Has anyone been on a Holland America Alaskan cruise?

[TLHB70]

I posted a thread a few weeks ago about DH wanting to go to Hawaii. Thankfully Ducklite here warned me that it would be hard to get a flight, and it was. We couldn't get one on the days we needed. So now we are not going to Hawaii. Instead, DH just booked us on an upcoming Alaska cruise!!!!!!!!!!! I was warned that those sold out/booked up quickly. However, someone must have canceled or something. We booked it for the week of June 4!!!!!!!! So seven weeks from now we will be sailing to Alaska!!!!!!!!! I am so excited because the pictures in the brochure book and web site look awesome.
DH and I have only been on one cruise our entire lives, the Disney Wonder. We brought our entire family. This time our kids will be visiting grandparents for this week in the summer so we will have a romantic trip alone. I just don't know anything about Alaska, this cruise line or anything to expect. I was hoping someone here would have some information or pointers.
BTW, we will port at Juneau, AK; Sitka, AK; Ketchikan, AK; and Victoria, British Columbia. Does anyone have info on those places?

 

[shortbun]

I've been on three HA Alaskan cruises. They are wonderful! You should be able to book your shore excursions in advance and I recommend doing that so you don't get closed out of what you want. Sitka is a facinating little city with loads of Russian Heritage. I really loved a cruise we took into a smaller waterway there where there were an amazing amount of bald eagles; Silver Bay may have been the name of the place. Unfortunately, one doesn't usually have time to do everything in these ports. The New Archangel Dancers are fantastic! If you like collecting art, Tlingit art is quite unusual and expensive but I love ours!!! We also found some really delicate bone carvings there in a shop just forward of the Russian church. Holland America's website has all the tours described pretty well. My best advice is book your tours right away!!! We usually go fishing in Ketchikan; you will be there when the salmon fishing is good. Even if you don't fish, be prepared to eat some wonderful salmon while there. I recommend one of the salmon bakes IF you are not off on some really adventurous excursion. Holland America has some really rigorous tours.Do as much as you possible can. Alaska is amazing! We always manage to get a bottle of champagne into one of the hot tubs on board. I love Juneau. I've spent lots of time there. I spent a weekend panning for gold back in the 70's and found some large nuggets. The museums are good. Mendenhal glacier is interesting.

 

[Laura]

I took a cruise to Alaska in '04 and we went to two of those ports, Juneau and Ketchikan. In Juneau we took a bus to Mendenhall Glacier, had lunch in town and shopped a little. In Ketchikan we walked to the totem poles at the Totem Heritage Center (or you could see Saxman village or Totem Bight), had lunch at Cape Fox Lodge and wandered around the town a bit too. We took excursions in the other ports, Prince Rupert and Skagway, so that's not much help to you. Our cruise wasn't Holland, it was Norwegian. But I hear lots of great things about HAL, and I'd love to take a cruise with them someday.

Here is a link to cruisecritic's boards, specifically the Alaska ports of call board.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Have fun on your cruise! Alaska is magnificent!

 

[TLHB70]

Great! DH has mentioned, without looking at all of the excursions, that he wants us to go fishing for salmon. We both love to fish so I am excited about that. We glanced over the excursions online this weekend. It all happened so fast! We booked it on Friday night. Then Saturday and Sunday we had Easter stuff going on. So we haven't had time to really search and book the excursions, just glance at them. I want us to do the whale watching quest in Juneau. Also he wants us to do the floatplane adventure/tour.
Shortbun, what did you pack? It looks like packing will be hard. Should I pack just jeans for casual days? Will it be too cool to wear any shorts? Short sleeves AND long sleeves? I know I will need sweaters and a light jacket. Did you wear just regular tennis shoes on excursions? Will I need hiking type boots for excursions? I have no clue what to pack! I have only been on one cruise, Disney Wonder, and church dresses were fine for dining because we didn't have formal nights. I need more formal dresses for this, correct?

Thanks for the link Laura!

 

[Shugardrawers]

My best friend from Jr High works for HA in Seattle. She sent me a get well gift of immense proportions. For bonuses she gets gift certs for cruises that are fully tranferable. She gave us one for $1k towards a Mexican cruise And it doesn't expire so we'll save up for the rest and probably go in a couple of years. She swears they are faboo and she's worked for several different cruise lines. She's been with HA for 15 years. The others only a couple each. That right there tells me something. Congrats and let me know how it goes!

 

[binny]

I worked for Holland America in Alaska for 2 years, if you want to PM me I would be glad to help

 

[kcouture]

We took the inside passage from Vancouver BC to Seward AK July 1 (Canada Day). Family Reunion cruise with 12 of us 80 to 10. Great trip. My favorite shore excursion was the Snorkle on Ketchikan. It was great, definitely different then the carribbean. It was a little strenuous but great fun, my husband is a out of shape 50 and nephew is a lifeguard age 17. We all thought it was super. Also after arriving in Seward, stayed a couple extra days and chartered a day boat to go salmon/halibut fishing. Great pics and great fish, biggest 130 pounds. Took Alaska RR to Anchorage where some flew home and we continued in rental to Denali Lodge.

 

[lucas]

We've been to Alaska 3 times with Holland America and one time with Princess. Every trip was fantastic!! I love the scenery, wildlife, glaciers, and quaint towns. On 2 trips we took the train ride from Fairbanks to Anchorage, spending 1 night in Denali National Park. I would go again in a heartbeat!!!

 

[Syrreal]

We went last summer on Celebrity but they have a couple of the same ports of call. I second the snorkeling in Ketchikan. They provide all the equipment including suits and hoods and I actually had to let in some water into my wetsuit because I was getting warm. Plus you see some things that you don't get to see on your caribbean snorkels/dives. If you can get in a whalewatching tour.. do it. We did one in I think Juneau and saw 10 different humpbacks! This tour also included lunch at the orca pt lodge... honestly it was the best salmon I have ever had!
Also, keep an eye out on the ocean while on the boat. Every time we looked out we saw a whale spout or tail.

 

[TLHB70]

Oh wow. We hadn't looked at snorkeling. We do hope to book the whale watching and salmon fishing excursion. We will be doing that tonight. I hope they aren't booked up yet!!!!!!!!!!
My biggest question is packing!!!!!!! I just sent binny a PM about it. We live in the south so we do not have a lot of winter stuff. I wear jeans with sweaters and a medium jacket in winter.........none waterproof! I have read on some Alaska cruise information sites that I shouldn't wear jeans. Why? That is all that I have for casual wear in cold weather. I have capris and shorts for summer casual. Also, did you all just wear tennis shoes on the port/excursion days?
I am so scared of how the packing will go for this!!!! I hope that I don't have to go out and buy a ton of clothing for this. We were fine on our Disney cruise. We didn't have to buy clothes. This cruise cost a lot more, and if we have to buy clothes it will be even more. Please help and tell me what you wore on port/excursion days.

 

[lucas]

Don't forget to bring your binoculars. They are a necessity to spot all the wildlife you will see. Whales, puffins, eagles, seals...! Also, while on the White Pass train in Skagway we saw a bear and in Anchorage we saw a moose!

 

[TLHB70]

Also, what kind of hat should I pack? I do not have a ski type hat. Do I need one? I have tons of baseball caps. I wear those all summer. Are those ok? I know they don't cover the ears though. So I may need to buy and pack the ski//snow type.......................is that right?

 

[binny]

I think you'll be surprised at how warm it is on land. The ship will be chillier while out to sea but it isnt too bad.


The 2 years I was there it was warmer in Skagway and Whitehorse than it was at my parents in Spokane Wa. I thought that was really funny.


I'll answer your PM in a little more detail in a bit, ok?

 

[TLHB70]

OK, thanks binny!!!!!!
I am just concerned because I am reading on some other boards about all of this waterproof or weatherproof stuff that people pack and wear. It is worrying me. I had planned to pack jeans for the port days. I don't have weather proof or gortex pants. I had planned on packing one lightweight waterproof jacket. I figured I could wear tshirts with a sweatshirt or jacket on top, you know, layer. I thought that my baseball caps would be fine, but some other boards are mentioning hats and ear protection. I don't want to have to go out and buy a bunch of stuff that I will not use again. I live in the south so I don't have a lot of winter gear. I am just trying to figure out what to pack.
Also, I assume that I wear summer dresses to dinner since it will be June..........not winter dresses...............is that correct?

 

[lucas]

I live in Florida - I don't own a winter hat!

But, a good insulated all weather coat with a hood is what I used. It rains a lot in Alaska so this type of coat was perfect. If I were you, I would also bring gloves and an umbrella. The gloves came in handy out on deck - you'll need it on cooler days cruising the fjords or Glacier Bay. Again, we live in Florida so we really felt the cold weather. One good thing, HAL serves hot chocolate and on certain days they also serve hot pea soup out on deck.

 

[TLHB70]

I don't have a winter hat either. My daughters have a few so I thought I may be able to try one of their hats if necessary. I am glad to see that is not needed! I will pack my baseball caps in case I can use those. I do have gloves, but they are suede. Is that ok?
DH and I will be shopping for the type of jacket you are talking about, Lucas. I hope they aren't too hard to find around here in the spring. I thought I would try our Bass Pro store or Dick's Sporting Good store. I hope that I can find some. Maybe they will be cheaper since it is not the season for them........................ .....................we can hope!!!!!
We booked our excursions last night!!! YEAH!!!!!! We have two in Juneau: the glacier tour & flightplane and the whale search tour. We booked one in Sitka: the sea otter and wildlife quest. We booked one in Ketchikan: salmon fishing. I am so excited!!!!!!
Lucas, that hot chocolate on deck will be super!!!!!!!!!!!!
What months did you go on your cruises?

 

[lucas]

TLHB70: I don't know about suede goves. I had the thin Isotoner kind. They were warm enough and kept fingers nimble enough for picture taking. I just remembered that dh usually takes his knit Steeler cap to Alaska.

You have some great excursions planned. Once in Juneau dh took a helicopter ride that landed on Mendenhall Glacier and everyone got out and walked on the glacier. Another time we both took a 6 seater sea plane ride (nothing like being able to tap the pilot on the shoulder!) over glaciers to Taku Lodge and landed for a salmon bake. Spectacular! Landing and taking off from the water was something - especially when you skim the water and come in right next to your cruise ship.

We like it when the ships have a park ranger or naturalist on board for the day to describe the scenery passing by. Once on Princess, they had the woman Iditarod racer, Libby Riddles, on board to speak about her experiences and her sled dogs. That was great. The ships also have wildlife alerts and will make an announcement over the intercom to say which side of the ship that whales are spotted - then everyone runs to that side of the ship!

The last time we went to Alaska was with Princess a few years ago in May. That was the coldest trip and we saw LOTS of snow. The snow was piled very high on both sides of the train ride thru Denali and on the train ride from Skagway, Alaska to the Canadian Yukon (where the gold rush took place). We cruised to Alaska with HAL 3 times - July, August and September.

I am so jealous! You will have a great time!!!

 

[Syrreal]

Here's the address to the site we have some of our pics up from last year. You can get an idea of what we were wearing. I mainly wore jeans and my Dh was in sweats a lot.
The only pic you can't really tell what we are wearing is the one where we are standing in awfully unatractive kayak gear.

www.christopherwilliams.net/alaska

 

[Laura]

Our cruise was in June 2004 and it was actually very hot! I wished I had packed shorts! The only day it was more of the "typical" weather I expected was at Prince Rupert. I did bring a waterproof rain jacket and gloves. The gloves were handy when we visited Sawyer Glacier. I wore jeans and hiking boots most days, with a t-shirt. Definitely do the layering thing. Sweater or sweatshirt would be good. Norwegian is pretty casual, so I didn't have to bring formal dresses. I wore skirts and slacks to dinner. HAL is more dressy at night, I think.

Binoculars are a must for wildlife watching. You will see lots of animals! We saw seals, bald eagles, porpoises, sharks, humpback whales, etc. etc.

 

[TLHB70]

Syrreal, thanks for the pictures. They are GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!! They added to my excitement. Also, that helps me "see" what I need to pack. I do not have that type of jacket so I will need to go buy one. I have a few thick jackets, but they are not the waterproof type.
Laura, what types of gloves did you and DH pack in June? I have suede gloves and DH has the smooth leather gloves; both pair are Isotoner so they are nice and warm. Does that matter? Do you need the waterproof kind?