Is there a way to do Glacier Bay on an Oceania Cruise?

[LB_NJ]

I would prefer to do Oceania over Princess however I do not want to miss Glacier Bay.

 

Any suggestions on how to do Glacier Bay and an Oceania Alaska Cruise?

[1985rz1]

I'm not aware on any Oceania itineraries that include Glacier Bay, and I did a quick look at the recent offerings and didn't find one. 

 

According the Google, the cruise lines that include Glacier Bay in their 2019 itineraries include Princess,  HAL, NCL, Carnival, and Un-Cruise.  Of this group, I've only sailed on Un-Cruise (on the Lewis and Clark route out of Portland) and that ship (a replica steamer) was basic. Their ships that include Glacier Bay carry 60-70 passengers, and are quite basic.  I think that many if not most of their ships were purchased from the now defunct Cruise West Line.

 

I can't comment on the others, but they are larger and less upscale than Oceania.

Edited April 16, 2019 by 1985rz1

[kitty9]

If Oceania doesn’t offer it on their itineraries, there’s no way to do Glacier Bay on an Oceania ship, and if Oceania doesn’t cruise near GB, they can’t do an excursion to the area. Alaska is very tough on how many ships/boats can enter Glacier Bay and they really do enforce the rules. 

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, kitty9 said:

If Oceania doesn’t offer it on their itineraries, there’s no way to do Glacier Bay on an Oceania ship, and if Oceania doesn’t cruise near GB, they can’t do an excursion to the area. Alaska is very tough on how many ships/boats can enter Glacier Bay and they really do enforce the rules. 

Oceania does stop at Hoonah-Icy Straits, which could be a gateway to Glacier Bay.  But the problem may be the Alaska's restrictions. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Perhaps the fact that apparently NCL recently got a license for GB will make a difference in future, since they're the parent company...

[GeezerCouple]

14 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Perhaps the fact that apparently NCL recently got a license for GB will make a difference in future, since they're the parent company...

 

NCL has had a license for GB already.  Perhaps this is a renewal?  Or is it for "more ships"?

 

GC

[arima22]

14 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Perhaps the fact that apparently NCL recently got a license for GB will make a difference in future, since they're the parent company...

I don't think that it is "recent" …. we were on NCL in GB in 2001.

[thinfool]

And I'm not sure how much Alaska has to say about Glacier Bay....pretty sure the National Park Service has a stranglehold on the rules and regulations.  It is the agency that issues permits to the cruise lines and ships that are allowed to enter and provides the Rangers that embark and escort the larger ships when they arrive for a day in the Bay.

[sammiedawg]

Crystal has some permits.  

Princess and Holland America historically have controlled  the bulk of GB permits.  

However, there is a major Alaskan environmental scandal involving Carnival corporation brands illegally dumping garbage, sewage in protected waters.  Maintenance records were falsified and other environmental regs  were broken.  These violations have been in the courts for a while and recently additional environmental crimes were committed. 

Hopefully, severe  punishments  will be doled out.  The court has already threatened imprisonments,  massive fines and loss of docking privileges at US ports.  Some think GB permits will be pulled.

 

Not sure if I can post the link but there is a lot of info on the site specializing in cruise law news.  

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, arima22 said:

I don't think that it is "recent" …. we were on NCL in GB in 2001.

 

https://www.nps.gov/glba/learn/news/glacier-bay-issues-new-contracts-for-cruise-ship-services.htm

[arima22]

Quoted from bing search: "NCL (Bahamas) Ltd., doing business as Norwegian Cruise Line offers cruise services. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Miami, Florida. NCL (Bahamas) Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of NCL International, Ltd. 7665 Corporate Center Drive"

 

Sounds like only Norwegian Cruise Line, renewal of previous permits, not for consideration of Regent or Oceania as permit is not listed for NCL International, Ltd.

[Mura]

I may well be wrong on this since we've never done an Alaska cruise on O, but I thought I read some years back that HAL, etc., had a lock on Glacier Bay. And that O went to Hubbard instead.  (I think it was Hubbard, but I could be wrong on that score as well.)

 

I avoid using GB for Glacier Bay since I discovered that I was reading that as "Great Britain".  😀

[Wendy The Wanderer]

14 hours ago, Mura said:

I may well be wrong on this since we've never done an Alaska cruise on O, but I thought I read some years back that HAL, etc., had a lock on Glacier Bay. And that O went to Hubbard instead.  (I think it was Hubbard, but I could be wrong on that score as well.)

 

I avoid using GB for Glacier Bay since I discovered that I was reading that as "Great Britain".  😀

 

Context is everything, right?  (E.g., what does 'TA' mean without context?)

 

Regent goes to Hubbard too, always has I believe.

[LB_NJ]

I just heard about the Carnival issue.

 

I am aware that NCL offers some cruises into Glacier Bay.

 

However, I think Oceania cruises are a little nice than NCL cruises and the ships are smaller (my preference is for smaller ships).

 

I had hoped there was a way to do a "shore" excursion into Glacier Bay with Oceania but may have to settle for NCL.

[Cruise Junky]

Viking just got a license for Glacier Bay, that may be a better alternative than NCL

[Mura]

Off the top of my head, TA can be travel agent or trip advisor ... no doubt, plenty of other things.

 

I automatically assume (on CC) that TA mean travel agent ... until thinking that is the case doesn't make sense.

 

Mura

[GeezerCouple]

4 minutes ago, Mura said:

Off the top of my head, TA can be travel agent or trip advisor ... no doubt, plenty of other things.

 

I automatically assume (on CC) that TA mean travel agent ... until thinking that is the case doesn't make sense.

 

Mura

 

Trans Atlantic,  and especially on CC!  

 

GC

[LB_NJ]

45 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

Viking just got a license for Glacier Bay, that may be a better alternative than NCL

 

Thank you.  I don't see it listed on their web site yet however I will keep a lookout for it.

Since they just got the license they may not have adjusted the cruises yet.

[Hawaiidan]

To reply directly...How  can a person on a Oceania Cruise visit Glacier Bay Park and Preserve ( full and correct name)

 

THERE IS A WAY... I used to work in the region for NPS...  You will need to hire a air charter from Juneau to fly you over to the Park  visitor center or over the park in Gustavia..   There is a airport with scheduled service...but not frequent.   It is not cheap.  There are tour operators in Gustavia  that can run tours too.  in smaller boats.  It can  be done in a day tour if one has deep pockets   Yes the USNPS  controls the access to the bay.   Yes NCL and Carnival lines had a lock but with the legal problems with Carnival  Princess, HAL,  might be excluded due  to their violations in and around Alaska !.   

June will be what the Courts in Miami hand down the decision.   Carnival is on probation and has violated it.    Judges do not like breaking probation...  Least the ones I know

My crystal ball is in the shop... can not help you  with  whats going to happen.   The fact, however, that Viking got a permit may be telling in that  it says someone might be leaving....???      Me, I expect a shake up  lots of lines who were excluded would like to see the Carnival  empire get whacked.

[susiesan]

I will be embarking on an Alaska cruise this coming June 18 on the Coral Princess. I wanted to visit Alaska with Oceania but the lack of access to GBNP is why I chose Princess. I also considered Azamara but they do not go to GBNP either.

[sammiedawg]

4 minutes ago, susiesan said:

I will be embarking on an Alaska cruise this coming June 18 on the Coral Princess. I wanted to visit Alaska with Oceania but the lack of access to GBNP is why I chose Princess. I also considered Azamara but they do not go to GBNP either.

 

We think Coral Princess is the best choice in their fleet.  We’ve done Alaska several times on the Coral . Great space per passenger with abundant viewing areas.  They have a naturalist on board and they will bring in cultural entertainment.   We had guys from the Ketchikan lumberjack show on board.  They will have Alaskan  experts lecturing including Libby Riddles in Juneau.  

 

It has been a few years and I’m unsure about the food quality but last time it was decent, of course not Oceania caliber. Great pizza. The specialty restaurants were good and well worth the upcharge.  It was $25 a few years ago. 

 

[Hawaiidan]

On 4/17/2019 at 9:05 AM, GeezerCouple said:

 

Trans Atlantic,  and especially on CC!  

 

GC

In most communication  spelling out something helps greatly.......

[susiesan]

6 hours ago, sammiedawg said:

 

We think Coral Princess is the best choice in their fleet.  We’ve done Alaska several times on the Coral . Great space per passenger with abundant viewing areas.  They have a naturalist on board and they will bring in cultural entertainment.   We had guys from the Ketchikan lumberjack show on board.  They will have Alaskan  experts lecturing including Libby Riddles in Juneau.  

 

It has been a few years and I’m unsure about the food quality but last time it was decent, of course not Oceania caliber. Great pizza. The specialty restaurants were good and well worth the upcharge.  It was $25 a few years ago. 

 

I used Princess for a Cape Horn cruise Feb. 2018 and was happy with the product. I have Platinum on Princess so I get a few extra perks. I chose the Coiral for Alaska from recommendations on Princess CC boards. I will be on Marina summer 2020 on a 10 day Baltic cruise Copenhagen to Stockholm. I looked at Princess for this same itinerary but chose Oceania due to no sea day at all whereas Princess had 2 on a 10 day cruise. A Baltic cruise is not about sightseeing on the ship it is about the ports. Plus I know thew food on O will be better than on Princess.