Valdez cruise port canceled on NCL Spirit after today (6/13/23)

[Seas2mountains]

I saw some posts on another internet location from people who are currently on the NCL Spirit as they reported that tour operators told them today was the last time NCL Spirit will stop in Valdez.

 

We have a B2B booked on NCL Spirit starting in 8 days. The itinerary still shows Valdez but no excursions are available to be booked in Valdez.

 

According to Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska website and calendar that was updated today, it appears to be true.

 

https://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/VDZ-Valdez-2023.pdf

It seems we may have a stop added at Icy Straight Point. I have not seen any communications from NCL, yet.

 

https://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ISP-Icy-Strait-Point-2023.pdf

 

Is there anyone on NCL Spirit today or anyone getting on tomorrow who knows why this port stop is being canceled?

[quack2]

I'm on the June 21 out of Vancouver too.  It looks like the following changes have been made.  No official word from Norwegian, of course.

 

 

Friday:  Icy Strait changed to Sitka

Monday:  Hubbard Glacier changed to Icy Strait

Tuesday:  Valdez changed to Hubbard Glacier

 

 

 

[Seas2mountains]

Using the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska website and assuming it is accurate, here is our old and new itinerary:

 

Wed. June 21st - Depart Vancouver

Thurs. June 22nd - At Sea - no change

Fri. June 23rd - Was Icy Straight Point - now Sitka - 11:30am-6:00pm 

Sat. June 24th - Juneau - no change

Sun. June 25th - Skagway - no port change but time was 7am-5pm, port schedule shows 7am-7pm

Mon. June 26th - was Hubbard Glacier - now Icy Straight Point - 7am-6:30pm

Tues. June 27th - was Valdez - now Hubbard Glacier - 7am-11:30am

 

Wed. June 28th - Depart Seward

Thurs. June 29th - was Valdez - now Hubbard Glacier- 2pm-8pm

Fri, June 30th - was Hubbard Glacier - now Icy Straight Point - 7am-6pm

Sat. July 1st - Skagway - no change

Sun. July 2nd - Juneau - no change

Mon. July 3rd - Ketchikan - no change

Tues. July 4th - At sea - no change

Wed. July 5th - Vancouver

 

No word from NCL so far.  We were excited to check out Valdez but are excited about stopping at Icy Straight Point twice and adding in Sitka - again if this information is factual.

[quack2]

Scrambling to rebook private whale watchiong excursion in Icy STRAIT.  Wondering when excursion options will be posted for Sitka.

[Seas2mountains]

1 minute ago, quack2 said:

I'm on the June 21 out of Vancouver too.  It looks like the following changes have been made.  No official word from Norwegian, of course.

 

 

Friday:  Icy Strait changed to Sitka

Monday:  Hubbard Glacier changed to Icy Strait

Tuesday:  Valdez changed to Hubbard Glacier

 

 

 

Yes, that is what I was seeing, too.  We have only been to Sitka on one other cruise so will look forward to stopping again. 

[Seas2mountains]

4 minutes ago, quack2 said:

Scrambling to rebook private whale watchiong excursion in Icy STRAIT.  Wondering when excursion options will be posted for Sitka.

Oh no! Sorry to hear that! The whale watching in ISP is supposed to be among the best. We do have an excursion for whale watching in ISP but it is through NCL. I hope it works out to change the dates with the private excursion operator.

[YVRteacher]

Where are people seeing the changes?  I’m on the Spirit July 5-19 and both the app and NCL website still list Valdez.  However, no shore excursions are showing up for Valdez.

[quack2]

6 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Where are people seeing the changes?  I’m on the Spirit July 5-19 and both the app and NCL website still list Valdez.  However, no shore excursions are showing up for Valdez.

 

https://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/All-Alaska-Ports-All-Vessels-2023.pdf

 

Norwegian will be the last to post it.

[YVRteacher]

This is too bad.  I had an excursion booked to Meares Glacier and was looking forward to the new-to-me port.  This isn’t a big deal at all, but it is a little disappointing. 

[Seas2mountains]

3 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

This is too bad.  I had an excursion booked to Meares Glacier and was looking forward to the new-to-me port.  This isn’t a big deal at all, but it is a little disappointing. 

I agree.  Two ISP stops instead of one and a stop in Sitka should make this change okay. But, I’m hoping it’s worth a little on board credit.  Yes, that is the website where I found the schedule changes.  Sorry about the Meares Glacier cancelation with this change. 

[quack2]

12 minutes ago, Seas2mountains said:

I agree.  Two ISP stops instead of one and a stop in Sitka should make this change okay. But, I’m hoping it’s worth a little on board credit.  Yes, that is the website where I found the schedule changes.  Sorry about the Meares Glacier cancelation with this change. 

Deleting original post.  I'm just doing a 7-day; you're on a B2B.

 

 

Edited June 14, 2023 by quack2

[jdc987]

45 minutes ago, quack2 said:

I'm on the June 21 out of Vancouver too.  It looks like the following changes have been made.  No official word from Norwegian, of course.

 

 

Friday:  Icy Strait changed to Sitka

Monday:  Hubbard Glacier changed to Icy Strait

Tuesday:  Valdez changed to Hubbard Glacier

 

 

 

I've heard Sitka is a nice stop, certainly better than Valdez.

[quack2]

1 minute ago, jdc987 said:

I've heard Sitka is a nice stop, certainly better than Valdez.

Unless you've been to Sitka previously, but not to Valdez.

 

I like Sitka, but Valdez was something new to me.

[YVRteacher]

I wonder what the reason is for the change in itinerary.

 

I also wonder what reason NCL will provide.😉

[quack2]

19 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

I wonder what the reason is for the change in itinerary.

 

I also wonder what reason NCL will provide.😉

Are you suggesting that they might not be the same?  😂  Mon Dieu!

[quack2]

1 hour ago, Seas2mountains said:

I saw some posts on another internet location from people who are currently on the NCL Spirit as they reported that tour operators told them today was the last time NCL Spirit will stop in Valdez.

 

We have a B2B booked on NCL Spirit starting in 8 days. The itinerary still shows Valdez but no excursions are available to be booked in Valdez.

 

According to Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska website and calendar that was updated today, it appears to be true.

 

https://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/VDZ-Valdez-2023.pdf

It seems we may have a stop added at Icy Straight Point. I have not seen any communications from NCL, yet.

 

https://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ISP-Icy-Strait-Point-2023.pdf

 

Is there anyone on NCL Spirit today or anyone getting on tomorrow who knows why this port stop is being canceled?

 

BTW, thanks for the heads up. 

[singleflyer]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

Where are people seeing the changes?  I’m on the Spirit July 5-19 and both the app and NCL website still list Valdez.  However, no shore excursions are showing up for Valdez.

 

I'm on the same sailing (July 5-12); just three weeks out.  I guess I better start researching Sitka.  

[bluesea777]

We’re on the Spirit right now and had an excellent private excursion in Valdez - it was the Valdez Glacier and Icebergs tour on a canoe (no we didn’t do the paddling, there were 5 of us and two guides/paddlers) and it was superbly fantastic excursion- so beautiful. It was our 2nd visit to Valdez but it was our first excursion in Valdez. The excursion was $200 pp. 
 

The first time we visited Valdez (on June 1, during the first leg of B2B from Seward) we didn’t have any excursions booked just because the ones NCL offered were not in our interest or overpriced for our liking. We were prepared to pay for the $15 round trip shuttle to town and back. 
 

We found out when we boarded on May 31 that the Valdez shuttles were complimentary … apparently the pax on previous cruises to ours were quite surprised and seethed about having to pay. 
 

We got to town and found it totally different from other towns we’d visited - extra wide roads/streets, one or 2 storey buildings/houses spaced apart, very few shops and that was it. We walked around one big long block and trekked back to the ship on next shuttle. Sorry Valdez. 
 

Today when we were being driven back to the ship after the totally unforgettable excursion the driver (who owns the business with his wife) said to us that today was NCL Spirit’s last visit to Valdez. He said they found out last night about that and his wife called the Harbormaster today and he confirmed it. Reason is $$$$$. Pax on ship weren’t buying the overpriced excursions, town is dead, the $15 shuttles did it in. 
 

Unless you are lucky to get the excursion we had, you would be SOL with Valdez. 
 

Also the ship has to be docked at the Container dock where there is high security and guards. No one can walk around the dock freely. The town dock is too short for Spirit. 
 

Sorry Valdez. 
 

 

Edited June 14, 2023 by bluesea777

[littlelulu01]

20 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

We’re on the Spirit right now and had an excellent private excursion in Valdez - it was the Valdez Glacier and Icebergs tour on a canoe (no we didn’t do the paddling, there were 5 of us and two guides/paddlers) and it was superbly fantastic excursion- so beautiful. It was our 2nd visit to Valdez but it was our first excursion in Valdez. The excursion was $200 pp. 
 

The first time we visited Valdez (on June 1, during the first leg of B2B from Seward) we didn’t have any excursions booked just because the ones NCL offered were not in our interest or overpriced for our liking. We were prepared to pay for the $15 round trip shuttle to town and back. 
 

We found out when we boarded on May 31 that the Valdez shuttles were complimentary … apparently the pax on previous cruises to ours were quite surprised and seethed about having to pay. 
 

We got to town and found it totally different from other towns we’d visited - extra wide roads/streets, one or 2 storey buildings/houses spaced apart, very few shops and that was it. We walked around one big long block and trekked back to the ship on next shuttle. Sorry Valdez. 
 

Today when we were being driven back to the ship after the totally unforgettable excursion the driver (who owns the business with his wife) said to us that today was NCL Spirit’s last visit to Valdez. He said they found out last night about that and his wife called the Harbormaster today and he confirmed it. Reason is $$$$$. Pax on ship weren’t buying the overpriced excursions, town is dead, the $15 shuttles did it in. 
 

Unless you are lucky to get the excursion we had, you would be SOL with Valdez. 
 

Also the ship has to be docked at the Container dock where there is high security and guards. No one can walk around the dock freely. The town dock is too short for Spirit. 
 

Sorry Valdez. 
 

 

We were on the May 16th sailing. The shuttle to town was free of charge.  Passengers were never presented with an option for a $15 fee.  We bought the over priced excursions but they were canceled - so despite trying to spend money we were not able to.  It seemed to me that tourism hasn’t really taken off In Valdez just yet. The sail in was beautiful though. 
 

isp has incredible whale watching opportunities. 

[YVRteacher]

@bluesea777 this must be so hard for the businesses in Valdez.  We had a private shore ex booked and I had actually tried to book two different private shore excursions with the same company the week prior and they were completely sold out. Thank you for sharing the information and it sounds like you were so fortunate to experience a great day in Valdez.
 

We get to go to Sitka on the northbound cruise and I’m excited about this! I have not been to Sitka before.

 

On the southbound cruise we now go to Icy Strait Point as the replacement for Valdez. 

[quack2]

I called Norwegian this morning.  Their reps don't know about the Valdez cancellation and the other changes to the itinerary.

[Seas2mountains]

3 minutes ago, quack2 said:

I called Norwegian this morning.  Their reps don't know about the Valdez cancellation and the other changes to the itinerary.

No surprise as I expect NCL hasn’t prepared a communication for them yet.  

[kitkat343]

10 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

We’re on the Spirit right now and had an excellent private excursion in Valdez - it was the Valdez Glacier and Icebergs tour on a canoe (no we didn’t do the paddling, there were 5 of us and two guides/paddlers) and it was superbly fantastic excursion- so beautiful. It was our 2nd visit to Valdez but it was our first excursion in Valdez. The excursion was $200 pp. 
 

The first time we visited Valdez (on June 1, during the first leg of B2B from Seward) we didn’t have any excursions booked just because the ones NCL offered were not in our interest or overpriced for our liking. We were prepared to pay for the $15 round trip shuttle to town and back. 
 

We found out when we boarded on May 31 that the Valdez shuttles were complimentary … apparently the pax on previous cruises to ours were quite surprised and seethed about having to pay. 
 

We got to town and found it totally different from other towns we’d visited - extra wide roads/streets, one or 2 storey buildings/houses spaced apart, very few shops and that was it. We walked around one big long block and trekked back to the ship on next shuttle. Sorry Valdez. 
 

Today when we were being driven back to the ship after the totally unforgettable excursion the driver (who owns the business with his wife) said to us that today was NCL Spirit’s last visit to Valdez. He said they found out last night about that and his wife called the Harbormaster today and he confirmed it. Reason is $$$$$. Pax on ship weren’t buying the overpriced excursions, town is dead, the $15 shuttles did it in. 
 

Unless you are lucky to get the excursion we had, you would be SOL with Valdez. 
 

Also the ship has to be docked at the Container dock where there is high security and guards. No one can walk around the dock freely. The town dock is too short for Spirit. 
 

Sorry Valdez. 
 

 

In case any of us wind up there could you tell us the name of the excursion provider?  Thanks so much

[cruiseny4life]

Here's the revised trip itinerary for today's voyage. I think they may have mistakenly referred to the shore excursion charge as a "fare" in the last paragraph. I'm sure NCL is not offering a full refund of the cruise fare. There doesn't appear to be any compensation being offered to guests, at this moment.

 

[quack2]

31 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Here's the revised trip itinerary for today's voyage. I think they may have mistakenly referred to the shore excursion charge as a "fare" in the last paragraph. I'm sure NCL is not offering a full refund of the cruise fare. There doesn't appear to be any compensation being offered to guests, at this moment.

 

Was this notice delivered to you on the ship or sent by email?