Grand - Alaska Sept 14th to 21st, no glacier due to ice, very poor cruise

[Coral]

Perhaps Princess should not offer this when they know they have a high chance of not being able to deliver the advertised experience?

 

Most of the cruise lines in Alaska offer it, and many miss it. Disney seems to have the most luck with it but they allow more time for the transit which allows them to spend more time there when needed and not be late to the next port.

 

The problem is what to replace it with? Glacier Bay only offers 2 cruise ships per day, so that is limited. There is Hubbard Glacier but that would get too crowded if all ships went there and on one of my trips to Hubbard Glacier, we were iced out and didn't get there. Endicott Arm seems to be an option as I have gone there 2x when we couldn't get into Tracy Arm but it is not as scenic.

 

So the other option is possibly just not do anything?

Edited October 3, 2014 by Coral

[gertz]

We all know you were disappointed but Alaska has more to see than just Tracy's Arm.

[4cats4me]

I didn't even bother to get up for Tracy Arm, choosing to snooze and truly relax instead. :eek::D

I saw the tail end of the fjords around 10:00 am. Gives me something to look forward to for the next cruise.

 

Mother Nature is always in control, not The cruiseline.

[peety3]

posted earlier we did not go all the way in Tracy Arm Fjord. Just received call from princess from survey and advised captain was told there was a lot of ice in the area and little room for ship to make 180 degree turn. They had received numerous emails/calls about bad experience on this sale date. But none of it is their responsibility. The customer service agent, stated she was sorry we were disappointed in our cruise, but Princess did not have any responsibility or would offer any compensation for a passengers disappointment.

We have cruised many quite a few times and this is the first i felt we truly did not get our money's worth for many reasons etc.

No company can make everyone happy/satisfied, we do feel they should make an attempt at giving their passengers a cruise they paid for and acknowledge that some part/form is their responsibility. All i hear is "it is your responsibility" , I have no control on the captains inability to keep us informed, which head office states he should have in the case of Tracy Arm, cabins stained sheets we were assigned, the public washrooms cracked floors and disabled stalls, the temp of the food, the response of the medical team, where we dock, products sold falling apart, pricing and display of photos, meeting places of excursions, 300.00 per person markup on airline flight pricing in our case.

OMG. If something is broken, report it to get it fixed. If it doesn't get fixed in a reasonable manner, inquire when it will be fixed, and escalate the issues that are important to you. But you really need to accept that the cruise line needs to keep people safe or there won't be a cruise line. You might not give a flip about the cruise line after this, but if they go away, you'll see a major change in supply vs. demand, and prices will go up. But if you're going to whine about a $300 markup on flights, YOU SHOULDA BOUGHT THEM YOURSELVES.

 

Honestly, you should have signed up for the small-boat excursion into the glaciers. Even if it didn't go into Sawyer Glacier, it would have gone into a similar glacier. The small boat has a lot more maneuverability, so you would have gotten the show you wanted.

[shredie]

I had to chuckle at the title: "No glacier due to ice." LOL.

[Cruiserkenn]

One other "Grand" thing about the Grand in September: the crew was just amazing.

 

The Horizon Court staff just knocked themselves out to be helpful and nice. Just great.

 

My waiter in the Crown Grill remembered me from a previous ship.

 

The International Crew Show was the best I have seen, with more acts than ever. Great singers, the Deputy Cruise Director performed as a gymnast, and the ship's acupuncture specialist was an absolute jaw dropping knockout as a belly dancer!

 

This ship and it's crew were so good. I always say that each cruise is different, with some positive surprises on each:) :) :)

Edited October 4, 2014 by Cruisin'Rabbit

[Cruiserkenn]

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/522/golden_princess_in_tracy_arm_4_.jpg

 

This is my picture of the Golden, in Tracy Arm, as photographed from the Sapphire, E731, in 2010.

 

The amazing nature of Tracy Arm is evident in this picture:)

[AKman2495]

No, that is not what i am saying, as stated safety first, although communication would be greatly appreciated.

What i am trying to say is that due to global warming or other conditions, advertising should be adjusted to be more appropriate. If, and it seems to be the case, the Grand is unable to get near the glacier due to size, ice etc quite frequently, then the advertising should not promote that this is the highlight of your cruise and itinerary. The details and advertising should be more in tune to what a passenger can expect under average cruise conditions etc. instead of what may happen during optimal conditions etc.

 

Actually, they do. Although granted, not in bog letters...but if you look at the ports of call for tracy arm and click on the excursion, under special notes, it says:

 

"In the event unpredictable ice conditions preclude your cruise ship from entering Tracy Arm, the tour will be modified to explore Endicott Arm, a fjord and tidewater glacier of equal beauty. "

 

On our last cruise to the Western Caribbean our excursion to some remote maya ruins was canceled at the last minute due high water because of heavy rains. They scheduled a modified tour to a different site, which worked well and turned out to be a nice tour.

 

However, many people looking to go cave tubing were literally washed out and I'm sure many were disappointed.

 

But that happens. Weather (and ice) conditions cannot be controlled. This is Alaska and it is not Disney Land.

 

If you cannot get into a particular spot, accept it for what it is. It is like complaining about it raining in Juneau...Princess (nor anyone else) can guarantee perfect visits to anywhere in Alaska.

 

I would be slightly disappointed but not crushed by it.

 

As for advertising, I have no idea of the percentage that the arm is blocked to cruise ships. Obviously, as others have noted from the Alaska board, it is hit or miss...but I have no idea as to how may hits and how many misses they have-so i have no way of knowing whether what they say is deceptive.

[Lerin]

All cruise lines have language in their contracts that state ports can be cancelled or changed at the captains discretion. Usually it's for safety reasons as you have already acknowledged. Happens all the time in the Caribbean, generally only happens at the beginning and end of season in Alaska.

 

You should be happy the captain had your well-being in mind and decided not to sink the ship on an iceberg in glacier water.

 

Next time go to Alaska in June or July, but be warned. Sometimes it rains and other times you don't see a million animals. It may or may not look exactly like the brochure photos.

[PunkiC]

Intrepid travelers just have to roll with the punches.

 

 

Stuff happens and if you travel enough, stuff will happen to you. Airports get shut down, buses get flat tires, freeways get blocked for hours on end by accidents, trains derail, and ships get diverted. The only thing you can accomplish by being miserable about it is being miserable. When we were in a bad mood as children, our father used to say, "You can be as miserable as you want all day long, but you won't get a rerun".

 

The older we get (read, closer to the end) the more precious our days become. It makes no sense at all to waste them being unhappy about things we can't change.

[FritzG]

Intrepid travelers just have to roll with the punches.

 

 

Stuff happens and if you travel enough, stuff will happen to you. Airports get shut down, buses get flat tires, freeways get blocked for hours on end by accidents, trains derail, and ships get diverted. The only thing you can accomplish by being miserable about it is being miserable. When we were in a bad mood as children, our father used to say, "You can be as miserable as you want all day long, but you won't get a rerun".

 

The older we get (read, closer to the end) the more precious our days become. It makes no sense at all to waste them being unhappy about things we can't change.

 

Excellent!

[RNGALNG]

We were on the Grand the week before the OP. We too were somewhat disappointed in not reaching the glacier but it sure didn't stop us from enjoying a wonderful cruise.

 

This was our second trip to Alaska. On the first trip, we did a week land before cruising. What a laugh we had upon arrival when being driven from the airport to our hotel in Anchorage. We had seen all the advertisements for this trip, the whales breaching, the bears almost smiling at the cameras, the glaciers. So, when our bus driver stopped as she spotted a moose along the side of the road she wanted to share. We were all so very tired and just stared go-go eyed at the big animal. After about a minute, we all decided that maybe we should get our cameras out to capture the moment. You think the moose waited for us? Nope, gone in an instant! Lesson number one: the animals will not stop and pose for photos like you see on the internet and in the books!

 

This lesson was learned over and over on the trip. We went whale watching and saw only the blowhole of one whale. Oh, well, another animal not posing! Did we complain? No we just had to laugh!

 

We did see bear, lots of eagles, goats, salmon, a moose (yes, that was the only one,) and rabbits. None of our pictures look like the ones we had seen before the trip. Too bad!

 

As far as the ship and the troubles you seem to have had. The only 'bad' thing we could think of on ours was that my cruise card stopped working and I had to have a new one made up. Should I get money back for that? Nope. . . stuff happens.

 

I would have called housekeeping as soon as I spotted the sheets, would have told someone about the broken tiles, Oh, we did see one being repaired in the buffet one day. They even closed that line for a day so the glue and grout could set. It was right at the entrance to the buffet. There were so many worker bees fixing and checking things out when we were onboard. Paint being scraped and then repainting, life jackets being checked over on the promenade deck, railings being stained, halls being polished. I am sure things will be repaired in due time. They all work so hard.

 

The food - not warm? Why didn't you send it back? We never had an issue with our meals but this too is something they will take care of and correct for you. Why just complain. Stuff happens.

 

Start thinking of the glass as at least half full instead of empty. You might just enjoy your cruise! If not, maybe you should find a different vacation where you will be happy!

[Tapi]

Research before the cruise was exactly the reason why we booked a cruise that sailed to Glacier Bay instead of Tracy Arm. We read too many reviews stating that the ships usually can't make it all the way to Sawyer Glacier. Maybe the OP would've been less disappointed had they also researched a bit more before their cruise.

 

To be objective, Princess advertises this itinerary as visiting Tracy Arm Fjord, not Sawyer Glacier, so I don't see any false advertising.

[shepp]

This is Alaska and it is not Disney Land.

 

Honestly, some of the folks on CC might be happier if the only way they saw the world was by visiting EPCOT: ultra-predictable, highly controlled, and always sparkling clean.

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

So you would have rather have the captain take the ship closer to the glacier and risk the ship and passenger's safety? Wow! The Captain DID take responsibility by ensuring the safety of the passengers. I rather have a caption that does that instead of one who takes me closer to the glacier because I paid to see a darn glacier.

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

[quote name='mickeyforus']No, that is not what i am saying, as stated safety first, although communication would be greatly appreciated.
What i am trying to say is that due to global warming or other conditions, advertising should be adjusted to be more appropriate. If, and it seems to be the case, the Grand is unable to get near the glacier due to size, ice etc quite frequently, then the advertising should not promote that this is the highlight of your cruise and itinerary. The details and advertising should be more in tune to what a passenger can expect under average cruise conditions etc. instead of what may happen during optimal conditions etc.[/QUOTE]

And if princess did that, I'm sure you would still find something to complain about. To solve your problem, don't cruise to Alaska again. That way you won't have a problem and can quit beating a dad horse.

Also there are no average conditions in Alaska Edited October 5, 2014 by LoveThisCruisingThing

[Cruiserkenn]

[quote name='LoveThisCruisingThing']And if princess did that, I'm sure you would still find something to complain about. To solve your problem, don't cruise to Alaska again. That way you won't have a problem and can quit beating a dad horse.

Also there are no average conditions in Alaska[/QUOTE]

Yes, absolutely right. Very profound. "...there are no average conditions in Alaska."

I always say that every cruise is different, and this is for sure in Alaska.

As I stated earlier, I have loved my 8 visits to Tracy Arm.

[Cruiserkenn]

I just have to post one more of my pictures of the Golden in Tracy Arm, as photographed from the Sapphire, E731, 2010.

[url]http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/522/golden_tracy_arm_2.jpg[/url]

[donaldsc]

[quote name='mickeyforus']No, that is not what i am saying, as stated safety first, although communication would be greatly appreciated.
What i am trying to say is that due to global warming or other conditions, advertising should be adjusted to be more appropriate. If, and it seems to be the case, the Grand is unable to get near the glacier due to size, ice etc quite frequently, then the advertising should not promote that this is the highlight of your cruise and itinerary. The details and advertising should be more in tune to what a passenger can expect under average cruise conditions etc. instead of what may happen during optimal conditions etc.[/QUOTE]

Read your cruise contract. It clearly states that nothing is guaranteed.

DON

[Cruise Raider]

[quote name='sherryf']It's not just the Grand, it's all cruise ships. All cruise lines that go to Tracy Arm advertise "scenic cruising" but none guarantee that you will see glaciers. They may show photos of the glaciers and imply that you will see them, but they don't make any promises, because they know they can't keep them. There are a lot of things in cruise advertising that imply you will see things that you might not see, like beautiful blue sunny skies. I've been lucky enough to have had good weather on many of my cruises, but I've also had grey skies and rain, and I don't complain to Princess about false advertising.

Again, this is a very widely discussed topic here, and anyone who has read much on the Alaska port of call board knows that seeing the glaciers in Tracy Arm is hit or miss, particularly early and late in the season.[/QUOTE]

Usually, I would agree with you and think this post might just be a pile of complaints, which I don't tend to read / respond to.
However, we were on the Solstice the same week and the weather in the Tracy Arm Fjord was phenomenal. Sure, the captain of this very large vessel, in an amazing feat was able to get closer to the glacier than we've ever been before (this was our 8th cruise up in Alaska). The Solstice is much larger than the Grand class ships. Anyhow, we were actually in our swimwear outside viewing the glacier....yes, swimwear! A difference a day or two makes - maybe? We were there on the 15th. Maybe our gorgeous weather caused a ton of ice to be dumped from the glacier, but to me, smells a bit like a story to me.
While I don't agree with expecting any compensation, especially if done for safety reasons, I am not entirely convinced Princess was being honest with the passengers on this one. I was there - maybe on the same day, there was not much ice, seen it much worse than that and we were able to get right up close and personal with the glacier. I realize this is a tricky entrance and that the tip of the iceberg is called the tip for a good reason. But, if I weren't there at the same time, I would have just rolled my eyes at this post. Not rolling them in this case.