9/17-24 Encore - Skagway canceled

[BunnyHutt]

My friend and I woke up bright and early this morning for our excursions and turned on the “boat show” while waiting for our room service breakfast. Noticed that our boat was headed in the wrong direction. At 7am the Captain came on and announced that the forecasted winds were too strong to make it safe to dock, so port has been canceled. Day at sea ahead of Glacier Bay tomorrow. 
 

Definitely a bummer, but at least the excursion refunds will cover the majority of my Bingo fund. 😆 We’ll spend today, my friend’s birthday, enjoying our thermal spa pass and drink package. We *did* have amazing weather yesterday in Juneau so at least we had that. 
 

Note for anyone cruising Alaska the rest of this season - the open water heading out of Seattle was crazy rough. Even the crew commented about it - also noting it’s the start of the winter season. 

[1025cruise]

This is why NCL is really the last cruiseline in Alaska. Everyone already left.

[BunnyHutt]

31 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

This is why NCL is really the last cruiseline in Alaska. Everyone already left.

Princess and Holland America were both docked in Juneau yesterday. So while NCL may go later than the others, they aren’t the last man standing at this point still. 

[durberville]

We are on the Oct 15th sailing. Preparing myself for the possibility of missing ALL the ports! Haha! Our Seattle land plans fell through and we booked this cruise as a hotel alternative - can’t say Alaska in mid-October was on my bucket list. 🥶🌧️ Enjoy that thermal spa! 👍🏻

Edited September 20, 2023 by durberville

[Panhandle Couple]

We missed Ketchikan in 2019 about the same time of year for the same reason. It happens.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise, and glad to see you are taking it in stride.

[bluesea777]

But two ships are docked at Skagway now - Majestic Princess and Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

9 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

But two ships are docked at Skagway now - Majestic Princess and Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

 

I was wondering if this would happen. Thanks for confirming!

[depplep]

Hoping to make all the stops. It's our first time doing Alaska. I just want to see snow dagnabit!

[Panhandle Couple]

23 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

But two ships are docked at Skagway now - Majestic Princess and Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

 

All depends on the dock 

4 berths in Skagway.  Depends on wind direction.  The smaller ships can use the Ore and Broadway dock, and the wind could be forcing them into the mooring.  The Railroad dock on the other side of the channel would have the wind blowing the ship away from the mooring. Plus Encore is a larger ship. More area for the wind to push.

Also the Encore may have been slated for the RR dock forward, which is a tender location due to the landslide.

[hallux]

49 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Also the Encore may have been slated for the RR dock forward, which is a tender location due to the landslide.

Unless something changed from when the landslide happened or the port bought tender vessels - Encore is not certified to tender in US ports, something to do with a missing USCG certification for the lifeboats they would use.  That's why, when the landslide happened, another ship loaned their tender boats to assist with returning Encore passengers to the ship.

[Panhandle Couple]

2 hours ago, hallux said:

Unless something changed from when the landslide happened or the port bought tender vessels - Encore is not certified to tender in US ports, something to do with a missing USCG certification for the lifeboats they would use.  That's why, when the landslide happened, another ship loaned their tender boats to assist with returning Encore passengers to the ship.

I believe the tenders are provided by the port of Skagway.

[hallux]

39 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

I believe the tenders are provided by the port of Skagway.

Then that's a change from last year when the landslide happened and stranded passengers from the Encore on land.  When that happened a HAL ship deployed her tenders as the Encore didn't have tendering capabilities in a US port.  If the port had tenders I imagine they would have been used for that operation, so they either bought tenders for the port, the Encore got certified to tender in a US port or the Encore was not scheduled to tender.

 

Here's the thread from then - 

 

[RD64]

I was in Skagway in August twice on a B2B on Holland America’s Noordam. The second time was truly the windiest day of my entire life - I have never experienced anything quite like it. I went up to the rear pool to watch the docking - walked out on deck, and had to hold on to a post - to prevent myself from being blown over (6foot 3 and 190 pounds). Quickly made a reversal decision and got back inside.

 

Truly not surprised that docking can be an issue.

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Also the Encore may have been slated for the RR dock forward, which is a tender location due to the landslide.

 

5 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

I believe the tenders are provided by the port of Skagway.

 

So, this is incorrect.

 

NCL uses the Railroad Dock has shuttle busses that take passengers from/to the ship to the parking lot. Actually, you can catch a shuttle that runs only to the parking lot for free or for $5 a shuttle that will take you into town and back. 

Edited September 21, 2023 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

12 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

This is why NCL is really the last cruiseline in Alaska. Everyone already left.

Don't want to say you're wrong. But, currently sailing in Alaska are Volendam, Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Westerdam, Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Celebrity Eclipse, Radiance of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Sapphire Princess, Discovery Princess, Royal Princess, Grand Princess, Crown Princess, Majestic Princess, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore,  Seabourn Odyssey, Seven Seas Explorer, 

Edited September 21, 2023 by BirdTravels

[azappraiser]

Grabbed this from the National Weather Service Radar... doesn't look like very smooth sailing ahead...

[eileeshb]

14 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

 

So, this is incorrect.

 

NCL uses the Railroad Dock has shuttle busses that take passengers from/to the ship to the parking lot. Actually, you can catch a shuttle that runs only to the parking lot for free or for $5 a shuttle that will take you into town and back. 

I have to contradict the bird, but there are 2 berths for big ships on the railroad dock, RRF & RRA (forward and Aft). Ships using the forward berth RRF use tenders because that part of the pier is directly inline with the landslide. Ships using RRA use the shuttle bus to move people through the risky area as quickly as possible which is why you’re not supposed to walk through that area of the pier. 
encore was scheduled to be using RRA this week while Majestic Princess was scheduled for RRA 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, eileeshb said:

I have to contradict the bird, but there are 2 berths for big ships on the railroad dock, RRF & RRA (forward and Aft). Ships using the forward berth RRF use tenders because that part of the pier is directly inline with the landslide. Ships using RRA use the shuttle bus to move people through the risky area as quickly as possible which is why you’re not supposed to walk through that area of the pier. encore was scheduled to be using RRA this week while Majestic Princess was scheduled for RRA 

 

O.K. NCL is using the AFT dock = Shuttle Buses

 

I was reporting my first hand experience that NCL was using Shuttle Buses from the AFT dock last week when I disembarked the Norwegian Encore in Skagway. They were not tendering as reported by others. 

 

In my live report, I also reported that Princess, in the FORWARD berth had to tender,,, showing pictures of their tenders. 

Edited September 21, 2023 by BirdTravels

[Panhandle Couple]

4 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

O.K. NCL is using the AFT dock = Shuttle Buses

 

I was reporting my first hand experience that NCL was using Shuttle Buses from the AFT dock last week when I disembarked the Norwegian Encore in Skagway. They were not tendering as reported by others. 

 

In my live report, I also reported that Princess, in the FORWARD berth had to tender,,, showing pictures of their tenders. 

And my original statement was that Encore MAY be using RR FRD.  I never checked the schedule, as I was simply pointing out that there are more factors involved than saying "2 other cruise lines were in port that day." while the Encore was not.

 

And Bird, if you had followed my original posting in the Alaska Ports section in CC, you would have known all this.  And NCL does not exclusively use RR AFT.  Smaller ships have used the Broadway and Ore docks.  It ALL depends on the schedule, NOT the cruise line!

 

And Hallux, No one keeps tenders ready in case of a landslide. Using info from LAST year is really reaching, the port of Skagway has spent lots of time and effort to ensure a complete cruise season this year.  

[BirdTravels]

5 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

And my original statement was that Encore MAY be using RR FRD.  I never checked the schedule, as I was simply pointing out that there are more factors involved than saying "2 other cruise lines were in port that day." while the Encore was not.

 

And Bird, if you had followed my original posting in the Alaska Ports section in CC, you would have known all this.  And NCL does not exclusively use RR AFT.  Smaller ships have used the Broadway and Ore docks.  It ALL depends on the schedule, NOT the cruise line!

 

And Hallux, No one keeps tenders ready in case of a landslide. Using info from LAST year is really reaching, the port of Skagway has spent lots of time and effort to ensure a complete cruise season this year.  

What if. What if. What if. The post I responded to says "Encore in Railroad Aft". There is no What if. 

[hallux]

10 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

And Hallux, No one keeps tenders ready in case of a landslide. Using info from LAST year is really reaching,

I was simply pointing out that unless some certifications were acquired for the Encore or the port bought tender vessels the Encore couldn't have been scheduled for a tender berth as the ship couldn't have tendered the passengers to shore.  I wouldn't consider it "reaching", I would consider it using the most recent information I knew of.

[Panhandle Couple]

10 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

What if. What if. What if. The post I responded to says "Encore in Railroad Aft". There is no What if. 

Hilariously you quoted my post (#9) then later said you didn't.

 

[Panhandle Couple]

7 minutes ago, hallux said:

I was simply pointing out that unless some certifications were acquired for the Encore or the port bought tender vessels the Encore couldn't have been scheduled for a tender berth as the ship couldn't have tendered the passengers to shore.  I wouldn't consider it "reaching", I would consider it using the most recent information I knew of.

Weirdly, you stated that the port doesn't supply tenders (#12), then later said the port could have supplied tenders.  Meaning you don't really know. 

[hallux]

31 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Weirdly, you stated that the port doesn't supply tenders (#12), then later said the port could have supplied tenders.  Meaning you don't really know. 

Please do point out where I said the port could have supplied tenders.  You're the one that said they believe the port DOES supply them...

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Hilariously you quoted my post (#9) then later said you didn't.

Yes, post #9 stated "What If" the Encore docked at the forward dock. It doesn't. There is no What if.

 

As pointed out by many, you have and continue to make unsubstantiated assertions that are non-responsive and inaccurate based on the thread. Sorry.