho no comparison between Endicott Arm and Glacier Bay.

 

[sabrecmc]

I think a lot depends on what you are personally looking for on your cruise. I thought Tracy Arm was gorgeous. Maybe Glacier Bay is even prettier, but honestly...well, I'm from FL, so a glacier is a glacier is a glacier. Its all good. We also went to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, which was nice, but at that point, I was sort of over the glacier bit. *shrug* Sailing with DD(5 then), I liked the DCL product overall better. We also weren't interested in doing a land trip at that point. Maybe one day!

We sailed in May (on the first Alaskan) and saw whales, seals, mountain goats and eagles. No bears, as it was too early. Loved seeing snow in Skagway! We had a snowball fight. DD was thrilled.

 

[mrsklamc]

I

I've been to Glacier Bay but Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm are fairly similar so you won't be missing much.

I'm absolutely stunned by this statement. Our cruise went to both and I am just baffled that anyone would find Tracy Arm remotely comparable to Glacier Bay.

Tracy Arm is beautiful. Glacier Bay is...soul-altering.

 

[bmer1rick]

If this will be your only Alaska cruise, I would definitely pick one of the CLs that go into Glacier Bay. We have done itineraries with and without Glacier Bay, and the ones with it were definitely much better.

As PPs have mentioned, Alaska is beautiful but Glacier Bay is amazing. There is a reason why they only let a small number of ships into the bay each day--to preserve the environmental beauty of the bay. A definite not to be missed experience.

 

[MedicGoofy]

I just did the June 2nd sailing to Alaska with HAL. With a sailing into Glacier Bay. First cruise my family and I have ever done. To say that not only have we completely fallen in love with cruising BUT that we were totally blown away by the pure beauty of Glacier Bay would be an understatement.

The trip on a whole was fantastic. We saw more wildlife than we could imagine. Whales, not from excursions (which we saw doing a whale watching adventure) BUT while cruising one day, saw the mist from the blow hole off in the distance while sitting on my balcony. Sat there for a couple of hours with the binoculars and enjoyed the sites. Many many bald eagles, in most ports. Bears, in Skagway. A moose somewhere. Mountain goats. Sea lions. Porpoise (little like dolphins) would swim in the wake made by the ship. Absolutely amazing. So, if you don't get wildlife will on an excursion, you will see it. Keep your eyes open

My Aunt and Unlce own a cruise business. They would not sell a cruise to Alaska without it going into Glacier Bay. They told us for a first time cruiser, that that is the only way to see it. We spent quite a bit of time at Glacier Bay itself. To quote what another poster said. The captain will cut the engine's and you'll just float. And to hear the sounds of the glacier, is amazing. And when it breaks and falls, to capture that. There is nothing else like it.

Glacier Bay = not to be missed

 

[AquaDame]

Out of curiosity I checked out the NCL Pearl, but it looks like they only depart from Seattle for a roundtrip and do not sail the inner passage - I know that was a dealbreaker for a lot of people. It also does not go to Tracy Arm... I doubt this will be our only trip to Alaska (maybe our only CRUISE?) NCL is also 1K cheaper for us, so even though we'd have to pay extras for food it looks like I doubt it would be enough to match Disney's surcharge. Seems like we should stick with what we have and get to Glacier Bay another day..? Now I'm worried about sailing in early June though - I had heard there are more babies, ice and better weather than later on, but now I hear you see moe animals later? I'm having a hard time deciding if either is true or if it just comes down to luck either way and that's why reports vary?