Okay everyone, just got back from the Quantum and I thought I would fill everyone in on what the excursion was like since I had a lot of questions about it, and it looks like others do too.
We met up in the Music Hall and got on the smaller tour boat at 7:00am. Much to my surprise, when we stepped out onto the small boat we were already at the glacier and the ship's aft (rear) was facing the glacier. We ate breakfast in the Windjammer and didn't notice the glacier then, so maybe in the time we were sitting downstairs we got close and then turned around? I'm not really sure.
There is a small gangway to get from the ship to the tour boat, and it's pretty narrow and steep, but it's pretty easy to get on and only took a few steps. There were some crew members there who were helping though. For people with mobility issues it might be an issue, and there were only stairs to get to the top two decks with outdoor viewing platforms. The views from the boat were incredible! Being so close to the water you could see how crystal clear it was, and you could really see the chunks of ice up close. We even saw some seals and a bald eagle on the ice. It was also just so serene and quiet. The boat zig zagged through the ice, both avoiding it and getting us some cool views. There was also a naturalist on board who spoke on a mic about some things we were seeing and some science facts, and she was around to answer any questions. She is a student at the University of Alaska Southeast studying marine biology!
At some point we saw that the Quantum was no longer near us. Because we where moving, and because the size and scale of the area is just so big, it was hard to tell if we were just getting closer and it was out of view around the corner, or if it was sailing away in the other direction. Spoiler alert, that was the last we saw of it until Juneau.
We got much, much closer to the glacier than the Quantum, but we still couldn't get too close because of the ice. I was hoping to see a calving which unfortunately didn't happen. Still, we definitely got a much better view than the people who stayed on the Quantum, and we didn't have to fight for space on the deck to view it.
After the Endicott Arm we made our way to Juneau on the boat. They did make some scenic detours, including a cool cascade (fun fact: they told us a waterfall has to come from a water source like a lake or river, any "waterfall" that's from melting ice is a cascade), an island with a bunch of sea lions hanging out, and a bear on a shoreline (who unfortunately ran away as we approached before anyone really got a view). They did say they were keeping an eye out for whales but none made an appearance. All in all we were on the boat closer to six hours and we approached the Quantum in Juneau right as it was docking at 1:00. On the ship before the excursion a member of the shore excursion team told us that last week the tour boat didn't make it back until 2:30, so I'm not sure if something out of the ordinary happened or if he was just mistaken. It was annoying because a lot of people, including us, didn't really know how long we were going to be on this excursion for, or if we would run late to any other excursions we booked in Juneau. In fact, we had a 2:30 whale watch booked and ended up moving it to 3:30 to be safe.
It's also worth mentioning that the staff on the boat were great, and they had some nice heated indoor areas. There was also a snack bar/gift shop. They gave out complementary tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and donut holes, and you could buy some other generic snack bar stuff like soda, beer, chips, and candy, along with some unique things like local salmon and caribou jerky. They also sold a few souvenir stuff like local chocolate bars, smoked and canned salmon, hot sauces, jams, seasonings, and some stuffed animals. Prices weren't bad, which was good because I think everyone ended up buying something as we were on the boat for a while. The last hour and a half or so we were basically just speeding along to Juneau, and I saw quiet a few people snoozing or closing their eyes. It was a long excursion especially considering how early it started. Major props though to the crew, who said they set sail from Juneau at 2:30 to meet us at 7:00, only to not get back until 1:00. They also caught a chunk of ice and had it set up at the snack bar so everyone could touch it and get a picture. They had a tip jar and we were more than happy to give them a few bucks for all they did.
Hope this helps people out there, and let me know if you have any questions!
