Alaska on Ovation: North Star through the glaciers?

[hp_slash]

I'll be on the Ovation in May on an Alaskan cruise that goes through the Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier. I know as a Quantum class ship Ovation has the North Star, which would be absolutely amazing to be on while we're sailing past the glacier.  Does anyone know if they operate the North Star while sailing through the Endicott Arm?

[Aquahound]

Yes, they do.  You need to reserve it because that is the most popular day.  It has a cost when the ship is underway, but free to go up when in port.  

 

I recommend booking it for any time while in Endicott Arm.  In May, you will not be able to get close to the glacier.  I think the experience will be better while the ship is cruising through the fjord.  

[reallyitsmema]

18 minutes ago, hp_slash said:

I'll be on the Ovation in May on an Alaskan cruise that goes through the Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier. I know as a Quantum class ship Ovation has the North Star, which would be absolutely amazing to be on while we're sailing past the glacier.  Does anyone know if they operate the North Star while sailing through the Endicott Arm?

 

Northstar is an excursion when you are at the glacier and can be booked through your cruise planner.  If I remember correctly, it was around $50pp this past May for an extended ride that went over the side of the ship.

[crzndeb]

I was on the Ovation on B2B in Oct/2021 and again first Alaska cruise in May/2022. In Oct., we were able to get the glacier and in May, we did not. I believe several May cruises missed it because of ice flow.

I will also be onboard this May (last leg of 5), and I don’t see anything offered yet for Northstar.

Edited January 24, 2023 by crzndeb

[reallyitsmema]

15 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

I was on the Ovation on B2B in Oct/2021 and again first Alaska cruise in May/2022. In Oct., we were able to get the glacier and in May, we did not. I believe several May cruises missed it because of ice flow.

I will also be onboard this May (last leg of 5), and I don’t see anything offered yet for Northstar.

 

We didn't get to the glacier in May on Quantum either because of the ice.  If we book this cruise again, I would consider booking the excursion that goes to the face of the glacier and then heads to Juneau where they rejoin the ship.  It was pricey but I think it would be a cool experience.

[crzndeb]

10 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

We didn't get to the glacier in May on Quantum either because of the ice.  If we book this cruise again, I would consider booking the excursion that goes to the face of the glacier and then heads to Juneau where they rejoin the ship.  It was pricey but I think it would be a cool experience.

I’m still trying to get up in Northstar. 🤣 I’ve had 3 attempts cancelled. Hopefully I will have success on my upcoming cruises on the Ovation.

[reallyitsmema]

19 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

I’m still trying to get up in Northstar. 🤣 I’ve had 3 attempts cancelled. Hopefully I will have success on my upcoming cruises on the Ovation.

 

We have been in Northstar a lot because we have sailed on Anthem a bunch of times.  It is a cool experience.  We did go up on Quantum too but it was when we were still at the dock in Seattle.  It was a great view of the city and the sound though.  We didn't book for the glacier viewing since we were on an early sailing in the season and figured we would likely miss the glacier.  I hope you don't get cancelled this time. 🙂 

[Carlos A.]

I wouldn't pay for it. Getting a time slot that coincides with the ship actually being near the glacier is an impossible task to achieve. 

[Oceansaway17]

I did Ovation in 2019 and only went on Northstar when in port.

When the ship was in the glacier area, it was actually cool to have a photo of the Northstar and glaciers.

 

 

[hp_slash]

1 hour ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I did Ovation in 2019 and only went on Northstar when in port.

When the ship was in the glacier area, it was actually cool to have a photo of the Northstar and glaciers.

 

 

That is an awesome shot! I'll actually show this to my husband; he's not good with heights/enclosed spaces like the North Star but was going to tough it out if the view was worth it. If he can see something like this without doing NS, he'll be very pleased!

 

I've done North Star on the Anthem twice pre-COVID when it was free any time. I normally wouldn't pay for it (it was $30 on sea day when I last went on Anthem so I passed) but thought it would be worth it in the Endicott Arm. I'll see if I can reserve it when I get on the ship but won't hold my breath.

 

Thanks all for the advice!

[reallyitsmema]

6 minutes ago, hp_slash said:

That is an awesome shot! I'll actually show this to my husband; he's not good with heights/enclosed spaces like the North Star but was going to tough it out if the view was worth it. If he can see something like this without doing NS, he'll be very pleased!

 

I've done North Star on the Anthem twice pre-COVID when it was free any time. I normally wouldn't pay for it (it was $30 on sea day when I last went on Anthem so I passed) but thought it would be worth it in the Endicott Arm. I'll see if I can reserve it when I get on the ship but won't hold my breath.

 

Thanks all for the advice!

 

If you want to do it at Endicott Arm, you will need to watch out for it to be posted in your cruise planner as an excursion.  It will be sold out if you wait until you are on the ship.  We sailed Quantum last May and you could book it a few months prior to sailing.  Watch your roll call as someone posted when it was available to book on our sailing.

[Oceansaway17]

On 1/25/2023 at 3:23 PM, hp_slash said:

That is an awesome shot! I'll actually show this to my husband; he's not good with heights/enclosed spaces like the North Star but was going to tough it out if the view was worth it. If he can see something like this without doing NS, he'll be very pleased!

 

I've done North Star on the Anthem twice pre-COVID when it was free any time. I normally wouldn't pay for it (it was $30 on sea day when I last went on Anthem so I passed) but thought it would be worth it in the Endicott Arm. I'll see if I can reserve it when I get on the ship but won't hold my breath.

 

Thanks all for the advice!

welcome and I loved the photo when I took it and it is fun to watch Northstar in the various positions.

I think being up in Northstar won't really get you much closer to the ice.  

 

I too have done Anthem in 2016 and early in the year it went to both sides for FREE.  Then folks complained that not everyone got on.  hmmm I guess my 9 day cruise had no issues. And we had dynamic dining that I loved too.

[Hoopster95]

On 1/24/2023 at 11:56 AM, hp_slash said:

Does anyone know if they operate the North Star while sailing through the Endicott Arm?

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2661933-ovation-may-13-24-live-in-alaska-wlots-of-photos/page/32/#comment-57577120

 

[twangster]

I did North Star at both Dawes Glacier and Hubbard Glacier in 2019.  Royal negotiated the rights to use some of my photos that I often see in Alaska promotional material, on the website, social media feeds and in marketing emails.  

 

The biggest issue at Dawes is timing.  The moment the ship is closest to the glacier and turns varies one week to the next so picking the right time for booking North Star has some luck factored into it.  I ended boarding right as the ship was turning and starting to head back down Endicott Arm.  Folks who booked the one after me or the one after that would have seen less of the glacier and more of the narrowest parts of Endicott Arm which is still pretty special.  

[twangster]

Paid version at Dawes.  I'll avoid posting the pictures that Royal uses. Here is one they didn't pick up.  10am time slot.

 

 

I had also booked a complimentary ride that was the first complimentary ride after the paid ones in Endicott Aem.  We were almost back to the Inside Passage but still in Endicott Arm.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think they do complimentary rides at sea anymore, just while in port recently.

 

Pictures don't do it justice.

[The Fun Researcher]

Right now the extended versions are sold out for our July Quantum cruise. How exactly do you reserve timeslots? Do you have to be on the ship for this? Do you have to go to where the north star is physically located or can you do it all on the app? When do they open time slots on embarkation day?  I just want to be ready for when things open up so I can get the best options available. Thanks