14 Night Great Alaskan Explorer (Seattle Roundtdrip)
Sail date: August 26, 2019
Ship:
Amsterdam
Cabin type: Suite
Cabin number: GUAR
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review summary
This was a great itinerary and we chose this cruise for that very reason. It did not disappoint! Incredible scenery, wildlife and Alaska is just unbelievable! We have cruised many times and the onboard activities & extravagant amenities like rock climbing walls, etc. are not why we cruise. We use the ship as a floating hotel and restaurant to take us places we want to see. And this cruise did all of that and more!
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The stage shows were mediocre but the specialty talent brought onboard throughout the cruise was very good.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Not exactly a 'suite' on Holland America. It is what other lines would consider a balcony cabin. We would not go for a "Guaranteed" cabin again because we didn't get any kind of upgrade and in the long run would have preferred to select our own cabin. No real complaints but it didn't get us anything out of the ordinary.
The Homer "Spit" is mostly just shops with the same things over and over, bars & restaurants. There was a complimentary shuttle to the "Spit" but we really didn't appreciate the $20/person to take a shuttle into the main part of town.
Absolutely the BEST port, though we had to book an independent tour in order to go see Kodiak brown bears. Which was EXCELLENT! (Sea Hawk Air) But we needed more time as we literally were the last ones getting back onboard the ship. A longer stay in this port is needed.
Enjoyed this port very much, but again, could have used a couple more hours. The main complaint is that if you take a shore excursion, there isn't time left for leisurely exploring the town itself. And it's a delightful town!
The cruise lines need to band together to lobby the city of Victoria for a free shuttle. The only ways to get into the main tourist area were to walk 1 1/2 miles of pay $20/person for a shuttle. We were told it is the way things are in Canada and is not the cruise line that supplies the free shuttles elsewhere, but the city/town/port themselves. Well, the cruise lines should show some muscle and get Canadian ports to provide free shuttles.
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