Small boat excursion to Hubbard Glacier

[KansCocoa]

3 hours ago, Italy52 said:

didn't realize that the Radiance offered this excursion.  What month are you sailing in 2023?

We sail out of Vancouver on June 30th…

[Coral]

1 hour ago, Italy52 said:

For anyone that might be wondering about the timing of the Allen Marine Hubbard Excursion, I reached out to the company with regard to a Princess excursion that I am interested in doing.  Here is the response I received:

 

"Thank you for your interest in our Hubbard Glacier & Wilderness Exploration Tour. Our Hubbard Glacier tour season operates mid-end of May and runs thru mid-September. We also have to be aware of ice conditions that remain that early in the season, which could affect the dates we are able to get the boat out there safely. We do offer this tour thru Princess Cruise lines but on select itineraries. You can check if it is available for your ship when booking on their website."

It is not offered on my sailing.....Mid-May.

[Italy52]

42 minutes ago, Coral said:

It is not offered on my sailing.....Mid-May.

I'm sorry.  So, you finally decided on a cruising date?  Is it for 2023?  What ship and itinerary? 

 

We originally had a Celebrity 7-day May 2024 cruise booked.  After checking with Allen Marine, we decided that we would rebook to a Princess 14-day in June for 2024.  The change will allow us to take the Hubbard Glacier tour (fingers crossed).  Keep checking your excursions, it might magically pop up.

[Coral]

52 minutes ago, Italy52 said:

I'm sorry.  So, you finally decided on a cruising date?  Is it for 2023?  What ship and itinerary? 

 

We originally had a Celebrity 7-day May 2024 cruise booked.  After checking with Allen Marine, we decided that we would rebook to a Princess 14-day in June for 2024.  The change will allow us to take the Hubbard Glacier tour (fingers crossed).  Keep checking your excursions, it might magically pop up.

The 11 night RT out of Vancouver on Crown Princess - May 12th which puts us at Hubbard on May 15th (2023). Though I won't know for sure if that date works for my friend until around final payment. Hoping it all works out! 

[cw2go]

I have the Hubbard Glacier Explorer booked with Cel and paid $260.99 per person. 

 

I locked it down while Cel was running the 35% off excursions sale. So keep an eye out for another deal, maybe you'll be able to grab a price drop for those who are booked for 2023 

 

Patty  

[Italy52]

14 hours ago, Coral said:

The 11 night RT out of Vancouver on Crown Princess - May 12th which puts us at Hubbard on May 15th (2023). Though I won't know for sure if that date works for my friend until around final payment. Hoping it all works out! 

Keeping fingers crossed that it all works out for you.

[geepmaley]

On 1/20/2023 at 4:21 PM, Italy52 said:

For anyone that might be wondering about the timing of the Allen Marine Hubbard Excursion, I reached out to the company with regard to a Princess excursion that I am interested in doing.  Here is the response I received:

 

"Thank you for your interest in our Hubbard Glacier & Wilderness Exploration Tour. Our Hubbard Glacier tour season operates mid-end of May and runs thru mid-September. We also have to be aware of ice conditions that remain that early in the season, which could affect the dates we are able to get the boat out there safely. We do offer this tour thru Princess Cruise lines but on select itineraries. You can check if it is available for your ship when booking on their website."

perfect. We are on Majestic Princess in early September.

[geepmaley]

Is Hubbard the only glacier for close up or do they do it at Glacier Bay also?

[Italy52]

22 minutes ago, geepmaley said:

Is Hubbard the only glacier for close up or do they do it at Glacier Bay also?

If you are on the Majestic, the only boat tour off the ship would be Hubbard.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Italy52

[geepmaley]

I'm not seeing the Hubbard excursion on Princess website on the excursions page (Not seeign anything but excursions while in port). Am I looking in t he wrong place?

 

On 1/20/2023 at 7:01 PM, Italy52 said:

I'm sorry.  So, you finally decided on a cruising date?  Is it for 2023?  What ship and itinerary? 

 

We originally had a Celebrity 7-day May 2024 cruise booked.  After checking with Allen Marine, we decided that we would rebook to a Princess 14-day in June for 2024.  The change will allow us to take the Hubbard Glacier tour (fingers crossed).  Keep checking your excursions, it might magically pop up.

 

[ImperialLady]

2 hours ago, geepmaley said:

I'm not seeing the Hubbard excursion on Princess website on the excursions page (Not seeign anything but excursions while in port). Am I looking in t he wrong place?

 

 

Same with us...we are on the Majestic sailing on Sept 9, 2023 and the only excursions I see are when we are in ports.

[ChanaC]

I'm also on a Princess cruise to Hubbard and I also don't see an excursion for it.

 

On a previous Alaska cruise with Royal Caribbean we did Dawes Glacier in the morning and Juneau in the afternoon. We booked that excursion and after we viewed the glacier the excursion boat took us to Juneau, vs getting back on the ship and sailing back. The tour company was based out of Juneau, so going back Juneau was also them ending their day and bringing the boat back to its dock. Our Hubbard glacier day is on it's own with no other port that day. I'm wondering if they don't offer excursions because it's hard for the tour companies to come out and just turn back around without paying customers? We're also one of the first cruises in the Alaska season, so maybe the tour company wouldn't be up and running by then? A couple of months ago when we booked I thought it might pop up as we get closer to the sail date and as Princess finishes negotiating with its partners/vendors, but still nothing yet.

 

In a weird way, I'm also glad they aren't offering it. There is no FOMO is no one on the ship gets the excursion! If there was the excursion and we didn't book I would feel guilty and always wonder if I should have done it, but I guess it's just not an option and thus not something to worry about. However, I am concerned about how well we'll be able to see the glacier and the surrounding areas, especially since we'll be on the Discovery Princess and it doesn't seem like they have a whole lot of outdoor viewing areas, like a full wrap around promenade. 

[Italy52]

On 2/2/2023 at 10:31 AM, geepmaley said:

I'm not seeing the Hubbard excursion on Princess website on the excursions page (Not seeign anything but excursions while in port). Am I looking in t he wrong place?

 

 

Sorry, I have been away for a few days and just catching up on posts that are directed to me.  For the Hubbard excursion, I just kept checking our cruise until it showed up as an available option.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Italy52

[Coral]

10 hours ago, Italy52 said:

Sorry, I have been away for a few days and just catching up on posts that are directed to me.  For the Hubbard excursion, I just kept checking our cruise until it showed up as an available option.

The fact that you have it listed for your cruise this summer and I don't - makes me think it won't be offered on my cruise.

[Italy52]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

The fact that you have it listed for your cruise this summer and I don't - makes me think it won't be offered on my cruise.

I'm sorry.  Wish the excursion timing was better for you.

[Coral]

4 hours ago, Italy52 said:

I'm sorry.  Wish the excursion timing was better for you.

I emailed them to find out why. Hopefully they answer. I have heard mixed reactions on it. My TA went on it and did not get any closer than the ship did. Others have had the opposite and have raved about it. It is what it is.

[Italy52]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I emailed them to find out why. Hopefully they answer. I have heard mixed reactions on it. My TA went on it and did not get any closer than the ship did. Others have had the opposite and have raved about it. It is what it is.

I took a look at your itinerary and noticed that the excursion to Hubbard was not being offered for your Hubbard sailing date.  I wonder if you were going a week later if the timing would have worked. When I emailed Allen Marine about the Hubbard excursion I did so in the early morning and received a return email later on that same day --- hope you get an answer today.

 

 

 

[Coral]

7 hours ago, Italy52 said:

I took a look at your itinerary and noticed that the excursion to Hubbard was not being offered for your Hubbard sailing date.  I wonder if you were going a week later if the timing would have worked. When I emailed Allen Marine about the Hubbard excursion I did so in the early morning and received a return email later on that same day --- hope you get an answer today.

 

No answer yet.

[Italy52]

14 hours ago, Coral said:

No answer yet.

Still nothing?  When I emailed Allen Marine I received a response from ndavis at Allen Marine dot com.  Her title is office manager at Juneau. 

[Glaciers]

@Coral 

Have you checked to see if there is another ship in Hubbard that day? Might be that if there is another ship that they may have the optional excursion from their ship.  If you don't have the excursion maybe the captain will give it a go to get past Haenke Island. As we sat miles off last year, due to ice supposedly, another main line ship cruise past an right up the face of the glacier.

[Coral]

6 hours ago, Glaciers said:

@Coral 

Have you checked to see if there is another ship in Hubbard that day? Might be that if there is another ship that they may have the optional excursion from their ship.  If you don't have the excursion maybe the captain will give it a go to get past Haenke Island. As we sat miles off last year, due to ice supposedly, another main line ship cruise past an right up the face of the glacier.

Having been to Hubbard glacier many times - there always seems to be at least 2 ships there each day (if not more). Yea - we have always passed a ship leaving as one was entering or vice versa. I know Glacier Bay has a restriction to two ships per day. Not sure if Hubbard has any restrictions.

 

Just looked it up and there are 4 ships that day. Norwegian Spirit, Viking Orion, Radiance of the Seas and Crown Princess. We are the last.

 

Here is the schedule I looked at:

 

https://akcruise.org/port-schedule/ 

Edited February 8, 2023 by Coral

[Coral]

7 hours ago, Italy52 said:

Still nothing?  When I emailed Allen Marine I received a response from ndavis at Allen Marine dot com.  Her title is office manager at Juneau. 

Thanks will email the address. I sent a message via their website.

 

I still haven't been cleared from work for this.... Final payment is Saturday.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Coral

[Glaciers]

@Coral    Allen Marine does not start their Hubbard Glacier excursions until May 17th this year. I just called and asked.

[Coral]

6 hours ago, Glaciers said:

@Coral    Allen Marine does not start their Hubbard Glacier excursions until May 17th this year. I just called and asked.

Thanks. That explains it. Oh well! I am sure it saved me $$$$ though. They still did not reply to my online inquiry and my email.

[beluga_baby]

Thank you, Glaciers! My cruise is one of the first of the season which may also explain why we don't have that excursion. When we did it last year (I think also with Allen) we ended up chatting with one of the crew members of the boat (the naturalist on the mic pointing out everything) and she was a college student studying marine biology, and was doing it as a summer job. I wonder if a lot of their staff are college students and they have to wait until summer break starts at the local schools to get fully staffed up.