Griff61

It all depends what time you are in Victoria but the Butchard Gardens is fantastic at night. Sunset is not till 9pm in June and the gardens are best seen before sunset and after sunset. This way it's like two different places.

I am born and raised in Victoria and in my opinion Butchard Gardens is a must see for anyone.

There should even be a fireworks show

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Don't just go by the listed itineraries on the websites.

In September the cruise lines that have won the lottery for going into GB & TA are published on CLAA website.

Beware that any cruise line can change their itinerary at any time.

Example : I booked with HAL in April 16 for a cruise in May 2017. I found out on here , CC , on Dec 22/16 that HAL changed their itinerary and dropped GB , TA and SKG. Talked to TA and they didn't know about it. Looked at CLAA website and it was published in September 16 and HAL did NOT have permission to go into GB & TA. Went to HAL's website that day and they were STILL showing the itinerary with have GB, TA & SKG even though the dropped then and put in HG & SIT.

HAL would not let me change to leaving one day earlier so I could see the 3 places I wanted. There was room on their other ship but they wanted more money.

If you go by the CLAA list you should be ok.

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NCL has a cruise in Sept that we are on and it starts in Vancouver goes to Alaska then Victoria, Astoria and finishes in San Francisco

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Chilkoot is accurate Thousands of people take their tours with this same schedule. The only issue you have to worry about is you being ready for this early start. Your port time isn't a problem.

Thank you for your quick response. You are so informative. I read your posts constantly :D

I have been in touch with Chilkoot tours and they say that there is enough time to get the 07:30 excursion when the NCL Sun is scheduled to dock at 07:00. There are no afternoon tours on Sept 28th, the day we arrive there and I really want to take the train up and bus back. The 8:30 excursion is bus up. Does anybody know if one can disembark in time for the 07:30 excursion?

I'm thinking it should be ok or Chilkoot wouldn't say so but I thought I would throw this out here to people who have been there before

TIA

Lucy2mb

I am born and raised in Victoria and the suggestions by martincath is right on. There is so much to do downtown and around you don't need to spend money on an excursion. Butchards Garden is absolutely beautiful and if you do go I would suggest late afternoon to early evening so you can catch it in daylight and then when it's dark. Two different experiences for sure.

Unfortunately I don't remember as we had the noon trip. If you booked directly thru the company it should be fine, they know how long it takes, and they pick you literally step from the ship. You could always give them a call.

Thanks so much for the quick reply.

I will go with it as you said it is through the company :D:D

Hi GCM

What time were you able to get off the ship in Skagway? I want to take a excursion with a pick up time of 7:30 It's the Chilkoot Train and Bus one . On Sept 28th they don't have the afternoon ones.

TIA

Hi BQ

I love the info you post. I am wondering if you can answer this question for me.

I am going to book with Chilkoot Tours for the WPR&Bus. It will be Sept 28th. They only have the morning excursions on this day. The 7:30 ( train up bus down, the one I want ) and 8:30 in reverse. Chilkoot has said I would be okay to take the 7:30 excursion as I would be able to get off the ship in time as the ship docks at 6-630. They pick up people at the dock.

Do you or anyone else have experience with this or comment.

TIA

We ate at the Freedoms BBQ back in October and thought the mac n cheese was what gave us food poisoning. The facts all pointed back to that dish. I posted about the event on this board and the Carnival apologists and self acclaimed food safety experts had a field day! To the point the post was taken down by the admins. I've never been accused of so many nasty things and called stupid and worse so many times in my life. Glad your experience was better!

I have been following CC forums for some time now and I agree. I have seen some outrages things posted on these forums.

A lot of worst and demeaning comments seem to come from the proud people that post how many cruises they have been on. The more cruises the worse the comments.

It's like " They know all and be damned what your experience was " :mad::mad:

But this is what you agree to whenever you book a cruise, according to the cruise contract. All cruise lines have basically the same contract, that ports can be changed for any reason. Since that is what you agree to, they do not owe you an explanation. "Executive decision" IS their 'any reason' explanation.

NMLady

Please reread the first paragraph of ulbeck's first post and stop treating her as a rookie. Next try to grasp what she has been trying to tell you please.

Life must be a constantly insulting and condescending if this has made such an impact to prattle on here about very common occurrences in the travel world.

Why is it so hard for some people to understand that when people book for a specific trip, advertised ports and pay good money that we tend to get upset when the said trips, ports or other changes happen

Sure cruise lines can change things ie the fine print, but when you want to see the ports you book your trip for you do expect to see them.

Not everyone has the time for financing to go 2,3 or once a year.

To me the answers like the quote above is condescending

Holland America did the same thing for my Alaska cruise in May

Not for ice problems They knew they didn't win the lottery for being able to go into GB & TA in September 16 and kept their itinerary the same all the way through till December 16 and then changed it to Hubbard and Sitka.

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Lavazza is the brand of espresso they use on NCL. Espresso (latte, cappuccino, americano, etc.) is not included in the UBP, except (sometimes) as part of an alcoholic coffee drink.

 

The free brewed coffee varies a lot from batch to batch. Try all of the machines in the buffet, some are better than others. At Le Bistro the coffee is French press, so you can ask them to make it extra strong.

 

Virgin drinks are no problem with the UBP. Not all bars have clamato for Caesars.

Thank You so much for the info and so quick :D:D

Are Latte's and espresso included in the UBP ? I don't know if that is what Lavazza coffee beverages are. I have not been on NCL.

Is there any strong coffee on board ? Also does NCL do any Mocktails ? ie. virgin ceaser, virgin margarita.

Thanks

Booking a cruise for specific ports is a big mistake since written into every cruise contract is the statement that they can change ports for any reason.

I know that but read the rest of the post please.

The thing that makes me upset the most is the way that they don't update there info for the itineraries when they know in Sept that they did not have the permission to go to those ports and don't let the public know.

In case you missed it

http://claalaska.com/?page_id=1250

:D

....That the powers that be; i.e., Governing agencies such as Park Service, have said, "No Way! No How!" to large ships (cruise ships.)

 

The entrance (cruising) to these most beautiful Glacier areas are highly monitored by agencies in order to keep them from being destroyed or damaged by the wake etc. of cruise ships. I think they also limit the smaller excursion boats, (but not 100% positive.)

 

We all like to place the blame on the cruise line, but when it comes to Alaska and its Glaciers, it is the Park Service that usually (if not always) that monitors who and what can enter and traverse the waters.

 

I believe I read here on CC a year or 2 ago that the Park Service has some sort of Lottery for Cruise Lines as to who (which Lines), and which ships (by size) that can enter places such as Glacier Bay. I know that on our last 2 cruises to Alaska in 2015 (July and 2016 April and May) there were only 2 cruise ships allowed into Glacier Bay. We did see a very much smaller National Geographic Day cruise (maybe 100 passengers?) in the bay also.

 

That being said, the Cruise Lines put up there itineraries long before they actually "know" if they will "win" the lottery to enter with what ship.... Hope that makes sense.....

 

Joanie

Hi Joanie

Thanks for the above info but you will see in the attached Sept 17/16 Cruise Ship Calendar which shows who has won the lottery that the cruise I switched to did win there place for TA on that day.

You are correct in saying that only 2 cruise ships a day are allowed in.

http://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Tracy-Arm-TA-2017.pdf

The problem I have is that Hal new in the 3rd week of Sept. that they had won a spot for the NA but not for the Noordam and they did not change the itinerary till late Dec and still shows as going to TA on some websites.

My TA's office never got the change till Dec 23nd. We were suppose to go there on the Noordam May 9th. I know that they make up the itinerary long before they actually win a lottery but I find it frustrating that they don't change it on a timely basis.

A lot of people go by what they see and are booking to see.

That aside I do understand the ice problem

Cheers

Thank you all for your input. It is really appreciated.

Happy cruising.

Also before anyone says " It is good you know now because they sometimes don't tell you till you board " doesn't make it any less painful.

I have a cruise with Hal on May 7th which they changed the itinerary and took out TArm, SKG and GB. replacing it with HUB and SIT.

My TA then was switching us over to a May 6th cruise because the reason we were going was to see TArm and GB as well as we had an excursion in SKG and the N Amsterdam was listed as going to TArm as well as the other two. Now the N Amsterdam is not going to TArm.

I was thinking of going in mid Sept as they say they are going to the 3 spots I want.

I have been following the Hal site everyday and now they are cancelling TArm on all cruises that run from beginning of May to the 3rd week as well as 2nd week of Sept till the end.

On the Cruise Ship Calendar for Alaska, Sept 17 , they show that Hal has ships scheduled for the above ports.

Also when purchasing the cruise for May 7th they listed the above ports then the Sept Calendar doesn't show that the Noordam was going to go there yet they don't change the itinerary till Dec.

I contacted Hal today and they told me it is because of ice. :confused: Hal has now made the maps for itinerary's on the site blank as well.

How is it that they book the ships to go to the ports then tell me it is because of " ice " that they change the itinerary months ahead ?

Why on earth do they operate this way. Can they predict the weather?

When I book a cruise it is for the specific destinations that I want to see. It cost a lot of money to cruise and people save hard to be able to do it. Not everyone has a big pension and now if to change cruise lines prices have gone up with every cruise line. We booked this in May 2016 so we knew how much money we needed to have a great holiday.

Thanks for letting me vent. :(

We are Noordam northbound on June 4, 2017 and knock on wood still have original itinerary. glacier bay was a determining criteria as we have been to Sawyer glacier previously. Will definitely keep an eye out for emails. Thank you for the heads up

Hi ManyGirl

Look at page 8 and you will see your cruise. Have a good time,

file:///C:/Users/jgrif/Desktop/2017-All-Ports-All-Vessels-September-18-2016.pdf

2017-All-Ports-All-Vessels-September-18-2016.pdf

If it was just me and the wife I probably would re-arrange for a another time. Unfortunately my parents are already committed to their flight.

 

I actually would of got on with the new itinerary fine and am really just being prickly because I view what they have tried to do as a bait and switch and do believe that the contracts favor the cruise line far to much. Airline passengers have more rights than cruise passengers do.

 

However.... we have just finished on the phone with HAL. After a bit on complaining (all nicely) we have had HAL agree to switch our cruise to the Nieuw Amsterdam which leaves the same port on our original schedule just 1 day earlier. Result. Took a little bit of work and some discussions but to their credit HAL have really come through and completely restored my faith in them.

Right back to dreaming of glaciers.

Glad to hear that.

Until I read your post about your change I didn't think anything about my cruise schedule changing, May 7th 2017.

Sure enough when I check the cruise line schedule, that you kindly posted, I noticed that my schedule has also changed. My cruise itinerary, Holland, WAS the same as yours. I choose this cruise so the wife and I could do the White Pass excursion. We have wanted to that trip for many years and after saving a long time to be able to do it now they change it.

We haven't even been notified of the change. So again thank you for posting.

I have sent an email to my TA but he is away till Dec 14th. I want to change as you did. May 6th when the Nieuw Amsterdam sails there.

I might contact Holland myself before my TA comes back. I have searched and they have the same cabin available.

I'm like you as wanting to see what I want to see after paying for it after saving for a long time.

Mr 1499 ,30 yr TA , if anybody, he should totally understand why we might be upset. I'm glad he is not my TA. I wonder if he said that to his customers.

" Pay me $5000 for your trip and don't get upset if they change it. " :eek::eek::p

Sort of implies that N/A beer would not be included in the excluded items.

 

Then again (IMHO), N/A beer sort of falls in the category of kissing one's sister. :rolleyes:

The last part of you post is great 👍🏼

I'm drinking the new Budweiser Prohibition one and it has no alcohol content. Maybe they will let it pass

:)

Hi

Does anyone know if one can bring on non-alcoholic beer on board ? I know pop and water are ok.

Thanks in advance:)

I'm confused. Back in September, you posted "My Sister and I are taking my Mom on this cruise! I can hardly wait. This will be the first cruise for all three of us and a once in a lifetime advanture (sic)." So how does sister #3 come into play? Did she decide belatedly to join you, then change her mind?

Why does it matter ? You must have a lot of time on your hands [emoji3]

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