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Although, this presentation was more engaging with a more linear narrative. Immediately following this talk, a local native Tlingit offered an interesting look at the people, culture, and traditions. Heading to the rear outdoor decks, we grabbed a few shots of the glacier as we slowly sailed by it. With a few minor engine issues on the way back for good measure, we arrived about 30 minutes behind schedule. We did receive a bag lunch on the tour, so we were fine skipping dinner.
Holland America Alaska Cruise Review, On The Volendam
Shore excursions focus on water-based and land-based activities to up close to the magnificent animals and scenery beyond the icescapes. The port valet service took care of our two large suitcases, and we were assigned the departure time of 8 am. Easily finding our shore excursion guide, we were boarded on a bus for the 30 minute ride to the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary. The first portion was an approximately 2.5 hour sea otter and whale watching boat tour.
Shore Excursions:
For most, the nine hours spent cruising through the waters of Glacier Bay National Park is the pinnacle of their Alaskan cruise. My Holland America cruise was my third time to Glacier Bay, and I experienced blue skies each time. Being my 4th visit, I wanted to find something different to do on my port day. Wandering through Skagway, I found a tour operator selling excursions, so I selected a Chilkoot Trail and Float.
10 of 871 Vancouver to Alaska Holland America Line Cruise Reviews
Once the whales were out of sight, we headed indoors to the Lincoln Center Stage. This was one performance venue that we still needed to check off our list. If you are on a HAL ship, we highly recommend you attend this presentation. This hidden gem is tucked around the corner from the piano bar and adjacent to the casino. So, you can still hear some of the music in the background.
It’s a Beautiful Day
We also had some time to walk the grounds on our own to check out some of the other “residents”, including more bald eagles, owls, and ravens perched in outdoor exhibits. It was a great opportunity to see some of these amazing large birds up close. Disembarking the boat at Centennial Hall, we met Justin, our quirky tour guide/bus driver.
Masks are required when in elevators, indoor entertainment areas, retail shops and in the casino, except when actively eating or drinking. Guests are also asked to wear face masks prior to being seated in all dining venues. The shopping options were a bit small – as compared to Royal Caribbean, where the atrium is where everything is happening and makes the ship feel bigger than it is. There were onboard talks and presentations like what to expect while cruising, and how to buy stuff on shore. We mostly went to them in the hopes of winning a free item, but sadly we came home empty handed. I hope you’ll check out Holland America Line for your next cruise to Alaska and that you’ll have as much fun as we did!
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The fitness room has a nicely equipped weight room with treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, and other typical machines, along with free weights. King’s Blues Club, the Billboard Onboard dueling piano bar, and the Lincoln Center stage offers live music. Each evening, you receive a menu of the following day’s ship activities. A handful of pre-teens/teens hung out on the pool deck and were occasionally seen walking the hallways or playing ping-pong. All the kids were well-behaved, and none seemed obnoxious.
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. In four of the ship’s nine restaurants, food is included in the price of the cruise (with the exception of a few special dishes such as lobster and caviar). These range from a food court-style buffet and poolside burger bar to the main dining room, which serves three à la carte courses at most meal times.
The Dining Room
The pricing was not cheap, and seeing as we’re based in Seattle it didn’t make sense since we have easy access to fresh fish. Our guide also mentioned that some fish should only be transported smoked. When we arrived, we had to show our driver’s licenses (or passports) to obtain a fishing license for the trip.
They even deliver your luggage to your stateroom, where it waits for you outside your cabin door. When on board, the app serves as a tool to access the cruise itinerary. As someone who considers herself pretty tech-savvy, this app was helpful before and during the cruise. The registration process is streamlined with Holland America Line’s Navigator App. This app walks passengers through the forms needed and keeps track of what has already been completed. Welcome to Be My Travel Muse, one of the top female travel blogs in the world, welcoming over 5 million readers annually.
Back on the ship, we grabbed a quick snack at the Lido Market. While it was not open for “lunch”, there were select stations open for snacks. This gave me the opportunity to try the Asian salad, which was actually quite good.
The addition of Music Walk (with Billboard, Lincoln Center and B.B. King’s), more active shore excursions and even improved wifi all help to lower the age demographic. As you can see, the standard balcony has everything you’d need including a ton of USB ports dotted around the stateroom. There’s extra storage in the bins above the small sofa as well as at the end of the desk and under the bed. Closet space is excellent, too, with “real” hangers that you can actually remove from the closet rod. Alaska is all about the outdoors and there’s plenty of deck space aboard the Eurodam. There’s no “best” side of the ship for viewing as the ship makes a U-turn in Glacier Bay so everyone gets the best view.
World-class entertainment includes live music at the Lincoln Centre Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club, Rolling Stones Lounge and Billboard Onboard. Enrichment programs also play a significant role in Holland America Line's Entertainment offerings. In Anchorage, take a train journey through the Chugach forest on the Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery route to Spencer Glacier, or cruise to the brilliant blue Portage Glacier.
The Quench package included espresso drinks, smoothies, and water cans. I have to be honest that the size of the ship (2,500 capacity, one of Holland America’s largest) made me hesitate. I know for sure I’m not the kind of person who would enjoy the huge ships that have 5,000+ passengers, those big slides, and bellyflop competitions. There are several options for the historic train, since it’s the most popular thing to do in town. Although my intention had been to go all the way, the trip was still beautiful, and probably long enough, considering we had my one-year-old in tow.
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