Tracey Arm Fjord and Glacier Adventure

[tankin]

@krissy2803 We stayed longer at the glacier face than the ship. We passed the ship and then took a side trip into Ford's Terror (just to where the rapids start). I have a really cool pic of my wife and I with the ship crossing the mouth of the inlet in the background. The ship actually ended up waiting on us.

 

[hamilton23]

@krissy2803 We stayed longer at the glacier face than the ship. We passed the ship and then took a side trip into Ford's Terror (just to where the rapids start). I have a really cool pic of my wife and I with the ship crossing the mouth of the inlet in the background. The ship actually ended up waiting on us.

Please post some photos, if you could. Thanks for the report. It sounds like the later sailings have had a better experience with this excursion than the first one did.

 

[Aby]

Just got off the ship yesterday and we did this excursion (Endicott not Tracy)...

Short version...
1. You either get on the boat at the top of the Fjord and sail down its length to the glacier or board at the glacier and sail up the length of the glacier.
2. The adults thought it was more than worth the money... We would all do it again
3. Boat is about the size of the tenders they use at Grand Caymen
4. Ours got significantly closer to the glacier than the ship
5. We had a naturalist on board who pointed out calving while we were at the glacier and then wildlife as we sailed back up.
6. We made small side trips into off shots as we sailed back up the fjord

Oh and we were told Tracey is probably closed for the foreseeable future. The entire fjord is full of ice and no small boats have been able to make it up the fjord in weeks (much less large ships).

Thank you so much for a desciption of how the excursion works. We are booked for this in August in the 12pm slot, but I'm a little disappointed that I didn't think about it more when I booked. What I would really like is to get a photo of the Wonder with the actual glacier in the background - it sounds like this might only be possible on the 3pm excursion - as the small boat heads away from the glacier you could look back on the Wonder in front of the glacier. The other way around, the Wonder would be approaching the small boat, and a photo would have the fjord in the background but not the glacier. Silly concern I know...but still!

Does anyone know if on the 12pm sailing they maneuver the boat to get a picture of the Wonder and the glacier before re-boarding the ship? Is there a general consensus yet on which time slot is best? I picked 12pm originally but thinking I might switch to 3pm, if any space actually opens up.

Aby

 

[tankin]

@Aby ... On our day, I don't think you'd get your picture. The ship set up across the fjord for the transfer and the boat stayed tight to the ship after boarding. The ship actually left the glacier before we did.

Sorry!

 

[tankin]

@hamilton23 Working on the pics when I get a chance. We took well over a 100 pics that day plus a number with a 360 camera. Still working on getting everything together.

 

[Jaxasaurous]

Thank you so much for a desciption of how the excursion works. We are booked for this in August in the 12pm slot, but I'm a little disappointed that I didn't think about it more when I booked. What I would really like is to get a photo of the Wonder with the actual glacier in the background - it sounds like this might only be possible on the 3pm excursion - as the small boat heads away from the glacier you could look back on the Wonder in front of the glacier. The other way around, the Wonder would be approaching the small boat, and a photo would have the fjord in the background but not the glacier. Silly concern I know...but still!

Does anyone know if on the 12pm sailing they maneuver the boat to get a picture of the Wonder and the glacier before re-boarding the ship? Is there a general consensus yet on which time slot is best? I picked 12pm originally but thinking I might switch to 3pm, if any space actually opens up.

Aby

I did the afternoon excursion and was on the first cruise of the Alaskan season. I was able to get the picture you're interested in taking. The Wonder spent more time at the glacier then the excursion boat, a little sad that we weren't able to spend more time there but the excursion was new and still working out the kinks. I'm happy with all the pictures we were able to take and the excursion overall was enjoyable.

 

[Aby]

@Aby ... On our day, I don't think you'd get your picture. The ship set up across the fjord for the transfer and the boat stayed tight to the ship after boarding. The ship actually left the glacier before we did.

Sorry!

Thanks Tankin - can you clarify - were you on the 12pm or the 3pm excursion?

I did the afternoon excursion and was on the first cruise of the Alaskan season. I was able to get the picture you're interested in taking. The Wonder spent more time at the glacier then the excursion boat, a little sad that we weren't able to spend more time there but the excursion was new and still working out the kinks. I'm happy with all the pictures we were able to take and the excursion overall was enjoyable.

Also Jaxasaurous! Would love to see a picture if you care to share!

Since the excursion is currently sold out on our sailing, I'm glad to have a spot at all, and I'm sure that regardless, I'll still get some amazing pictures and will have a great time!

Any

 

[tankin]

I was on the 3 PM. In order to get the picture you are talking about, the boat would have to leave before the cruise ship just to get the framing right with the glacier behind the ship. On the day we were there, the small boat was at the glacier before the ship arrived and we stayed after it left.

 

[Aby]

I was on the 3 PM. In order to get the picture you are talking about, the boat would have to leave before the cruise ship just to get the framing right with the glacier behind the ship. On the day we were there, the small boat was at the glacier before the ship arrived and we stayed after it left.

Thank you very much for the clarification - I thought you were on the 3pm from your description, but I wasn't 100% sure.

Anyone that was on the 12pm sailing that can comment?

It sounds like the chances of such a picture may be low on either excursion, but if that's the case I don't have to worry so much about which one I booked and I can let the worry go! I'm sure it will be spectacular anyway!

Aby

 

[Jaxasaurous]

Thanks Tankin - can you clarify - were you on the 12pm or the 3pm excursion?



Also Jaxasaurous! Would love to see a picture if you care to share!

Since the excursion is currently sold out on our sailing, I'm glad to have a spot at all, and I'm sure that regardless, I'll still get some amazing pictures and will have a great time!

Any

Hopefully this works... This is one of many pictures I took with the Wonder and Dawes Glacier.

 

[Aby]

Hopefully this works... This is one of many pictures I took with the Wonder and Dawes Glacier.

Beautiful photo! I'm jealous already!

Aby

 

[hamilton23]

Anyone from the current cruise have a report on this excursion from yesterday?

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I follow a CM on Instagram and she posted they were in Endicott Arm again yesterday so that's 5/5 I believe.

Heather

 

[hamilton23]

I follow a CM on Instagram and she posted they were in Endicott Arm again yesterday so that's 5/5 I believe.

Heather

Yep, that is what I heard too. Looks like we will be there next week too.

Anyone from the current cruise do the excursion? Any additional reports would be helpful before we bump against the 3 day cancellation requirement.

 

[anricat]

I'm confused, there are reviews on Trip Advisor from people who claim to have just visited Tracy Arm. How are these people getting in there? Someone says that they visited "just the other day" on the Celebrity Millennium. How? It says "visited June 2016."

 

[Snowwhyt]

May 25 Enddicott
June 1. Enddicott
June 8. Enddicott
June 15 Enddicott
June 22 Enddicott
June 29 ?
July. 6. ?
As of today all ships are still using the Enddicott passages. I've been watching Marine Traffic and I haven't seen any size boat down Tracy Arm in a while. Must be very difficult to master right now.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I'm confused, there are reviews on Trip Advisor from people who claim to have just visited Tracy Arm. How are these people getting in there? Someone says that they visited "just the other day" on the Celebrity Millennium. How? It says "visited June 2016."

I'm guessing they weren't aware of the change. Marine Traffic doesn't show any traffic from large ships. I did see a few small boats last week maybe the week before but nobody the past few days.

 

[xavier2001]

Cruise director Peter told me that Tracy Arm is so full of ice its closed for the foreseeable future.

 

[anricat]

I'm guessing they weren't aware of the change. Marine Traffic doesn't show any traffic from large ships. I did see a few small boats last week maybe the week before but nobody the past few days.

So you're thinking they actually went to Endicott and only thought they were in Tracy Arm. Huh.

 

[xavier2001]

So you're thinking they actually went to Endicott and only thought they were in Tracy Arm. Huh.

If you weren't paying attention it would be easy to miss what glacier you were going to. There was a ship announcement from the Captain about it but those don't play in the staterooms.