Hubbard Glacier canceled?

[Retired 07]

Has anyone else had Hubbard Glacier canceled this year on the Eurodam?  I noticed it this morning on the Navigator app on our itinerary.  They also added an evening visit to Icy Straight point that we have no interest in.  We have never been to Hubbard glacier, and that is the main reason we booked this particular cruise.  Very disappointing. I’m hoping the app is a mistake…

[RedneckBob]

6 minutes ago, Retired 07 said:

Has anyone else had Hubbard Glacier canceled this year on the Eurodam?  I noticed it this morning on the Navigator app on our itinerary.  They also added an evening visit to Icy Straight point that we have no interest in.  We have never been to Hubbard glacier, and that is the main reason we booked this particular cruise.  Very disappointing. I’m hoping the app is a mistake…

What date are you sailing. I am on b2b in late June and Hubbard Glacier had never been on the schedule; only Glacier Bay and late arrival to Icy Straight.

[Rcriley34]

Has Glacier Bay been subsituded?  Glacier bay is much better.  

[Rcriley34]

Adding Icy straight and including glacier bay over Hubbard is a victory.  Actually Gus (prez of Hal) promised this from moving us from the Westerdam to Eurdam on a sailing we booked in 2 weeks.  I have been very disappointed because the itinerary seems to be going to Hubbard.  

[Retired 07]

40 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

What date are you sailing. I am on b2b in late June and Hubbard Glacier had never been on the schedule; only Glacier Bay and late arrival to Icy Straight.

We are sailing late May, it has been Hubbard glacier since we booked.

[Retired 07]

3 minutes ago, Rcriley34 said:

Adding Icy straight and including glacier bay over Hubbard is a victory.  Actually Gus (prez of Hal) promised this from moving us from the Westerdam to Eurdam on a sailing we booked in 2 weeks.  I have been very disappointed because the itinerary seems to be going to Hubbard.  

To each his own. We have been to Glacier Bay many times, and we’re looking forward to Hubbard for the first time.  We’ve also been to Icy Straight point, and we’re not impressed. Also the visit there is at night, when there is even less to do.

[RedneckBob]

24 minutes ago, Retired 07 said:

We are sailing late May, it has been Hubbard glacier since we booked.

That’s too bad. I definitely prefer Hubbard over Icy Straits

[Rcriley34]

I thought I would go ahead and add the letter we got back in February.  I think this is what is happening.

 

Dear Valued Guest,

We are very sorry to inform you that your 7-day Inside Passage voyage on Westerdam has been cancelled, but are pleased to advise that we have arranged to transfer your booking to a comparable voyage on board Eurodam departing one day earlier.

In order to assure that we can deliver the best Alaska vacation possible as we resume full operation for the first time in three years, we have made the difficult decision to delay the start of one of our two Seattle vessels. As a result of this decision, the early sailings ofWesterdam will be cancelled and her return to service will now be June 12, 2022. Unfortunately, this cancellation affects your reservation. Please accept our most sincere apologies. We know you have been looking forward to your cruise and we feel confident you will enjoy sailing on Eurodam.

We will be transferring your booking automatically to Eurodam’s Saturday departure the day before your current booking. Your cruise will now include scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park rather than in Hubbard Glacier, and your itinerary will include all of the same ports of call, plus the addition of Icy Strait Point, Alaska.

Your booking will transfer at your current fare and in the same or equivalent stateroom category (subject to availability), with incentives and promotions protected. Guests with Holland  America  Line’s Flight Ease^® air will have their flights rebooked to the new voyage. All other non-cruise-fare purchases through Holland America Line, such as shore excursions, gifts, dining and spa, will be refunded in the original form of purchase.

Guests with independent air arrangements will need to contact their travel advisor or the airline to rebook their flights. Should you incur un-reimbursable change fees, a reimbursement form is available on our website. If you purchased independent vacation travel insurance, please submit a claim through your carrier before submitting a reimbursement request for denied or partially paid claims.

A Signature-Class ship, Eurodam features many of the Holland America Line amenities you were looking forward to onWesterdam, including Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto, the full Music Walk^™experience (including Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club, and Billboard Onboard), EXC^® Port to Table programming, The Greenhouse Spa & Salon^®, and more. In addition, Eurodam offers Tamarind, our highly acclaimed restaurant with cuisine exploring the culinary traditions of East Asia. For more information on Eurodam, pleasevisit our website.

We anticipate you or your travel advisor will receive your new booking confirmation by February 14, 2022.

If you prefer not to sail on the replacement voyage on Eurodam, please use the Cancellation Preferences form by February 15, 2022 to cancel your booking and receive a full refund of all monies paid to Holland America Line to the original form of purchase. All non-cruise fare purchases through Holland America Line such as unused Flight Ease^® air, specialty dining, spa and shore excursions will be automatically cancelled and refunded to the original form of payment. 

In the event any portion of the cancelled cruise's fare was paid using a previously issuedFuture Cruise Credit, that FCC will be returned to the guest’s Mariner number account.Please see the Terms & Conditions on the Cancellation Preferences form for more details. If any portion of your travel was not booked through Holland America Line, other booking and cancellation conditions and policies may apply.

Should you have any questions please reach out to your travel advisor or to us at the appropriate office. Our team will be happy to assist you and review your options with you.

 

[Rcriley34]

BTW this was for the May 28th sailing.   

[idiebabe]

We're also on May 28th Eurodam and it's Hubbard Glacier.  This Sailing was never switched over to include Icy Strait.

[Andi Land]

Since it’s early in the season, it may be ice related. I wonder if anyone has made it to Hubbard yet this year? We went in 2019 at the end of May and there was so much ice we couldn’t get as close as they normally do. It was still magnificent to see the ship surrounded by ice particles. 
 

As a side note, we prefer Hubbard to Glacier Bay. Been to both many times and Hubbard is our preference. 

[Loreto]

We are on a family cruise on the Westerdam June 19th chosen for the Hubbard Glacier, which I consider superior to Glacier Bay.  We have been to both numerous times.  Icy Strait has its merits, but last year it was an evening call. 

 

The Eurodam has the Tamarind and is a great ship, but we gave it up for the Hubbard Glacier on the Westerdam.  If our itinerary changes we are understanding, but will be disappointed if the Hubbard Glacier is dropped.

[tundra1]

40 minutes ago, Andi Land said:

Since it’s early in the season, it may be ice related. I wonder if anyone has made it to Hubbard yet this year? We went in 2019 at the end of May and there was so much ice we couldn’t get as close as they normally do. It was still magnificent to see the ship surrounded by ice particles. 
 

As a side note, we prefer Hubbard to Glacier Bay. Been to both many times and Hubbard is our preference. 

My friends are on a Princess ship and their Hubbard Glacier day was cancelled due to too much ice.  It is still snowing there.

[idiebabe]

"My Itinerary" in HAL's Website and if you look up to book the Cruise is still showing Hubbard but Nav App is now showing Icy Strait.  If anyone gets an Official email, can you please post and vice versa!  So far nothing from HAL except changing the Boarding Time again!

[edgeman61]

18 hours ago, Rcriley34 said:

Has Glacier Bay been subsituded?  Glacier bay is much better.  

That's a matter of opinion.

 

While you do see more glaciers in Glacier Bay and the number of ships allowed in there is limited, the expanse of the Hubbard Glacier is a sight to behold.  We've seen some very impressive "calving" while observing the Hubbard Glacier.

 

I'm not knocking your opinion, just that the OP has a valid reason for being disappointed.

[Aquahound]

I agree with the opinions that Hubbard is spectacular.  I do not agree that GB is so much better.  Hubbard is the single most impressive glacier I've ever seen from a ship.  It's 7 miles wide.  I'd be very disappointed if Hubbard was canceled on my cruise.  

[GeezerCouple]

51 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

I agree with the opinions that Hubbard is spectacular.  I do not agree that GB is so much better.  Hubbard is the single most impressive glacier I've ever seen from a ship.  It's 7 miles wide.  I'd be very disappointed if Hubbard was canceled on my cruise.  

 

We also agree that Hubbard Glacier is MUCH more spectacular than Glacier Bay.  (We were not on HAL for this particular sailing a few years ago.)

To be sure, GB was very beautiful and very peaceful.  No question there!  It was a lovely day browsing along.  However, most of the glaciers were at a bit of a distance.  The one with calving (Margerie Glacier?) was nice, and I'm glad we saw it *before* getting to Hubbard Glacier.

 

... and when we got to Hubbard... Oh my!

The calving activity was amazing.  The ship got quite close in, really "up close and personal" 😉 , so the experience was impressive!  We went at the end of May, so I suppose we were lucky that there wasn't still too much ice to get all the way in, as that was the highlight of our cruise.  And the Captain let us stay there for very long time, very slowly turning the ship so all sides had several chances to face Hubbard, for anyone who preferred to stay on their own balcony or such.  All 360 degrees were of gorgeous views anyway, of course.

 

And on the way out from Hubbard Glacier, the Captain was heading the ship to the left of that little island.  We had arrived through the very wide open water to the right (viewing with Hubbard behind us).  It appeared there was no way that our ship could fit in that narrow channel to the left, so we were waiting for the ship to veer off to the right a bit.

.... but it didn't. 😲

We were joking about how we had better get ready to take a big breath in and "hold it!" so we could squeeze through.  It just didn't look like the ship could possibly fit.

 

Of course, it fit just fine.

However, I thought I had read about a ship hitting bottom (or "side"?) at Hubbard and wondering if it was on that very narrow side.  Or did I dream that?  (If so, it's definitely time to get back on a ship in real life!)

GC

[Retired 07]

Does anyone know which would be more accurate, the “already booked” section of the website, or the navigator app?  They have two different itineraries, one with Hubbard Glacier,  and one with Icy Strait point.  I didn’t mean for this thread to be a comparison between Hubbard and Glacier Bay.  I’m sure they are both magnificent.  We are leaving in a few weeks.