Alaska Travel Forum

Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Sun June 28, 2009 12:36 AM UTC

I am curious, although I know it is not a very important question. When a 50,000+ GRT cruise ship leaves Vancouver to sail the Inside Passage, does it go through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and out into the Pacific, or does it stay in the channels to the east of Vancouver Island? Maps I have consulted indicate the eastern passage, but when I zoom in on Google World, it looks very restricted. So, I am curious.

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Sun June 28, 2009 02:03 AM UTC

It stays inside of Vancouver Island usually.

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YVRDave

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Sun June 28, 2009 02:19 AM UTC

Cruise ships that sail to Alaska from Seattle that do a return trip in one week cruise out in the Pacific so they can make better time. If they were to come North and then cruise through the inside passage the ships would not be able to make the roundtrip from Seattle in one week unless they forgo a stop in Alaska.

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yvr

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Sun June 28, 2009 04:22 AM UTC

Thanks. I will be taking one HAL ship from Vancouver to Skagway. Then, after nine days in Yukon and Alaska, I will take another HAL ship from Seward to Vancouver. We will not go to either Seattle or Victoria. Is it lilkely, then, that we will be "inside" Vancouver Island both ways?

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Sun June 28, 2009 08:09 AM UTC

As any sea captain knows, try the marine traffic website. If you know the name of the cruise ship, you can then click on "live map" and position map to Vancouver, go to ships map area (left side top of page)click on "go to vessel" and click on the "name of the ship" you want to track. Find it on the marine traffic website and see exactly where it sails by clicking on "show vessels track". See website:http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?level0=100

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travelgourmet

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Sun June 28, 2009 01:34 PM UTC

Yes, you will stay within the inside passage in both directions.

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yvr

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Mon June 29, 2009 04:03 AM UTC

Thanks again for the information. Travelgourmet, I appreciate your answer even if I am somewhat taken aback by your attitude. I'm a retired US Navy Captain, but the last time I drove a ship there was not even an Internet. And the web site you suggest can't help me now with a cruise that will take place in six to eight weeks from now. Nevertheless, I did look, and I guess the fact that there is a Princess ship in the channel right now is helpful. So, thank you.

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Mon June 29, 2009 04:44 AM UTC

I see them everyday here Larry. I take the ferry to my sisters on weekends and see them slowly moving around during the early seating waiting for the tide to change.

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YVRDave

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Mon June 29, 2009 07:50 AM UTC

Hey Griff, how many times does the same cruise ship take the same course over a period of time, say a season? Is it not possible to track the ship now and it just might be the same in, oh, lets say, six to eight weeks from now?
To the good Captain. What attitude? When did you say you were a retired Navy Captain? Is it an attitude to say any sea captain would know? BTW, I drove a raceboat for a gasoline company, "Phillips 66", but I never drove a ship. My Annapolis grad Captain friend steers or navigates his ship and when he went with a submarine, he sailed it. You want "tude" Captain. If you drove a ship, how did you park it? Now, lets both play nice, this isn't the Navy. Just don't shoot a salvo across my bow. I was trying to help you out to find the course of your ship by tracking a previous sailing, be it the Ryndam, Statendam, Veedam or any other dam ship.

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travelgourmet

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Mon June 29, 2009 11:39 PM UTC

OK. I consider myself thoroughly reprimanded, and I sincerely apologize for misinterpreting your first reply, Travelgourmet. Now I must also plead my ignorance and inability to properly use the web site you propose. I can find no reference to any Holland-America Line ship, past present or future. I'm sure it is something I am doing wrong. If you can find the track of past voyages of any of the 'dam ships in the Inside Passage, please give me detailed instructions. Thank you for your consideration.

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Re: Which side of Vancouver Island?
Posted: Tue June 30, 2009 12:36 AM UTC

Thank you and welcome to that friendly site VT. CaptainLarry, here is the breakdown on website:http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?level0=100

Check mark only these boxes for: "Show Ships Name", "Passenger Vessel", "ships underway", and "Anchored/Moored"

Make sure you are on "Live Map" and your map is of Canada and Alaska Coast.
Make sure that you are not zoomed in but only to the power that allows the next step to be seen, numbers in red.

Look for numbers, ie: 7, 14, etc. that is the ships in the area. Click on the number and ships should appear with their names. Click on the blue ship icon of the ship you want to track and click on "Show Vessels Track" Remember the computer cannot think as fast as you, so give it a few seconds in-between each step.
Right now, 16:30 on Monday, June 29, 2009, the HAL VEENDAM is just north, off the coast of Mt. Robson Provincial Park. I trust this works for you. Smooth sailing, Larry

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