Oosterdam - Tracy Arm

[RedmondCruiser]

What makes you say Oosterdam is down an engine?

Have you seen some announcement or comment from someone on board?

 

Certainly this thread doesn't indicate any sort of engine problems...... though it might be the case, but I haven't seen anything in this thread to lead me to decide the ship is 'down an engine'. :confused:

 

 

Sorry - Merely an assumption. Normally when they change times of arrival it can mean they cannot make speed, which can mean that they are down one engine. Sometimes they are waiting for an engine part to arrive and cannot make schedule until the repair is complete. We have had this happen in the past. We have only had this happen on S class ships and not on a Vista ship, so maybe its due to other reasons. Anyway have a great cruise.

[Hawaiidan]

As a Park Ranger, for the National Park Service, let me correct your posting that the" Alaska National Parks". It is the United States National Park Service (USNPS) part of the Dept of Interior.

 

Neither Alaska nor any other state have anything to do with the management and protection of Glacier Bay, Denali, Skagway, Sitka, Mt Saint Elias,( where the Hubbard comes from). nor any other national park, monument or historical park.

 

This is to keep all national treasures free from local commercial explotation at the expense of the park. It was and is Americas best idea .

 

And yes Park Ranger , several of them board in Glacier Bay , conduct talks, rove the deck and also conduct Jr Ranger programs for children as well.. The also bring on board natural history books and related topics is you want one for your own.......

There is a strict quota of how many ships can enter, I think 2 per day, and those ships must stick to a very strict route, have take special precautions such as no paper or plastic that can get blown or knocked over . The ship must also have a zero waste water discharge and be able to control all potential pollution. That means water, air, and sound pollution as well !

Progress in all National Parks is measured in how little change can be acheived to preserve the park as it was for all time.

 

Oh, no Horn.. and ships must steer clear of the costal and rookeries of birds and sheep habitats, whales etc.

Not doing so would be not a state crime but a federal one... taken very seriously !

 

If you want to see glaciers up close , remember Mount Rainier is just 2 hours south of Seattle Airport! Its got 26 of them..glaciers that is.

[sail7seas]

Sorry - Merely an assumption. Normally when they change times of arrival it can mean they cannot make speed, which can mean that they are down one engine. Sometimes they are waiting for an engine part to arrive and cannot make schedule until the repair is complete. We have had this happen in the past. We have only had this happen on S class ships and not on a Vista ship, so maybe its due to other reasons. Anyway have a great cruise.

 

 

But this is Weeks in advance..... we're not talklng about this week or next or next etc.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

As a Park Ranger, for the National Park Service, let me correct your posting that the" Alaska National Parks". It is the United States National Park Service (USNPS) part of the Dept of Interior.

 

Neither Alaska nor any other state have anything to do with the management and protection of Glacier Bay, Denali, Skagway, Sitka, Mt Saint Elias,( where the Hubbard comes from). nor any other national park, monument or historical park.

 

This is to keep all national treasures free from local commercial explotation at the expense of the park. It was and is Americas best idea .

 

And yes Park Ranger , several of them board in Glacier Bay , conduct talks, rove the deck and also conduct Jr Ranger programs for children as well.. The also bring on board natural history books and related topics is you want one for your own.......

There is a strict quota of how many ships can enter, I think 2 per day, and those ships must stick to a very strict route, have take special precautions such as no paper or plastic that can get blown or knocked over . The ship must also have a zero waste water discharge and be able to control all potential pollution. That means water, air, and sound pollution as well !

Progress in all National Parks is measured in how little change can be acheived to preserve the park as it was for all time.

 

Oh, no Horn.. and ships must steer clear of the costal and rookeries of birds and sheep habitats, whales etc.

Not doing so would be not a state crime but a federal one... taken very seriously !

 

If you want to see glaciers up close , remember Mount Rainier is just 2 hours south of Seattle Airport! Its got 26 of them..glaciers that is.

 

On the subject of sound pollution, in either Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay there was a "silent" area where there could be no narration due to sound pollution limits.

 

And I agree, the National Park System is wonderful!

[DAllenTCY]

Last May (on another cruise line) I went to Tracy Arm, and we never got close to any glaciers. I would not do it again, having previously visited Hubbard Glacier, College Fjiord, and Glacier Bay, they were the highlight of the cruise.

David

[cruz chic]

My DH wants to go back to Alaska only if we get Tracy Arm on the itin. I personally thought Tracy Arm was one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen.

I So agree. When you hear about it on this board it sounds like the ugly cousin;).

[cruisinjudy]

But this is Weeks in advance..... we're not talklng about this week or next or next etc.

 

Until you posted, Sail, I thought it was just our cruise. We leave tomorrow so it was very soon when we got the notice.

[cruisinjudy]

Tracy Arm was very interesting. We had rain, snow, hail, and sun!

[sail7seas]

Tracy Arm was very interesting. We had rain, snow, hail, and sun!

 

Well, that certainly sounds interesting. :)

 

Did you arrive late afternoon?

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Tracy Arm was very interesting. We had rain, snow, hail, and sun!

 

With all the Alaskan cruises we have taken -- we have never had rain, snow, hail and sun all in one day.

[mamaofami]

The year we went to Alaska, we had a heat wave and it was over 90 every single day for our B2B. Not a very likely occurrence, but check the weather before you go.

[sail7seas]

Tracy Arm was very interesting. We had rain, snow, hail, and sun!

 

The year we went to Alaska, we had a heat wave and it was over 90 every single day for our B2B. Not a very likely occurrence, but check the weather before you go.

 

 

Well, that sure makes packing a barrel of fun!! :eek: :D

 

[TheCalicoCat]

Everything else about the HAL Seattle/Alaska cruises appear to be comparable except Tracy Arm vs Glacier Bay. What am I missing?

 

This is an assumption, but I would guess that the Tracy Arm only is less expensive...

[sail7seas]

Yes, that is why we chose to sail Oosterdam on this cruise..... :D

Because our "SA" suite was less expensive. :cool: :D

 

[cruisinjudy]

Sail, yes it was late afternoon. It was very pretty with frozen waterfalls and steep cliffs. We did not see the glacier.

[cruisinjudy]

Judy, that was our idea as we were paying for the whole family.

[mamaofami]

Well, that sure makes packing a barrel of fun!! :eek: :D

 

 

I had one pair of shorts packed for the gym, and I lived in them. People who had come from Florida to Alaska to avoid the heat and humidity there in the summer were not happy at all. The only cool spot was on the glaciers. But, 90 degrees is most unusual for Alaska.

[cavecreekguy]

I am on the last cruise of the season and also received the notice. I'm kind of sad. Not arriving until 4 pm, and hoping for early seating, doesn't give us much time for viewing before dinner. Guess I'll book us in Pinnacle for later that night.

 

I also don't get the "dissing" of Tracy Arm. I saw Hubbard on the last cruise. It was amazing! And we'll be going to Mendenhall in Juneau. But even if we don't "see" the glacier at Tracy Arm, I am looking forward to cruising into the "arm". I am imagining tall, steep, green walls, waterfalls, etc. Maybe some wildlife!

[edmusic]

Tracy Arm was very interesting. We had rain, snow, hail, and sun!

Hi - can you check and see if my friend, Matt Murphy, is the acoustic guitar player on this ship/cruise? He usually plays at the Lido deck pool during the days and then he's up in the Explorer's Lounge / Crow's Nest in the evenings. Thanks! Ed

[TheCalicoCat]

Yes, that is why we chose to sail Oosterdam on this cruise..... :D

Because our "SA" suite was less expensive. :cool: :D

 

 

Maybe not for those who can afford suites (I am assuming that "SA" is one of the good suites, not just a suite in name only... I'm still new to HAL & don't even know my cabins letter code. I know I am not in a suite.:o) - but there is a segment of cruisers who need or want to do it inexpensively - or who would rather spend on excursions rather than accomodations.

[cruisinjudy]

Hi - can you check and see if my friend, Matt Murphy, is the acoustic guitar player on this ship/cruise? He usually plays at the Lido deck pool during the days and then he's up in the Explorer's Lounge / Crow's Nest in the evenings. Thanks! Ed

 

Yes Matt Murphy was still there playing the guitar.

[sail7seas]

I had one pair of shorts packed for the gym, and I lived in them. People who had come from Florida to Alaska to avoid the heat and humidity there in the summer were not happy at all. The only cool spot was on the glaciers. But, 90 degrees is most unusual for Alaska.

 

 

You would hear no complaints from me....... :D assuming the air conditioning was operating properly in our cabin. ;) I'd be delighted if the weather improves before we get there. From the sounds of it, weather last week on Oosterdam's cruise was dreadful. :eek:

 

Happy I had no plans to trek over glaciers or kayak the shore.....

I'll find a cozy spot to sit and see whatever it is I see from the ship if the weather is so awful when we are there.

 

 

 

 

Maybe not for those who can afford suites (I am assuming that "SA" is one of the good suites, not just a suite in name only... I'm still new to HAL & don't even know my cabins letter code. I know I am not in a suite.:o) - but there is a segment of cruisers who need or want to do it inexpensively - or who would rather spend on excursions rather than accomodations.

 

 

 

I assure you my DH works way too hard for whatever funds we have to just throw it around. We do not. We are aware of prices and comparisons and what is worth what to us. I don't think there are too many here who disregard price considerations totally.

 

Certainly, we are not among them if there are.

 

[Doh15]

We are sailing on the Oosterdam this summer, although we didn't receive the email (oddly HAL seems to have our email for sending us notices that Alaska cruises are on sale, but not for our actual cruise information).

 

We had been considering trying to eat in the Pinnacle the day of the Tracy Arm cruise (not clear if that would be earlier or later than our usual late seating), and I was wondering if it would smarter to leave that open, in case we decide we want to eat on our balcony, or the Lido.

 

Not really sure what to expect, so would appreciate thoughts from anyone with experience.

 

P.S. If we lean towards trying for the Pinnacle on a different night, is the second formal night the next to last night, when there is a short day in Ketchikan, or the day before in Sitka?

[sail7seas]

Ketchikan will be the second formal night.

[cruisinjudy]

We did not have formal night on the second to last night. We had it the night before.