Cruise

Hubbard Glacier vs. Glacier Bay: which glacier is healthier to see on a cruise?

November 28, 2022

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Choosing an Alaska cruise itinerary doesn’t boil down to only cruise ports. You’ll additionally wish to contemplate which of Alaska’s colossal, majestic glaciers you’d like to go to.

Two of probably the most beloved locations visited on an Alaska cruise are Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park. While visiting both location affords the prospect to see a few of the most spectacular surroundings in Alaska up shut, they every supply totally different experiences, execs, and cons.

Let’s check out what every glacier expertise has to supply so you possibly can resolve which glacier you wish to go to in your Alaska cruise.

Hubbard Glacier

Imagine standing immediately in entrance of a 30-story constructing fabricated from ice. That’s what you’ll expertise from a cruise ship visiting Hubbard Glacier, and also you’re certain to be awe-inspired.

Hubbard Glacier is positioned in Wrangell-St.Elias National Park and Preserve. It begins in Canada’s Yukon Territory at Mt. Logan, the second tallest peak in North America at 19,850 toes. The glacier flows over 75 miles to succeed in Disenchantment Bay in southeast Alaska.

At 400 toes tall and 6 miles extensive the place it meets the ocean, Hubbard Glacier is the most important tidewater glacier in North America. Unlike many different glaciers in Alaska, Hubbard Glacier is quickly advancing at round 80 toes per 12 months.

Due to its speedy development, Hubbard Glacier has been nicknamed the Galloping Glacier. Its quick development leads to frequent calving as chunks of ice break off the glacier.

Visiting Hubbard Glacier is a multi-hour expertise, with ships crusing first into Yakutat Bay adopted by Disenchantment Bay en path to the glacier. Sightseeing happens for about three hours because the ship makes a 360 flip in entrance of the glacier, permitting visitors to view its magnificent face from anyplace onboard.

Glacier Bay National Park

Glacier Bay National Park is the sixth greatest nationwide park within the United States. At over 3 million acres, the nationwide park is roughly the dimensions of Connecticut!

There are a whopping 1,045 glaciers positioned in Glacier Bay National Park. While most glaciers are positioned far into the mountains, cruise itineraries can go to as much as 6 glaciers in someday within the park.

Here are the glaciers mostly visited on a scenic cruising day in Glacier Bay:

Margerie Glacier
Grand Pacific Glacier
Red Glacier
Lamplugh Glacier
Johns Hopkins Glacier
Gilman Glacier

The longest glacier in Glacier Bay National Park is the Grand Pacific Glacier at 40 miles lengthy. The quickest is Johns Hopkins Glacier, which might advance as much as 15 toes per day.

When you go to Glacier Bay, park rangers will board the ship to supply data on the park’s surroundings and wildlife.

Depending on the cruise line, this will embrace formal shows in onboard lounges, commentary on the loudspeakers, a kids’s instructional program, and an informational desk you possibly can entry all through the day.

Itineraries to Glacier Bay embrace a full day of sightseeing within the National Park. Ships usually enter the bay within the early morning, cruising slowly for 2 hours earlier than reaching the glaciers.

Once on the glaciers, cruise ships spend round 4 to 5 hours exploring the surroundings earlier than turning round and making the 2 hour journey again into the open ocean.

Does Royal Caribbean supply cruises to Glacier Bay?

Royal Caribbean doesn’t at present supply cruise itineraries to Glacier Bay National Park. While the cruise line was provided an settlement with the park to supply Glacier Bay itineraries from 2019 – 2029, Royal Caribbean didn’t signal the settlement.

That being stated, you might be able to guide a flightseeing shore tour to Glacier Bay. These excursions usually depart from Icy Strait Point and fly over the park.

There are many different glaciers you possibly can go to on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska, nevertheless, together with Hubbard Glacier, Dawes Glacier, and the dual Sawyer Glaciers. There’s additionally the prospect to go to different glaciers whereas in port, such because the well-known Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.

Which glacier is healthier for wildlife?

Both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay supply the prospect to identify wildlife together with harbor seals, humpback whales, and seabirds. While wildlife sighting is rarely assured, you’ve gotten the prospect to identify wildlife whereas visiting both glacier.

A plus of visiting Hubbard Glacier is the prospect to guide the “Hubbard Glacier Wilderness Explorer” tour. This tour brings passengers aboard a small tour boat, permitting visitors to journey nearer to the glacier whereas recognizing wildlife. A information is onboard to supply perception on the area’s ecology and wildlife calling the area dwelling.

If we have to choose one of the best glacier for wildlife viewing, although, it will be Glacier Bay. As cruise ships spend extra time in Glacier Bay than at Hubbard Glacier, you’ve gotten extra time (and possibilities) to identify wildlife.

Which glacier ought to I choose for my Alaska cruise?

Deciding between Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier comes down to a couple primary issues.

The first choice you’ll should make in the event you’re a loyal Royal Caribbean cruiser is whether or not or not you might be open to crusing on one other cruise line. Because Royal Caribbean doesn’t sail to Glacier Bay, you’ll should sail on a cruise line like Princess, Holland America, or Norwegian.

Glacier Bay is undoubtedly spectacular, nevertheless, and if visiting the park is in your bucket record, it’s value crusing on a cruise line aside from Royal Caribbean.

Hubbard Glacier, then again, can nonetheless make for a wonderful addition to an Alaska cruise itinerary. While just one glacier as a substitute of a number of glaciers, Hubbard Glacier dominates the panorama extra dramatically than any glacier at Glacier Bay.

Plus, whereas Hubbard Glacier could supply shorter sightseeing occasions in comparison with a day in Glacier Bay, this may be excellent for households. Days at Glacier Bay are lengthy, usually beginning within the early morning and lasting till dinnertime. Kids could not wish to spend the entire day wanting on the surroundings, so Hubbard Glacier could be a extra condensed but nonetheless stunning expertise.

While there’s no ‘best’ Alaska cruise itinerary, you possibly can’t go incorrect visiting both glacier. In truth, it’s possible you’ll even have the ability to discover itineraries visiting each glaciers in a single cruise!

Tips for visiting glaciers on an Alaska cruise

No matter which glacier you go to on an Alaska cruise, you’ll wish to be sure you’re ready so that you’ve got one of the best viewing expertise doable. Here are our high ideas & tips for viewing glaciers on an Alaska cruise.

Find one of the best spot to look at the surroundings

Whether visiting Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, or any of Alaska’s different magnificent glaciers, you should definitely discover one of the best spot to look at the surroundings.

You can view the surroundings out of your balcony, the pool deck, Promenade deck, the helicopter pad, or every other place onboard with home windows.

Prior to your itinerary’s scenic glacier viewing day, scout out a couple of of one of the best locations to view the glacier. While it’s possible you’ll choose to view glaciers out of your balcony, you would possibly wish to contemplate someplace onboard with extra panoramic views, such because the pool deck or helicopter pad.

Be versatile

Nothing is assured when cruising, and it’s at all times vital to be versatile to make sure you don’t find yourself dissatisfied.

Alaska’s climate is unpredictable, and it’s not completely unusual for cruise ships to cancel or modify glacier viewing occasions as a way to hold visitors, crew, and the ship secure.

While ships efficiently go to glaciers as a rule, there’s at all times the prospect your glacier viewing day could not happen.

Bundle up

Packing for an Alaska cruise means layers, layers, and extra layers.

When getting ready to view a glacier on an Alaska cruise, you should definitely bundle up to make sure you don’t get too chilly whereas viewing the glacier.

Our recommendation is to put on pants (leggings or denims), a base layer (long-sleeve shirt or sweater), a rain jacket, and a hat. It’s at all times higher to put on greater than you want and take layers off quite than be too chilly whereas viewing the glacier.

Most importantly, don’t overlook your digicam!