Replacement for CruiseCal

[manbehindthecurtain]

I see that our cruise to Alaska in Sept. has so many ships in most ports.

What I would like to know - is there any way to find out which ships will

be docked and which will have to tender?

 

 

What ship are you on and which dates in which ports?

[MichCruCrew]

Hi again. Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions. I am getting a lot of input, and I am keeping a list. I can't respond to everyone at this point, but keep the suggestions coming.

 

My top priority is the accuracy of the site and updating the remaining major lines. Once that is complete, I plan to enhance the port-specific info. I think I will also add a faq and blog to keep everyone updated.

 

John

[cands]

Hi again. Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions. I am getting a lot of input, and I am keeping a list. I can't respond to everyone at this point, but keep the suggestions coming.

 

My top priority is the accuracy of the site and updating the remaining major lines. Once that is complete, I plan to enhance the port-specific info. I think I will also add a faq and blog to keep everyone updated.

 

John

 

I think the site is fantastic. We have already printed out maps of our 56 day itinerary and detailed maps of each of the ports.

 

Thanks so much.

 

Steve.

[Retired 07]

What a GREAT site! And so easy to use. I was thrilled to find out that on our 10 day Maasdam cruise in October, out of 7 port stops, we will only be sharing a port in Halifax, and only with one other ship! Even in our disembarkation in FLL we will be the only ones.

Keep up the good work!

[Two if by Sea]

My top priority is the accuracy of the site and updating the remaining major lines. Once that is complete, I plan to enhance the port-specific info. I think I will also add a faq and blog to keep everyone updated.

 

Thanks again! I see you've already added line numbers to correspond with the push-pins.

 

On the topic of non-port days, I did notice it the most when looking at an Antarctic cruise. It basically looks like the ship sits outside Ushuaia for two weeks! Not sure how you'd handle that, though, since technically the ships don't dock anywhere on Antarctica at all.

[Avril]

I was just playing around with the Sailwx website cheching on some HAL ship positioning and found a link that looked interesting at the same time. Went to check it out and looks like for those of us that used to go to CruiseCal that we now have to pay for have another website to look for where ships are on a daily basis. Its

www.porttime.com It has just launched and there is two ways to do a search. By ship or port. I went the port route and the entire month of April came up for that port. Then if you click on a specific ship and date you will get that ships itinerary and a listing of other ships in port during its cruise. Just wanted to pass it on.

 

 

Thanks!! :D I wasn't looking forward to paying for CruiseCal and now I don't have to!!

[MichCruCrew]

Thanks again! I see you've already added line numbers to correspond with the push-pins.

 

On the topic of non-port days, I did notice it the most when looking at an Antarctic cruise. It basically looks like the ship sits outside Ushuaia for two weeks! Not sure how you'd handle that, though, since technically the ships don't dock anywhere on Antarctica at all.

 

This will be a limitation at least with the first version of the site. Every "port" in the system needs a latitude and longitude.

 

John

[chessbriar]

I love it. Much easier to use than cruisecal

[bc3536]

Thanks for the site info - very helpful.

 

I see that our cruise to Alaska in Sept. has so many ships in most ports.

What I would like to know - is there any way to find out which ships will

be docked and which will have to tender?

 

I was wondering the something. Is there anywhere we can find out if our ship is tendered or docked?

Thanks for the wonderful website, it makes the next month a little more bearable. :D

[JORAY]

I was wondering the something. Is there anywhere we can find out if our ship is tendered or docked?

Thanks for the wonderful website, it makes the next month a little more bearable. :D

 

 

The HAL's web site itinerary gives you this info. If you see following after a port name you have your answer:

 

VC VACCINATION REQUIRED

TR TENDER REQUIRED

SE NO AIR TO THIS PORT CITY

VS VISA REQUIRED

CO CRUISING ONLY

ON OVERNIGHT

 

Also the Guest confirmation show the same info.

 

Ray

[manbehindthecurtain]

I was wondering the something. Is there anywhere we can find out if our ship is tendered or docked?

 

 

Not online, but if you give ship and sail date I can find out.

[bc3536]

Not online, but if you give ship and sail date I can find out.

Thank you:D

 

Volendam

June 3, 2008 Ketchikan

June 4 Juneau

June 5 Skagway

June 8 Seward

June 11 Haines (I have heard this port maybe changed)

June 12 Juneau

June 13 Ketchikan

 

 

Thank you in advanced. I looked on the HAL website and I can't find anything.

[manbehindthecurtain]

info added in red

 

Volendam

June 3, 2008 Ketchikan docked, berth no.1

June 4 Juneau docked, Alaska steam dock (near where the floatplanes are)

June 5 Skagway (Broadway dock, closest to town)

June 8 Seward Docked

June 11 Haines (I have heard this port maybe changed) docked

June 12 Juneau docked, Alaska steam dock

June 13 Ketchikan docked, berth no.4 (the newest)

 

 

Thank you in advanced. I looked on the HAL website and I can't find anything

 

This is the schedule so far, subject to change, but normally is fairly accurate.

Enjoy your cruise!

[Two if by Sea]

Hi, ManBehindTheCurtain,

 

Do you have similar docking information for the Maasdam June 28th cruise from Montreal to Boston?

 

Thanks!

[manbehindthecurtain]

Hi, ManBehindTheCurtain,

 

Do you have similar docking information for the Maasdam June 28th cruise from Montreal to Boston?

 

Thanks!

 

Sorry, only for Alaska......

[bc3536]

info added in red

 

Volendam

June 3, 2008 Ketchikan docked, berth no.1

June 4 Juneau docked, Alaska steam dock (near where the floatplanes are)

June 5 Skagway (Broadway dock, closest to town)

June 8 Seward Docked

June 11 Haines (I have heard this port maybe changed) docked

June 12 Juneau docked, Alaska steam dock

June 13 Ketchikan docked, berth no.4 (the newest)

 

 

Thank you in advanced. I looked on the HAL website and I can't find anything

 

This is the schedule so far, subject to change, but normally is fairly accurate.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Thank you for the great information we really appreciate you. This makes choosing our excursions much easier.

 

2000 days on HAL ships on May 17, 2008

 

Are you rich or do you work on one of the HAL ships (if so which one and what do you do).

[rjbean4]

Two if by Sea,

When my mom & I did the 12 day Veendam last October from Montreal to Tampa we docked everywhere except Bar Harbor, Maine and Newport, Rhode Island where we were anchored and had to tender ashore. These 2 ports do not have facilities for ships to dock. Don't know what your itinerary is but thought this would help some. When we were at Sydney, Nova Scotia we docked but there were 2 other ships in that day with us and they were anchored.

The one thing that was so cool about doing this trip last fall is that we live in the Tampa area. Was like what seemed to be at least 60-70% of the passengers on board that trip were also from the Tampa area so that trip was full of us Tampa locals helping bring Veendam home for the season. We all only had to fly one way and when the cruise was over we were home. LITERALY. This was the 1st time we had done this area and why we are doing this trip again on Eurodam in October. Instead we sail from Quebec City and end in Ft. Lauderdale.

One tip to pass on is a heads up if you are flying in to Montreal the day of sailing. When we did our trip from there on Veendam we were noteified by our TA a week before that our departure time out of Montreal had been changed from 6 pm to 4:30pm because of tide conditions in the St. Lawrence. We flew in 2 days before sailing so no problem. But when it came to sailing day Veendam was late arriving into Montreal becasue of the tide. We had to get out of there for the same reason and actually sailed at 4:10pm. We had Captain Albert (who does the blog) as our captain and as he said in his blog that due to the tide conditions in the river we had to get out of there so we could get under the last bridge before Quebec City by a certain time or we were going to have to drop anchor in the river and cancel our stop at Quebec City. When we left early out of Montreal we did make it but we left without about 60 passengers who missed the ship because their flight was late getting in due to a mechanical. It made more sense to do this and get to Quebec City so all these passengers could join the ship there after being bussed from Montreal. Also if we hadn't left we could have missed Quebec City and these people wouldn't have been able to join the ship. After that we had a sea day to Sydney, Nova Scotia and we almost lost our day there as it was becaue of the weather and gale warnings from the Canadian Coast Guard. We did make it into Sydney but was a rainy day. When we sailed as we were going around that part of Nova Scotia headed to Halifax we hit the high winds and heavy seas. Things were flying as we went into the dining room for dinner and I had to hang on to my mom who like a lot of others ended up leaving. Once we were in the Atlantic the motion did settle down but for a lot of people it was a early night and some of the roughest seas we have had on Veendam. So what I am sharing is something to be aware of that can happen if flying in on the day of sailing.

People forget that the St. Lawrence is connected to the Atlantic Ocean so there are also tide issues in the river to deal with. During our Mariners party we had a couple next to us that were 2 that missed the ship and I asked them if flying prior to the day of sailing was a option and they never said a word. Whenever we cruise we never fly in the day of sailing and when we sail from Ft. Lauderdale we drive down the day before even though its only a 4-4 1/2 hour drive.

For anyone who wants to read about this event during our cruise on the Veendam go to Captain Albert's blog at www.avidcruiser.com/albert then under the archives go to October, 2007. There is a entry he did that covers 3 days (Oct. 8, 9 & 10) and includes what I have mentioned. I have also mentioned this to our TA that to warn people of this possibility to people that want to fly in on the day of sailing and what could happen. Especially with what flying has become.

Those of us HAL cruiseaholics here in the Tampa area are the lucky ones to have Captain Albert, his wonderful blog and the Veendam. The ship that gave us our 500 day medalions and my best freind who is a bartender his 20 year service pin at the Mariners party on Jan. 1, 2006.

 

R. J.

53 cruises on HAL at the age of 43

561 days at sea on 12 different DAM SHIPS

500 day gold medallion holder

Sept. 04 Rotterdam Trans Atlantic hurricane Karl survivor

10/08 Canada/New England & Atlantic Coast - Eurodam

12/08 Christmas & New Years - Westerdam

if Holland America doesn't go there WE DON'T GO!!!!

[sail7seas]

Hi, ManBehindTheCurtain,

 

Do you have similar docking information for the Maasdam June 28th cruise from Montreal to Boston?

 

Thanks!

 

 

We've done that cruise many times and (aside from last year when Charlottetown was working on the pier), the only port we have tendered at is Bar Harbor.

 

Dock in all other ports.

[Two if by Sea]

Thanks, RJ and Sail. That is what I thought from the HAL website but there had been some reports of tendering on PEI at some point (I guess that was from you) and I just wanted to confirm that it was just Bar Harbor now.

 

I also wasn't sure exactly WHERE the ship docks, in relation to the town, in each location. I've figured out some of them, I THINK, but I thought perhaps ManBehindTheCurtain would have exact insider info. Actually, I guess the only one I really am still not sure about is Halifax, since we have to get to the rental car agency from the pier and there is some question about where the closest agency really is.

[Rebecca33]

I am very new to the tracking of Cruise Ships so I had never even heard of CruiseCal..:o But that new site is great! Thanks for the tip!

 

:)

[rjbean4]

Two if by Sea,

When we did our Veendam cruise last fall this was our itinerary and docking/tender.

Oct. 9 - Embark Montreal

Oct. 10 - Quebec City - Docked

Oct. 11 - At Sea

Oct. 12 - Sydney, Nova Scotia - Docked but two other ships were anchored (Norwegian Dawn and Black Watch). When we sailed we went right by them on the way out.

Oct. 13 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Docked with two other ships also docked (Grand Princess and Black Watch)

Oct. 14 - Bar Harbor, Maine - TENDER

Oct. 15 - At Sea

Oct. 16 - Newport, Rhode Island - TENDER

Oct. 17 - At Sea

Oct. 18 - Charleston, South Carolina - Docked

Oct. 19 - At Sea

Oct. 20 - At Sea

Oct. 21 - End in our home port of Tampa, FL and also Veendam's home port for the winter season.

There are some ports that we didn't get to since what we did was a repo. But we also loved the 5 days at sea doing a 12 day cruise. This is why we are going back again on Eurodam as we will hit some of the same ports as well as some new ones like Cornerbrook, Newfoundland, Charlotte town, Prince Edward Island and St. John's, New Brunswick. Will be also going to Boston and NY is our last port before 2 days at sea to Ft. Lauderdale. We have only been to these two to start or end trans Atlantic cruises. We have a freind in Boston we are going to meet and when sailing from NY will get to see the Statue of Liberty.

One other way to learn more about docking and tendering in the Canada/New England ports is to go read Captain Albert's blog and go back to his entries from last fall when Veendam was doing her Canada/New England cruises. There will probably be ports he will talk about docking and tendering in the ports you may go to that we didn't. I remember reading about the construction on the pier at Charlottetown. Oh and Halifax. Expect to dock there. But where you dock could make a slight difference in distance to a rental car. Also when tendering there is always crew to help people on & off the tenders on the tender and/or on the dock.

R. J.

53 cruises on HAL at the age of 43

561 days at sea on 12 different DAM SHIPS

500 day gold medallion holder

Sept. 04 Rotterdam Trans Atlantic hurricane Karl survivor

10/08 Canada/New England & Atlantic Coast - Eurodam

12/08 Christmas & New Years - Westerdam

if Holland America doesn't go there WE DON'T GO!!!!

[Member]

It seems Porttime.com is gone..... If this is the case, any good replacement?

[sail7seas]

I use http://www.cruisett.com.

 

Not perfect but helpful.

 

[SandyMc]

Looks like everyone has been able to get this website up except me - won't go there if I click on the link or if I type it in. Any idea what I am doing wrong? (Keeps saying this is a bad address and web page cannot be found. I am so bummed!

[Travelrd]

you're not doing anyting wrong. the website closed down a long time ago. most of these posts are from 2008.