Almost impossible to find Spitzbergen cruise

[Tennessee Titan]

Trying to plan cruise to Spitzbergen (Longyearbyen). Filters don't work on HAL website, can't search below the 106 Europe cruises. Search (9 pages) keeps repeating the same cruises.

Edited November 2, 2022 by Tennessee Titan

[VennDiagram]

There's an option to filter by port of call.  Might that work?

[asebastian]

Here you go...

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/E3N35A/U328A.html

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/E3N21K/U330.html

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/E3T41A/U330A.html

 

[Essiesmom]

Zuiderdam June 11 cruise, visits June 18.  

[Coates55]

I believe that there may be limits introduced on the size of ships visiting this location.

[StLouisCruisers]

I wonder what fuel the Holland America ships are using in the Spitsbergen area?  There has been a ban on ships using heavy fuel oil.  On our summer cruise on Island Princess which was scheduled to stop at Spitsbergen, we were all notified by email the morning of embarkation in Fort Lauderdale that we would no longer be going there.  What a major disappointment since many on the ship had booked that voyage to see Svalbard.  Luckily we have been there once but most on the ship had not.  Of course, Princess knew well before embarkation day we wouldn't be headed there, but they didn't let us know until it was too late to change our cruising plans.

 

I hope the same doesn't happen to Holland America cruisers.

[VMax1700]

3 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

On our summer cruise on Island Princess which was scheduled to stop at Spitsbergen, we were all notified by email the morning of embarkation in Fort Lauderdale that we would no longer be going there. 

 

3 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Of course, Princess knew well before embarkation day

That is the absolute pits.  That is not Force Majeure nor an act of God, but plain old fashioned deception.

[Ken the cruiser]

On 11/3/2022 at 3:49 AM, asebastian said:

Here you go...

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/E3N35A/U328A.html

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/E3N21K/U330.html

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/E3T41A/U330A.html

 

Thanks! The 21-day cruise definitely looks like a super cool cruise to Longyearbyen and the area around it as it appears to be there for 3 days!!
 
https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/E3N21K/U330.html

 

Hopefully HAL will be able to adjust the Zuiderdam’s fuel requirements to coincide with the new Norway guidelines.

 

Cruise ships fueled by heavy bunker oil have been banned from Svalbard since the turn of the year (2022).

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2022/02/26/norway-set-to-introduce-more-restrictions-on-cruise-ships/

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[chengkp75]

Since the itineraries include Netherlands and Ireland, which are part of the EU, the ship already has to have some low sulfur diesel fuel onboard, as it is required when in those ports.  I'm assuming that the ban on bunker fuel is limited to in port in Svalbard, so the quantity won't increase much.  It may mean loading one extra tank of diesel, as opposed to bunker, which may require an additional bunkering during a port call for bunker, but the change over is virtually seamless, and can be done by any diesel powered ship at any time, taking only a few hours to complete.

[tjcox9]

On 11/3/2022 at 10:07 AM, StLouisCruisers said:

I wonder what fuel the Holland America ships are using in the Spitsbergen area?  There has been a ban on ships using heavy fuel oil.  On our summer cruise on Island Princess which was scheduled to stop at Spitsbergen, we were all notified by email the morning of embarkation in Fort Lauderdale that we would no longer be going there.  What a major disappointment since many on the ship had booked that voyage to see Svalbard.  Luckily we have been there once but most on the ship had not.  Of course, Princess knew well before embarkation day we wouldn't be headed there, but they didn't let us know until it was too late to change our cruising plans.

 

I hope the same doesn't happen to Holland America cruisers.

We are booked on that cruise in 2023 and Princess still shows Longyearben as a port complete with shore excursions! We've been there twice and three times to Ny Alesund, so not a big deal for us, but I'm sure it will be a disappointment to many others. And, I can't believe, they have not yet adjusted the itinerary yet. I recall reading when it was cancelled last time. 

[PACD_JG]

I keep reading about cancelled ports, and the general consensus from this forum is that you shouldn't book a cruise solely for the destination.  Why doesn't that advice apply to this case?  I'm generally curious, because I would like nothing more than a port day in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, but I won't book it because I would be livid if the port was skipped.

[VMax1700]

4 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

would like nothing more than a port day in Lerwick, Shetland Islands

We were looking forward to Lerwick on our September Rotterdam cruise, but we had to skip it because of the conditions.  Disappointing, but it is what it is, and it is a tender port 

[PACD_JG]

Just now, VMax1700 said:

We were looking forward to Lerwick on our September Rotterdam cruise, but we had to skip it because of the conditions.  Disappointing, but it is what it is, and it is a tender port 

 

I've been fortunate enough to vacation close to 30 days in Scotland, but just the thought of 12 hours on a ferry to visit the Shetland Islands has me seasick.  What better way to visit than on a cruise ship...but again, missing the port would be a huge waste of a trip for me.  Maybe some day...

[CurlerRob]

15 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Since the itineraries include Netherlands and Ireland, which are part of the EU, the ship already has to have some low sulfur diesel fuel onboard, as it is required when in those ports.  I'm assuming that the ban on bunker fuel is limited to in port in Svalbard, so the quantity won't increase much.  It may mean loading one extra tank of diesel, as opposed to bunker, which may require an additional bunkering during a port call for bunker, but the change over is virtually seamless, and can be done by any diesel powered ship at any time, taking only a few hours to complete.

Chief, despite a lot of looking, I have not been able to determine if the fuel restriction applies only to the ports or also the waters surrounding Svalbard. In any event, I hope the HAL ship will be able to make port.

 

You are likely aware that there are a swath of proposed restrictions (ship capacity, time of year) also being proposed - but nothing is clear as to the decision-making timelines. My best advice to pax is to monitor the Norwegian news as best they can when considering a trip to Svalbard.

 

FWIW, it remains one of the most remarkable destinations we have ever experienced, in our case on Prinsendam in 2015. Getting to 80°N was a lifetime experience. The picture is from Ny-Ålesund, and is not a joke ... 🍺🥌

 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by CurlerRob
Typo

[chengkp75]

8 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

You are likely aware that there are a swath of proposed restrictions (ship capacity, time of year) also being proposed - but nothing is clear as to the decision-making timelines.

There are already restrictions as to time of year, since Spitzbergen falls totally within the Polar Code arctic zone.  Another reason this may be cancelled at the last moment is ice presence, since the HAL ships are not allowed to operate anywhere there is ice present.

[CurlerRob]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

There are already restrictions as to time of year, since Spitzbergen falls totally within the Polar Code arctic zone.  Another reason this may be cancelled at the last moment is ice presence, since the HAL ships are not allowed to operate anywhere there is ice present.

Thanks Chief. I would be interested to know what defines "ice present", as in 2015 we sailed somewhat to the north of the islands to briefly view the beginnings of the pack itself. It was clear that it was done cautiously but there were big enough bits around to have done damage if the ship was poorly handled. 🍺🥌

 

[chengkp75]

34 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

I would be interested to know what defines "ice present", as in 2015 we sailed somewhat to the north of the islands to briefly view the beginnings of the pack itself.

The Polar Code, which initiated major changes in how passenger vessels operate north/south of 60*, only went into effect in 2017, so what you experienced in 2015 would not be allowed today.

[CurlerRob]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

The Polar Code, which initiated major changes in how passenger vessels operate north/south of 60*, only went into effect in 2017, so what you experienced in 2015 would not be allowed today.

Fascinating - many thanks! 🍺🥌

[foodsvcmgr]

For another option Norwegian Star is doing a number of sailings in this region the next two summers.