I had not been to Sitka for a number of years as the number of Holland America ships calling there decreased a number of years ago and since then with the increase of the fleet the other Alaskan routes gained more prominence. There was the defining moment in the relation between Sitka and the cruise company’s when Sitka declared a head tax of $ 50 per visiting guests. This resulted in a sort of attempt to kill the Golden Goose. At is was an anchor port, it was already a complicated place to visit and by now charging the guests more money for it, was just too much. Some companies withdrew all the cruise ships while other, including Holland America greatly reduced their presence. It took a while but eventually the head tax was repelled. But even if a company wants to return straight away it takes at least 2 years before this happens. 2 years is normally the time it takes before a new route and schedule makes it through the decision making process and back into the cruise brochure. Holland America is now present with 2 ships, the Oosterdam and the Amsterdam.
This is anchorage 1 and 2. The numbers 3 and 4 are even further away from Sitka tender harbour
There are four anchorages and also a regular dock located outside the city. If you dock there, then a shuttle bus system brings you to downtown Sitka. There are three regular anchorages and with regular I mean, that you can swing around freely on the anchor; whichever way wind or tide is pushing you. Then there is anchorage nbr 1, or inner anchorage. Here a regular seized ship cannot swing around at anchor, as the area with deep water is too small. That meant that only small cruise ships, or those with a stern anchor could go there and the stern anchor kept the ship from swinging around, and onto the rocks. Since the ships have Azipods, this has changed. As described in one of my earlier blogs, an Azipod is a sort of outboard engine – in the form of a pod- which hangs under the ship. It is designed and built to operate 24 hours a day. As a result it is used by keeping the ship in position and stop it from swinging around the anchor. If the weather is not too windy, large ships will now anchor at the inner anchorage.
The Amsterdam has Azipods, it was a beautiful day today and thus she occupied the inner anchorage. That reduced the tender distance and time greatly and that is good for the guests. In the heyday of Sitka, before the ill-fated Head Tax four ships could be at anchor in the bay and the one at anchorage nbr 4 would be looking at a 30 minute tender ride from the ship to the dock. Today the Amsterdam was the only ship in Sitka. Also the out of town dock was not in use. The ship arrived at 09.30 with an official scheduled stay from 10.00 to 1700 hrs.
I walked from the Hotel and could take the first tender back to the ship, coming on board while the guests were starting to assemble in the showlounge for the tender ticket procedure. The ship is on a charter cruise, chartered by Inspiration Cruises & Tours. The main difference of one of these sort of cruises is that instead having a headliner show, there is Michael W. Smith who gives a religious service. To make attendance for everybody possible, the guests have been divided in a RED and a BLUE group, as well as for the services as for dining. For the rest the Holland America entertainment offerings remain the same.
The Amsterdam makes seven day cruises from Seattle – via Tracy Arm – Juneau – Sitka – Victoria – Seattle. So I will be on board for 2 cruises and the tail end of the current one. If the weather holds out for the practical sessions then I should be able to deliver the same program as just done on the Volendam. Tomorrow the ship is in Ketchikan for a morning call. Arriving at 0700 hrs. and departing at 1300 hrs. then it is a fast run to get to Victoria for an evening call, two days from now. The weather for today and tomorrow is Alaska at its best and we are expecting a very sunny day in Ketchikan and that should please everybody.
Leave a Reply