Disney withdraws from Glacier Bay, Alaska competition

[awoltoday]

Sorry if somebody already reported this. It looks like Disney will not command their own Glacier Bay permits.

This is the link to the news release:
http://www.nps.gov/glba/parknews/2009-01-14.htm

Disney Cruise Line submitted a proposal but withdrew from the competition.

 

[lbgraves]

Well, shoot!

 

[kcashner]

darn....I was really looking forward to a DCL cruise to Alaska.

 

[dursin]

Can't say I'm disappointed. On days like today, I can only think of cruises that sail to someplace warm!

 

[DMMarla07860]

Can't say I'm disappointed. On days like today, I can only think of cruises that sail to someplace warm!

same here

 

[mmouse37]

Was the competition too tough with the Magic/Wonder possibly not up to par to meet the environmental guidelines (as they are older ships) or do you think they just changed their minds about cruising there?

I would imagine newer ships do Alaska becaue they are more environmentally friendly.....but I know nothing of this topic so I could be all wrong...just speculating!!!

MJ

 

[ga9497]

Was the competition too tough with the Magic/Wonder possibly not up to par to meet the environmental guidelines (as they are older ships) or do you think they just changed their minds about cruising there?

I would imagine newer ships do Alaska becaue they are more environmentally friendly.....but I know nothing of this topic so I could be all wrong...just speculating!!!

MJ

Most cruise lines cannot put their newer mega ships in Alaska because of the port regulations of the size of the ship. The Magic and Wonder are the perfect size. The new ships will be too large

 

[kcashner]

Since it was a "competition" and it sounds like some of the other lines had "squatter's rights," do you think they just didn't want to risk losing to another line?

 

[durango kid]

From todays Orlando Sentinel

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2009/01/disney-cruise-l.html


Disney Cruise Line withdrew an application for a permit to sail in Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park.
The news was included in a release from the park this afternoon announcing awards to multiple cruise lines that had been competing for the limited number sailing slots.
The permits cover sailing in Glacier Bay between 2010 and 2019.
UPDATE: Disney Cruise Line spokeswoman Rena Langley said the company pulled its application because "for now, Glacier Bay doesn't fit in our future itinerary plans."
But Langley said that doesn't necessarily rule Alaska out as a future cruise destination for Disney. "We're continuing to explore many future itinerary options and, certainly, Alaska remains on our radar."

 

[kaseyC]

Wow!! I'm surprised. It will be interesting to see what happens with 2011 itineraries and whether Alaska is a consideration for DCL in the future.

 

[awoltoday]

Was the competition too tough with the Magic/Wonder possibly not up to par to meet the environmental guidelines (as they are older ships) or do you think they just changed their minds about cruising there?

I would imagine newer ships do Alaska becaue they are more environmentally friendly.....but I know nothing of this topic so I could be all wrong...just speculating!!!

MJ

I think that the environmental part of the competition was a LARGE part of the withdrawal. I don't think DCL is anywhere close to these other companies in this area.

Since it was a "competition" and it sounds like some of the other lines had "squatter's rights," do you think they just didn't want to risk losing to another line?

Princess & HAL have 71 permits under "historical rights." Those are not competitive. The remaining 82 permits are competitive. I am sure there is some truth to your theory. But, these cruise lines have lots of experience that DCL doesn't. That's a healthy advantage right there. But, I also doubt that too many permits that these other lines had previously would have been taken away to give to Disney - unless they provided an unreal proposal.

Most cruise lines cannot put their newer mega ships in Alaska because of the port regulations of the size of the ship. The Magic and Wonder are the perfect size. The new ships will be too large

Princess runs 116,000 GT Diamond Princess through Glacier Bay. Most of the ports now have room or plans for 1000' ships. But, I still agree that the Magic & Wonder are better suited for this duty. And they are much easier to get to the left coast.

Not getting a permit for Glacier Bay does not mean DCL can't or won't cruise to Alaska. It just means they probably won't be operating in Glacier Bay on a regular basis before 2020. Further, if Glacier Bay is a must, a cruiser could always arrange a tour from another port stop.

 

[kaseyC]

Since it was a "competition" and it sounds like some of the other lines had "squatter's rights," do you think they just didn't want to risk losing to another line?

I wonder about that as well. Especially, since they were not planning to sail Alaska in 2010 when the permit would have began granting access. Maybe the NPS were favoring cruiselines who would take advantage of the permit every year.

 

[mmouse37]

From todays Orlando Sentinel

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2009/01/disney-cruise-l.html


Disney Cruise Line withdrew an application for a permit to sail in Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park.
The news was included in a release from the park this afternoon announcing awards to multiple cruise lines that had been competing for the limited number sailing slots.
The permits cover sailing in Glacier Bay between 2010 and 2019.
UPDATE: Disney Cruise Line spokeswoman Rena Langley said the company pulled its application because "for now, Glacier Bay doesn't fit in our future itinerary plans."
But Langley said that doesn't necessarily rule Alaska out as a future cruise destination for Disney. "We're continuing to explore many future itinerary options and, certainly, Alaska remains on our radar."

Someone already beat you to the bunch so there is already a thead on this....maybe the mods will combine the two to make it easier to discuss the topic.

MJ

 

[WDWLVR]

I've gone ahead and merged the two threads together.

Very disappointed that DCL isn't going to Alaska as we so want to sail there. Guess we may end up looking at other lines.

 

[cmash95]

here is the problem with sailing in glacier bay, you can't do it for most of the summer because it's calving season for sea lions and seals so during the summer months you can only sail halfway into the bay. that means that the best glaciers are missed. my family and I sailed on the Island Princess the first week of September and were able to see the whole park but most of sailing season it's really not much of a see. Actually college fiord has more glaciers to see and of course there are glaciers you can actually go stand on in juneau and skagway. Princess can still cruise alaska and avoid the bay and customers wouldn't miss much at all.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I've gone ahead and merged the two threads together.

Very disappointed that DCL isn't going to Alaska as we so want to sail there. Guess we may end up looking at other lines.

It doesn't mean they aren't going to sail to Alaska.. It means when they do they won't be able to sail into GB!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

It doesn't mean they aren't going to sail to Alaska.. It means when they do they won't be able to sail into GB!!

I agree, it would be possible still to go, the competition up there is established and hard to move, they got the places, however the extra bit of 'it doesn't fit with our planned itinerary's' is a worry. Maybe a 'A get out/save face' answer, but not a good day.

 

[lbgraves]

A news report the other day showed how many of the glaciers in Glacier Park just aren't there anymore due to the environmental changes. It was quite sad really. I wished that we had gone years ago.

 

[trimix]

I live halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, so I have been hoping for one of Disney's ships to come to the northwest for Alaska itineraries. I really hope this doesn't mean no Alaska for Disney!

 

[awoltoday]

here is the problem with sailing in glacier bay, you can't do it for most of the summer because it's calving season for sea lions and seals so during the summer months you can only sail halfway into the bay. that means that the best glaciers are missed. my family and I sailed on the Island Princess the first week of September and were able to see the whole park but most of sailing season it's really not much of a see. Actually college fiord has more glaciers to see and of course there are glaciers you can actually go stand on in juneau and skagway. Princess can still cruise alaska and avoid the bay and customers wouldn't miss much at all.

The summer IS calving season and some access is limited. But, even with those limits, Glacier Bay is AMAZING. However, the bay you can only sail halfway into is not Glacier Bay itself, but Johns Hopkins inlet. On our cruise this past July (Reference Map), we sailed ALL THE WAY to the end of Glacier Bay to then end of Tarr Inlet viewing Marjerie Glacier at as close a distance as you can get with a cruise ship. Here is one of the pictures of it calving that I took that day.

We then sailed back past Lamplugh Glacier to roughly Jaw Point in Johns Hopkins Inlet. If I recall correctly, this is about 9 miles from the face of John Hopkins Glacier. While I would have preferred to continue down the inlet, it was quite impressive even at that range

I would really have to disagree that it wasn't something to see. It was absolutely breathtaking!