Santa Barbara Announces Cruise Ship Ban Until March 2022

[zelker]

COVID-19 Surge Means Cruise Ships Won't Be Dropping Anchor in Santa Barbara Anytime Soon | KCLU

 

With this new announcement, how long would you guess it will take HAL to announce the change to this Fall's itineraries for the Pacific Coastal cruises on Koningsdam and the Seattle to FLL cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam?  

[lindaler]

I woke expecting to find more news about cancels or changes. When they start closing US ports it becomes scary. I thought it would be the safest of all my cruises but things happen. 

 

[SLC1954]

I’m booked on the Oct 31 Konigsdam sailing. It will be interesting how the itinerary may change.  Maybe a sea day, or just a sail by Santa Barbara.  I am sure HAL is scrambling to come up with a new plan.  Same thing happened on this itinerary earlier when Monterey was cancelled for the same reason (Covid).

You could just put me on the ship and sail me around for the full 7 days with no port stops and I would be happy.

[twodjs]

I find it interesting the spin Santa Barbara seems to be using -  closing the port to protect the cruise passengers from the spike. A little crazy since they haven't closed the freeway in and out of Santa Barbara. You would think a 100% vaccinated ship with masks and negative tests would be welcomed. 

[Himself]

2 hours ago, SLC1954 said:

I’m booked on the Oct 31 Konigsdam sailing. It will be interesting how the itinerary may change.  Maybe a sea day, or just a sail by Santa Barbara.  I am sure HAL is scrambling to come up with a new plan.  Same thing happened on this itinerary earlier when Monterey was cancelled for the same reason (Covid).

You could just put me on the ship and sail me around for the full 7 days with no port stops and I would be happy.

I could handle that.

[kangforpres]

Both my Panama Canal and Coastal California where to stop at Santa Barbara this Fall, oh well I guess more sea days for me. 

 

Just hope San Diego stays open.

 

-Paul

Edited September 1, 2021 by kangforpres

[zelker]

9 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

Just hope San Diego stays open.

 

-Paul

Bite your tongue!!!  🤐  We've got 3 big roundtrip cruises between December 2021 and October 2022 that are round-trip San Diego.

 

Edited September 1, 2021 by zelker

[Turtles06]

In January 2020, just before the pandemic hit, we had a port call to Santa Barbara on a cruise from NY to San Francisco. It was only a half day, and a tender port at that, so I decided to save time by taking the shuttle bus the town was operating from the pier to the historic/downtown area (and back), maybe a mile or so away.  We were the only ship there that day, and they had a number of buses running, but the bus system was overwhelmed. And that was before the pandemic, as I said. Perhaps the pandemic has depleted some of the town’s resources and staff, and perhaps that has factored into its decision here.

[jhannah]

We are scheduled to stop in Santa Barbara on March 22nd. Hopefully we'll be okay if they stick with their "until March" deadline.

[AncientWanderer]

Just now, jhannah said:

We are scheduled to stop in Santa Barbara on March 22nd. Hopefully we'll be okay if they stick with their "until March" deadline.

 

Oh I hope you do.  It's such a pretty place.  

[librarysmile]

I was really looking forward to this stop on the November 7 Koningsdam cruise. We already lost Monterey and were slotted to spend the night in San Francisco. Hope we hear something official from HAL soon.

[kangforpres]

48 minutes ago, librarysmile said:

I was really looking forward to this stop on the November 7 Koningsdam cruise. We already lost Monterey and were slotted to spend the night in San Francisco. Hope we hear something official from HAL soon.

Yep, so just Avalon, if that holds on day 2, then a sea day to get to SF, OVR in SF a Sea day to get to Ensenada and then back to SD. Maybe they will change the name to "See the Coast of California from the ship's deck" cruise. Embarkation is day 1 by my counting, is that 7 days? Maybe half speed to Ensenada which would make 2 sea days.

 

-Paul

[elkeyes]

Called HAL today and asked what the plans are to replace Santa Barbara. Agent knew nothing about any changes. Meanwhile the website is still selling shore excursions for Santa Barbara. Seriously folks does HAL even realize Santa Barbara is closed? They have a stop there with the Zuidetdam on September 23. This is my first HAL cruise. Longtime Royal Caribbean customer. I am beginning to wonder if we made a mistake.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, elkeyes said:

Called HAL today and asked what the plans are to replace Santa Barbara. Agent knew nothing about any changes. Meanwhile the website is still selling shore excursions for Santa Barbara. Seriously folks does HAL even realize Santa Barbara is closed? They have a stop there with the Zuidetdam on September 23. This is my first HAL cruise. Longtime Royal Caribbean customer. I am beginning to wonder if we made a mistake.

I’m a 5 star Mariner.  Lots of cruises under my belt.  Communication is not Hal’s strong suit.  I’d be surprised if you find out before you leave.  I suspect it will turn into a sea day.  Easier for hal.  I don’t think the zuiderdam is sailing until December but I could be wrong.

Edited September 14, 2021 by Florida_gal_50

[POA1]

On 9/1/2021 at 4:11 PM, twodjs said:

I find it interesting the spin Santa Barbara seems to be using -  closing the port to protect the cruise passengers from the spike. A little crazy since they haven't closed the freeway in and out of Santa Barbara.

They misstated things. They're protecting Santa Barbara from cruisers. Santa Barbara makes Key West look positively cruise-friendly.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

According to my friends who live in Santa Barbara, the population there has never really warmed to cruise ships stopping there. So Covid is a good excuse to stop ships.

[san diego spartan]

I'm on the Koningdam October 31st  cruise as well.  I contacted Holland America via Twitter and they told me they are aware of the problem with the closure of the Santa Barbara port and are looking for an alternative. That was several  days.   They are still showing Santa Barbara on the itinerary and I do say they're still sailing excursions there. I think a bit misleading for somebody.

[Dejlig Ko]

On 9/15/2021 at 8:15 PM, san diego spartan said:

I'm on the Koningdam October 31st  cruise as well.  I contacted Holland America via Twitter and they told me they are aware of the problem with the closure of the Santa Barbara port and are looking for an alternative. That was several  days.   They are still showing Santa Barbara on the itinerary and I do say they're still sailing excursions there. I think a bit misleading for somebody.

Misleading for those new bookings that know nothing of Santa Barbara being closed to cruise ships. Disappointing for those of us long booked waiting for weeks to know what the plans are for a port still on our itin but know it won’t happen. Not to mention the IT failures with the Have it All promo.

[OlsSalt]

Suspect there will be no Santa Barbara stops - too much of a local political hot potato There are lots of very activist environmental groups in town who loudly declare cruise ships an ecological disaster  - pollution, disease carriers and ocean wildlife disrupters.

 

They always rise up when the mere mention of cruise ships comes up. Even though tourism dollars are a big part of our local economics. And support for the local Harbor Department depends also on cruise ship revenue fees.

 

There is  actually a local ocean protection group that has their own boat who has followed prior cruise ships coming to  Santa Barbara;  actually testing the waters around  them to see if they were illegally dumping.  

 

HAL may want to also consider using Port Hueneme if at all possible (Ventura County to the south)  instead, which is a deep water, commercial port, so they can dock instead of tendering as Santa Barbara requires.  

 

Nothing much in that immediate, area but many longer distance attractions if it were a longer stop and time ashore is not lost coming in by tender - LA/Malibu  is one direction and Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Santa Paula's vast citrus groves in the other,  but these are still a bus ride way,  a long bus ride. 

 

 I hope warring forces in this town can find common ground and welcome cruise ships back - it is a perfect California stop. 

 

[AncientWanderer]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

Suspect there will be no Santa Barbara stops - too much of a local political hot potato There are lots of very activist environmental groups in town who loudly declare cruise ships an ecological disaster  - pollution, disease carriers and ocean wildlife disrupters.

 

They always rise up when the mere mention of cruise ships comes up. Even though tourism dollars are a big part of our local economics. And support for the local Harbor Department depends also on cruise ship revenue fees.

 

There is  actually a local ocean protection group that has their own boat who has followed prior cruise ships coming to  Santa Barbara;  actually testing the waters around  them to see if they were illegally dumping.  

 

HAL may want to also consider using Port Hueneme if at all possible (Ventura County to the south)  instead, which is a deep water, commercial port, so they can dock instead of tendering as Santa Barbara requires.  

 

Nothing much in that immediate, area but many longer distance attractions if it were a longer stop and time ashore is not lost coming in by tender - LA/Malibu  is one direction and Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Santa Paula's vast citrus groves in the other,  but these are still a bus ride way,  a long bus ride. 

 

 I hope warring forces in this town can find common ground and welcome cruise ships back - it is a perfect California stop. 

 

 

It's good to see you posting, OlsSalt.  Hope you're doing well.

 

DH is a Santa Paula farm boy, so knowing the area well, it's hard for me to picture that area being a big draw.  (Although Ojai just up the road is certainly nice enough.)  As you say, given a long enough bus ride, there is much to do in the region.  Santa Barbara is definitely the best of the best for many reasons, though.  I also hope they come around.  For all the reasons you mentioned, I suspect they will not.

 

I've often wondered why they don't offer more just from the embarkation port there at Port of Los Angeles.  With added time, people could see the Getty, Huntington Museum & Gardens, Hollywood and its Forever cemetery, a day at Disneyland...

Just a myriad of things to do.  The ships do overnights at some embarkation ports, such as Quebec, and to me Los Angeles certainly has enough to offer to justify the same treatment.  And people from other states are daunted by our freeway system and lack of public transportation.  I would think shore excursions would sell very quickly.

 

It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.  California is a four-season place, so with the changing cruise environment, I bet they are looking hard at the options.

 

 

[Boatdrill]

HAL has sent out the notice that SB is cancelled on the October 31 Koningsdam sailing.

It will be a sea day instead, and a longer stay in San Francisco.

 

COVID concerns aside, if I lived in SB I wouldn't appreciate a 2600+ pax cruise ship sending all those folks ashore (look what's happened to Alaska).

 

[OlsSalt]

21 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

HAL has sent out the notice that SB is cancelled on the October 31 Koningsdam sailing.

It will be a sea day instead, and a longer stay in San Francisco.

 

COVID concerns aside, if I lived in SB I wouldn't appreciate a 2600+ pax cruise ship sending all those folks ashore (look what's happened to Alaska).

 

Santa Barbara so far was only a shoulder season cruise ship stop, so the impact was limited to a few ships two periods of time of the year - going to Alaska and coming back from Alaska with an occasional coastal California cruise by smaller ships.

 

We are a tourism town so there is space to absorb small crowds. It was fun to see happy and eager visitors in many of our own favorite spots. And hope it did not turn into Key West or like you say, Alaska where it becomes a one theme town.

 

Funny story, our new neighbors visiting Santa Barbara once on a cruise ship and immediately came back and bought a house.   Since they came from Silicon Valley, they even thought the local housing prices were "cheap". 

 

Biggest recent drawback was our vagrancy problem which is endemic in coastal California but recent efforts have cleaned up a lot of this and they have now blocked off State Street for outdoor dining so the overall atmosphere has changed. 

[OlsSalt]

On 9/24/2021 at 7:53 PM, AncientWanderer said:

 

It's good to see you posting, OlsSalt.  Hope you're doing well.

 

DH is a Santa Paula farm boy, so knowing the area well, it's hard for me to picture that area being a big draw.  (Although Ojai just up the road is certainly nice enough.)  As you say, given a long enough bus ride, there is much to do in the region.  Santa Barbara is definitely the best of the best for many reasons, though.  I also hope they come around.  For all the reasons you mentioned, I suspect they will not.

 

 

 

 

 

Agree Ancient Wanderer, Santa Paula may not seem obvious at first glance but for those who might like a rural getaway and even industrial tours (we do), the vistas of lemon groves are quite wonderful as well as a visit to of the elaborate high tech lemon packing plant at Limoneira along with its lovely old Art Deco buildings.  

 

This is the largest citrus producing area in the US, yet retains a certain bucolic charm nestled between mountains and river valley with historic Victorian farm houses and a historic downtown with museums, a few very good restaurants and small local shops and some remarkable architecture scattered throughout the town and hillsides where the early wealthy ranchers built their elaborate homes.   Let's call that a carefully "curated" view of Santa Paula, right? But its there.

 

At one time, Santa Paula was also a weekend getaway for Hollywood to the grand hotel still standing. And at one time the town was used as the setting for a long-running TV program, where a fictional President had been born.   No wonder they gave this area the name "Heritage Valley".

 

Additionally, the old train that still goes between Fillmore and Santa Paula is also a pretty ride  across all this lush farm land and the specimen tree nursery stock farms, including views of the wonderful old one room school house that still operates today as its own school district. 

 

I believe at one time that old train went all the way to Port Hueneme to ship the local citrus, wouldn't that be a delightful connection to revive for cruise passengers, if the track bed still exists? (Ha!)

 

Discovering Santa Paula has been one of the benefits of the California lockdown - taking closer looks at what is already in one's own back yard.  

 

 It was interesting working as cruise ship ambassador back when they did come in to Santa Barbara - what did people want to see most and how does one view their own home town through the eyes of a visitor.  We were sad when a HAL cruise we had booked was canceled that would take us to Santa Barbara,  to also have the experience of being a cruise passenger in one's own home town. 

[AncientWanderer]

Wonderful tribute to Santa Paula, @OlsSalt.  I intend to share it with my MIL, who lives there and attended Little Red School House.  

I was reared in Redlands and with DH's ties to SP, I admittedly take my citrus groves for granted.  You're right...there is much there to enjoy for people from other areas.

My FIL always referred to the area as "God's Country."   I can't quarrel with that.

[OlsSalt]

31 minutes ago, AncientWanderer said:

Wonderful tribute to Santa Paula, @OlsSalt.  I intend to share it with my MIL, who lives there and attended Little Red School House.  

I was reared in Redlands and with DH's ties to SP, I admittedly take my citrus groves for granted.  You're right...there is much there to enjoy for people from other areas.

My FIL always referred to the area as "God's Country."   I can't quarrel with that.

 

 

Small world, AncientMariner.  The "rustic" charms of a day tripper shore excursion from Port Hueneme to Santa Paula area Valley are building. I wonder what it would take for HAL to look into this as a substitute port stop to replace Santa Barbara.

 

https://www.discoversantapaula.com/sites/santaclara_schoolhouse.htm