Anybody else had this happen to their HAL Alaska Cruise?

Morning all,

This is my first post here so apologies if it is in the wrong place (mods feel free to move).

Myself, my wife, my parents and my in-laws are all booked on the Ms Noordam on the May 14 2017 Inside Passage sailing (this will be my first cruise but parents are old hats at this).

However, I received a letter from HAL yesterday informing us that they have now removed Tracey Arm Inlet, Glacier Bay and Skagway from our itinerary to be replaced by Hubbard Glacier and Sitka. The reason given is 'Port Congestion' in Glacier Bay (which we were not stopping at, merely cruising around).

The new itinerary almost exactly matches the Hubbard Glacier tour that HAL offer from Seattle albeit we are leaving from Vancouver. Semantics I know as we will cruise the inside passage, at least on the way up.

To me this sounds suspiciously like 1 of 2 things:

1) HAL have been too late in applying for their permit for Glacier bay from the US park service and have now had to take that off our itinerary, Skagway makes no operational sense if you arn't going to Glacier bay and Tracey Arm inlet is lost to make up the time required to go a 100 m further North to Hubbard.

2) our inside passage cruise has been combined with a Hubbard glacier tour to make up passengers numbers.

I know there isn't a lot we can do about the itinerary change and will have to live with this new itinerary (with the loss of the chance to view up to 12 Glaciers) and even that HAL do not have to compensate us in anyway but I am just wondering if anyone has heard of this before and has some more insight.

Cheers

I have been looking on the net but have not found any information so am wondering if anyone has ever had

The traffic in Alaskan waters can get crazy and Alaska is trying to accommodate the ships but also the environment. The access to the 'arms' for glacier viewing is assigned almost in a lottery system and the authorities try to keep all lines 'happy' as the decisions will affect schedules - as with yours. The glacier calving will also affect how many ships can get in for viewing and from I have heard, there has been excessive calving so it is a bit less safe and more congested.

HAL should help with rescheduling your cruise so you get what you want.

It sounds like you are not at the final payment window so I would reschedule to another day, ship or even cruise line to get the itinerary you want. I absolutely would not want to miss Glacier Bay.

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"The reason given is 'Port Congestion' in Glacier Bay (which we were not stopping at, merely cruising around)."

FWIW, "cruising around" is what all cruise ships do in Glacier Bay, there is no "stop". Also guessing ice floe could be an issue that time of year.

It sounds like you are not at the final payment window so I would reschedule to another day, ship or even cruise line to get the itinerary you want. I absolutely would not want to miss Glacier Bay.

 

 

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Thanks both, the info that it is a lottery system makes the change more understandable but does raise questions as to why HAL are not more honest about this when sending out the letters. Surely an extra paragraph of text is easier than responding to the letters afterwards asking for more information.

Unfortunately my parents are flying over from the UK for the cruise and arrangements in that regard are already made so we will probably end up taking the revised itinerary. I'm lucky in that living in Vancouver, gives me easy access to do it again at a later date.

That sailing also seems to have less time in Juneau, and I'm not thrilled with the thought of the open ocean heading up to Yakutat Bay :( My other concern is how close we will actually be able to get to the Hubbard Glacier, as I'd expect a lot of seal pups on the ice floes.

I think the port congestion is really Skagway, as there are a bunch of ships scheduled for the day the Noordam should be in port there.

You may want to find another cruise. Seeing Hubbard is cool, going to Sitka is cool (but it looks like the Noordam will be anchored and tendering, not docked -- does that affect anyone in your party?)

"The reason given is 'Port Congestion' in Glacier Bay (which we were not stopping at' date=' merely cruising around)."[/i']

 

FWIW, "cruising around" is what all cruise ships do in Glacier Bay, there is no "stop". Also guessing ice floe could be an issue that time of year.

Understood, my point was 'port congestion' was a strange term for HAL to use when it isn't a port.

The term congestion or unavailability of US National Park Service Permit would have conveyed the problem better and with less confusion.

That sailing also seems to have less time in Juneau, and I'm not thrilled with the thought of the open ocean heading up to Yakutat Bay :( My other concern is how close we will actually be able to get to the Hubbard Glacier, as I'd expect a lot of seal pups on the ice floes.

 

I think the port congestion is really Skagway, as there are a bunch of ships scheduled for the day the Noordam should be in port there.

 

You may want to find another cruise. Seeing Hubbard is cool, going to Sitka is cool (but it looks like the Noordam will be anchored and tendering, not docked -- does that affect anyone in your party?)

No issues with tendering, albeit a pain vs docked. I am also concerned about how close we will get to Hubbard as a result of ice (we picked Glacier bay because it was further south and a degree C warmer in May). Seals typically pup in June so may be lucky.

Juneau is a strange one as we arrive a few hours earlier and leave a few hours earlier but does mean we will be there for more daylight rather than till 10 at night. It opens up some more options for trekking on Medenhall.

It isn't a permit problem, those are locked in for a few more years.

But if Princess has two ships going there then there may be a requirement only x number are allowed in on a specific day. Maybe something changed and Noordam was the best to move.

HAL Alaska ships sell out, they won't make any itinerary changes to help (especially this far out).

We cruised that area with HAL for two weeks (late August departure) this year, and Tracy Arm had too much ice for safety. Celebrity as well as HAL made alternate arrangements and cruised into Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier instead which was quite magnificent.

Hubbard was a scheduled highlight of our cruise where we watched a lot of glacial calving. And in Sitka on a boat excursion, we saw a humpback whale repeatedly breaching out of the water for about 20 minutes. A memorable day in one of Alaska's favorite port towns with a lot to see just strolling around afterward. I've been to Sitka three times and would love to go again.

I've also been to Glacier Bay before twice, and was equally pleased to cruise up to the other glaciers this summer. It's all spectacular up there in my humble opinion. Have a wonderful trip.

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises. A couple of times we missed Hubbard Glacier and Tray Arm due to ice flows -- weren't informed that we would be missing them until we were on the ship.

These things happen.

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises. A couple of times we missed Hubbard Glacier and Tray Arm due to ice flows -- weren't informed that we would be missing them until we were on the ship.

These things happen.

and I guess this is what worries me the most. For operational reasons HAL have removed Glacier bay (the one reliable place to view glaciers year round), and replaced it with one that has a high risk of ice in the early season. We could end up missing any and cruising up to Hubbard merely to turn round and come back.

Can accept that force majeure can cause sudden unfortunate changes. But HAL should come clean about decisions they make for operational efficiency or their convenience.

Your cruise in May is very early in the Alaska cruise schedule. There is still a lot of ice in the water at that time. It is common for cruises to reroute around the ice. We cruised there once in early June, and one cruising day near a glacier (don't remember which one) was canceled because of ice, but it was replaced by another one in which most of the ice had broken up.

On the other hand, spring Alaska cruises usually have less rain than summer. Our cruise in June had sunny skies every day and not a drop of rain.

For me the best part of an Alaskan cruise is the scenic cruising, I don't care that much about the ports.

I have read that they only allow two ships/day in Glacier, and HAL is the third ship - after Princess and NCL. Guess one had to go. EM

I have read that they only allow two ships/day in Glacier, and HAL is the third ship - after Princess and NCL. Guess one had to go. EM

Thanks this is what I suspected and something I believe is normal for any Alaskan cruise season and therefore entirely foreseeable by HAL.

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/support-files/gb_2017.pdf

This suggests they knew about the change in September so strange the news was not released till now.

I am sorry you are starting out our cruise with negative suspicions about HAL's intent. That can have a corrosive ripple effect. Good you are asking your questions now and I hope you end up with a more comfortable opinion about your upcoming cruise.

I am sorry you are starting out our cruise with negative suspicions about HAL's intent. That can have a corrosive ripple effect. Good you are asking your questions now and I hope you end up with a more comfortable opinion about your upcoming cruise.

Was supposed to be a picture of Elvis singing we cant go on together with suspicious minds.

... (with the loss of the chance to view up to 12 Glaciers)

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"The reason given is 'Port Congestion' in Glacier Bay (which we were not stopping at' date=' merely cruising around)."[/i']

 

FWIW, "cruising around" is what all cruise ships do in Glacier Bay, there is no "stop". Also guessing ice floe could be an issue that time of year.

Glacier Bay access is limited to two ships a day .

IMO Hubbard (if conditions permit getting in close, and it is calving) is more worth seeing than all the G.B. glaciers combined! :)

.

I agree!!! I was up there in 2010 when the entire face of the glacier fell off! Loudest thing I've ever heard except for a tornado (I'm originally from Texas). I put a video of it on my FB page. You can actually hear the captain shouting "Everyone on deck, grab a rail! That tsunami will hit us!". And the huge wave generated by the event really did rock the ship.

I've been there since and I always think that the Hubbard calving is more spectacular than any of the others. JMO.

Thanks this is what I suspected and something I believe is normal for any Alaskan cruise season and therefore entirely foreseeable by HAL.

 

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/support-files/gb_2017.pdf

 

This suggests they knew about the change in September so strange the news was not released till now.

I'm confused... how is it "foreseeable" that they'd lose the lottery?

Does this have anything to do with the Princess pollution trial which apparently placed all Carnival Corp. ship under strict watch and conditions?

As noted Glacier Bay allows 2 ships a day: I can't see why there would be 3 booked.

This cruise has a lot of changes, so it is really hard to see clearly what is happening, but this is very unusual.

OP: Sitka is a beautiful little town and Hubbard is worth the while. Alaska is not a "once and you've seen it all" kind of place. Please consider making a return trip or two!

IMO Hubbard (if conditions permit getting in close, and it is calving) is more worth seeing than all the G.B. glaciers combined! :)

.

I agree!!! The Hubbard Glacier is far better than Glacier Bay...have seen it 4 times. Too bad to miss Skagway, though.

Karen

Thanks this is what I suspected and something I believe is normal for any Alaskan cruise season and therefore entirely foreseeable by HAL.

 

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/support-files/gb_2017.pdf

 

This suggests they knew about the change in September so strange the news was not released till now.

It does not suggest anything..It is possible that HAL knew of the change earlier, but they may have been trying to re-negotiate with the powers to be to keep the original schedule.. Also don't see why their notice of "port congestion" would upset you..You don't know what has been going on the past few months with scheduling problems.. They could have been working on the European schedule changes for next year..There is a thread where someone on a Europen Cruise in April was just notified that all stops in Turkey have been cancelled.. HAL ships are going all over the world, not just to Alaska & sometimes other schedule changes are more important.. IMO a Turkey cancellation for all HAL ships would take precedence over an Alaska cancellation..

As someone who was in the Travel business for over 30 years I believe you are over reacting..Schedule changes are a constant in this business for airlines, cruise lines, Railroads, Bus Lines, etc.No company enjoys notifying Psgrs. of schedule changes, but you have to learn to accept it..

And they don't always advise of the changes 6 to 7 months in advance such as yours is.. It is hardly the last minute.. If you are so annoyed 6 months in advance, what will you do if you have a last minute schedule change.. When you travel you have to learn to accept schedule changes & sometimes last minute ones.. There might be times when you will be advised of a port change the day of or the day before departure.. Are you going to be one of those Psgrs. who becomes angry if this happens? :eek:

<snip>. Does this have anything to do with the Princess pollution trial which apparently placed all Carnival Corp. ship under strict watch and conditions?

The same thought crossed my mind, too Silver...