NCL Bliss Skipping Glacier Cruising

Unfortunately, the NCL Bliss Sept 15 sailing had to divert from the scheduled glacier cruising directly to Juneau due to a medical emegency. Certainly, the Captain’s highest priority is to the health of his passengers and crew. I do not know why a helicopter evacuation was not feasible 60 miles from Juneau. Perhaps cruise ships should equip one of the lifeboats often used for tendering to do medical evacuations.

I do not know why a helicopter evacuation was not feasible 60 miles from Juneau.

Helicopter medical evacuation can be very risky and very hard to do. It is up to the Captain to approve this process. The safest thing to do, is head to the nearest port ASAP if the person medical condition is stable

Perhaps cruise ships should equip one of the lifeboats often used for tendering to do medical evacuations.

Sometimes they do, sometimes they do not. It is up to the captain to approve this situation. In some ports, they have the harbor pilot transfer the person to land. Tender boats have a slower speed compare to the ship, a 60 mile journey on the lifeboat can take hours to get from ship, to land back to ship. Also, the lifeboat does not work that good in certain sea conditions

I am on the same cruise. I didn’t see EMS take anyone off the boat on the gurney they brought on. I felt like Norwegian and EMS were in cahoots to get us to spend more time and money in Juneau.

I was on the Sept. 1 Bliss sailing. Honestly, I'd have rather had more time in Juneau than the Glacier. Tracy Arm is too iced up now apparently. The ship stays FAR away from Dawes, which is where it diverts to. Honestly, I've been on Princess ships that got far closer to the glaciers in Glacier Bay than my Allen Marine excursion did to Dawes. I wish the excursion got a lot closer, but again, the ice prevented that and I totally understand. Obviously, the little Allen Marine boat can get way closer to the glaciers than the Bliss ever could.

In short, I don't think you missed anything.

Rsato, I am sure I will get flamed for this. To be blunt, I hope it is never you who needs the medical evac. I would give up a port or view for anyone’s life. However, you must not know a rats ass about medicine.

Having been down Tracy Arm, you are not likely to get to see much of the glacier. The scenery going in and out is incredible, but the glacier itself is meh.

However for those of you who are complaining about diverting due to a medical reason all I can say is shame on you. For all you know the person ended up dying and that is why you didn't see them leave the ship on the gurney.

Rsato, I am sure I will get flamed for this. To be blunt, I hope it is never you who needs the medical evac. I would give up a port or view for anyone’s life. However, you must not know a rats ass about medicine.

Well, I can’t argue with your interest in human life but I will say I think the large cruise ships need to have evacuation procedures in place not only for expediting medical treatment but also not dramatically altering thousands of people’s possible once in a lifetime vacations that many will never have another chance to do.

I am on the same cruise. I didn’t see EMS take anyone off the boat on the gurney they brought on. I felt like Norwegian and EMS were in cahoots to get us to spend more time and money in Juneau.

BTW, welcome to Cruise Critic.

I was on the Sept. 1 Bliss sailing. Honestly, I'd have rather had more time in Juneau than the Glacier. Tracy Arm is too iced up now apparently. The ship stays FAR away from Dawes, which is where it diverts to. Honestly, I've been on Princess ships that got far closer to the glaciers in Glacier Bay than my Allen Marine excursion did to Dawes. I wish the excursion got a lot closer, but again, the ice prevented that and I totally understand. Obviously, the little Allen Marine boat can get way closer to the glaciers than the Bliss ever could.

 

In short, I don't think you missed anything.

The Princess Holland America ships are not in the same class as the BLISS (-AWAY class).

This huge ship in the narrow Tracy Arm fjord would have a limited amount of maneuvering room

and when the glaciers are caving (shedding ice) off in chunks that cause problems with the

ships thrusters that is the point of turn around instead of no return. The thrusters do not make

crushed ice very well.

I am on the same cruise. I didn’t see EMS take anyone off the boat on the gurney they brought on. I felt like Norwegian and EMS were in cahoots to get us to spend more time and money in Juneau.

Wow. Just. Wow.

I am on this cruise too; 18th floor of the Haven and I saw the stretcher come off too. To me it looked like they could have covered the face, but my husband also thought it looked empty. We immediately hoped that the person hadn’t died and thought only of their family and travel companions.

You, on the other hand, thought only of yourself. Shame on you.

You are a truly horrible person to disparage the captain and local officials. As if everyone would commit that level of fraud to get us to spend more money in Juneau.

Be thankful,it wasn’t you or yours.

Be thankful that the people in Juneau could respond so quickly and be right there at the port for us.

Be thankful for the spectacular weather we’ve had.

STOP, spreading malicious rumors in the hopes that you can sniff out some free OBC or a refund.

Well, I can’t argue with your interest in human life but I will say I think the large cruise ships need to have evacuation procedures in place not only for expediting medical treatment but also not dramatically altering thousands of people’s possible once in a lifetime vacations that many will never have another chance to do.

Why don’t you research what all the options are, get the patients full history and current issue and THEN make the stamens you are making.

The patient may have been too unstable to be transported any other way; not everyone can withstand the added stress and trauma of an airlift.

You cannot cruise with 4000+ people in an area that has unpredictable weather if it’s your once in a lifetime.

Perhaps take some comfort in knowing that you are traveling with a line that puts your life before other people’s happiness.

On our recent (Sept. 1, 2018) HAL cruise a women fell down the stairs and had possible neck/back injuries. The Captain diverted the ship to Prince Rupert, BC to safely offload the passenger. Hopefully she was ok. There was no way they could airlift the passenger. Perhaps it was a similar situation?

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Helicopters are unstable flying machines, especially dangerous when flown in the dead man's curve (which an ocean evacuation would require). Helicopters are normally used only when the risk to the patient outweighs the risk to machine and crew. Not to mention the other factors that may completely preclude helicopter use (weather etc.).

Please let the professionals do their job, and go about your vacation, thankful you weren't the one evacuated.

Well, I can’t argue with your interest in human life but I will say I think the large cruise ships need to have evacuation procedures in place not only for expediting medical treatment but also not dramatically altering thousands of people’s possible once in a lifetime vacations that many will never have another chance to do.

Wow.

Fortunately, cruise ship captains place a higher priority on human life than your vacation.

The Princess Holland America ships are not in the same class as the BLISS (-AWAY class).

This huge ship in the narrow Tracy Arm fjord would have a limited amount of maneuvering room

and when the glaciers are caving (shedding ice) off in chunks that cause problems with the

ships thrusters that is the point of turn around instead of no return. The thrusters do not make

crushed ice very well.

Yep, I'm aware of the size difference. The little AM excursion boat is a tiny fraction of the size of the smaller Princess/Holland ships, and it was still quite far. Due to all that ice. Again, OP didn't miss much.

I too hope that the passenger with the medical emergency was able to receive treatment. I'm sorry to hear that some of the members here missed the fjord due to the emergency itinerary change.

For those who missed the glacier portion of their cruise due to the medical emergency, I have photos.

Two photos I took of the Bliss in Tracy Arm on the Alaska inaugural:

View of the glacier from our balcony:

Tracy Arm Fjord Excursion view of the glacier:

Wow. Just. Wow.

 

I am on this cruise too; 18th floor of the Haven and I saw the stretcher come off too. To me it looked like they could have covered the face, but my husband also thought it looked empty. We immediately hoped that the person hadn’t died and thought only of their family and travel companions.

 

You, on the other hand, thought only of yourself. Shame on you.

 

You are a truly horrible person to disparage the captain and local officials. As if everyone would commit that level of fraud to get us to spend more money in Juneau.

 

Be thankful,it wasn’t you or yours.

 

Be thankful that the people in Juneau could respond so quickly and be right there at the port for us.

 

Be thankful for the spectacular weather we’ve had.

 

STOP, spreading malicious rumors in the hopes that you can sniff out some free OBC or a refund.

I am on the 17th floor, sleeping in one of the go karts. Never once did I say anything about a refund or getting free OBC. This isn’t the first NCL cruise I’ve been on where the course was changed. I am allowed to give my opinion just like everyone else.

Well, I can’t argue with your interest in human life but I will say I think the large cruise ships need to have evacuation procedures in place not only for expediting medical treatment but also not dramatically altering thousands of people’s possible once in a lifetime vacations that many will never have another chance to do.

Wow words fail me! I really hope you’re never in need of medical assistance whilst travelling, cruise, plane, coach and the captain thinks like you! You’re unbelievable selfish. You have no insight of the medical issue and cannot make any assumptions why the caption made the choices he did. I’m 100% confident he did everything he could in the best interest of the sick passenger.

 

Two photos I took of the Bliss in Tracy Arm on the Alaska inaugural:

Nit: Endicott Arm.

Great photos. Does a good job showing just how much closer the AM excursion gets to the glacier. Strongly recommend that tour.

Nit: Endicott Arm.

 

 

 

Great photos. Does a good job showing just how much closer the AM excursion gets to the glacier. Strongly recommend that tour.

On that specific cruise, ice in the water kept the ship about 5 miles back from the glacier.

I too hope that the passenger with the medical emergency was able to receive treatment. I'm sorry to hear that some of the members here missed the fjord due to the emergency itinerary change.

 

For those who missed the glacier portion of their cruise due to the medical emergency, I have photos.

 

Two photos I took of the Bliss in Tracy Arm on the Alaska inaugural:

Nice!

By the time OP sailed, the excursion ship had to stay farther out. I'll see if I can figure out how to post photos on here from my phone.

I'd say the best part of the excursion was not seeing the glacier, but getting a great view of the Bliss floating in Alaska.

I am on the 17th floor, sleeping in one of the go karts. Never once did I say anything about a refund or getting free OBC. This isn’t the first NCL cruise I’ve been on where the course was changed. I am allowed to give my opinion just like everyone else.

Yup, you can give your opinion and so can I.

Nope, you said nothing about getting a refund or money.

But, just as you drew your conclusions about why the ship was diverted, I drew mine about why you would make such a defamatory statement.

You didn’t like being accused of doing something for money, did you? Bet those you accused didn’t like it either.

P.S. the 34 year old woman who was critically ill, did pass that morning.

We missed the glacier as well (Aug 25th cruise) because of weather. It was disappointing (although I don't feel too disappointed after seeing the photos - the glaciers we saw on our RCI and Celebrity cruises were much better). However, I would never complain about missing the glaciers for a medical evacuation. I am very sorry to read about the young woman and can't imagine what her family went/is going through.

Wow, I don't know if these kinds of threads are trolls or not. But this is what humankind is. Remember the Black Friday stampede in New York that killed a security guard. The police closed the store because it was a crime scene but many of the customers boooed and said vicious things because they were asked to leave the store missing their $15.00 off a DVD player. ME ME ME ME

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. I only hope they do not read some of the ridiculous posts that were put on this thread. Kudos to those who tried to point out the errors of the OP.

John