Alaska cruise — Tracy Arm vs Glacier Bay

[chapeau]

We are considering an Alaskan cruise. Several of us are having milestone birthdays in 2019 and this is one of our possibilities. We are looking at 2 different Princess cruises, both in early June. The itineraries are exactly the same, except one cruises Tracy Arm fjord and the other one cruises Glacier Bay. The glacier bay one is slightly more expensive, but not ridiculous.
Is one much preferable to the other? Any thoughts, recon, suggestions?

[simser]

Most people would pick Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm, but I haven't been to either.

By most people I mean the people on the Alaska boards of Cruise Critic where I spent a lot of time last year

[chapeau]

Thank you! This will be my first cruise, so all advice, websites, etc are welcome

[Gardening Grandma]

Our Alaska cruise went to Glacier Bay. I haven’t been to Tracy Arm, so can’t answer your question.
Glacier Bay was pretty magnificent.

Personally I prefer smaller cruise ships. Fewer people and more options. They can get into places the larger ships can’t.  

[simser]

Is one a round trip and one a one way? That would factor into my decision as well.

I take a lot of cruises. I have done 16 person ones, just came back from a 92 person boat, all the way up to RCL (we go on the ovation this summer to Alaska) let me know if you have any specific questions, but I do most of my research on cruise critic. I would say that dinner plans are what drives my group a lot. We like non formal dinners.

[chapeau]

We ruled out one cruise line because of the dinner dress code. And since the group will be 9 people, 2 in their 80s, 6 in their 30s and 40s, and a 7 year old, I guess the most important part is options. My mom and dad have only cruises with Viking, so they are used to smaller ships and less noise(?), people, etc.
I will definitely have questions, so TIA simser
I’ll try to keep them organized.

[zibazinski]

We’re going to do it as well in August. My travel agent is working on it now. She says the cruises are reasonable enough but the shore excursions are obscene. Everything 3-5 hundred bucks a person. Ouch. Plus if you do any land after, Like to see Denali,it takes hours daily by bus or train and you sleep in cabins. I don’t care about the cabins but flying in or out of anchorage is a bit expensive.