Just off Royal - southbound Alaska

[Colorado Coasty]

Just off Royal yesterday, lots of unhappy cruisers. Went west of Vancouver Island missing the best part of the inland passage. Heard many people saying that they wanted money back.

[Kingofcool1947]

7 minutes ago, Colorado Coasty said:

Just off Royal yesterday, lots of unhappy cruisers. Went west of Vancouver Island missing the best part of the inland passage. Heard many people saying that they wanted money back.

 

Maybe if the malcontents send a letter of complaint to Princess C.E.O. they will get a  full or partial refund, or credit for a future cruise.

Good luck.

[oskidunker]

Was there fog or bad weather. They don't deliberately miss aport. 

[fishywood]

11 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Was there fog or bad weather. They don't deliberately miss aport. 

There was no missed port. Royal Princess has been sending warnings to passengers that the ship may be rerouted to the west of Vancouver Island rather than through the Inside Passage between it and mainland British Columbia--but without the explanation that we here on Cruise Critic know: the issue is with the Southern Alaska Pilots Association as to speed and route approaching and leaving Ketchikan, which will have the knock-on effect to alter the sea day cruising between Ketchikan and Vancouver on the day after. .

 

Expecting a refund for a deviation that advance warning was provided for does conjure up the infamous quote "...but other than that, how did you like the play Mrs. Lincoln?" 

Edited June 23, 2019 by fishywood

[cruisequeen4ever]

I’m sorry you were disappointed. I was on this cruise and had a fantastic time. I never heard any passengers complaining, and I was out and about a lot on Friday. Friday’s day at sea was smooth. I’ve sailed the Inside Passage, too, and though it is pretty, I don’t feel like we really missed out. 

[Cruise Raider]

That would be disappointing but it is in the verbiage that the cruiseline is able to alter the itinerary if deemed necessary.  We were once scheduled to sail back to Seattle on the route west of Vancouver Island but the cruiseline made the decision to sail through the inland passage between the island and the mainland.  We had a very rough sailing through the inside passage up in Alaska and think the Captain must have made arrangements with the cruiseline in order for the passengers to  disembark on a positive very note.  

So, while they can change the itinerary, their attempts are usually to keep everyone safe but also to make their passengers happy.  It probably wasn't a decision that was made lightly.  So sorry the opposite happened to you but money back?  I think that is an unlikely scenario.  

 

[4cats4me]

Money back? 😂😂😂

 

[Cruiserkenn]

For sure, I saw the advanced warnings, too, that the Royal would return west of Vancouver Island.  I have been on 14 Alasla cruises, and most from Seattle have returned to the west.  I realize that the Royal was not from Seattle, but still, not that unusual.  I would be very interested in hearing Mrs. Lincoln's answer.

[Coral]

Many people who sail to Alaska are first time cruisers or first time to Alaska. They actually would not know any better or know that it is a very scenic day. Besides - cruises out of Seattle miss it also..

 

Many of us were not thrilled to hear the Royal was going to be in Alaska as we knew the experience would not be the same, maybe not to the extent but we knew the ship was too large for this itinerary. There was plenty of threads on this. Sorry you missed them.

[zalusky]

I have so many fond memories of sailing the inside passage and watching the salmon flying in the water with all the stunning views.  I would be pretty upset to miss that.

[Kingofcool1947]

1 hour ago, zalusky said:

I have so many fond memories of sailing the inside passage and watching the salmon flying in the water with all the stunning views.  I would be pretty upset to miss that.

 

Are you certain you saw salmon flying in the water when sailing the inside passage?

[zalusky]

17 minutes ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

Are you certain you saw salmon flying in the water when sailing the inside passage?

 

I saw them jumping/breaching out of the water and splatting back in them and to me thats flying.  I wish I could have captured it but this view was just as lovely.

[Plant]

5 hours ago, zalusky said:

I have so many fond memories of sailing the inside passage and watching the salmon flying in the water with all the stunning views.  I would be pretty upset to miss that.

I believe what you saw were "flying fish", not salmon.

[ceilidh1]

Has Royal made the inside passage at all since she began Alaska? I'm booked on a B2B in August and it's still being sold as Inside Passage and I've not received anything from Princess telling me otherwise. I've cruised Alaska enough times to not be bothered either way, but it would seem to me that Princess would be better to NOT promote it as Inside Passage and then if they DO make that route it would be a bonus.....

[fishywood]

4 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

Has Royal made the inside passage at all since she began Alaska? I'm booked on a B2B in August and it's still being sold as Inside Passage and I've not received anything from Princess telling me otherwise. I've cruised Alaska enough times to not be bothered either way, but it would seem to me that Princess would be better to NOT promote it as Inside Passage and then if they DO make that route it would be a bonus.....

The Vancouver/Whittier route is labelled by Princess as Voyage of the Glaciers. Princess calls the round-trip Seattle/San Francisco/Los Angeles cruises Inside Passage when in reality they spend less time in that passage than the open-jaw route.

 

Looking at the specific itineraries for the Royal Princess sailings none of the sea/glacier cruising dates state "inside passage" just the usual generic "scenic cruising". Nothing promised, nothing lost. If Princess is going to send a notification to you regarding a possible re-routing of that sea day it would be much closer to your sail date than two months out.

[Coral]

10 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

Has Royal made the inside passage at all since she began Alaska? I'm booked on a B2B in August and it's still being sold as Inside Passage and I've not received anything from Princess telling me otherwise. I've cruised Alaska enough times to not be bothered either way, but it would seem to me that Princess would be better to NOT promote it as Inside Passage and then if they DO make that route it would be a bonus.....

"Inside passage" is a very vague term - it can technically be the route from Juneau to Skagway.

[bemis12]

8 hours ago, Colorado Coasty said:

Just off Royal yesterday, lots of unhappy cruisers. Went west of Vancouver Island missing the best part of the inland passage. Heard many people saying that they wanted money back.

 

Of course you did.

[ceilidh1]

 

This is right out of my personalizer....showing a definite inside passage route!

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

 

This is right out of my personalizer....showing a definite inside passage route!

As per your passenger contract, they don't have to go a specific route. They have the right to change the route or the ports.

[ceilidh1]

1 minute ago, Coral said:

As per your passenger contract, they don't have to go a specific route. They have the right to change the route or the ports.

I'm not disagreeing with that at all and, as I said, it makes no difference to me. However, from what I've read the Royal hasn't made the Inside Passage at all thus far...so it would make more sense to show the route West of Vancouver Island. That way, no one is disappointed and, on the contrary, it's a huge bonus if they make the Inside Passage. Just my opinion....

[zalusky]

40 minutes ago, Plant said:

I believe what you saw were "flying fish", not salmon.

 

See this from British Columbia https://salmonbusiness.com/study-reveals-why-young-salmon-jump-out-of-the-water/

Edited June 24, 2019 by zalusky

[zalusky]

ignore

Edited June 24, 2019 by zalusky

[Coral]

15 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

I'm not disagreeing with that at all and, as I said, it makes no difference to me. However, from what I've read the Royal hasn't made the Inside Passage at all thus far...so it would make more sense to show the route West of Vancouver Island. That way, no one is disappointed and, on the contrary, it's a huge bonus if they make the Inside Passage. Just my opinion....

No it hasn't.

 

I wish they had never put that ship along that route. Or at worst, put it out of Seattle RT.

 

Sometimes large ships are not the answer to everything. I wish Princess knew that. I agree -it is a much more scenic route.

[idahospud]

Having read this thread may have been helpful...

 

[Kingofcool1947]

1 hour ago, bemis12 said:

 

Of course you did.

 

Are  you suggesting the original post  is embellished?    Regarding PAXs  complaints?    Made up?   😀

Edited June 24, 2019 by Kingofcool1947