No Glacier Viewing on September Encore Cruises!

[wacruiselover]

On Sept. 23, 2020 I booked a cruise on the Bliss to Alaska. The itinerary included cruising in Holkham Bay and a short stop in Victoria. In June this year we got a notice that we would on the Encore instead. The notice also said that we would be skipping Victoria and would spend Tuesday, our glacier viewing day in Glacier Bay. Great news as we had just had our third cruise (that included Glacier Bay) cancelled. On July 9 I was checking the NCL site and noticed that the cruise title and description as well as the itinerary made no mention of cruising any glaciers. In fact, Tuesday is not even listed in the daily breakdown but the graphic still shows Glacier Bay. Major problem for us - and this was at 57 days before the cruise so there goes the possibility of a refund unless you want another FCC.

 

I could not reach our travel agent so I did a chat with NCL and they told me that the cruise did not include Glacier Bay or Holkham Bay. An Alaska cruise with NO glaciers just isn't an Alaska cruise. Since we are locked out of getting a cash refund and booking another line, I guess I will wait until just before the 15 day milestone and cancel for the FCC if glaciers are not added. Any thoughts or am I worried for nothing?

[Cruiseaholic07]

We are on the August 7 encore, and we are doing Dawes Glacier 

[wacruiselover]

Our cruise is September 4 and was the first one with the Glacier Bay itinerary. We were glad because we preferred the new route.

[ChiefMateJRK]

33 minutes ago, wacruiselover said:

I could not reach our travel agent so I did a chat with NCL and they told me that the cruise did not include Glacier Bay or Holkham Bay. An Alaska cruise with NO glaciers just isn't an Alaska cruise.

Not including Glacier Bay is not the same thing as "NO glaciers."

[lepidoptera]

wacruiselover what sailing are you on? 
 
The email I got last week with the latest itinerary for my 9/18/21 sailing still has us visiting Glacier Bay:

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

16 minutes ago, lepidoptera said:

wacruiselover what sailing are you on?

57 days out suggested the August 7 sailing.

[SSFun]

10 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

57 days out suggested the August 7 sailing.

The way I figured it (57 days after July 9), they’d be on the September 4th cruise. @wacruiselover posted the itinerary for that sailing in post #3 above, looks like Glacier Bay is still a go. If they go in August they go to Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier. Either way there is at least one Glacier involved…

[BermudaBound2014]

I would be very surprised if an Alaskan cruise did not include a glacier viewing day. Of course, it is my understanding that cruises have to volley for (and pay) for admission and to determine which ships get which glaciers on any given day, so maybe NCL is still volleying? But, if this is true and NCL has offered a Alaska Cruise without a glacier viewing day, I more inclined to hedge.

[SSFun]

I can see where the confusion came in now. I tried to do a mock booking and the itinerary doesn’t show the same as the new one. Shows day 1 - embark, Day 2 @ sea, Day 3 ISP, Day 4 @ Juneau, Day 5 @ Ketchikan, Day 6 @ sea, Day 7 disembark. Maybe they didn’t get the email about the itinerary changes?

[BermudaBound2014]

8 minutes ago, SSFun said:

I can see where the confusion came in now. I tried to do a mock booking and the itinerary doesn’t show the same as the new one. Shows day 1 - embark, Day 2 @ sea, Day 3 ISP, Day 4 @ Juneau, Day 5 @ Ketchikan, Day 6 @ sea, Day 7 disembark. Maybe they didn’t get the email about the itinerary changes?

 

So many things are confusing right now. It seems cruise lines are still jockeying for position. For what my opinion is worth (nothing),  I think the Alaskan cruises will end up with a glacier viewing day 🙂

[SSFun]

14 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

So many things are confusing right now. It seems cruise lines are still jockeying for position. For what my opinion is worth (nothing),  I think the Alaskan cruises will end up with a glacier viewing day 🙂

I agree! I’m good with any Glacier they take me to. I’m just so excited to be cruising and super excited to be on a fully vaccinated ship at lowered capacity with other cruise lovers! There’s no doubt in my mind I will find all kinds of wonderful things to do and see!

[ChiefMateJRK]

48 minutes ago, SSFun said:

The way I figured it (57 days after July 9), they’d be on the September 4th cruise.

Doh!!!  I guess I forgot what month it is.

[Sailing12Away]

There's a lot of computer confusion for all the Alaska sailings. I'm booked on Encore for 8/28 and it's still showing as the hotel California. We arrive at each port, but never check out and depart. Guess we're on the Star Trek themed crossover cruise where we arrive in port and then teleport the entire ship over to the next port of call at that time. So long as Patrick Stewart is on board, I'll be fine. I can fan girl with him over a few glasses of Scotch and be happy even if we just sail in circles off the coast.

[Cruiseaholic07]

30 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

There's a lot of computer confusion for all the Alaska sailings. I'm booked on Encore for 8/28 and it's still showing as the hotel California. We arrive at each port, but never check out and depart. Guess we're on the Star Trek themed crossover cruise where we arrive in port and then teleport the entire ship over to the next port of call at that time. So long as Patrick Stewart is on board, I'll be fine. I can fan girl with him over a few glasses of Scotch and be happy even if we just sail in circles off the coast.

Love the sci-fi reference. Also our Aug 7 shows that way too on the app. When I mentioned it to a NCL chat rep, they just told me to look at the itinerary for a mock booking to get the time.NCLs website is frustrating 

[aubreyc1988]

Assuming you are on Sept 4th sailing with me, we will be going to Glacier Bay and will be seeing glaciers that day. 🙂 Also will have opportunity to see Mendenhall/other glaciers on excursions in Juneau. 

[wacruiselover]

@aubreyc1988 I am on the Sept 4th sailing and yes, your posted itinerary is what I received from NCL with the notice that we would be on the Encore instead of the Bliss. It was shown in my confirmation from my travel agent also. Sept 4 was the first cruise of the new itinerary - the ones in August still show the Dawes glacier. The change came on Jul9 9 when I was checking prices. NCL dropped the Glacier Bay stop from the cruise description and the cruise title. If I check the Cruise Itinerary Overview for my booking and for new customers, it goes from Monday to Wednesday - Tuesday is not listed although I am pretty sure we will have a Tuesday that week 🤪.

 

I assume that as others have said NCL is still trying to firm things up - but at the risk of really leaving a bad taste with cruisers who have already had enough of the COVID disruptions. In case you missed it in my first post, we have had 3 cruises cancelled over the last 15 months. We do have another cruise on the Bliss scheduled for April 30 but I am doubting I will go on the one Sept 4 if they do not visit any glaciers except for Mendenhall which we loved on our last cruise and I intend to see on our next cruise. 

[ClevelandCruisin]

October on the Encore we still have Glacier Bay in the itinerary. Honestly if we didn't stop at any port I'd still be happy to just be on a cruise again.

[wacruiselover]

@ClevelandCruisin I just checked the NCL website and the October itinerary is just like the one for September - no glacier viewing. You might want to check what they are showing for your specific date. They gave me no notice and it changed about mid-day Friday. I check their site often to see if I can save any money - and I was not expecting an unannounced change.

Edited July 11, 2021 by wacruiselover

[ClevelandCruisin]

13 minutes ago, wacruiselover said:

@ClevelandCruisin I just checked the NCL website and the October itinerary is just like the one for September - no glacier viewing. You might want to check what they are showing for your specific date. They gave me no notice and it changed about mid-day Friday. I check their site often to see if I can save any money - and I was not expecting an unannounced change.

No problems with glacier viewing on mine

[ChiefMateJRK]

53 minutes ago, wacruiselover said:

In case you missed it in my first post, we have had 3 cruises cancelled over the last 15 months.

Haven't we all??  🤣

[ChiefMateJRK]

53 minutes ago, wacruiselover said:

In case you missed it in my first post, we have had 3 cruises cancelled over the last 15 months.

Haven't we all??  🤣

[wacruiselover]

@ClevelandCruisin I noticed that you posted your itinerary from the NCL app. Could you try it from your computer and see if the results are the same? On the NCL website on my computer there is no Tuesday - on the app on my phone it shows At Sea but gives no details. Makes me think it may be a computer database error.

[ClevelandCruisin]

Just now, wacruiselover said:

@ClevelandCruisin I noticed that you posted your itinerary from the NCL app. Could you try it from your computer and see if the results are the same? On the NCL website on my computer there is no Tuesday - on the app on my phone it shows At Sea but gives no details. Makes me think it may be a computer database error.

I checked a mock booking as well for the dates, still shows glacier bay. Who knows if that'll change.

[casofilia]

I understand that NCL can alter the itinerary "at will" but surely taking out Glacier Bay from an Alaska cruise is such a major alteration that they should allow cancellation with no penalty.   If the removal of Glacier Bay occurred on a cruise I had booked that would be my claim for a full refund.

[ChiefMateJRK]

10 minutes ago, casofilia said:

I understand that NCL can alter the itinerary "at will" but surely taking out Glacier Bay from an Alaska cruise is such a major alteration that they should allow cancellation with no penalty. 

Do you really believe that this cruise isn't going to visit a glacier?