I am going to book a Princess cruise for Alaska. I am having a tough time deciding to see hubbard glacier or tracy arm. I really want to see glacier calving. Does anyone know if tracy arm does alot of calving??

I think you wouldn't go wrong either way, except for one thing - which Princess ship are you going on? If the new Pacific Princess,you might get close enough to the active glacier in Tracy Arm to enjoy the calving. I was on a small ship there, and we were able to get in farther than the big ships could. I have also heard that Hubbard Glacier is quite active most of the time. You might be better on a big ship going to Hubbard Glacier. Either way, you're bound to enjoy Alaska!

Thanks for the reply!! I welcome any thoughts on this. Thanks, Lori

I think I would opt for the Tracy Arm as it is much further to Hubbard Glacier and it is more exposed tot he elements. Either way, you will have a great time.

Roger

I have cruised Alaska multiple times and I am doing a back to back again in a couple weeks. There is one true fact about watching a glacier and waiting for it to calve. It may or may not happen depending on mother nature. Hubbard Glacier is great but there can be one problem. If Hubbard is extremely active calving, due to its size the ice CAN keep the ships a long ways a way at times. We went to Hubbard one time and we were held so far out by the icebergs that you really did not get a good look at the glacier.

Regardless of which glacier you go to here is one tip to seeing a glacier calve. Watch the base of the glacier where it meets the water. When you start to see small splashes, like someone dropped a few pebbles, watch the face of the glacier over that spot. That is where the glacier will calve. Do NOT go by sound because a glacier can be cracking miles in and may not calve. Do not just stare at the face of the glacier because that will tell you nothing. The small splashes mean that is where the glacier is cracking at that moment.

Well, thanks everyone for the replies. At this time I am swaying more towards Tracy Arm. Besides, if we don't see alot of glacier calving there, it's a good excuse to do another cruise to hubbard glacier. Right!!

We were there last week. The experienced naturalist onboard addressed the question of Glacier Bay vs. Tracy Arm and said he'd choose Tracy Arm every time.

It is spectacular.

We were told it would be the best 5 hours of the cruise, and it just might have been. We were blessed with a clear blue sky, which enabled us to see mountain tops many people never see. The South Sawyer Glacier had been so active calving that the icebergs in the water looked like a frozen lake--so we weren't able to get close. (DON'T forget to bring binoculars!!!)

By the way, author Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club) was asked how she would describe the color of the glacier and icebergs, and she reportedly replied, "Windex Blue." Absolutely perfect description! You can't believe it till you see it with your own eyes.

You're going to have an incredible time!