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Why is Statendam still in Seward?

MickeyandLV

By MickeyandLV,
in Holland America Line

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MickeyandLV

MickeyandLV

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Does anyone know why the Statendam is still in Seward Alaska this morning? We stayed in Seward last night (9/18/2011) after taking a tour yesterday and visiting the Sea Life Center. We watched the ship all evening waiting for it to leave. We talked to people in our hotel yesterday morning that were going over to the ship. The ship was supposed to leave at 8pm yesterday and we were surprised to see it still sitting there this morning at 7:00am. Last night when we watched the ship, there did not seem to be anyone out on the balconies or on deck. There are a few people out on the promenade this morning.

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Iwilder

Iwilder

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My brother is on-board right now, and he says it's delayed because of bad weather in the North Pacific.

 

My kids are on the Westerdam, which left Seattle on Saturday the 17th, have been told they will not be visiting Sitka or Hubbard Glacier because of the weather. In fact the Westerdam went into the inside passage to avoid weather. They had been experiencing 30 foot waves and were told that the coming storm could produce 60 foot waves! Gosh! I'd sure like to know where the Westerdam is right now, does anyone know where I could find that info?

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califgary

califgary

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My kids are on the Westerdam, which left Seattle on Saturday the 17th, have been told they will not be visiting Sitka or Hubbard Glacier because of the weather. In fact the Westerdam went into the inside passage to avoid weather. They had been experiencing 30 foot waves and were told that the coming storm could produce 60 foot waves! Gosh! I'd sure like to know where the Westerdam is right now, does anyone know where I could find that info?

 

Try this: I just looked and Westerdam is just entering the inside passage.

 

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/cruiseships.phtml

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MickeyandLV

MickeyandLV

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My husband asked the hotel desk this morning after I had posted my question. We were told that it is because of severe weather in gulf of Alaska that the ship has not left. Predicting 50 foot waves. The person at the desk said that the ship may stay here a few days. We went downtown Seward and there were people from the ship walking around. We also stopped at the post office and he said that there were a few in from the ship this morning.

We had 50 MPH winds last week on Coral Princess in the Gulf of Alaska. The waves were "moderate" according the the ship channel but the ship was really rocking and hard to walk.

Raining in Seward today and there were many wet people walking around. I hope the cruise gets better for everyone. Safe travels.

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AkAz

AkAz

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My husband and I lived on a boat in S.E. Alaska--Sitka and Ketchikan--for 20 years, and cruised the Inside Passage north and south from Seattle to Skagway countless times on our 42 Krogen "Princess". When friends from "outside" (as we call everyone south of Ketchikan :)) would ask about best times to cruise, we would tell them things will be cheaper in May and September, but you risk the weather. By September, we were battening down the hatches and putting our own boat to bed for the winter.

 

I think the cruise lines do a wonderful job of looking out for passenger safety and comfort when the weather becomes "Alaska-like." Many a ship has had to bypass Sitka due to high seas in September.

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svalbard

svalbard

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It is still a little bit of light here in Sitka, very stormy, a sea otter is floating out in front of my house (in the lee of the storm) wrapped and anchored in seaweed. Totally cute. Westerdam and Amsterdam cancelled (those passengers should be very happy!!!). Statendam in Seward, a very nice town and a wonderful ship.

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IRL_Joanie

IRL_Joanie

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Does anyone know why the Statendam is still in Seward Alaska this morning? We stayed in Seward last night (9/18/2011) after taking a tour yesterday and visiting the Sea Life Center. We watched the ship all evening waiting for it to leave. We talked to people in our hotel yesterday morning that were going over to the ship. The ship was supposed to leave at 8pm yesterday and we were surprised to see it still sitting there this morning at 7:00am. Last night when we watched the ship, there did not seem to be anyone out on the balconies or on deck. There are a few people out on the promenade this morning.

 

Statendam was kept in port due to the severe and I do mean SEVERE weather we had yesterday. 60 ft swells and 20 degree listing of the ships at sea off the coast of Alaska is scarey!! Believe me I KNOW!! I was and still am THANK GOD still on Zuiderdam. Statendam passengers should be very happy they stayed in port, we did not have that option. But we have an excellent Captain at the controls:)

 

Joanie

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PathfinderEss

PathfinderEss

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Statendam was kept in port due to the severe and I do mean SEVERE weather we had yesterday. 60 ft swells and 20 degree listing of the ships at sea off the coast of Alaska is scarey!! Believe me I KNOW!! I was and still am THANK GOD still on Zuiderdam. Statendam passengers should be very happy they stayed in port, we did not have that option. But we have an excellent Captain at the controls:)

 

Joanie

Wow, thank God you got a rest today, being docked in Juneau, what a trip. I have some friends on the Westerdam and they had a rough ride up but nothing like what you had. Hope the rest of your cruise goes better.

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Isles of Shoals

Isles of Shoals

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The Statendam remains berthed in Seward. It's just wet and breezy here, nothing that suggests the severity of the gales in the Gulf. I learned yesterday that College Fjord, Glacier Bay and Haines are off the itinerary. Next stop Juneau, a 31 hour run across a nasty Gulf of Alaska. The gales, as best I can tell, are drifting southeast towards Juneau and Ketchican. Not good.

Most passengers seem disappointed but resigned to the loss of key parts of the trip and the prospect of a miserable 30-plus hours in 15-foot seas or worse. But I've heard of some who have disembarked and others who think the

captain is too cautious and the ship should be underway. (Those folks have probably never commanded any boat larger than a canoe.)

Few changes in inboard schedule so far. No Captain's Toast. He blamed that on his need to stay in touch with Seattle HQ; I suspect it was a PR decision to avoid confrontations with The minority of unreasonably angry passengers. Casino and stores have not opened.

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