Key Aspects:
- Ovation of the Seas must skip scenic cruising to Hubbard Glacier on her May 15 sailing to reach Whittier for an early debarkation.
- The one-way tunnel leading in and out of Whittier requires earlier debarkation so all guests can leave the port in time.
- The ship was originally scheduled to debark in Seward, but port construction changed those plans at the last minute.
Alaska is one of the most gorgeous cruise destinations in the world and the opportunity to sail past stately glaciers in the Last Frontier is a key experience for many travelers. Unfortunately, guests onboard the May 15 sailing of Ovation of the Seas will not have the chance to visit and see Hubbard Glacier in all its glory due to scheduling issues and a homeport swap.
Guests onboard the 168,700-gross ton, Quantum Class ship have been notified of the change and their debarkation in Whittier will work. Originally, the ship was to debark in Seward, a change Cruise Hive has already reported.
“Due to schedule adjustments to ensure our timely arrival into Whittier, we will be adjusting our itinerary and will continue with a full day at sea instead of cruising Hubbard Glacier,” the letter delivered to guests’ staterooms confirmed.
This change will naturally be disappointing to many guests. While all of the Alaskan coastline has phenomenal scenery, glacier viewing is an iconic experience for Alaskan cruises.
Hubbard Glacier, in particular, offers spectacular views. Because the glacier is considered fairly active, the chances of calving (ice pieces breaking off in dramatic falls) are quite high and cruise guests may have that incomparable experience when visiting the tidewater glacier.
Guests onboard reported on Reddit that when the cancellation announcement was made, there was brief chanting of “We Want Hubbard!” in some public spaces, and the line at Guest Services got very crowded.
Royal Caribbean is offering a non-refundable onboard credit to all guests as compensation for losing this highly anticipated experience. Guests in inside and oceanview staterooms will receive $150 (USD) per stateroom, while balconies will receive $200 and suites will receive $400. If third, fourth, or fifth guests are booked in a stateroom, the credit will increase by $25 per extra guest.
Any pre-paid tours booked through Royal Caribbean for Hubbard Glacier have likewise been cancelled and refunded to guests’ onboard accounts. Those fees are refundable for any amount left at the end of the sailing.
Read Also: What is the Best Time of Year to Cruise Alaska?
Ovation of the Seas departed Vancouver, Canada, on Friday, May 15, and has visited Ketchikan, Sitka, and Skagway during the 7-night, one-way itinerary. She will reach Whittier in the early hours of Friday, May 22.
A Very Early Debarkation in Whittier
The ship will arrive in Whittier at roughly 1 a.m. Friday morning to begin unloading guests’ luggage and clearing customs inspection for debarkation.
Because of the unique geography of Whitter, with one-way traffic only permitted through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, it is essential that debarkation be earlier than typical, especially for such a large ship as Ovation of the Seas.
The up to 4,905 guests onboard (maximum occupancy) should be able to begin debarking the ship at 6 a.m.
For those who have post-cruise plans to travel to Anchorage, it can take an hour and twenty minutes to reach the biggest city in Alaska. While this is shorter than the two hours from Seward, depending on traffic flow through the tunnel, the travel time could be even longer.
Royal Caribbean previously notified guests of the homeport switch due to ongoing port construction in Seward.
Embarkation for the next sailing, the ship’s southbound sailing, will also be in Whittier rather than Seward, but no further changes are confirmed to the May 22 itinerary at this time.
