Tracy Arm fjord catamaran on Hal

[cruz chic]

I have a question for anyone that has taken this excursion on Hal. I took this excursion on Princess a few years ago and you just walked from the ship to the catamaran sorta like a tender. Rumour has it on the Hal excursion you have to use a Jacobs ladder. Is this true? Since I just had knee surgery this wouldn't be cool. That said, it would never be cool:D;). I know I could ask this on the port of call threads but I want a Hal specific answer. Thx.

[Rowsby]

Looks like this trip is thru Allen Marine Tours....this is their link and they have a contact email out of Juneau....I'm sure they could tell you how they transfer........

http://www.allenmarinetours.com/contact/index.html

[cruz chic]

Looks like this trip is thru Allen Marine Tours....this is their link and they have a contact email out of Juneau....I'm sure they could tell you how they transfer........

http://www.allenmarinetours.com/contact/index.html

 

Yes, that's who did it thru Princess. Thx so much for the suggestion. I've emailed them.

[sail7seas]

Please let us know what the answer is when you hear from them.

I'm interested. :)

 

[cruz chic]

Please let us know what the answer is when you hear from them.

I'm interested. :)

 

 

I will.

[sammygoose]

Here is the link from IRL_Joanies's semi live from the Zuiderdam that seems to address the jacob's ladder issue.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=38563843

 

once I saw that I knew there would be no way I'd be able to do that-mental not physical. No way.

 

Hope that helps.

[sapper1]

Here is the link from IRL_Joanies's semi live from the Zuiderdam that seems to address the jacob's ladder issue.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=38563843

 

once I saw that I knew there would be no way I'd be able to do that-mental not physical. No way.

 

Hope that helps.

 

It seems so ridiculous as to defy belief that HAL would consider that kind of transfer. That is why I wanted some input from other cruisers. I am so glad Lorene started this thread.

 

The method depicted in the linked photo would be dangerous even for a young person. HAL is very safety conscious.

[cruz chic]

Here is the link from IRL_Joanies's semi live from the Zuiderdam that seems to address the jacob's ladder issue.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=38563843

 

once I saw that I knew there would be no way I'd be able to do that-mental not physical. No way.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you for providing that link. With all due respect to Joanie there is something that is not quite right with that picture. When I look up that excursion it shows that it is easy (one figure). There is no way that doing that would be easy. Shame on Hal if the rope ladder is used. I just don't understand why Hal wouldn't use the tender door rather then something that far up the ship. I'll be very anxious to get an answer from the tour company.

[cruz chic]

So I just emailed the tour company again with a link to that picture. The picture is from something about the coast guard. I don't know why this was posted in Joanie's thread. Doesn't make a lot of sense.

[sammygoose]

Thank you for providing that link. With all due respect to Joanie there is something that is not quite right with that picture. When I look up that excursion it shows that it is easy (one figure). There is no way that doing that would be easy. Shame on Hal if the rope ladder is used. I just don't understand why Hal wouldn't use the tender door rather then something that far up the ship. I'll be very anxious to get an answer from the tour company.

 

I am interested to hear what you find out. The excursion sounds great with the exception of the ladder. Like I said-a deal breaker.

Hope it works out for you.

[RuthC]

I don't believe for one minute that a Jacob's ladder is used to transfer to the shore excursion catamaran; I didn't believe it when it was mentioned in the other thread.

I have recently booked an Alaska cruise on the Volendam specifically because I want to take that shore excursion. I am confident that transferring to the boat will be similar to the transfer from the ship to the excursion boat was in Sitka. I have transferred to excursion boats in Sitka, HMC, and out in Australia. All were very simple to do.

Thanks, Lorene, for starting this thread and following up on the topic. I am looking forward to your report on what you learn.

[IRL_Joanie]

I have a question for anyone that has taken this excursion on Hal. I took this excursion on Princess a few years ago and you just walked from the ship to the catamaran sorta like a tender. Rumour has it on the Hal excursion you have to use a Jacobs ladder. Is this true? Since I just had knee surgery this wouldn't be cool. That said, it would never be cool:D;). I know I could ask this on the port of call threads but I want a Hal specific answer. Thx.

 

Lore, when we were on our 11 May cruise via Zuiderdam Inside Passage the tour started at the entrance to Tracy Arm via Jacobs Ladder to the Catamaran. According to my source, Shore Excursion Manager on Zuiderdam, whether you board at the Entrance or at the dock in Juneau depends upon the itinerary.

 

Inside Passage disembarks via Jacob's Ladder. Seattle disembarks at the port itself.

 

AND the most important thing to me at least was the fact that NO MOBILITY Impaired Passengers are allowed to disembark the ship via Jacob's ladder. That is the final word from the owner of the excursion, Allen Marine to all Shore Excursion Offices:( IF I remember correctly, they would not even allow me to board the Catamaran in Juneau. Our SE Manager tried her dardest to get me on this excursion but Allen Marine said NO WAY!! NO HOW!! Which made no sense to me since they do not refuse me passage on their Excursion in Auke Bay:(

 

Joanie

 

Joanie

[cruz chic]

I am interested to hear what you find out. The excursion sounds great with the exception of the ladder. Like I said-a deal breaker.

Hope it works out for you.

 

I loved this excursion when I did it with Princess back in 2011. No way could you pay me enough to get on that ladder. I am anxious to hear back from the tour company. I had a question the last time I took this excursion and I think they got back to me quickly so hopefully they will again. Thanks for the input everyone:).

[IRL_Joanie]

So I just emailed the tour company again with a link to that picture. The picture is from something about the coast guard. I don't know why this was posted in Joanie's thread. Doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

The photo was only to show what a Jacob's Ladder was, it was NOT from any HAL ship.

 

And believe me, I wanted to do this excursion desperately, but Allen Marine said NO.

 

And for the disbelievers, there were MANY on my cruise, including my hubby who watched the 3-4 passengers who were able to go.

 

Have a nice day ya'll

 

Joanie

[cruz chic]

The photo was only to show what a Jacob's Ladder was, it was NOT from any HAL ship.

 

And believe me, I wanted to do this excursion desperately, but Allen Marine said NO.

 

And for the disbelievers, there were MANY on my cruise, including my hubby who watched the 3-4 passengers who were able to go.

 

Have a nice day ya'll

 

Joanie

 

Hal is just stupid to do this then. That is just dangerous. When I get the info back from the tour company I will be having a word with Hal about changing the tour description.

[dan1618]

I have a question for anyone that has taken this excursion on Hal. I took this excursion on Princess a few years ago and you just walked from the ship to the catamaran sorta like a tender. Rumour has it on the Hal excursion you have to use a Jacobs ladder. Is this true? Since I just had knee surgery this wouldn't be cool. That said, it would never be cool:D;). I know I could ask this on the port of call threads but I want a Hal specific answer. Thx.

 

Wow! I can't believe all the speculation, so let me end it.

 

There is NO Jacob's ladder. Why on earth would HAL use a Jacob's ladder?

 

We did this exact excursion off the Zuiderdam during the May 18th cruise. My wife uses a wheelchair because of issues with distance and weakness. The issue about "mobility impaired" is not clearly expressed. It is a normal tender down a gangway. Because of the steepness of the gangway and issues with space on the catamaran, they do not take wheelchair bound passengers who can't get out of their wheelchair, because it is not feasible to use a wheelchair on the catamaran. However, we were able to bring my wife's wheelchair, fold it, and stow it, because she needed it to get from our room to the tender location, and because we were leaving immediately on arriving in Juneau for another excursion and didn't want to return to our room. So we went right to the steepest part of the gangway, she got out, I folded the chair, and carried the chair, while also carrying a camera bag loaded with equipment and my trusty monopod. No way that could have been carried down a Jacob's ladder by one person.

 

Not sure where this rumor got started. Totally unfounded.

 

And yes, it's Allen Marine. It's a fabulous tour. The naturalist, Shari, is wonderful. If you take it, tell her we said "hello".

[sapper1]

Wow! I can't believe all the speculation, so let me end it.

 

There is NO Jacob's ladder. Why on earth would HAL use a Jacob's ladder?

 

We did this exact excursion off the Zuiderdam during the May 18th cruise. My wife uses a wheelchair because of issues with distance and weakness. The issue about "mobility impaired" is not clearly expressed. It is a normal tender down a gangway. Because of the steepness of the gangway and issues with space on the catamaran, they do not take wheelchair bound passengers who can't get out of their wheelchair, because it is not feasible to use a wheelchair on the catamaran. However, we were able to bring my wife's wheelchair, fold it, and stow it, because she needed it to get from our room to the tender location, and because we were leaving immediately on arriving in Juneau for another excursion and didn't want to return to our room. So we went right to the steepest part of the gangway, she got out, I folded the chair, and carried the chair, while also carrying a camera bag loaded with equipment and my trusty monopod. No way that could have been carried down a Jacob's ladder by one person.

 

Not sure where this rumor got started. Totally unfounded.

 

And yes, it's Allen Marine. It's a fabulous tour. The naturalist, Shari, is wonderful. If you take it, tell her we said "hello".

 

Thank you so much for your account of the boarding procedure. I just knew that HAL wouldn't be having passengers clambering down the side of the ship on a makeshift ladder but I wanted confirmation before I booked my husband on this tour. I think I can now book with confidence.

[dan1618]

Thank you so much for your account of the boarding procedure. I just knew that HAL wouldn't be having passengers clambering down the side of the ship on a makeshift ladder but I wanted confirmation before I booked my husband on this tour. I think I can now book with confidence.

 

Glad to help.

 

Can you imagine the liability involved with using a Jacob's ladder? They would literally have to have everyone sign a waiver -- and even if they had those in hand, they would never do it. Can you imagine the horrible publicity the first time someone fell off and was seriously injured or worse? Can you imagine the people freezing in fear going down?

 

It's a great tour, so enjoy! The views are fabulous!

[Itasca]

I did this excursion in May of last year and we boarded via the usual tender technique. The tour went to Endicott due to ice in Tracy Arm. We returned to the Zuiderdam at Juneau re-boarding

via the tender portal on the ship. For some reason they said we needed to have our passports, I don't believe they were ever checked.

 

I found boarding and leaving the catamaran to be easier than the usual tendering.

 

I missed dan1618's post, his description is entirely accurate.

[cruz chic]

Glad to help.

 

Can you imagine the liability involved with using a Jacob's ladder? They would literally have to have everyone sign a waiver -- and even if they had those in hand, they would never do it. Can you imagine the horrible publicity the first time someone fell off and was seriously injured or worse? Can you imagine the people freezing in fear going down?

 

It's a great tour, so enjoy! The views are fabulous!

 

Thank you for the clarification. The story sure sounded odd and was nothing like I remember. When that tour operator gets back to me I bet they will be amused. I can't imagine

Hal doing anything so silly. I agree, the shorex is wonderful.

[cruz chic]

I did this excursion in May of last year and we boarded via the usual tender technique. The tour went to Endicott due to ice in Tracy Arm. We returned to the Zuiderdam at Juneau re-boarding

via the tender portal on the ship. For some reason they said we needed to have our passports, I don't believe they were ever checked.

 

I found boarding and leaving the catamaran to be easier than the usual tendering.

 

I missed dan1618's post, his description is entirely accurate.

 

Thanks for the reassurance. I appreciate it.

[startwin]

Oops, just found this thread and had already addressed this issue in another thread. But we did this some several Alaska cruises ago, not on the Zuiderdam though, and can't remember if it was the Zaandam or the Volendam (or even the Ryndam:() But it was a simple transfer and as I recall to a tender-like vessel. If we had had to use a Jacobs Ladder, no way on earth would I have done it:eek:

[cruz chic]

Oops, just found this thread and had already addressed this issue in another thread. But we did this some several Alaska cruises ago, not on the Zuiderdam though, and can't remember if it was the Zaandam or the Volendam (or even the Ryndam:() But it was a simple transfer and as I recall to a tender-like vessel. If we had had to use a Jacobs Ladder, no way on earth would I have done it:eek:

Thanks for the response. It does seem very odd. I will be interesting to see what the tour company says about all this.

[RuthC]

I, too, appreciate the responses on how the transfer works in practice. Thank you for the posts.

I'll be making the transfer from the Volendam next summer, and feel confident that it is a process that most passengers are able to handle.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Are you sure this excursion will be offered on your cruise?

Last year on our Westerdam cruise -- for Tracy Arm it was not offered.