Majestic Alaska 5/5/23 itinerary change

[iamaqt2]

Received an email from Princess about our cruise.
 

ITINERARY CHANGE

Please be advised that due to tidal constraints, Majestic Princess will now depart Vancouver at 10:45 PM on Friday, May 5, 2023.

This is super disappointing as I'm bringing a first time cruiser whose only wish was to do an Alaskan cruise.  Now we're going to miss sailaway, going under the bridge, and viewing the Inside passage heading north.

I know Princess can't control tidal issues, but don't they have a department who watches for these things and sets the itineraries accordingly?

[that]

Yes, all Princess Royal Class ships

are subject to tides to be able to sail under the Lion’s Gate Bridge And too big to navigate

the inside passage.  

[iamaqt2]

3 minutes ago, that said:

Yes, all Princess Royal Class ships

are subject to tides to be able to sail under the Lion’s Gate Bridge And too big to navigate

the inside passage.  

Princess is specifically advertising this cruise on Majestic as an Inside Passage cruise.  Which surprised me too.  But apparently they thought they could do it.
https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details/?voyageCode=8312

[MileHighAko]

28 minutes ago, iamaqt2 said:

Princess is specifically advertising this cruise on Majestic as an Inside Passage cruise.

They're splitting hairs. All the cruise lines are doing it with their larger ships. They consider the "upper" inside passage = "inside passage". Don't get me wrong, it's still a great experience, but the "lower" inside package, through the Seymour Narrows, is absolutely incredible. It's tricky to find an itinerary on any of the major lines that sails this part during daylight anymore.  For that matter, all the big lines are trying to maximize time in ports and end up sailing most of the voyage in darkness, which is a shame for Alaska.

 

You'll still have a fantastic time, but yes a disappointing start because the shops and casino will also remain closed untill the next morning.  I've actually been watching for that email as we're departing Vancouver on April 30th at 4:30 PM (so far) and that's the risk of departing Vancouver in a big ship these days.

[iamaqt2]

4 minutes ago, MileHighAko said:

They're splitting hairs. All the cruise lines are doing it with their larger ships. They consider the "upper" inside passage = "inside passage". Don't get me wrong, it's still a great experience, but the "lower" inside package, through the Seymour Narrows, is absolutely incredible. It's tricky to find an itinerary on any of the major lines that sails this part during daylight anymore.  For that matter, all the big lines are trying to maximize time in ports and end up sailing most of the voyage in darkness, which is a shame for Alaska.

 

You'll still have a fantastic time, but yes a disappointing start because the shops and casino will also remain closed untill the next morning.  I've actually been watching for that email as we're departing Vancouver on April 30th at 4:30 PM (so far) and that's the risk of departing Vancouver in a big ship these days.

That's a darn shame, and my mistake to own.  I didn't check the itinerary carefully, and assumed that Princess was aware of the tide charts when crafting their itineraries.  
While my friend may not even know what she is missing out on,  I am very familiar with these waters.  
My grandparents sailed them every summer on their boat while we tagged along, having the good fortune to grow up in the PNW.  And then use the BC ferries system to camp all through the Sunshine Islands as adults.
It just really makes me mad that Princess didn't forsee this when crafting the intinerary because these tide charts in this area are known 2 years in advance. 

[mike&elena]

We're sailing from Vancouver on the Crown Princess that same day (May 5).  Since this is a smaller ship, we hope that there will be no delay in our departure.  We absolutely love the Inside Passage!

Mike & Elena 🌴👨👩🌴

[martincath]

15 hours ago, iamaqt2 said:

...While my friend may not even know what she is missing out on,  I am very familiar with these waters. 

It's not exactly good news, but if anything passing under the bridge is more spectacular after dark and you were never going to see the BC Inside Passage on Majestic anyway, regardless of the tide times - BC pilots refuse to allow any Royal class ship to traverse those waters due to lack of maneuverability, none of those ships have ever sailed it. Other big ships which likewise have trouble squeezing under Lions Gate like NCL Bliss are allowed in the IP - but they didn't cheap out on rudders and thrusters!

 

Tide times are indeed published far in advance: if Princess wanted to they could easily list accurate to about 30 minutes timings two years out but they never do. Every year since the first Royal deployment there has been a series of emails sent to pax about a month before sailing claiming that there is a change to the itinerary (they even used to pretend that they planned to sail the full IP ans were somehow surprised when local pilots stuck to their guns that the ships simply are not safe on that route; it took a couple of years for them to finally admit that it was never going to happen and update their maps to display Royal class going the long way around the island). This year, to be notified just over two months ahead is actually an improvement in customer service!!!

 

Every cruise line is equally guilty of weaselling 'Inside Passage' to mean 'we spend at least a few hours of daylight crossing some Alaskan parts of it as we go in and out of the ports' unfortunately...

[CruzeQueen2]

@iamaqt2 FYI - this time change is only 45 minutes later than the original departure time of 24:00. Friends of mine - first time cruisers - informed me of the late evening sailing time for this date when they booked it in January. Think of it as enjoying the city lights at the sail-away. Glass is still half full, IMHO. Enjoy your cruise.

[cr8tiv1]

This isn't so bad, if you take in to consideration that this works out better for flight times, immigration/customs, same day travel, and check in, enjoy Vancouver.

[CruzeQueen2]

Sorry! Original time of departure was 22:00. Wouldn't want to be guilty of spreading wrong info. @iamaqt2

[that]

8 hours ago, mike&elena said:

We're sailing from Vancouver on the Crown Princess that same day (May 5).  Since this is a smaller ship, we hope that there will be no delay in our departure.  We absolutely love the Inside Passage!

Mike & Elena 🌴👨👩🌴

The Crown Princess will sail from he InsidePassage as listed on itinerary map.  It is not a Royal Class ship.

[startedwithamouse]

20 hours ago, iamaqt2 said:

Received an email from Princess about our cruise.
 

ITINERARY CHANGE

Please be advised that due to tidal constraints, Majestic Princess will now depart Vancouver at 10:45 PM on Friday, May 5, 2023.

This is super disappointing as I'm bringing a first time cruiser whose only wish was to do an Alaskan cruise.  Now we're going to miss sailaway, going under the bridge, and viewing the Inside passage heading north.

I know Princess can't control tidal issues, but don't they have a department who watches for these things and sets the itineraries accordingly?

Why would you miss the inside passage heading north? 

That won't start until probably after day two of your voyage. 

 

The ship goes under the bridge, then south, westbound through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, passing Victoria, then north on the outside of Vancouver Island. 

 

You will still sail under the Lions Gate bridge at illuminated at night, and view a beautiful Vancouver skyline, why would you miss this?

 

[Guest ldtr]

21 hours ago, iamaqt2 said:

Princess is specifically advertising this cruise on Majestic as an Inside Passage cruise.  Which surprised me too.  But apparently they thought they could do it.
https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details/?voyageCode=8312

Depends upon your definition of inside  passage.  Technically if the ship goes to Ketchikan it is doing part of the inside passage.  No Princess does the entire inside passage, or for that matter the portion inside of Vancouver Island.  Pretty much all of the larger ships only do a portion of the inside passage around Alaska getting to Ketchikan Juneau and the various glaciers.  All of the ships can do that portion.

 

Few cruises go inside of Vancouver Island.  I was on a HAL ship that did that route several years ago, but as far as Princess, Celebrity, NCL, CCL, RCL not so much.

 

The following picture shows the entire inner passage.  As you can see they have to travel part of it to get to the various ports.  So technically any ship that goes to those ports sail in the inner passage.  But very few and pretty much none of the 3000 plus  passenger ships ever do the entire thing.

 

So as far as Alaska cruises are concerned their definition of inner passage at most is the portion from Ketchikan to Juneau to Skagway.  Even then the route might often pop out of the inner passage and then back in again near the port. 

 

Edited March 11, 2023 by ldtr

[Guest ldtr]

8 hours ago, mike&elena said:

We're sailing from Vancouver on the Crown Princess that same day (May 5).  Since this is a smaller ship, we hope that there will be no delay in our departure.  We absolutely love the Inside Passage!

Mike & Elena 🌴👨👩🌴

The Grand class ships take the same route as the Royal class ships, outside of Vancouver Island then go into a portion of the inner passage when they need to to get to the various ports and glacier spots.

[martincath]

9 minutes ago, ldtr said:

The Grand class ships take the same route as the Royal class ships, outside of Vancouver Island then go into a portion of the inner passage when they need to to get to the various ports and glacier spots.

Totally incorrect - all Princess vessels except Royal class sail inside the island when porting in Vancouver, it's only ships out of Seattle, SF, LA etc. which generally take the outside route as from there it's faster. Carnival, HAL, Cunard - doesn't matter which line, if they homeport here for the AK season it's very unusual to go outside the island. For some bizarre reason NCLs Spirit - which has sailed the BC IP before - is going around this season, but usually anything that fits under the Lions Gate bridge sails inside Vancouver Island except Royal class (even including Ovation of the Seas, a larger ship than Royal class).

[Guest ldtr]

44 minutes ago, martincath said:

Totally incorrect - all Princess vessels except Royal class sail inside the island when porting in Vancouver, it's only ships out of Seattle, SF, LA etc. which generally take the outside route as from there it's faster. Carnival, HAL, Cunard - doesn't matter which line, if they homeport here for the AK season it's very unusual to go outside the island. For some bizarre reason NCLs Spirit - which has sailed the BC IP before - is going around this season, but usually anything that fits under the Lions Gate bridge sails inside Vancouver Island except Royal class (even including Ovation of the Seas, a larger ship than Royal class).

Have done 4 Alaska cruises out of Vancouver on Grand class ships.  None of the 4 went inside of Vancouver Island on the way out or the way back.

 

Now the routes for the Crown for next year do show cruises taking the inside route. The Grand shows going outside.  The Sapphire shows some inside and some outside.

 

The question is how many actually do the route especially with the speed restrictions for whals that were put on at the end of last year.  All of the cruise descriptions, even those where the route shows going around Vancouver Island claim to be inside passage routes.  While that route is shorter it is considerably slower than going around.

[JerseyExplora]

This is the image Princess is using for its inside passage routes departing from Vancouver. Isn't that Royal Class ships only going outside of Vancouver Island?

[Guest ldtr]

20 minutes ago, JerseyExplora said:

This is the image Princess is using for its inside passage routes departing from Vancouver. Isn't that Royal Class ships only going outside of Vancouver Island?

other itineraries show other maps. for example the Sapphire shows it on some cruises, but not others, the Grand shows going around. Some show it coming back, but not going out.

[JerseyExplora]

12 minutes ago, ldtr said:

other itineraries show other maps. for example the Sapphire shows it on some cruises, but not others, the Grand shows going around. Some show it coming back, but not going out.

That image shows for the 7-Day Voyage of the Glaciers (Northbound) regardless of the ship selected, which can be Majestic, Sapphire, or Grand. The dotted line is what says Royal class ships go outside. Grand and Sapphire would take the route of the solid line.

 

[cruisingrob21]

I was wondering about this one.  We are on the Royal on 5/3 departing Vancouver and it leaves at a similar tidal height so I'm anticipating we will get a later departure time as well.  I wish they would make these announcements earlier because it provides more options when booking flights.

[cruisingrob21]

On 3/9/2023 at 7:48 PM, that said:

Yes, all Princess Royal Class ships

are subject to tides to be able to sail under the Lion’s Gate Bridge And too big to navigate

the inside passage.  

Does anyone know the actual tide height that triggers this?  It appears to be when the tide gets to 11 or 12' (and assuming the ship takes about an hour from scheduled departure time to getting under the Lions Gate).

 

[nini]

To the OP- You are still doing the Inside Passage and cruising on the East side of Vancouver Island. it will just be later in the day. We cruised on the Grand last September and due to propulsion issues, we finally left the Vancouver port about 10:00 pm which was about 6 hours late. We had to miss a port and the Captain was very sweet and have all of the passengers $150.00 OBC to spend.

[SCX22]

@iamaqt2

The 2023 Princess Alaska brochure discloses that the "Majestic Princess voyages will sail on the west side of Vancouver Island."

[cruisingrob21]

43 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

@iamaqt2

The 2023 Princess Alaska brochure discloses that the "Majestic Princess voyages will sail on the west side of Vancouver Island."

 

This is correct - Canadian coast guard won't allow royal class ships through the Seymour Narrows.  They are considered too large and without azipods, not sufficiently maneuverable enough.  Princess had disagreements with them several years back pointing to their piloting experience but the coast guard held firm.

 

Many people don't understand just how turbulent the current can get in the narrows.  For the scientists and engineers out there, it has the highest known naturally occurring Reynolds number of any water channel on earth.  Current speeds can reach up to 17mph and the spontaneous whirlpools of turbulence that show up as part of the current fluctuations are to be taken seriously.  It's common for large ships to transit the southern entrance of the narrows one at a time rather than pass each other simultaneously.  

Edited March 11, 2023 by cruisingrob21

[Coral]

10 hours ago, ldtr said:

The Grand class ships take the same route as the Royal class ships, outside of Vancouver Island then go into a portion of the inner passage when they need to to get to the various ports and glacier spots.

This is not correct.