There's no place like "Homer"... If you like getting overcharged

[maryjomo]

We are on the inaugural 14 day Alaskan Cruise on HAL's Amsterdam. Two new ports for this cruise were Anchorage and Homer. The weather has been awesome and the ports of call breathtaking. However, today something occurred that really bothered us.

 

Yesterday we visited in Anchorage. The town has not had a cruise ship dock in 10 years. The city has dredged the harbor for HAL to bring the ship in. They had news camera crews recording the event, visiting dignataries that toured the ship, signs welcoming us, and a free shuttle service into downtown that ran until 8 30 pm. We felt very welcome and happy to be there.

 

The response today in Homer was quite different to say the least.

 

We are parked at Homer Spit, which is a good 3 miles or so from the main center of town. The closest attractions are some shops which are a miles walk along the water. Being relatively young, a one mile walk is not an issue, but given the median age of folks on our cruise, the majority chose not to do so. Our ship is docked next to a huge garbage trow and the wind is blowing a frangrant aroma onto the decks.

 

Homer, appears charming from a distance, but that is as close as we got. We never got a chance to see the downtown. After my family made it's way off the ship and approached the town shuttles, we were met with the information that unlike Anchorage, the shuttle was not free.

 

In fact, it costs 15 dollars a person round trip, and does not even take you to the shops located near the ship, but rather into town which has limited offerings in terms of shopping. This seems excessive, and since we are traveling with little cash, and certainly not 60 dollars in cash, we were forced to return to the ship or add it to our sign and sail which we chose not to do out of principal. I could see a dollar or two charge as a tip but $15 mandatory a person is to us, extortion.

 

Needless to say, this left an unpleasant taste in our mouths so to speak. (To say nothing of the garbage smell) as we are parked next to the town garbage dump.

 

HAL needs to reconsider visiting Homer, if the only way to get into the town is to hire a taxi or to ride a school bus with a $15/person all-day shuttle charge. We are providing revenue to the town and paying port charges, so why stiff visitors further?

 

This information was not clearly disclosed to the passengers in any of the port information that is printed daily, and when we approached the front desk to comment on the situation, they seemed uncaring, blaming it on the City of Homer saying this was the only option they were given ! In checking the shore excursion booklet, there is a listing for downtown shuttle at 15 dollars per person, but one would not normally consider a shuttle an excursion and therefore it is easily overlooked.

 

SHAME ON HOLLAND AMERICA FOR GIVING IN TO THIS TYPE OF EXTORTION!

 

Because that is what it is. Extortion. The issue we and the other passengers I have spoken to, isn't necessarily the cost but the lack of a reasonable free option, as any of the other ports we've ever visited. This being my 12th cruise,and our fourth on HAL, we've never experienced this before hopefully never will again ! Had we known we could have booked an excursion or made plans for a spa treatment or rented a movie.

 

Our daughters were disappointed, as was I. Several folks have volunteered to sign a petition protesting the fees as well as the only area available to dock being next to garbage.

 

This certainly won't spoil our cruise, but if you are on a cruise to Homer this season, be advised.

[Copper10-8]

Just wondering; what kind of, and how many, shore excursions is HAL offering out of Homer?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for this information.

We were originally booked for this cruise in June -- but unfortunately had to cancel it.

We had not planned on anything for this port and thought of just going into town. Never thougt that the shuttle would be so expensive.

Others will be very interested in this report.

[ncgolferette]

Thanks for the information you provided about Homer. We are on the June 28 sailing and I am very glad that I went ahead and booked an excursion with the ship. I am sorry though, that you had such a disappointing day in the port. Hopefully, HAL will work things out and get the ship away from the garabage heap you mentioned.

[TracieABD]

Thanks for the heads-up!

Does not sound wonderful, to say the least...

[FurryPetMom]

Thank you for this post. I appreciate everyone posting about the first 14 day HAL cruise to Alaska. It is nice to have first hand information.

We will be getting on the Amsterdam on Monday and do not have any plans for Homer, I may have to re-think our plans. I had originally figured we could just head into town and do some sightseeing, now I am not so sure.

[cruisecrasy]

Seems to me anyway that Alaska is up to their old 'tricks' of overcharging again!

 

Where is the rationale putting cruiseships close to industrial & garbage areas (GEE - sure makes one feel welcome hmmm?)

 

Didn't they just have to recind the head tax a bit to encourage cruiselines & folks to visit there again??

 

So sorry u cldn't enjoy your visit there w/o paying so much extra ($15pp) - annoying when u get ripped off isn't it? :(

 

If the bookings for those cruises visiting Homer drop, the docking location will improve quickly and the shuttle price will drop also..IMO anyway :)

[CtheW0rld]

i agree. $15 per person is gouging. :mad:

[solocanadian]

Seems to me anyway that Alaska is up to their old 'tricks' of overcharging again!

 

Where is the rationale putting cruiseships close to industrial & garbage areas (GEE - sure makes one feel welcome hmmm?)

 

Didn't they just have to recind the head tax a bit to encourage cruiselines & folks to visit there again??

 

So sorry u cldn't enjoy your visit there w/o paying so much extra ($15pp) - annoying when u get ripped off isn't it? :(

 

If the bookings for those cruises visiting Homer drop, the docking location will improve quickly and the shuttle price will drop also..IMO anyway :)

I believe the head tax was reduced to $38.00 - still too rich for my blood!:(

[iamaqt2]

Actually, I just returned from Alaska and they INCREASED our taxes by $7.30. I had hoped they would give us a credit because of the recent legislation change, but noooooooo......

 

That was a shocker to say the least:mad:

[Copper10-8]

Thanks for the information you provided about Homer. We are on the June 28 sailing and I am very glad that I went ahead and booked an excursion with the ship. I am sorry though, that you had such a disappointing day in the port. Hopefully, HAL will work things out and get the ship away from the garabage heap you mentioned.

 

If the bookings for those cruises visiting Homer drop, the docking location will improve quickly and the shuttle price will drop also..IMO anyway

 

Don't hold your breath on a different location to "park" the ship in Homer;). It's a town with a population of about 5,500 souls, give or take a few. The map shows the harbor and the single Deep Water Dock. Sure looks like that's it, and it doesn't look like there are any other options available to berth a large cruise ship

 

 

 

 

Port & Harbor Facilities

[GloBug]

Thank you for the heads up on Homer. I'm very glad we do have an excursion booked. A TASTE OF HOMER FOR $39. It will be very intersting to see how HAL handles this by the time we get there in August. :cool:

[alpal1993]

I don't really think 15$ pp R/T use of it all day is expensive at all.The shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau is 14 pp R/T,and nobody seems to be upset with that.

[adkkev]

There really isn't much of a "downtown" to Homer ... a few shops and the museum/sealife center, Safeway, organic food store, a few restaurants. Most of the seasonal action takes place out on the spit. There should have been a number of options made available to HAL cruisers, like the tour boat to Seldovia, fishing trips, kayaking, etc. Even the water taxi that can take you several places across the bay (we used it to go hiking).

 

Sounds like HAL and Homer didn't get things organized too well for this inaugural visit!!

 

(and Homer is actually one of our favorite places in Alaska)

[alpal1993]

I will take the OP with a grain of salt.waiting to get feed back from some of the more CC active participants.Then I will make up my own opinion.Maryjomo I appreciate your posting.Thanks

[PennyAgain]

Well, the OP missed a very nice little town. I agree about taking this with a grain of salt. How many thousands did you pay for the cruise and you won't pay for a ride to town?

 

Homer is one of my favorite towns in Alaska.

[GloBug]

http://homeralaska.com/Stories/Cruise-ship-scheduled-for-nine-Homer-visits-in-2010.shtml

But I don't know if this addresses the OP's issue.

[RuthC]

I loved Homer when I was there on my first Alaska cruise. I would not want to miss the charms of that little settlement for a mere $15. Just the ride along the spit intrigued, and the museum was world class.

What surprises me, and disappoints me if it's true, is that the shuttle doesn't continue to the end of the spit. The last time I was there the shuttle made a complete loop.

I missed my chance for a drink at the Salty Dog last time (1990), and I don't want to miss it again. ;)

[GloBug]

A drink at the Salty Dawg is on my list too! See you there. Cheers!

[Assateague Island Princes]

I just re-read the original OP's post - and she speaks of the Amsterdam being docked next to a "garbage trow" - which I believe is a barge-like vessel/ So it isn't docked next to the town's garbage dump at all. Hopefully that trow will have sailed to parts unknown by the time we arrive in Homer on the May 31st sailing of the Amsterdam.

 

I refuse to let anything dampen my spirits about this cruise - we'll deal with whatever comes our way. We're on the "Taste of Homer" tour thru HAL, and had planned to rent bikes to ride out to the Spit. I for one am very excited about seeing Homer (and Kodiak...and Anchorage....) and all those other ports we've visited on previous cruises - with eyes wide open to the wonder that is Alaska. Yup, I intend to take my soon-to-be 99-year old Nanny's advice "Don't sweat the small stuff." ;)

[Himself]

I am glad to see the PAX were made to feel "Welcome" in Ankorage. Hopefully the reception in Homer will improve.

[blue whale]

To original OP: Thanks for your candor. You helped me make up my mind about plans for touring in Homer. We leave on the Monday sailing.

[airlink diva]

Thanks for the report from your cruise Maryjomo!

I look forward to taking this 14 day cruise mainly because of several of the ports that most of the larger cruiselines don't head to.

Since this is a new port with a small population, I think that the kinks will be worked out.

In 2002 I sailed on the Alaskan State Ferry on the M/S Columbia. In some of smaller towns that we stopped at, the tours and access to the town from the port were by school buses (Haines was one).

The price seems excessive, but the prices on most items in Alaska are higher than in the lower 48.

I will look for a full review for the whole cruise!!

[Travalot]

Thank you, Maryjomo, for reporting. I am glad to have the information so that we can make an informed decision about our choices in Homer.

[caltnl]

We spent two nights in 2001 at bridgett's b &b just a little ways out of homer.

 

Except for the pratt museum we did not spend to much time in downtown. Most of our time was spent on the spit. It is interesting.

 

There is a fishing hole where the put the fingerlings in so they will come back there for their place to spawn.

 

Seems i read some where the dock where the alaska ferry docks is much closer to town and also deep water.