Changing Itinerary

[Griff61]

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. :(

[Griff61]

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.

[Essiesmom]

I'm going out on a limb and blaming this on global warming. It could be causing more melting and calving of the glaciers in Tracy Arm, and they possibly have looked back at the previous couple of seasons, calculated how many times the ship missed it because of ice, and decided the better part of valor would be to change the itinerary up front, rahter than have guests disappointed onboard. In Alaska, you can't substituet a port if another is missed. EM

[Cairn Mom]

So far, our Princess cruise is still going to Tracy Arm in Sept of 2017. That said, I know that many ships had be rerouted to Sawyer Glacier in 2016 due to ice.

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Over the years we have missed Tracy Arm about 3 times due to ice. And one of the cruises was in June.

[Tampa Girl]

All cruise lines change itineraries for a variety of reasons. The bottom line is that if one is dead set on visiting a place that has a history of sometimes or frequently being cancelled, taking a plane rather than a ship is the only guarantee of seeing the desired destination.

[Tom O.]

This is very common for cruises early in the season. The cruise line hopes these areas are free of ice, but it is quite often not so. If you want to have a cruise that for sure will be ice free, don't schedule one in May or June. BTW the possibility of ice is one of the reasons cruises in May and June are cheaper.

On our June 5th cruise on NCL, we were told by the captain, after embarkation, that Glacier Bay had too much ice and it was being replaced by the Sawyer Glacier. Sawyer turned out to be the highlight for the cruise.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Tom O.
listed wron glacier

[geoherb]

So far, our Princess cruise is still going to Tracy Arm in Sept of 2017. That said, I know that many ships had be rerouted to Sawyer Glacier in 2016 due to ice.

Sawyer Glacier is in Tracy Arm. Getting there is spectacular. When we first saw it (in 2003), the ship got fairly close to South Sawyer Glacier. When we went back in 2009, the ship did not get as close. I felt sorry for the people who had not seen it before.

[DaveOKC]

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.

 

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?

:(

 

Ice is an issue in T Arm for awhile - we missed it three years ago in early May. HOWEVER, it should not be a problem in Sept.!

[TheCalicoCat]

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.

:(

 

This isn't going to make you feel any better, but most of the cruises that were scheduled to go into Tracy Arm last year did not make it due to ice. Early May & Late September are known to be icier in general. (That is part of the reason why the AK cruise season is so short.)

[Bill S]

We have been on 4 cruises that visited Tracy Arm and have never gotten close to the Sawyer Glacier. While the Tracy Arm is beautiful, it is frustrating to see Sawyer Glacier only from afar.

[RuthC]

We have been on 4 cruises that visited Tracy Arm and have never gotten close to the Sawyer Glacier. While the Tracy Arm is beautiful, it is frustrating to see Sawyer Glacier only from afar.

The best chance of seeing Sawyer Glacier is by taking one of the itineraries that has the shore excursion up Tracy Arm in a catamaran. The shore excursion got very close to North Sawyer Glacier, from much closer to sea level, for a more impressive perspective.

I don't recall ever getting close to the glacier when I sailed up Tracy Arm on the ship.

[Griff61]

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

 

Happy cruising.

[IRL_Joanie]

....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

Edited January 4, 2017 by IRL_Joanie

[Griff61]

....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

[81Zoomie]

We cruised to Tracey's arm on our second AK cruise and thought it paled in comparison to GB and Hubbard. The ship didn't even get close to the glacier and there was no real ice issue. Fortunately we had booked the small boat excursion (sells out fast) and got up close and personal with the glacier, waterfalls, sea life, etc. We caught up with the ship in Juneau. As a side note, in researching travel ins for an upcoming cruise I noticed there is "cruise ins" that has a changed itinerary provision. Might be worth looking into for certain cruises.

[RuthC]

We cruised to Tracey's arm on our second AK cruise and thought it paled in comparison to GB and Hubbard.

The days sailing Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier are an entirely different focus than the day sailing Tracy Arm.

 

Tracy Arm is scenic cruising, and there's a glacier at the end. Glacier Bay and Hubbard are focused on the spectacular glaciers, and there's some scenic cruising to get there. It's a totally different experience, and has to be appreciated for what it is.

[NMLady]

. ...

 

When I book a cruise it is for the specific destinations that I want to see. .... :(

 

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.

[InTheWASide]

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.

 

they can even swap ships if needed but that VERY rarely happens

[Griff61]

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

[RDC1]

....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

 

The allocations for Glacier Bay is done on 10 year contracts. Details can be easily found doing a search on Glacier Bay National Park Cruise Ship Contracts.

 

Tracy Arm Fjord is not covered by allocations such as Glacier Bay where cruise ship are actually under government contract as a national park vendor.

 

This change is not because of a lottery. Ice conditions makes more sense because getting into Tracy Arm is problematic early in the season during the best of years. I expect that the the cruise line just looked at their failure rate getting in and decided to make the changes prior to the cancellation date rather than at the last minute.