After researching different Alaskan cruises, I chose Holland America Line (HAL) for its long history with Alaska which often gives them preferential treatment in ports, the more mature crowd, and reputed better food than on some cruises. We chose to go at the end of June. We looked forward to long days of sunshine, warmer weather, and wildlife sightings.
Pete and I experienced a Viking river cruise last summer in Europe and this was a much larger ship, about 2000 vs. 200 people. No one under 18 is permitted on Viking, but on HAL there were plenty of children and large multi-generational family groups, some wearing matching shirts. HAL has several ships touring Alaska in the summer and we were assigned the Nieuw Amsterdam for our cruise.
I booked this 11-night Double Denali tour last fall with COSTCO. Our trip included a 7-night cruise from Vancouver, Canada to Whittier, Alaska, and on the land tour, 1 night in Anchorage, 2 in Denali, and 1 in Fairbanks. The Have It All (HIA) package included Wifi, the Elite beverage package, a shore excursion discount, and 1-night specialty dining in one of the restaurants.
EXCURSIONS
We booked our excursions early for the cruise, but not much information was given at that time for the land portion. We had 3 days at sea and 3 days in port so we booked excursions for all 3 days in port. They were all AMAZING!
Read all about them later on the day-by-day entries.
Ketchikan: Wilderness cruise and Silverking Lodge seafood feast
Juneau: Dog sledding and glacier helicopter tour
Juneau: Evening whale quest with Alaska Cuisine
Skagway: White Pass Summit Scenic railroad
A few weeks before the trip, I joined several Facebook pages where people posted about this specific cruise ship, the Nieuw Amsterdam in Alaska. Some of the reviews on this site helped me to tweak my trip to be the best experience for me, my husband, my sister, and her husband. My husband had spine surgery followed by a stroke in February. His balance was affected and his knee surgery has been postponed so ensuring the trip was enjoyable and comfortable for everyone was my goal.
STATEROOM
Our 10th-floor verandah room on the starboard side offered us fabulous views as we traveled northbound along the coast of Alaska. We also had easy access to the mid-ship 10th-floor outdoor deck for viewing sights during the sea days when cruising Glacier Bay National Park, College Fjord, and the Inside Passage. We could hear the guided narration from the TV in our room and also on the outside decks.
The rooms are spacious with a small couch and table we used for room service several mornings, a desk and chair, and a queen-size bed. For storage, our suitcases fit under the bed and we used the two nightstands with drawers and the 3 closets with multiple shelves and a safe to comfortably store all our stuff.
We took advantage of the laundry package since we were doing the land portion after the cruise and would need clean clothes. It was a nice service and only took 24 hours, though they say to expect a 48-hour turnaround. Using magnetic wall hooks and an over-the-door organizer is a great suggestion we used to keep track of smaller items.
The spacious bathroom has a shower/tub combo with wall dispensers filled with shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner. A clothesline in the tub is helpful if needed to dry wet items. Two robes, beach towels, yoga mats, and blankets are all provided in your cabin for use during your stay.
The mini fridge has items that cost money but you can ask the steward to empty it. The steward comes in twice a day to tidy up the room.
DINING
We loved the 24-hour room service for breakfast and left the form on the door in the evening.
Holland America Line offers several included dining options: the main dining room, the Lido Market, the Dive-in counter service, and room service.
The main dining room on the 2nd and 3rd decks is huge and we chose flexible dining instead of an assigned time. We never had to wait more than a few minutes to be seated and the service and food were always very good.
The Lido Deck on the 9th level near the pool is a huge buffet with many choices available at each meal. The Dive-in counter near the pool services hotdogs, hamburgers, and french fries. You can order a milkshake here but it is not part of the beverage package.
