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Know that availability is limited, so booking early is recommended if it’s something you want. Formal dining happens in The Dining Room, located at the back of the ship on decks 2 and 3 (on the Koningsdam). This is your traditional cruise dining experience with many tables and a menu that changes daily with a few regular items remaining each day. There was definitely a time in my life when I was all about taking small ships, cargo ferries, and local buses, and avoiding experiences like cruises. However, now with a young child, it ended up being such an easy, beautiful way to take a vacation.
You like to travel to lesser known destinations.
Thus, we made a pitstop to drop off our carry-ons and check out our cabin first. With personal service, well-executed dining, and diverse entertainment, Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam was an ideal backdrop to the amazing vistas of the Alaskan wilderness. Billboard Onboard was home to a piano duo that played everything from classic rock, to pop, and even showtunes. With traditional sets as well as “All Request” shows, each night offered something new. At night, the ship featured unique entertainment in several venues. The Mainstage was home to various headliner acts, while Lincoln Center Stage hosted classical music sets.
Iconic Alaska Cruise Ports & Destinations
Eurodam was named “Best for Great Dining & Diverse Destinations” and features a vast selection of entertainment venues and restaurants. Stretch out your Alaska cruise vacation with convenient weekend departures. Enjoy a roundtrip Alaska cruise from Seattle on Alaskan Explorer itineraries or from Vancouver on Alaskan Inside Passage itineraries.
Bring Your Camera on the Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali -- and Prepare for a Bumpy, Long Ride
Those in the dining room made a particularly great impression, remembering my son and always saying hi to him and bringing his fruit right away. Considering how many people they were seeing on a daily basis, I was impressed. This was a highlight for us, as we spent the day cruising through Glacier Bay National Park. That evening, leaving Skagway was particularly beautiful, as we watched the sunset over the dramatic mountains with waterfalls cascading down. The next morning, we arrived in Skagway, another small, charming coastal town, and took the scenic railway as our excursion. Felix squealed with delight at the helicopters taking off right outside of our room on the ship afterwards.
Holland America to Debut New ‘Glacier Day’ in 2024 - Cruise Industry News
Holland America to Debut New ‘Glacier Day’ in 2024.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:09:43 GMT [source]
The bus tour guide -- who is also the driver -- will make several stops for better animal viewing, but unfortunately only about three bathroom stops. Board a 26-passenger expedition boat on the ‘Glacier Point Wilderness Safari’ to see whales, seals, sea lions, waterfalls and even a remote beach. The ‘Birds, Bears and Barnacles’ tour guarantees sightings of bald eagles and brown bears as well as marine life at aquariums, touch tanks and a salmon hatchery. Or go kayaking past rainforests, among the reefs and swirling kelp, as you scan the coast, sky and sea for wildlife. At Holland America we offer cruise travelers low prices on their flights. Please see more information on our Flight Ease program here.
We had an 31-hour stretch of sailing before our next stop, checking in to Victoria, B.C., for a few hours in the evening before sailing at midnight to return to Seattle. The quick stop in Victoria serves mostly as a technical stop to satisfy regulations requiring that U.S. passengers vessels leave the United States during the cruise. Most people who got off Eurodam did so for an evening walk in the fine weather or for a dinner and shopping or to visit a cafe or restaurant to have a coffee or beer. With up to three days spent exploring Denali National Park, you will have plenty of time to get back to nature and fully appreciate this region's rugged terrain.
Cruise-tours range from nine to 18 days and include a one-, two- or three-day visit to Denali National Park. Some cruise-tours also include a journey into Canada's Yukon. We often saw ships from Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises in our ports. Even though the other cruise lines were in the same Alaskan ports, our ship had prime docking spots. Dining here includes extra touches like a biscotti with your cappuccino and baskets of freshly baked bread on the table. Included in your price is the option of an assigned dining time or a flexible time in the main dining room.
Sadly, I didn’t have much hope for them given the current visibility. Spending an hour taking photos and videos, you could sense everyone’s excitement. The combination of favorable sea conditions and warm weather meant we could marvel at the glacier for some time. Passing waterfalls and other scenic landscapes, it was a good three hours into the trip when we got our first glimpse of the South Sawyer Glacier face.
He aims to help people find a way to enjoy cruise and travel in uniques and active ways away from the crowds. The Explorer’s Cafe is located at the very top of the ship overlooking the bow as a spacious observation lounge space. Dinners offer a rotating menu of Mediterranean cuisine alongside cruise classics. Freshly prepared food is served up by staff, with cruisers not handling the items at the buffets stations. I love this approach by HAL, which greatly enhances the sanitary nature of the restaurant. Across the hall is Tamarind Bar, which features even more windows, including those on the wings that feel as if you are sitting on the edge of the ship.
Maximizing your time by booking excursions in the ports is also important. That does make things cost a bit more, but it really does make this a bucket-list trip. I think with a veranda, excursions, and some of the higher-end dining, as well as making use of the ship amenities that appeal most to you, will make for a wonderful experience. Although I might never be the type to cruise-hop in the Caribbean, I have a feeling this won’t be my last scenic cruise in some of the more mountainous, glacier-topped destinations. This is part of the Alaska immersion programming offered onboard when passengers weren’t on excursions in port. We had a day and a half sailing up to Juneau, and the onboard programming included talks about the history of Alaska, the Iditarod dogsled race, native culture and wildlife.
My flightseeing excursion to the Brooks Range north of the Arctic Circle was one of the more interesting of the entire trip. Denali has all types of excursions and even though they are pricey (flightseeing runs $400 per person and up), it's probably a once-in-a-lifetime splurge. The Alaska Railroad between Anchorage and Denali is billed as the most scenic way to make the trip, in domed train cars that feature special viewing platforms. And the mountains and rivers that you pass by are scenic, although after eight hours, the extended trip becomes wearying. Stretch your legs and rent a bike to ride the gorgeous Coastal Trail.
He would usher us around the city and our next two stops for the remaining 2.5 hours of the tour. His unique personality along with your typical historical narration made for an interesting city tour. The first portion was an approximately 2.5 hour sea otter and whale watching boat tour. Once the ship was cleared, we joined the masses exiting the ship on Deck A. We easily found our tour provider, as it was the group with the largest line! Once everyone arrived, we were ushered to the next dock to begin the 5+ hours of exploring the Sitka waters and city highlights. The new tram from the NCL dock was running, taking cruisers back and forth to that landing area.
We spent about 4.5 hours driving around to the different sites and then returning our Jeep. One of the best things you can do on an Alaskan cruise is to get off the ship and get into nature. For this trip, we chose Holland America Alaska cruise excursions at our three ports of call. I also want to note that using the HAL Navigator app is extremely useful while onboard.
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