If you've never been to Glacier Bay, is it worth sticking with the Crown?

[bronzey214]

My partner and I have been to Alaska before - in 2019. We did a 10 day on the Grand and fell in love with Alaska - but that cruise did not go to Glacier Bay. We were in Skagway (did the train), Juneau (whale watch and hike), Ketchikan (rainforest hike) and Victoria (explored the city) and scenic cruised Tracy Arm.

But we kept hearing about how wonderful Glacier Bay is - that is the entire reason we booked this current cruise (August 20).

So - for people like me, who have been to Alaska already but not Glacier Bay, would you stick with the Crown knowing that our ports will be cut dramatically but still get to see Glacier Bay?

[GloriaF]

Prior to our cruise last week, where I saw the changes in Glacier Bay from our 2005 visit there, I would have said definitely include GB.  The changes of the regressing glaciers, particularly Margerie, is sad.  It is still impressive, but not sure that it is better than Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier.  Maybe someone can chime in with other opinions.  

[dog]

Move from Crown. Maybe another cruise line is the answer so you can enjoy the whole cruise.

[Coral]

Try to do a one way cruise from Vancouver to Whittier.

[deliver42]

I would not take a chance on the Crown giving Glacier bay the full treatment. Again, they would claim propulsion problems and cut short the visit. Right now, I wouldn't go on the Crown for free. OK, maybe for free. LOL

[geoherb]

I'd still consider a cruise on the Crown if airfares were not so high this summer. I actually looked into booking a week on the Crown followed by a week on the Discovery so that I'd get to see a lot. But I'd pay more for the air than for the two cruises.

[mtnesterz]

3 hours ago, bronzey214 said:

So - for people like me, who have been to Alaska already but not Glacier Bay, would you stick with the Crown knowing that our ports will be cut dramatically but still get to see Glacier Bay?

No. Read other's posts who have been, or are on the Crown now. Consider that most pasengers are not on cruise boards and had no idea of the problems prior to sailing. You do.  If reports are correct, passengers are upset, putting it mildly. People are reportedly not nice to staff, who are trying their best. Who wants to cruise with a bunch of upset people? The constant starting and stopping of the ship would cause me anxiety. (Look at the speed graph on Marinetraffic.) 

Last night, I watched the Crown pull into Juneau harbor on the Port Cam about 5:30 PM local time. Other cruise ships had been there all day. End of the workday for tours, raining, busses unloading at the other ships. The absense of joy would be infectious I think.

So, yes, an inside cabin is $449 and they're giving $200 OBC. I'd arrive a day early because of problems with air travel now. You'll spend the savings in a hotel.

 

Edited June 21, 2022 by mtnesterz

[JeffT237]

3 hours ago, bronzey214 said:

So - for people like me, who have been to Alaska already but not Glacier Bay, would you stick with the Crown knowing that our ports will be cut dramatically but still get to see Glacier Bay?

 

Glacier Bay was why we booked the Crown for our first trip to Alaska.  It was amazing for us, despite the issues with the Crown we arrived on time and spent the whole allotted time in GB. We had great weather, it was absolutely beautiful.  I have read many comments from experienced GB cruisers who have all said as the years have gone by the glaciers have gotten smaller and the experience is less impressive as the years go by.  Again as our first experience we have nothing to compare it too, we just simply enjoyed it and were impressed with what we saw.  

 

As far as staying on the Crown, there should be plenty of info now about the performance of the ship and what to expect.  We were on the May 7th, which was an entirely different situation compared to the current cruises which are still having propulsion issues.  As of now I believe you have the original itinerary, but I'd be skeptical of the Crown making it.  For you just ask yourself how much are you willing to miss?  If only GB is important to you then it would probably be fine, just keep in mind there will be plenty of sea days and possibly little port time.  We were Deck 11 near the front of the ship, we didn't have the excessive shaking or vibration, but we did feel it at the Botticelli dining room the times we dined there.  As everyone has said the crew was outstanding.  It sounds like the plumbing issues have been solved as well.  What ever you decide I hope you have a great cruise!

 

 

[memoak]

Lots of ships go to Glacier Bay  no need to sail on the Crown

[wolvey]

3 hours ago, bronzey214 said:

My partner and I have been to Alaska before - in 2019. We did a 10 day on the Grand and fell in love with Alaska - but that cruise did not go to Glacier Bay. We were in Skagway (did the train), Juneau (whale watch and hike), Ketchikan (rainforest hike) and Victoria (explored the city) and scenic cruised Tracy Arm.

But we kept hearing about how wonderful Glacier Bay is - that is the entire reason we booked this current cruise (August 20).

So - for people like me, who have been to Alaska already but not Glacier Bay, would you stick with the Crown knowing that our ports will be cut dramatically but still get to see Glacier Bay?

If you already been to the ports and wanted this next cruise to be different, then I would say stick with gb.  An option is to look at a different cruise line that goes to gb if you’re worried about the speed of crown?

 

first time to gb at the end of May and I loved it, even tho I knew the ports were short.  
 

 it is a personal preference and priority. My hubby’s priority was gb “before it melts” so we stuck it it on crown.

 

if you go on discovery, it’s to a different glacier and you see it only for a few hours (5-9am) so you have to decide if that’s worth the switch.

[bronzey214]

I guess a couple things I failed to mention - this was a casino comp'd cruise - so in order to change, I'd lose $200/person in a non-refundable deposit and I think we'd lose our upgraded seats for our flight back.

Thank you everyone for your responses. Lots to think about and little time to think about it in.

[rj59]

I was originally going to go with the Crown this weekend because of Glacier Bay, and because it has a full promenade deck, but I realized after watching videos of Crown and Discovery that the latter just is so much nicer and I just don't want to deal with potential issues and angry passengers. I saw on my cruise history that I've been on the Crown twice, and I really don't like the single-entrance cattle pen buffets and the lack of a dedicated indoor pizza restaurant, and especially dislike the coffee syrup they serve out of a spout, the worst at sea. I loved the Majestic, and the Discovery looks even nicer, with more modern colors. 

 

As far as glaciers, Glacier Bay is a show, with park service narration, but most of the glaciers are just dirty mud now and you only see a few glaciers at the end, and how close you get depends on the amount of ice in the water and the weather conditions. I remember feeling less special about it when there was a line of ships following ours, so we got a short time to stop and twirl before the next ship got its turn. The same is true of other glaciers, including Hubbard, but Hubbard is so immense and is the only glacier that isn't receding, that I'd do a n/s or roundtrip from Vancouver to get not only Hubbard and College Fjord and Glacier Bay, but the inside passage of Vancouver Island. The Endicott Arm/Dawe's Glacier route of Discovery isn't ideal, particularly at 6-9 am, but I still appreciate the narrow fjords with a large ship, the beautiful blues of the ice floating in the water, the towering mountains, and occasional eagles or seals on the ice. There are plenty of glacier youtube videos, so I'd watch ones visiting different glaciers and fjords so you can get a visual sense, especially since you can compare weather and how close ships get to the glaciers themselves. If you want a more special glacier experience, you can pay for one of the small boat tours that get closer to glaciers, and I believe seeing some private small-boat glacier tours out of Whittier or Anchorage, that visit several glaciers in a day. 

[Mywh82work]

I say yes. Go on the Crown for low capacity. With all the problems,  passengers counts have been low.  No huge crowd fighting for deck space. 
 

My first 2 cruises since cruising open up were great.  Less than 50% capacity.  Plenty of room. 

[miagirl]

I'm voting for staying on the Crown.  Like you I have have been to Alaska before, but never to Glacier Bay.  I board this Saturday and I am very much looking forward to the cruise.  I book my cruises based on the itinerary and then the size of the ship.  (I prefer smaller over larger.  It broke my heart she They sold the Pacific Princess.)

 

Someone above mentioned that it would be awful to sail with a bunch of cranky passengers.  Well I won't be one of those, I'm perfectly content.  

 

Just my 2 cents.

[time4u2go]

Does it also go to Hubbard?  I would only go on an Alaskan cruise that visited Hubbard (especially) and Glacier Bay.

[wallyj]

1 hour ago, time4u2go said:

Does it also go to Hubbard?  I would only go on an Alaskan cruise that visited Hubbard (especially) and Glacier Bay.

The southbound Whittier to Vancouver sailings usually have Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay, northbound it is usually Glacier Bay and College Fiord so this is why I have done the B2B roundtrip Vancouver sailings. Doing them again July 6 on the Grand.

[Riley_Mon]

We are wrapping up Skagway in a couple of hours and the realization that we will be on the boat from Tuesday night to Friday night is about to set in. 
 

I hope Glacier Bay makes up for it but I am not sure. No doubt there are a lot of cranky people on board. I have heard stories of people blaming the desk workers, although yesterdays cancellations at Juneau were a fubar. Our planned excursion was scheduled to meet at 5:15. We were on the pier at 5:18. To make up for canceling the excursions they gave us free tram tickets. No wait they gave us 1 free tram ticket so people stood in line only to realize when it was time to go on the tram they needed to buy another. Anyways I don’t think glacier bay is the question that needs to be asked.

  I would ask myself would I want to go on a cruise ship that appears to be fully staffed and will likely be 75% full during peak season meaning no long waits or crowds but in return I am going to have about 14 hours on land with a good chance that port stops other than Skagway will be limited to short excursions. If the answer is yes then go on the Crown. 
 

my answer would be no because I hate the idea of being on this boat from Tuesday night to Friday night.

I could do that anywhere but I paid to see Alaska 

 

Edited June 21, 2022 by Riley_Mon

[geoherb]

8 hours ago, rj59 said:

As far as glaciers, Glacier Bay is a show, with park service narration, but most of the glaciers are just dirty mud now and you only see a few glaciers at the end, and how close you get depends on the amount of ice in the water and the weather conditions. I remember feeling less special about it when there was a line of ships following ours, so we got a short time to stop and twirl before the next ship got its turn.

 

The National Park Service usually limits it to two large cruise ships per day. Smaller cruise ships, such as Lindblad or Nat Geo, may also be there at the same time. Here's a photo of Margerie Glacier from my cruise last year on the Majestic. We had a week without sunshine and I still had a great time.

 

[WAvoyager]

16 hours ago, GloriaF said:

Prior to our cruise last week, where I saw the changes in Glacier Bay from our 2005 visit there, I would have said definitely include GB.  The changes of the regressing glaciers, particularly Margerie, is sad.  It is still impressive, but not sure that it is better than Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier.  Maybe someone can chime in with other opinions.  

This is the exact reason we’re sailing on a cruise with Glacier Bay this year.  Who knows what it will look like in a few more years.

 

As for the Crown vs some other cruise line - personally I would switch to a different cruise line, all else being equal.  But with a trip already booked, and having the opportunity to be on a ship that’s only at 70% capacity, I’m happy to be on the Crown.  It won’t be the trip we had planned, but it should be relaxing, so that’s just as good.  We can do another Alaska cruise next year or so to see the other sites.  
 

If Glacier Bay is the key reason for your trip, and you’ve already made plans, I’d say stick with them.  If not, another ship might serve you better.

[Lulubelle45]

18 hours ago, bronzey214 said:

My partner and I have been to Alaska before - in 2019. We did a 10 day on the Grand and fell in love with Alaska - but that cruise did not go to Glacier Bay. We were in Skagway (did the train), Juneau (whale watch and hike), Ketchikan (rainforest hike) and Victoria (explored the city) and scenic cruised Tracy Arm.

But we kept hearing about how wonderful Glacier Bay is - that is the entire reason we booked this current cruise (August 20).

So - for people like me, who have been to Alaska already but not Glacier Bay, would you stick with the Crown knowing that our ports will be cut dramatically but still get to see Glacier Bay?

I would go in your case. Glacier Bay doesn’t seem to have been affected by the port issues and it is so worth it. If you manage to not have Icy Strait cancelled ( so far, it looks like only the May 14th cruise made it there so far) it is a charming authentic town. So worth it. 

[nini]

Personally, we preferred Hubbard Glacier over Glacier Bay.  With the Crown troubles, In would find an itinerary that would be more "dependable" and appealing to you.

[caribill]

14 hours ago, bronzey214 said:

I guess a couple things I failed to mention - this was a casino comp'd cruise - so in order to change, I'd lose $200/person in a non-refundable deposit and I think we'd lose our upgraded seats for our flight back.

Thank you everyone for your responses. Lots to think about and little time to think about it in.

 

If you switch to another ship, that would mean a totally different booking and your current air reservations through Princess would be cancelled and have to be booked again at then current pricing.

[geoherb]

8 hours ago, nini said:

Personally, we preferred Hubbard Glacier over Glacier Bay.  With the Crown troubles, In would find an itinerary that would be more "dependable" and appealing to you.

 

The choice, though, for Princess roundtrip cruises from Seattle is either Glacier Bay on the Crown or Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier on the Discovery. Only the southbound cruises from Whittier to Vancouver go to Hubbard Glacier. They also go to Glacier Bay. To me, it's not worth flying to Anchorage if I don't have time to stay at least three nights--and some people can't take off that long from work. 

[nini]

3 minutes ago, geoherb said:

 

The choice, though, for Princess roundtrip cruises from Seattle is either Glacier Bay on the Crown or Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier on the Discovery. Only the southbound cruises from Whittier to Vancouver go to Hubbard Glacier. They also go to Glacier Bay. To me, it's not worth flying to Anchorage if I don't have time to stay at least three nights--and some people can't take off that long from work. 

 

Itineraries change, varying year to year. The OP asked a question and they do not have to go this year, and do not have to go on Princess. We will be on the Grand this September. Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier plus Glacier Bay are on the itinerary. So, actually the OP can have both and not be on the Crown or the Discovery.

 

[Kjjd4]

20 hours ago, miagirl said:

I'm voting for staying on the Crown.  Like you I have have been to Alaska before, but never to Glacier Bay.  I board this Saturday and I am very much looking forward to the cruise.  I book my cruises based on the itinerary and then the size of the ship.  (I prefer smaller over larger.  It broke my heart she They sold the Pacific Princess.)

 

Someone above mentioned that it would be awful to sail with a bunch of cranky passengers.  Well I won't be one of those, I'm perfectly content.  

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

We agree!  We also board this Saturday, and though we have been aware of the problems, we still prefer to see Glacier Bay aboard a half empty ship!  This will be our first trip to Alaska on a cruise, but we've done 15 other cruises to the Caribbean and/or Mexico and we've found that the first time in a port, we tend to explore the cities, rather than book excursions.  

 

So losing a few hours in a port is not as big a deal for us.  We also like the smaller ships, with less kids, and less entitled passengers.  😁